Event/ticket price ordering
I'm having a debate with a client about the ordering of prices on their event poster. They'd like to display the concessionary price first (£12), followed by the standard price (£14) and finally the door price (£16) as they believe it'll make people more likely to book, as they're associating the event with a lower cost - the one they read first.
My argument is that it's somewhat misleading as it breaks standard pricing convention and could potentially become a detriment as a higher-than-initial price will be the likely cost for most customers.
Their preference: £12 concession, £14 advance, £16 on the door
I'm suggesting: £14 advance, £12 concession, £16 on the door
Is there any evidence or science to back either argument up? Or does anyone have any psychological insights into the two approaches?
Addendum
After some (inexhaustive, but nonetheless revealing) research, one thing that's become apparent is the difference in convention over here (Britain) and in North America. Over here it looks to be universal that the standard price comes first, with concessions and "late-comer / on-the-door" prices coming next - usually in that order. Over there it looks much more varied - some listings have concessions first, while other listings have standard price first; overall it's about 50/50.
Given there's no quantitative data to make a case either way (that I could find), the decision should, I believe, come down to convention, cognitive bias and lowest friction for the widest consumer base.