Misleading Reference Pricing

Definition

Displaying a discounted price in relation to an original (reference) price that may be inaccurate or artificially inflated.

Psychological mechanism

Anchoring bias. A high, crossed-out price serves as an anchor, making the promotional price seem significantly lower and more attractive.

Consumer impact

• Consumer perception: Trust and Confirmation. The main reaction is a "feeling of making a good choice" (58-73%) and "greater trust in the product/service" (52-62%). Indicates effective building of (false) credibility.
• Measured impact: Medium to High (50-62%). Up to 62% of respondents who noticed this pattern admitted it accelerated their purchase decision.
• Vulnerable demographics: Younger people (18-34) and those with higher education report greater susceptibility.

Detection Signals

• On-page evidence: Presentation of a regular price (crossed out) that is artificially inflated.

Evidence (Code examples)

The server returns the selling price alongside a significantly higher market price.

"price_info": { "price_str": "98,36", "market_price_str": "506,99" }

Regulatory Angle

Verification of data sources. Strict enforcement of the Omnibus Directive (Directive (EU) 2019/2161) regarding 30-day historical pricing rules.