[john-radio]

A better way to express it than a "con" is that it's a price-framing device. It's like listing a watch at an initial value of $2,000 so that people will feel content to buy it at $400.

[jl6]

That sounds like a con to me too.

[xanderlewis]

The line between ‘con’ and ‘genuine value synthesised in the eye of the buyer using nothing but marketing’ is very thin. If people are happy, they are happy.