Effect of font size and appearance in left-digit price cognition

Research has indicated that changes in price endings can result in left digit effects ($3.99 vs. $4.00). In this study, we report on the effects of price font size and appeared model on a nine-ending price where the leftmost digit is changed. Cognition of comparative price can be magnified or weakened depending on such factors. First, when the same font size is used for the price or the size-value congruency conditions are the same, the magnitude of price difference between the target and standard prices will be perceived as larger when the leftmost digit of a 9-ending price is changed (for example, $299 versus $300). Enlarging the price font size causes the perceived magnitude of the size-value incongruence of the left-digit effect in nine-ending prices to diminish. Second, when the price appears vertically it will facilitate the comparison of two prices and diminish the perceived magnitude of difference in price in comparison between the regular price and the sale price.