Community Chat

[Love my grandkids]

Does anyone have any idea how all these charities and other organizations that advertise for donations on TV came up with the figure of $19 a month?

I did the math and know what is it per day based on a 30 day month, but why $19?

Is it because it sounds like/is less than $20? Anyone know for sure?

[Icegoddess]

I would imagine there have been studies showing people are more willing to shell out less than $20/month on a charity.   Yeah, I've noticed.  But, there's one that asks for $11/month.  Is that St Jude, or maybe Shriners?

[Janey2]

@Icegoddess  $11 a month is tunnel to towers

[grandma2pkmh]

@Love my grandkids   It a paper tax issue for the charity. I can't remember now exactlythe answer but can google it and it will be explained.

ETA to add:

• One theory attached to the $19 figure ascribes more cynical motivations to charitable organizations. The IRS requires charities provide receipts for annual contributions of $250 or more, and individual donations of $19 a month amount to less than that. But organizations likely aren't trying to get out of sending receipts.

[LTT1]

@Love my grandkids 

@grandma2pkmh @Janey2 @Icegoddess 

Remember "Ginsu knives at only $19.99?"

That was a known philosophy...people would buy at $19.99!

[Marp]

I think there are potential donors that will think $19 a month is an odd number and will up the amount to an even $20 or perhaps even $25.

[docsgirl]

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@LTT1 wrote:

@Love my grandkids 

@grandma2pkmh @Janey2 @Icegoddess 

Remember "Ginsu knives at only $19.99?"

That was a known philosophy...people would buy at $19.99!

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Which is probably why QVC instructs their sales clerks to tout a price tag of $79.99 as less than $80.  Psychologically, the customer is thinking of the $79 and not the $80.  They are legally within their right to do so but I don't think they fool most people.  We learned to round up in 3rd grade.  Brick and mortar stores do the same thing.

[tansy]

Funny but I was wondering about this, too, after seeing a plea for teens needing a place to sleep at night.

[jackthebear]

it's some kind of tax thing for the "charity" I bet they'd take as much as posssible a month

[Icegoddess]

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@docsgirl wrote:

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@LTT1 wrote:

@Love my grandkids 

@grandma2pkmh @Janey2 @Icegoddess 

Remember "Ginsu knives at only $19.99?"

That was a known philosophy...people would buy at $19.99!

---

Which is probably why QVC instructs their sales clerks to tout a price tag of $79.99 as less than $80.  Psychologically, the customer is thinking of the $79 and not the $80.  They are legally within their right to do so but I don't think they fool most people.  We learned to round up in 3rd grade.  Brick and mortar stores do the same thing.

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@docsgirl I'm okay with them saying that since it IS true.  It really bothers me when they go the other way and say and item is $79 when it's $79.99.  I also don't like it when they say you're getting it home for $13 when $13 is the 1st EZ pay, not the item price.