3 ms·

less exposure to this type of information in the first place Or perhaps just as significantly: this information is now constantly in flux. No longer are prices

less exposure to this type of information in the first place Or perhaps just as significantly: this information is now constantly in flux. No longer are prices set by hand. Everything (at Amazon and Walmart, at least) is priced by computers that are constantly trying to determine the ideal price that maximize profits. So who could “know” the price of anything if the number is always changing?

nemacol 7y ago
Moreover, the price of a things seems less determined by the cost to manufacture + some markup, supply/demand, or even a general sense of value. Store brand vs name brand being a reasonable example. The exact same product with two different names on it - two different prices by pretty wide margins in some cases. Heck even the same can of (product) at two different stores can very by quite a bit. The cost of a piece of tech a wild from one to another while the guts are basically the same. Then consider that the physical item is being sold at-cost or close to it, but real revenue for the company is based on subscriptions or data + ads. How could anyone look at a kitchen appliance and guess what the price is today? It seems every toaster is made in the same factory, slap a different brand sticker on it, enable an extra button (or disable it on a generic version), and boom that $20 toaster is $150. Also, everything is always on sale. MSRP is a seemingly meaningless number in the face of endless rolling sales.
- jes5199 7y ago
  a brand isn’t meaningless, tho. the brand defines the entity that a relationship is with. for example, a name brand toaster is safer because there’s a company that manages safety recalls.
- Mountain_Skies 7y ago
  It's funny how often I see price changes on Amazon go to ending in .88, which is a dead giveaway that they're matching Wal-Mart's current price.
Psyladine 7y ago
>Everything (at Amazon and Walmart, at least) is priced by computers that are constantly trying to determine the ideal price that maximize profits. Do you have a source on this available? I ask due to some second hand retail experience with Wal-Mart specifically, that their pricing contracts lean heavily on pre-determined price points (under $20, etc).
- pixl97 7y ago
  Shop two Walmarts in the same city, may times you'll find the same products with different prices on 'less common' items between the stores.

nemacol 7y ago

Moreover, the price of a things seems less determined by the cost to manufacture + some markup, supply/demand, or even a general sense of value. Store brand vs name brand being a reasonable example. The exact same product with two different names on it - two different prices by pretty wide margins in some cases. Heck even the same can of (product) at two different stores can very by quite a bit. The cost of a piece of tech a wild from one to another while the guts are basically the same. Then consider that the physical item is being sold at-cost or close to it, but real revenue for the company is based on subscriptions or data + ads. How could anyone look at a kitchen appliance and guess what the price is today? It seems every toaster is made in the same factory, slap a different brand sticker on it, enable an extra button (or disable it on a generic version), and boom that $20 toaster is $150. Also, everything is always on sale. MSRP is a seemingly meaningless number in the face of endless rolling sales.

jes5199 7y ago
a brand isn’t meaningless, tho. the brand defines the entity that a relationship is with. for example, a name brand toaster is safer because there’s a company that manages safety recalls.
Mountain_Skies 7y ago
It's funny how often I see price changes on Amazon go to ending in .88, which is a dead giveaway that they're matching Wal-Mart's current price.

Psyladine 7y ago

>Everything (at Amazon and Walmart, at least) is priced by computers that are constantly trying to determine the ideal price that maximize profits. Do you have a source on this available? I ask due to some second hand retail experience with Wal-Mart specifically, that their pricing contracts lean heavily on pre-determined price points (under $20, etc).

pixl97 7y ago
Shop two Walmarts in the same city, may times you'll find the same products with different prices on 'less common' items between the stores.