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Online Shopping Discrimination?
- Thread starter The Sicatoka
- Start date
The Sicatoka
Kicizapi Cetan
Re: Online Shopping Discrimination?
OK, it'll be completely unscientific, but anyone else want to test the theory here?
I'd say we'd need to compare:
- item (details matter)
- search platform (smart phone, tablet, computer)
- time of day of search <-- that's one I'm interested in ... I've wondered
- ZIP Code
- search results
OK, it'll be completely unscientific, but anyone else want to test the theory here?
I'd say we'd need to compare:
- item (details matter)
- search platform (smart phone, tablet, computer)
- time of day of search <-- that's one I'm interested in ... I've wondered
- ZIP Code
- search results
St. Clown
Liberal Rebel Scum, apparently
Re: Online Shopping Discrimination?
I could get in on this. Considering that I have 3 PCs at home and an iPad, could open an incognito window in multiple browsers (Chrome, Firefox and Edge) and a normal window on each, it could prove useful to the project. Even my phone could get in on some of the action.
I could get in on this. Considering that I have 3 PCs at home and an iPad, could open an incognito window in multiple browsers (Chrome, Firefox and Edge) and a normal window on each, it could prove useful to the project. Even my phone could get in on some of the action.
The Sicatoka
Kicizapi Cetan
Re: Online Shopping Discrimination?
Work laptop (MIE and Chrome); home laptop (MIE and Chrome); new iPad (Safari); old iPad (Safari); old netbook; a Surface; and the phone.
Work laptop (MIE and Chrome); home laptop (MIE and Chrome); new iPad (Safari); old iPad (Safari); old netbook; a Surface; and the phone.
St. Clown
Liberal Rebel Scum, apparently
Re: Online Shopping Discrimination?
I would say it's more interesting than controversial. Every retailer tries to capture as much revenue as possible, using micro versions of monopolistic competition. Chain stores like Target, where I've been in the downtown Minneapolis location a number of times, as well as both Apple Valley stores, will see either product availability or straight up pricing differences. Usually the Minneapolis location is more expensive, but that's not been true 100% of the time. This isn't any different in concept, only in application and how we are all able to test the concept and discuss amongst ourselves.
Handyman
Hug someone you care about...
Re: Online Shopping Discrimination?
Right...I guess I just dont find it very newsworthy. (people are mad about this cause they like getting mad
) It just seems weird that people care that stores do on the macro level what they have been doing on the micro level for years. That is smart business...
Right...I guess I just dont find it very newsworthy. (people are mad about this cause they like getting mad
) It just seems weird that people care that stores do on the macro level what they have been doing on the micro level for years. That is smart business...The Sicatoka
Kicizapi Cetan
Re: Online Shopping Discrimination?
Handy: Consider this more like the "cooking" thread than a news thread if that helps. --> What "recipes" are working for you?
Handy: Consider this more like the "cooking" thread than a news thread if that helps. --> What "recipes" are working for you?
The Sicatoka
Kicizapi Cetan
Re: Online Shopping Discrimination?
Not quite on point, since it is physical store not online, ....
from week to week, it actually makes sense to purchase different unit sizes. Today they had toilet bowl cleaner shrink-wrapped in a two-pack for $4.79; or they also had a special sale on stand-alone bottles, 2 for $4.00. Milk was $4.99 per gallon but half-gallons were on sale today only for $2.29 each.
However, I infer from these odd situations that it might have as much to do with inventory control as it does with maximizing profit per item sold, as the turnover rate is also a key component as we've all learned from WalMart.
Not quite on point, since it is physical store not online, ....
from week to week, it actually makes sense to purchase different unit sizes. Today they had toilet bowl cleaner shrink-wrapped in a two-pack for $4.79; or they also had a special sale on stand-alone bottles, 2 for $4.00. Milk was $4.99 per gallon but half-gallons were on sale today only for $2.29 each.
