99 Cents Only Hikes Prices, But Only by 0.99 Cent

The store where nothing costs more than 99¢ has become the store where nothing costs more than 99.99¢, reports the LA Times. The top price at 99 Cents Only will go up by 99/100 of a penny this month, say executives at the discount chain, who blame inflationary pressures. The move is expected to earn the chain an extra $12 million.

The chain said last month it was being forced to rethink its pricing strategy after losing money in two consecutive quarters. 99 Cents Only has never sold an item for over a dollar in its 26-year history, but it had been increasingly forced to limit what it sold to keep prices down. The chain has no plans to change the name of its 277 stores, most of which are in Southern California. (More retail sales stories.)