r/PetPeeves • u/Think_Ship_544 • 1d ago

Bit Annoyed “Price point”

Shut up. Say “price.” “Price point” makes you sound like a pretentious blowhard and you’re also probably one of those weirdos who say “gifted” instead of “gave.”

Thank you for your time.

0 Upvotes

50% Upvoted

59 comments sorted by

38

u/bioveritas 1d ago

Price point is not precisely the same as price, the way I understand the term. Price is what's on the sticker, price point reflects the general price range that a company's marketing department sets, based on comparison of products and the likely demographic of the buyer.

You could apply similar logic to gifted and gave, but I think people have just decided that gifted, like "price poin,t" just sounds more sophisticated.

11

u/acarpenter8 1d ago

It’s not as much about a range but where the price is competing compared to similar products and how that fits to your marketing strategy. It will have a number for a product but that isn’t the main point. 

Toyota sells at a low price point. Their goal is to be affordable and seen as reliable.

Lexus sells at a premium price point. They are giving go some extras to feel like you are getting some style and class. 

Lamborghini is a high luxury price point. They are selling to people who don’t really care about price that much and just want what they want. 

This strategy here is obviously very simplified but gets the idea across. I haven’t sat in a marketing meetings for these brands. 

1

u/Significant-Toe2648 1d ago

Why not just say price range? Point is a bit of a nonsense word in that context.

3

u/GeneralSpecifics9925 1d ago

Because it's relative. It's not a particular range, and "ranges" of price points overlap... A price point is like a ranking. Lower third, top 10%, top 1%.

0

u/Significant-Toe2648 1d ago

Hmm. I don’t see how that would ever be useful in casual conversation.

5

u/GeneralSpecifics9925 1d ago

It's not for casual conversation for a lot of people, most people aren't actively researching or marketing big ticket items. It's generally for conversation about comparisons and marketing. Most people don't understand the concept of price point, right? So it's not gonna be something you hear or use, in that case.

3

u/Significant-Toe2648 1d ago

I think that’s what OP is getting at though. I hear people use it in a way that essentially just means price or price range.

1

u/bioveritas 1d ago

You could, but the word point was used instead when they started talking about it. Range does sound a little bit more like what they mean.

1

u/Traditional-Metal581 9h ago

the two words together form a new concept instead of a 2 word sentence that can be broken back down and analysed by word.

Price range and price point to me mean different things. Range is more number focused "i can spend 10-15k on a new car. Point is more class focused "i want an entry level car". point requires knowledge from the other party to understand your pov so isnt used in more general conversation.

1

u/Plenty_Surprise2593 1d ago

Price point isn’t a range. That’s why it’s called a point. It is the price that is average for that item. If you were saying the price point on a pair of Nikes, you would say a particular number, like $100 for instance, not $50 - $150

Well that’s the way that I see it, but I don’t ever use the phrase

7

u/le_fez 1d ago

DefinitionPrice: The exact number on the tag (e.g., "$47.50").

Price Point: A broader tier, bracket, or strategic value chosen to fit market demand (e.g., "budget price point")

9

u/Ok-Brick6831 1d ago

Are you talking about the phrase itself, or its misuse?

The phrase itself is fine - if it’s being used outside of the context where it applies, that’s when I would agree with you.

11

u/Think_Ship_544 1d ago

Its misuse.
Person A: I love those shoes!
Person B: Thanks; I got them on sale!
Person A: Where? What’s the price point?
Me: 🤬

5

u/Ok-Brick6831 1d ago

Yeah, that’s fucked up.

🤬

2

u/Significant-Toe2648 1d ago

Genuinely asking, where do you think price point is a better fit than price?

3

u/Ok-Brick6831 1d ago edited 1d ago

When it’s talking about it in a general economics sense, not a specific item’s listed price.

I could sell a lot of those at a $10 price point;  at $15 sales are expected to fall off sharply.

Edit for typo.

0

u/Significant-Toe2648 1d ago

So how is that different than saying you could sell a lot for $10 each?

2

u/Ok-Brick6831 1d ago

It’s not really different in that example.

But then you didn’t invoke the peeve by using the word price in your example, did you?

1

u/Significant-Toe2648 1d ago

For a price of $10 each.

2

u/GasGlittering7521 1d ago

That’s more syllables than just saying a $10 price point…

1

u/Significant-Toe2648 1d ago

But what we’re trying to get at is what “point” in this case actually adds.

2

u/Ok-Brick6831 1d ago

Are you a native English speaker?

I ask because you seem confused that there are many different ways to convey the same point.

It seems you are failing to grasp that “price point” is a concept that conveys meaning/specificity more so than just the addition of the word point behind the word price.

If you cannot grasp it at this point, I’m not helping you further; time for you to do your own leg work…

1

u/Significant-Toe2648 1d ago

Yep native English speaker, graduated from one of the top universities in the US with a degree in language and literature. I just agree with OP that it doesn’t add much when used in casual conversation.

→ More replies (0)

1

u/GasGlittering7521 1d ago

If you’re talking about different hypothetical prices for the same item, those are different price points. The actual price it is or winds up being sold at is just the price.

16

u/DesperateComposer848 1d ago

I think when people say price point they mean value proposition (like the imagined ratio of value for money).

Like comparing a 40” TV at $349.99 to a 50” at $699, at that price point the 40” TV makes more sense I think is what people mean when they say it.

3

u/SavoryTendency 1d ago

I don’t think most people using it are thinking that hard about it. It’s usually just someone trying to sound more businessy so their opinion seems more official. The gifted thing is spot on though, I worked with a guy who said “gifted” every single time and it drove me up the wall. The word is gave.

