Business guide
Lucky Pricing: How to Price for Chinese Customers
Western retail loves .99. Chinese-speaking customers are more likely to notice an 8. Here's how to build a price list that feels prosperous, not unlucky.
Rule 1: end on 8 (or 6, or 9)
8 (发, prosper) is the strongest ending. 6 (顺, smooth) and 9 (久, lasting) are good alternatives. Menus in Chinese restaurants commonly show prices like $58, $68 and $88.
| Instead of | Try | Why |
|---|---|---|
| $9.99 | $9.88 / $9.98 | Double 8 ending / lasting prosperity |
| $49 | $48 / $58 | Removes 4 from the leading position |
| $150 | $168 | 一路发, "prosper all the way" |
| $240 | $238 / $268 | Avoids 24 (易死) |
| $999 | $888 / $988 | Prosperity × 3 |
Try your own prices in the Lucky Price Finder.
Rule 2: build a lucky price ladder
Good tiers read like a story: 68 → 88 → 168 → 288 → 888. Bundles at 168, 518 or 1688 signal generosity and good wishes. Keep it consistent across currencies (C$, S$, HK$, RM) where your pricing allows.
Rule 3: avoid the traps
- Any 4, especially as the last digit (44, 14, 24, 74).
- 250 and anything that reads as an insult (二百五).
- 748 (去死吧) in promo codes, SKUs or phone numbers.
- Odd amounts for gifts and red envelopes: gifts are given in even amounts (except funerals).
Rule 4: time campaigns to number festivals
- Lunar New Year (Jan/Feb): red packaging, 8-ending bundles, 🧧 gift cards.
- 5.20 / 5.21: couples' promotions (我爱你 / 我愿意).
- 6.18 and 11.11 (Singles' Day): the largest online sales events in the Chinese-speaking world.
- Qixi (lunar 7/7, Chinese Valentine's Day): jewellery, flowers, dining.
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This guide describes cultural preferences. Test prices with your own customers and follow local consumer-pricing laws.