<|im_start|>user
Why did the earliest vendors and retailers in the U.S. decide to charge 99 cents rather than a dollar?<|im_end|>
<|im_start|>assistant
Because the cashier would have to make change in the cash register for 99 cents, forcing a record of the sale, whereas if the vendor/retailer charged $1, the cashier could pocket the dollar without a record of the transaction.<|im_end|>
