Upon reflection, this appears to be a more adequate explanation than “sales gimmick,” does it not? And it comports with the history of both the cash register and 99-cent pricing. The brothers John and James Rittney patented the cash register in 1879, even labeling it the “incorruptible cashier.” In 1887, 5,400 cash registers were in operation, growing to 16,395 by 1890. The loud bells were installed so shopkeepers—who spent a lot of time in the backroom doing inventory and bookkeeping—could keep mental track of the number of times the drawer was opened.