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That's a future that sounds horrible to me. It's injecting yet another layer of uncertainty into the process of acquiring goods. I already feel like I'm being r

by cdent 12y ago

That's a future that sounds horrible to me. It's injecting yet another layer of uncertainty into the process of acquiring goods. I already feel like I'm being ripped off all the time. With this model unless I do the hard work of bargaining I _know_ I'm being ripped off. Great. No thanks.

collyw 12y ago
Its more or less the same model ebay has. Funnily enough, I rarely ever buy stuff from ebay that isn't on a fixed price with the "buy now" option.
adventured 12y ago
If you agree to buy an item at an understood price, why do you feel like you're being ripped off? Isn't fairness of price decided by the property owner that is offering their property up for sale? That is, they're deciding what it's worth to them, what is fair to them, such that they'd care to part with their property.
- hobs 12y ago
  Because people have only so much cognitive load, adding to that to the list of things they would have to do on a daily basis is simply daunting. This just seems like another way to rip off people who don't know better and are disadvantaged; imagine the haggling difference at the poor shops vs the rich shops. The rich person may be able to afford the extra cash and you may think the poor person would be incentive to haggle harder, but the rich can also afford to leave to go to another shop with the car they own instead of spend another hour on the bus to get to another place. They can also afford to be informed of the prices.
  - adventured 12y ago
    It's a fair point certainly, in regards to poor shoppers. Most American consumers aren't poor, have Internet access and can easily compare prices, and most of Amazon's customers also are not poor. In fact today it's extraordinarily trivial for the average person in the US (Amazon's core demographic still) to price compare. It takes seconds via Google or directly via Amazon.com or Walmart.com etc. I don't believe price comparison is daunting or overload, for the same people capable of consuming hundreds of status updates on social networks ever day. In fact, the history of the American consumer indicates price comparison is extremely easy and natural, said shopper has been price comparing and seeking out deals since the birth of modern shopping.
- untog 12y ago
  It's like haggling at a market. I hate it. I know the price the seller first tells me is too much, and I have to waste my time arguing and heckling to get it down.

by cdent 12y ago

collyw 12y ago

Its more or less the same model ebay has. Funnily enough, I rarely ever buy stuff from ebay that isn't on a fixed price with the "buy now" option.

adventured 12y ago

If you agree to buy an item at an understood price, why do you feel like you're being ripped off? Isn't fairness of price decided by the property owner that is offering their property up for sale? That is, they're deciding what it's worth to them, what is fair to them, such that they'd care to part with their property.

hobs 12y ago
Because people have only so much cognitive load, adding to that to the list of things they would have to do on a daily basis is simply daunting. This just seems like another way to rip off people who don't know better and are disadvantaged; imagine the haggling difference at the poor shops vs the rich shops. The rich person may be able to afford the extra cash and you may think the poor person would be incentive to haggle harder, but the rich can also afford to leave to go to another shop with the car they own instead of spend another hour on the bus to get to another place. They can also afford to be informed of the prices.
- adventured 12y ago
  It's a fair point certainly, in regards to poor shoppers. Most American consumers aren't poor, have Internet access and can easily compare prices, and most of Amazon's customers also are not poor. In fact today it's extraordinarily trivial for the average person in the US (Amazon's core demographic still) to price compare. It takes seconds via Google or directly via Amazon.com or Walmart.com etc. I don't believe price comparison is daunting or overload, for the same people capable of consuming hundreds of status updates on social networks ever day. In fact, the history of the American consumer indicates price comparison is extremely easy and natural, said shopper has been price comparing and seeking out deals since the birth of modern shopping.
untog 12y ago
It's like haggling at a market. I hate it. I know the price the seller first tells me is too much, and I have to waste my time arguing and heckling to get it down.