Discount amount needs the original price beside it

What it is

“¥50 off” and “20% off” have no force without a reference. Show original and discount together means current price, the struck or labeled reference, and the gap or rate share a viewport so subtraction is possible. This is how a discount is seen, not whether shipping tax appears early, and not installment interest. A fake original (never sold at that number) turns the pairing into theatre. Force comes from a real reference, not a larger strikethrough.

Why it happens

Discount judgment is comparison, not reading a green token. Without an original, 50 could be off 60 or off 500. The anchor rests on the current price; promo words become mood. A strikethrough far above recent clears raises the anchor so the current looks cheaper—reference-price manipulation. Units must match: unit vs unit, not bundle list versus single current. Showing only percent or only amount leaves different ticket sizes unable to compute “for me”; offer both or a toggle.

Studying it

Pair one current price with no original, a recent true average as original, and a strikethrough far above history. Watch perceived cheapness and whether people still compare other shops.

Independent variables: reference source, amount and percent together, bundle vs unit mixed as reference. Dependent variables: perceived discount, choosing this shop, later trust break on discovering the original was never sold.

Telling lab participants “this is a true original” washes out suspicion. Use browsing history or a prior undiscounted page. Do not invent how many people believe strikethroughs; the measure is joint presentation and reference truth, not a marketing percentage.

Where it stops holding

New goods have no history; do not invent a strikethrough—use “launch price” or current only. Personalized offers have different originals; say “versus what you usually pay” vs “versus list.” Where law requires a verifiable reference, link when and where it sold. Member vs guest prices: guest list is the original for someone not subscribed.

Applying it

• Current, reference, and gap or rate on one screen; label what the reference means (list / recent selling).
• Do not strike a high price that never sold; do not cross bundle and unit as reference.
• Provide at least one intelligible force (amount or percent); both when ticket sizes span wide.
• Verify by covering promo adjectives, leaving numbers: “how much cheaper, versus what.” Failure: no reference, or a bundle price treated as the unit original.

Related

• Within the group: H7.09.2 Stacking rules must be complete before checkout · H7.09.3 Missing comparison fields read as deliberate hiding · H7.09.4 Countdown timers for limited offers must be real
• Adjacent: H7.03 Price transparency · O4.11 Hidden costs and last-minute extras · H7.04 Payment method selection
• Search terms: reference price · strikethrough price · discount salience