Consumer evaluations of multiple price changes over time versus a single dollar equivalent price change.

In many markets sellers have to make decisions on the rate of price change for a product. Prices can be increased or decreased by making a single large change, or as by making multiple smaller changes over time, leading to the same final price. The concern of sellers is the consumer response, in terms of the product's demand. With the exception of deliberate demarketing, sellers seek to minimize demand decreases in response to price increases, and maximize the positive impact in terms of increased purchases, when prices are decreased.