However, I infer from these odd situations that it might have as much to do with inventory control as it does with maximizing profit per item sold, as the turnover rate is also a key component as we've all learned from WalMart.
St. Clown
Liberal Rebel Scum, apparently
Re: Online Shopping Discrimination?
What I've learned here is that milk is really expensive out east.
What I've learned here is that milk is really expensive out east.
Jimjamesak
Already insane, UAA making it worse
Re: Online Shopping Discrimination?
I could help. Sure you'll get good data from me.
I could help. Sure you'll get good data from me.
Re: Online Shopping Discrimination?
I know that Old Chicago World Beer Tour/Rewards Members don't get the same emails for promos and such. We're thinking it has to do when our cards are scanned (weekday, weekend), how often we go, etc. There are 6-8 people that I know personally that have talked about this. We've all gotten different emails, different promos, etc.
I know that Old Chicago World Beer Tour/Rewards Members don't get the same emails for promos and such. We're thinking it has to do when our cards are scanned (weekday, weekend), how often we go, etc. There are 6-8 people that I know personally that have talked about this. We've all gotten different emails, different promos, etc.
Re: Online Shopping Discrimination?
Hard to say. But wouldn't Google (or MSFT) have to be involved? That seems unlikely. If so, there are potentially huge ramifications regarding price fixing/collusion in terms of nobody paying the lowest price.
Hard to say. But wouldn't Google (or MSFT) have to be involved? That seems unlikely. If so, there are potentially huge ramifications regarding price fixing/collusion in terms of nobody paying the lowest price.
St. Clown
Liberal Rebel Scum, apparently
Re: Online Shopping Discrimination?
Why would Google or MSFT have to be involved? Every time you go to a site, they can track your IP address, identify your browser (because sites don't all appear the same on different browsers), your tracking cookies are also read, so a site knows where you've been. GOOG and MSFT need not be involved in that at all.
Why would Google or MSFT have to be involved? Every time you go to a site, they can track your IP address, identify your browser (because sites don't all appear the same on different browsers), your tracking cookies are also read, so a site knows where you've been. GOOG and MSFT need not be involved in that at all.
Re: Online Shopping Discrimination?
Guess its still possible, just fairly limited. I would say it would be fairly risky for a etailer to start doing this. They could get caught out by individual shoppers seeing changed pricing or the media catching them. I would expect that would turn off quite a few shoppers as pricing would seem arbitrary. For most major retailers, that would not be worth the risk. More so than most other businesses, retailers are extremely careful with reputation - Whole Foods is built on it.
Now if it were a purposeful market niche for an independent retailer and part of the strategy...it might work. But they better be careful of those cookies, because there are discrimination lawsuits awaiting.
Guess its still possible, just fairly limited. I would say it would be fairly risky for a etailer to start doing this. They could get caught out by individual shoppers seeing changed pricing or the media catching them. I would expect that would turn off quite a few shoppers as pricing would seem arbitrary. For most major retailers, that would not be worth the risk. More so than most other businesses, retailers are extremely careful with reputation - Whole Foods is built on it.
Now if it were a purposeful market niche for an independent retailer and part of the strategy...it might work. But they better be careful of those cookies, because there are discrimination lawsuits awaiting.
Re: Online Shopping Discrimination?
It could all be excused by shopping practices, and not by and racial/economic/etc categories.
I get most OC Promos enticing me to stop in on a Mon or Tue. Why? I NEVER stop in on those days. That sort of thing.
There's always a loophole. And it will make sense.
It could all be excused by shopping practices, and not by and racial/economic/etc categories.
I get most OC Promos enticing me to stop in on a Mon or Tue. Why? I NEVER stop in on those days. That sort of thing.
There's always a loophole. And it will make sense.
St. Clown
Liberal Rebel Scum, apparently
Re: Online Shopping Discrimination?
And yet it happens all the time with the big retailers. From the original article Sicatoka linked:
And yet it happens all the time with the big retailers. From the original article Sicatoka linked: