Why did the earliest vendors and retailers in the U.S. decide to charge 99 cents rather than a dollar?
Because the cashier would have to make change in the cash register for 99 cents, forcing a record of the sale, whereas if the vendor/retailer charged $1, the cashier could pocket the dollar without a record of the transaction.
<START_INST>Why did the earliest vendors and retailers in the U.S. decide to charge 99 cents rather than a dollar?<END_INST><START_CTX><END_CTX><START_A>Because the cashier would have to make change in the cash register for 99 cents, forcing a record of the sale, whereas if the vendor/retailer charged $1, the cashier could pocket the dollar without a record of the transaction.<END_A>