# Why were price tags shaped the way they were? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 22, 2019, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-price-tags-shaped-the-way-they-were/840663 "2019-09-22T21:47:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![alfonzos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4bbf92/32.png) [@alfonzos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alfonzos)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2019, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-price-tags-shaped-the-way-they-were/840663/1 "2019-09-22T21:47:20Z")
[https://4.imimg.com/data4/NF/IL/MY-2662355/price-tag-500x500.jpg](https://4.imimg.com/data4/NF/IL/MY-2662355/price-tag-500x500.jpg) I wondered why they weren’t square. The shape suggests that the corners may have been removed for inventory purposes but I would like to know for sure ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2019, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-price-tags-shaped-the-way-they-were/840663/2 "2019-09-22T21:50:56Z")
WAG: so the corners of the tag wouldn’t snag the material of the clothes. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2019, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-price-tags-shaped-the-way-they-were/840663/3 "2019-09-22T22:31:06Z")
WAG to differentiate from designers labels. ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2019, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-price-tags-shaped-the-way-they-were/840663/4 "2019-09-22T22:37:59Z")
My WAG is that the slopes make it so that the label will hang free and not get snagged up. ---
**Author:** ![Manlob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/96bed5/32.png) [@Manlob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manlob)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2019, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-price-tags-shaped-the-way-they-were/840663/5 "2019-09-22T23:04:49Z")
Maybe so the loop of string or elastic that goes through the hole does not get caught up on the corners when attaching the tag to product. ---
**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2019, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-price-tags-shaped-the-way-they-were/840663/6 "2019-09-23T00:17:44Z")
I’ve seen plenty of rectangular ones - [here’s](https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https%3A%2F%2Fthekrazycouponlady.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2017%2F11%2FTJ-Maxx-Price-Tags.png&imgrefurl=https%3A%2F%2Fthekrazycouponlady.com%2Ftips%2Fstore-hacks%2F19-freaking-amazing-ways-to-save-at-t-j-maxx&docid=iVp52CR4EfzEBM&tbnid=DUvucLIbP75vnM%3A&vet=10ahUKEwjBgMnS0-XkAhVsh-AKHXepDbYQMwhLKAAwAA..i&w=670&h=381&bih=757&biw=1600&q=marshalls%20price%20tag%20codes&ved=0ahUKEwjBgMnS0-XkAhVsh-AKHXepDbYQMwhLKAAwAA&iact=mrc&uact=8) one and [another](https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https%3A%2F%2Fs3-media1.fl.yelpcdn.com%2Fbphoto%2FhHAvcWnuotB9fVqtfy5IDA%2Fls.jpg&imgrefurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.yelp.com%2Fbiz%2Fburlington-coat-factory-fairfax%3Fstart%3D20&docid=pdLlQamXydoh3M&tbnid=-NJ4wIvr_d73JM%3A&vet=10ahUKEwjOpN6N1OXkAhXrm-AKHQQfDgwQMwhAKAAwAA..i&w=250&h=250&bih=757&biw=1600&q=burlington%20price%20tag&ved=0ahUKEwjOpN6N1OXkAhXrm-AKHQQfDgwQMwhAKAAwAA&iact=mrc&uact=8) and here’s a really old one that may explain the [shape](https://www.pinterest.com/pin/525513850252024934/). It seems like the corners may have been cut to make it easier to rip the tag in half- in those days, one half stayed with the cashier and the other stayed on the item. ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2019, 10:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-price-tags-shaped-the-way-they-were/840663/7 "2019-09-23T10:04:02Z")
> [@doreen](#): > > I’ve seen plenty of rectangular ones - [here’s](https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https%3A%2F%2Fthekrazycouponlady.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2017%2F11%2FTJ-Maxx-Price-Tags.png&imgrefurl=https%3A%2F%2Fthekrazycouponlady.com%2Ftips%2Fstore-hacks%2F19-freaking-amazing-ways-to-save-at-t-j-maxx&docid=iVp52CR4EfzEBM&tbnid=DUvucLIbP75vnM%3A&vet=10ahUKEwjBgMnS0-XkAhVsh-AKHXepDbYQMwhLKAAwAA..i&w=670&h=381&bih=757&biw=1600&q=marshalls%20price%20tag%20codes&ved=0ahUKEwjBgMnS0-XkAhVsh-AKHXepDbYQMwhLKAAwAA&iact=mrc&uact=8) one and [another](https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https%3A%2F%2Fs3-media1.fl.yelpcdn.com%2Fbphoto%2FhHAvcWnuotB9fVqtfy5IDA%2Fls.jpg&imgrefurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.yelp.com%2Fbiz%2Fburlington-coat-factory-fairfax%3Fstart%3D20&docid=pdLlQamXydoh3M&tbnid=-NJ4wIvr_d73JM%3A&vet=10ahUKEwjOpN6N1OXkAhXrm-AKHQQfDgwQMwhAKAAwAA..i&w=250&h=250&bih=757&biw=1600&q=burlington%20price%20tag&ved=0ahUKEwjOpN6N1OXkAhXrm-AKHQQfDgwQMwhAKAAwAA&iact=mrc&uact=8) and here’s a really old one that may explain the [shape](https://www.pinterest.com/pin/525513850252024934/). It seems like the corners may have been cut to make it easier to rip the tag in half- in those days, one half stayed with the cashier and the other stayed on the item. If you look at **doreen’s** second link, you’ll see a number of labels where the squared top corner has bent over. Cutting the corner lessens this possibility. It’s a practical feature. ---
**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2019, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-price-tags-shaped-the-way-they-were/840663/8 "2019-09-24T05:12:41Z")
I am looking at my 1945 Wellington, Ohio phone book. Quite small, more ads then phone numbers almost. It retains a bright red “hang tag” for a local business on a string tied through a punched hole in the spine and tucked inside the pages. It is the long rectangle with the clipped corners and a reinforced hole. Dennis