Day's Best Penny-Stock Ad

Never use round numbers, marketers. Just ask Wal-Mart. Some research suggests that round numbers can't help looking bigger even when they're not. Ask a study group which dollar amount looks larger, $41,387.53 or $40,000. Some respondents will pick the latter. Hucksters know that even the most outlandish investment claims look more plausible – well, less implausible – when displayed in unrounded numbers.. Today's example, an ad that popped up next to the New Yorker office joke of the day: Gotta love that 43 cents. Update: For more on round and unround numbers, subscribers to wsj.com can see Jonathan Clements' column. "Imagine you're selling your house, which you figure might fetch a little under $600,000. A round number, such as $595,000, will convey quality, while a precise number, like $595,385, will indicate a bargain."