You are making a clear logical fallacy by acting like this proves shoplifting m
If they invest the money, the money is spent, thus affecting the bottom line
Not sure why you’re trying to argue this so hard, but there is no percent chance you will be correct here. Costs are indeed passed forward onto customers.
Further there is abundant evidence that corporations invest massive amounts of money into things that don’t actually help them economically.
The efficacy is completely irrelevant. What’s relevant is the costs induced. You are correct that people are irrational. That doesn’t change the fact that the irrationality costs them money, which they make back via pricing.
Also I assure you that Wal-Mart has a very large team whose only goal is to measure the cost/benefit analysis of decisions like these - and those teams also cost money. Even the concept existing at all raises prices.