TARGET customers may be falling for a sneaky trick that can be spotted in-store and online.
Most shoppers are unaware that it’s happening, but remaining vigilant is the key to not overspending.
Consumer advocate Jeff Rossen (pictured) has pointed out Target trick[/caption]
Shoppers could find themselves spending more as a result (stock image)[/caption]
It can be spotted by looking closely at price tags (stock image)[/caption]
It was pointed out by consumer advocate and journalist Jeff Rossen (@rossenreports) in a recent reel on Facebook.
Rossen explained in the clip that his wife often comes to their nearest Target location for only a few items, but ends up buying far more than expected, racking up a receipt that exceeds $200.
This is a shared experience among many customers, and according to him, isn’t just because of Target’s attractive offers.
Instead, it’s more of a subconscious pricing strategy at play that most shoppers who head to the retail giant’s over 1,900 stores nationwide or website remain unaware of.
“Target and other retailers like it are using high-level psychology to trick our brains to spend more time here, wander around, and spend more money,” Rossen argued.
The psychological method was divulged by the consumer advocate as “odd-even” pricing.
Target allegedly changes pricing on tags to even numbers, like those ending in a clean double-zero, to signify “luxury” or quality for customers.
Similarly, those price tags ending in odd numbers, whether it’s “.99” “.29” or even “.19,” signify a better deal in customers’ minds because they reduced below a whole even number.
“Oh, I’m getting a good deal it ends in ’29’ that’s a low number,” Rossen pointed out as an example.
“It’s going to make you grab this, thinking you’re getting a deal.”
Even so, some shoppers claimed they were immune to the technique.
“Nope. Those that don’t have money to spend are not tricked by the prices,” a longtime Target customer commented.
“I only buy what I need,” another wrote.
The odd-even pricing strategy is a real thing, and it’s a fairly popular marketing technique that’s been around for years, per Buynomics.
What is Target Circle 360?
In April, Target launched its first-ever paid membership program, Target Circle 360.
For $99 a year, members get access to the following perks:
- Unlimited, free same-day delivery on orders over $35
- An extra 30 days to return your items
- Free two-day shipping on 100,000s of items
- 5% off in-store and online
- Automatic deals and exclusive partner perks
PROVEN METHOD
According to some studies, odd pricing does convey the impression of deals to consumers, but more so because they only pay attention to the first digit of a price label.
So, for example, if an item is reduced from $5.00 to $4.99, it can be perceived by some as having more value, increasing sales by as much as 10% to even 30% in some cases.
Additionally, experts found that odd numbers give an illusion that the pricing is “honest” or fair given that it’s more specific.
With even numbers, it conveys simplicity, accuracy, and premium quality.
Luxury fashion brands tend to do it for that reason, and Rossen even pointed out in the Facebook reel that Target-brand products had even price endings.
THREE-POINT TACTIC
Overall, psychologists found odd-even pricing to work for three main reasons: the left-digit effect, the image effect, and the perceived gain effect.
American consumers put the most emphasis on the furthest left digit in a price label as many read from left to right.
With the odd number, the image effect portrays a deal or discount.
And lastly, they tend to perceive an illogical gain from a odd-priced item, when in reality it’s only about one cent, and it’s probably an item they wouldn’t have bought in the first place.
Target has also been making some significant changes recently.
It confirmed this summer that a huge pricing perk would be ending, leaving some shoppers outraged.
The retail giant’s new CEO has also vowed to make three crucial adjustments moving forward in 2026.
