A few days ago, I received a renewal reminder from Norton informing me that my Norton 360 Deluxe subscription would expire in 20 days. Like most people, I wasn't planning to read the email from top to bottom. I simply wanted to know one thing: how much would it cost to renew?

As my eyes moved down the email, I landed on the pricing section. That's where something immediately felt strange.

The price ₹1,199 was displayed with a strike-through, and directly below it, in a larger and more prominent font, the same price ₹1,199 appeared again. I stopped scrolling and looked at it a second time because I assumed I had read it incorrectly. But after checking again, I realized both numbers were identical.

Norton renewal email in Gmail desktop — showing ₹1,199 crossed out and ₹1,199 again below in the pricing card

The Norton 360 Deluxe renewal email — ₹1,199 with a strike-through, then ₹1,199 again in a larger font directly below it.

At that moment, I wasn't thinking about cybersecurity or subscription renewals anymore. I was trying to understand the interface itself.

Years of online shopping have taught me a simple visual rule: when a price is crossed out, the number beneath it represents a new, lower price. It is one of the most recognizable patterns in digital commerce. Whether it's Amazon, Flipkart, Myntra, or Swiggy, the strike-through pattern almost always communicates a discount.

Norton used that same visual language — but without delivering the meaning users expect from it.

✓ Everywhere else
₹1,199
₹799
Lower price — as expected
✗ This email
₹1,199
₹1,199
Same price — confusing

Instead of communicating a clear price reduction, the design presented the same value twice. The interface triggered a familiar mental model and then failed to fulfill it. Rather than helping me understand the offer, it created a moment of uncertainty.

I eventually noticed the small line beneath the price that read, "1st year price. See subscription details below." While the information was technically available, it carried far less visual weight than the pricing itself. My attention had already been captured by the larger numbers and the prominent renewal button. The explanatory text felt secondary, even though it was arguably more important for understanding the offer.

Renewal price ₹1,199/year — shown in small text below the main pricing card

Renewal price detail — easily missed

Example of correct discount display: ₹2,499 crossed out, ₹1,199, You save ₹1,300

What a real discount looks like

₹1,199 for Year 1, Renews at ₹2,499/year — the actual pricing structure

The actual first-year pricing structure

UX Psychology Analysis

01 — Jakob's Law
Users expect similar patterns to behave similarly

Users spend most of their time using other digital products. Therefore, they expect similar patterns to behave similarly.

Elsewhere₹1,199 → ₹799
This email₹1,199 → ₹1,199

The pattern breaks established expectations. As a result, users must spend additional effort interpreting the message.

02 — Cognitive Load
Good design minimizes mental effort
This pricing section does the opposite. Instead of communicating pricing clearly, it creates a question: "Why is the same number crossed out?" The moment users need to ask that question, cognitive load increases unnecessarily.
03 — Visual Hierarchy
Attention is drawn toward action before understanding

The largest visual elements in the card are the expiration warning, the ₹1,199 price, and the Renew button. The explanatory text — "1st year price. See subscription details below" — is significantly smaller. As a result, attention is drawn toward action before understanding.

04 — Information Scent
Visual cues must accurately signal meaning

A crossed-out price communicates: "There is a deal here."

When the price remains unchanged, the visual cue becomes misleading. The scent promises information that doesn't exist.

Nielsen Heuristic Evaluation

Match Between System and Real World
Real-world pricing conventions suggest a crossed-out price represents a previous or higher amount. Using the same value in both positions conflicts with common understanding.
Recognition Rather Than Recall
Users must read additional text to understand what is happening. The interface does not communicate meaning through recognition alone.
Consistency and Standards
The design breaks a standard pricing convention used throughout digital commerce — Amazon, Flipkart, Myntra, Swiggy all use the same pattern to mean something different.
Error Prevention
A user can easily assume there is a discount or special offer because the design strongly resembles discount pricing. The interface does not prevent this misunderstanding.

What I Would Recommend

No discount exists
No strike-through at all
If the price is the same, show it plainly. Don't borrow visual language that implies something it can't deliver.
Promotional pricing
Show the actual saving
Cross out the original price and show the discounted price with a clear "You save ₹X" badge — the way every major e-commerce platform does it.
First-year pricing
Complete transparency
Show both values clearly — "₹1,199 for Year 1, renews at ₹2,499/year" — in a single, readable line with equal visual weight. No crossed-out numbers needed.

Ambiguity in pricing isn't neutral — it erodes trust.

Users who have to work to understand what something costs are users who are already questioning whether they should proceed. The interface's job is to remove doubt, not create it.