Pricing practices in Victorian America: evidence from a satirical point of view

Purpose – This paper seeks to investigate how consumers in Victorian America related prices to quality and value in deliberations about urban life, housing, and a newly‐emerging consumerism. The objectives are to understand pricing practices of firms and the behavior and perception of prices by consumers in Victorian American and to determine whether Victorian pricing practices could provide important insights for twenty‐first century theory and practice. Design/methodology/approach – The paper conducted a qualitative content analysis of pricing highlighted in a large sample of three cartoons appearing weekly in Puck and Judge . In these preeminent satirical magazines of the 1880‐1910 era, the authors found cartoons to be reflective of pricing practices and resultant consumer behavior of that era. Findings – The paper confirms even on a satirical research basis that Victorian households indeed experienced price‐related stresses in urban life, housing decisions, and in daily consumption. It also reveals that during industrial revolution, rapid urbanization, waves of immigration, and a stratification of wealth, price is not only money but also time, effort, and psychic energy. Originality/value – The study confirms that pricing has long influenced consumer decision making and that, even historically, price was perceived primarily as a sacrifice to obtain a product. The study uses archival data to underscore the fact that product prices are evaluated in terms of consumers' everyday life decisions.