2012-04-12

alexpgp: (Default)
2012-04-12 08:36 pm

Shopping peeve...

Displaying unit prices is a pretty good idea that gives consumers who shop on the basis of price something of a hand when it comes to decision-making. However, I've noticed a trend in unit pricing that's not local to our town (as in: I've seen this in New York and Houston, too).

Check out these photos:







Both photos show a unit price for the respective goods (packages of 12 and 16 AAA batteries, respectively), except the "unit" in the bottom photo is the package itself. As it is generally unwise to assume malice when simple laziness, inattention, lack of training, native stupidity, or indifference will explain a situation, I make no accusations and demand no explanations. Still, it's a shame this sort of thing is, IMO, so prevalent.

The mental trick, in this instance, of noticing that—by putting the 16-battery package in the shopping cart—one is purchasing 33% more product for only about 5% more money ought to be quite convincing.

A calculator will do the trick, too. <grin>

Cheers...