Anchor Pricing Calculator
A high reference price that makes the target look reasonable.
1.5 to 2 times the target is the usual range.
Anchor (premium tier)
$216.00
makes $120.00 read as moderate
A decoy priced close to the premium tier but with noticeably less makes the premium look like the obvious choice. Reference prices must be genuine — advertising rules require it.
How the Anchor Pricing Calculator works
Buyers judge prices relatively, not absolutely. A premium option positioned above your target makes the target look moderate, and a well-designed decoy makes it look obviously correct — which is why three-tier pricing is so persistent.
Not financial advice. Marketplace fees change, and they vary by country, plan and seller status. Every rate here is an editable default, not a quoted price — check the platform's current fee schedule before you price a product against it. This is not tax or business advice.
Frequently asked questions
How does price anchoring work?
The first price a buyer sees becomes the reference everything else is judged against. Showing a £200 option first makes £120 feel reasonable; showing £80 first makes the same £120 feel expensive. Order matters.
What is a decoy price?
A deliberately poor-value option that makes another look strong. A middle tier priced close to the top tier but with noticeably less makes the top tier the obvious choice — the mechanism behind most good-better-best structures.
How far above the target should the anchor sit?
Roughly 1.5 to 2 times. Much higher and it reads as irrelevant rather than as a reference point; much closer and it fails to make the target look moderate.
Is anchoring manipulative?
It is manipulative when the anchor is fake — a struck-through price never genuinely charged. Advertising rules in most markets require reference prices to have been real, and enforcement is increasing.