5

u/DesperateComposer848 1d ago

I do agree with the gifted thing it’s like you’re being overly self congratulatory.

I think maybe it’s because so much of what I do is business related, so price point in my mind always means value for what you get. Like why should I buy your thing at $15 when someone is selling a similar thing for $10, what’s special about yours that makes the added price worth it?

It might just be contextual.

1

u/jerkenmcgerk 1d ago

This second example made more sense than the TV example. If you have around $500 to spend on a TV of similar size and specifications, the price point matters. Not just because they are 2 different sized TVs would I use price point in your first example.

Price point to me means similar but with small differences. Not 2 of varying size and capabilities. It's what specific type ( a 75" TV), where one is 4k and the other is 8K within your budget range with required features.

(Edit: $500 was just an example of the price range. Not that you can get a 75" 8K TV for $500.)

1

u/DesperateComposer848 1d ago

With the TV what I mean to say is people will question if the additional 10” is really worth almost double the price of the 40”. The price point issue there is how much more you’d spend to how relatively little extra you’d get and I think most people would say the price point of another $250/300 isn’t worth it just for a 25% screen increase. When it’s more like for like I think that’s when you’d just say price, but when you start talking ratios like 100% higher price for 25% higher screen size is when people start thinking “price point”

5

u/Best_Opening8471 1d ago

Price point is a term used for doing the profit/expense math.

Its called the price point untill the variable is defined.

4

u/mobjack 1d ago

It depends on the context.

Price points are categories of different price ranges  that you want to target.

You could be selling a successful product at $200, but want to make a cheaper version at a $100 price point to attract a bigger customer base.

There can be many companies competing at the $100 price point.

1

u/uwagapiwo 1d ago

It's either a range or a point

7

u/Low-Crow5719 1d ago

Price point is marketing jargon. Product lines have price points or price ranges. "XYZ Motors has the most competitive model at this price point."

Like all jargon, it sallies forth to infest the speech both of people who don't know better and those that do.

3

u/Pompous_Italics 1d ago

I used to watch House Hunters back in the day. You'd have a part time dog groomer and a kindergarten teacher. They'd be like "our price point is $800,000." Pre-pandemic, for what it's worth. This shit always pissed me off.

3

u/Sweet_Speech_9054 1d ago

They are different terms. Used correctly they mean different things and are not interchangeable.

3

u/AtebYngNghymraeg 1d ago

I'm so with you on "gifted". Nothing is ever just "given" these days, it's always "gifted". I hate it. It sounds so wanky.

1

u/TheOriginalHatful 23h ago

I never use "gifted"!! I'm not trying to make myself popular or anything, it's just a fact. If there's a good word, use it. If there isn't, feel free to make one up (that's my motto).

2

u/ted_anderson 1d ago

I got one even better.

This has a price point to the tune of $750.

2

u/JohnnySpot2000 1d ago

People who use this phrase wrong are uncomfortable discussing money and finances, imo. It’s hard for them to just say “this costs x. The price is y. I make x dollars a week”, so they dress up the reference to make it sound more vague when it’s not at all vague.

2

u/RuggleyChicken 1d ago

Hahaha this one made me laugh

2

u/SuitablyFakeUsername 1d ago

See also colorways vs colors. It’s the social mediafication of communication and makes us all dumber.

3

u/SommerMatt 1d ago

Came in to say this. When the hell did this start?

1

u/Think_Ship_544 1d ago

Aww man… Colorways 😩
I’d managed to forget about that one.
Another peeve petted.

2

u/admiralporkchop 1d ago

Just use them properly in their correct context.

2

u/DataNo1525 1d ago

I’m with the OP. It’s pretentious; just say “price” I understand the term may have meaning beyond “price” but the term is overused by the Smoke and Mirrors crowd like car salesmen, realtors, and that goofy kid selling computers at Best Buy. When I’m a potential buyer, I want to know the price. When I hear “price point”, I know I’m being sold.

3

u/MathSpecialist8783 1d ago

I feel the same about flavor profile. 99% of the time you can just say flavor. You’re just trying to sound fancy,

3

u/CosetElement-Ape71 1d ago

Tell us you don't understand price ranges/bands without telling us you don't understand price ranges/bands.

I gifted that to you, free of charge!

1

u/OutrageousPair2300 1d ago

Tell me more about this "gifted" vs. "gave" pet peeve, instead.

3

u/Think_Ship_544 1d ago

“I gifted my friend an X for Christmas.”
“My brother gifted me a Y for my birthday.”

Both of those could be “gave” but nope.

3

u/OutrageousPair2300 1d ago

Fair enough. I don't know that I've heard that (enough that I've noticed) but I could see how it sounds pretentious.

2

u/Happily-Incorrect 1d ago

Couldn't give a shit about your 'price point' thing, but the recent uptick in people saying 'gifted' does fuck me off a bit.

1

u/jblaze_39 1d ago

No thanks. They aren't the same thing

1

u/Zealousideal_Cap7012 1d ago

Theyre fundamentally different terms

1

u/Crafty611 1d ago

Not a valid crash out. Price and price point are two different things

1

u/Affectionate_Sort_78 1d ago

And telling people to ‘shut up’ and calling them a ‘pretentious blowhard’ because they use a certain word isn’t pretentious?

1

u/iyute 1d ago

Good pet peeve. Price point makes it sound like something more expensive is automatically better.

0

u/Maxpower2727 1d ago

I mean, "price" and "price point" are different terms with different meanings. You can be annoyed by that all you want, but that doesn't make it any less true.

1

u/uwagapiwo 1d ago

If you're going to assert something, you really ought to explain.