4 ms·
Digital price tags can change the cost of groceries 6 times per minute
- ggm 2y agoThis really isn't a good idea for the consumer. You have to go a long way down surge pricing to "want" this and it always favours the seller, and the rich. Manipulation of price represents a classic asymmetry advantaging one side. Ultimately this will go to the lowest level of regulator able to tell them not to do it.
- eesmith 2y agoThe headline says 6 times per minutes, while the text says "can fluctuate as much as six times per hour when ESLs are in place." Surely there are legal issues about changing the price that often. If I pick up an item priced at $1, but the price changes to $1.10 by the time I purchase it, then they are risking customer outrage, and potential legal liability. Like, my grandmother would always double-check the receipt since (as I recall) the store had to issue 3x the difference if there was a mistake between the shelf and checkout price. They could try to say that you scan the item, and it's locked into that price. Until you realize that people do things like pick up a can of beans, then 10 minutes later pick up three more cans of beans, and see it has a lower price. So now they want to return the first can and pick up a new one. Or they might require everyone have a scanner with them, so the sale occurs right there. Except people do return things, so there's that hassle. And it means excluding customers who aren't able to use the device, like kids.
- gnabgib 2y agoDiscussion (18 points, yesterday, 14 comments) https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=40763965 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=40763965