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Prices on most things have also gone up somewhat substantially over the last 5 or more years fast enough I find I still think of some things being the price the

Prices on most things have also gone up somewhat substantially over the last 5 or more years fast enough I find I still think of some things being the price they were before and end up being surprised.when I realize it's been more expensive for a while. The discount trickery plays into it. You never notice the price increases at first as it's fairly standard all around from what i've seen to raise the base price during a sale, to the point where i've seen them raise the base price at the same time a sale starts then, cross out the new 'old' price and show how great of a sale it is. Then the sale ends and the price is higher.

didgeoridoo 7y ago
If you live the the US, that’s likely a violation of FTC regulations against deceptive pricing[0]. My guess is that the “discount” phenomenon has a somewhat more innocent explanation; it’s the result of aggressive inventory management and sophisticated dynamic pricing models. Launch at a high price to snag the price-insensitive customers, and gradually discount down to pull in the lower end of the market and keep your unit volume relatively predictable (very helpful for just-in-time inventory management). [0]: https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=b9b38b61c935105b8ab64d193b46323e&mc=true&node=se16.1.233_11&rgn=div8 https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=b9b38b61c935105b8a...
- grawprog 7y ago
  I'm not sure, I live in Canada. I know years and years ago the grocery store I used to work at did this. We were told when I worked there that's specifically what they did.
- charwalker 7y ago
  You just described the Pixel launch model. Launch at X in October then by Black Friday have a $200 off deal or 25% pricing by other vendors for the life of the phone. I wonder if that means the Pixel line is a much cheaper flagship, if the discount price is assumed to be the actual price execs are targeting after launch. I got a Pixel 2 then later a 3 for like 2/3 sticker price off promos by vendors and I'm happy with the price/features/etc. But I wouldn't pay launch price or it.
taneq 7y ago
> Prices on most things have also gone up somewhat substantially over the last 5 or more Have the effective prices gone up? Or have "normal prices" gone up and discounts increased in lockstep?
Nasrudith 7y ago
Apparently companies tried that and the consumers didn't like it even though prices were comparable or actually better. It has been established as a norm annoyingly to those who would rather not have the noise.

didgeoridoo 7y ago

If you live the the US, that’s likely a violation of FTC regulations against deceptive pricing[0]. My guess is that the “discount” phenomenon has a somewhat more innocent explanation; it’s the result of aggressive inventory management and sophisticated dynamic pricing models. Launch at a high price to snag the price-insensitive customers, and gradually discount down to pull in the lower end of the market and keep your unit volume relatively predictable (very helpful for just-in-time inventory management). [0]: https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=b9b38b61c935105b8ab64d193b46323e&mc=true&node=se16.1.233_11&rgn=div8 https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=b9b38b61c935105b8a...

grawprog 7y ago
I'm not sure, I live in Canada. I know years and years ago the grocery store I used to work at did this. We were told when I worked there that's specifically what they did.
charwalker 7y ago
You just described the Pixel launch model. Launch at X in October then by Black Friday have a $200 off deal or 25% pricing by other vendors for the life of the phone. I wonder if that means the Pixel line is a much cheaper flagship, if the discount price is assumed to be the actual price execs are targeting after launch. I got a Pixel 2 then later a 3 for like 2/3 sticker price off promos by vendors and I'm happy with the price/features/etc. But I wouldn't pay launch price or it.

taneq 7y ago

> Prices on most things have also gone up somewhat substantially over the last 5 or more Have the effective prices gone up? Or have "normal prices" gone up and discounts increased in lockstep?

Nasrudith 7y ago

Apparently companies tried that and the consumers didn't like it even though prices were comparable or actually better. It has been established as a norm annoyingly to those who would rather not have the noise.