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Has anyone experienced price discrimination by Amazon.comI appreciate all of you that contributed to my thread regarding Monoprice. Has anyone reading this thread experience price discrimination by Amazon.com. In my case I gave my wife a Kindle Fire as a gift. When she set up her account she automatically began received Prime shipping service. I did not immediately add my name to her Prime account. Without Prime I was offered free shipping on orders over $25.00. On orders under $25.00 I was quoted the vendors shipping rates. In some cases shipping was free in other cases shipping rates were outrageous.
The most important consideration was that some vendors quoted a high shipping rate for the first item and a very low rate for additional items. For example when I checked pricing on a telephone splitter, the first one was $1.50 for the splitter and $4.00 shipping. When I ordered 5 the price quoted was $7.50 for the adapters and $5.00 for shipping or an additional $0.25 for each additional splitter.
About a year ago I added my name to my wife's Prime account. Since then if I tried to order one splitter I would be quoted $5.50 the splitter regardless of how many I purchased or $27.50 for 5 splitters. Furthermore many items come up as add on items requiring a minimum purchase of $25.00 to purchase them and finally when I checked a price on a computer at the library I was quoted a lower price then when I made an inquiry about the same item on my home computer. Has any of you reading this thread experienced this situation? |
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 beck
MVM
join:2002-01-29
On The Road |
beck
MVM
2015-Mar-25 9:55 am
Amazon's prices change all the time. You should be able to find the same item without the "add-on" thing for prime. Or just don't log in or remove cookies and use another browser. One of those should work. I often see lower prices for things that are not prime. I do/buy if it works out right for me.
Why they do what they do? I don't know. |
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to Mr Matt
I've never seen or heard that before. Most of the time I search items on Google first. It will show me the Amazon price which is always the same when I actually go there on my Prime account.
Please post the item you found where this is happening I'd be curious to take a look at it. |
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 John97Over The Hills And Far Away
Premium Member
join:2000-11-14
Spring Hill, FL |
to Mr Matt
Interesting... My wife just added me to her Prime account last week as well so I can get the shipping perks. I'll have to keep an eye out. |
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MDG_420 to Mr Matt
Anon
2015-Mar-25 11:16 am
to Mr Matt
I think everybody has experienced it, whether they realize it or not. It's called "dynamic pricing" and Amazon is a leader in it. » www.cio.com/article/2870 ··· egy.html |
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18189353 (banned)
Member
2015-Mar-25 11:26 am
That's not what the OP is describing. Almost everyone knows prices vary but not based on account type. |
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to Mr Matt
Prices change when you have prime, but they don't take a week to ship when you don't have prime. |
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MDG_420 to 18189353
Anon
2015-Mar-25 11:35 am
to 18189353
Yes, based on acct type and who knows what else. I'm not familiar with Amazon's algorithms but what the OP is describing is all part of the same thing. "Dynamic Pricing".
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5 recommendations |
to Mr Matt
Most items on Amazon are sold by multiple vendors. When you log in as a Prime member, it shows you the Prime (free 2 day shipping) price by default, which may not be the cheapest. Non prime members see the lowest product price, which may not have the lowest shipping rate.
You always have the option to click on "more buying choices" to see the other purchase options.
Shipping rates will vary from one vendor to another, even on the same item, so your final/shipped price will vary greatly. Add-on items under $25 can be purchased from a Prime account, you just don't get the free shipping. And in almost all cases, if you aren't getting the free shipping, buying from the Prime vendor is more expensive, because some of that free shipping is built into the price. |
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to StephenRC
said by StephenRC:Prices change when you have prime, but they don't take a week to ship when you don't have prime. I think you mean they can take a week to ship if you don't have Prime. I've noticed that (non-prime member) that some (shows stock) items I order, won't even ship for a week. These aren't the "wait to group together" items. But I find an item with free shipping and ... might ship in 6-8 days. Not a deal breaker but I've had this happen more often than not. |
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1 recommendation |
to Camelot One
said by Camelot One:Most items on Amazon are sold by multiple vendors. When you log in as a Prime member, it shows you the Prime (free 2 day shipping) price by default, which may not be the cheapest. Non prime members see the lowest product price, which may not have the lowest shipping rate. ^^^^ This ^^^^ I often also see a note/link that the item may be available at a lower price from a non-prime vendor, perhaps without free shipping. Even if this specific link does not exist, if there is another vendor offering the same product then the "more buying choices" link will show those alternatives. Logging in as a prime member does change the default selections you see but you can always check the other options too for comparison. |
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to Camelot One
said by Camelot One:Most items on Amazon are sold by multiple vendors. When you log in as a Prime member, it shows you the Prime (free 2 day shipping) price by default, which may not be the cheapest. Non prime members see the lowest product price, which may not have the lowest shipping rate.
You always have the option to click on "more buying choices" to see the other purchase options.
Shipping rates will vary from one vendor to another, even on the same item, so your final/shipped price will vary greatly. Add-on items under $25 can be purchased from a Prime account, you just don't get the free shipping. And in almost all cases, if you aren't getting the free shipping, buying from the Prime vendor is more expensive, because some of that free shipping is built into the price. Thanks for the narrative on the process. said by MDG_420 :Yes, based on acct type and who knows what else. I'm not familiar with Amazon's algorithms but what the OP is describing is all part of the same thing. "Dynamic Pricing". It has nothing to do with "Dynamic Pricing". See above narrative. Really read the bold part! |
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MDG_420
Anon
2015-Mar-25 12:16 pm
Camelot isn't describing dynamic pricing. Look, I'm not going to waste anymore of my time trying to convince you of anything. The info is out there and the OP can Google it for themselves. Have a day. |
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said by MDG_420 :Camelot isn't describing dynamic pricing. Neither was the OP. This isn't about dynamic pricing, it is about seeing a different vendor and shipping price depending on whether you log in as a Prime member or not. |
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18189353 (banned)
Member
2015-Mar-25 12:58 pm
said by Camelot One:said by MDG_420 :Camelot isn't describing dynamic pricing. Neither was the OP. This isn't about dynamic pricing, it is about seeing a different vendor and shipping price depending on whether you log in as a Prime member or not. I think we just don't have the word warping glasses on that MDG_420 does. That's the only thing that can explain why the OP posts about an apple and MDG-420 explains about oranges. |
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JoelC707
Premium Member
join:2002-07-09
Lanett, AL |
to Mr Matt
said by Mr Matt:The most important consideration was that some vendors quoted a high shipping rate for the first item and a very low rate for additional items. For example when I checked pricing on a telephone splitter, the first one was $1.50 for the splitter and $4.00 shipping. When I ordered 5 the price quoted was $7.50 for the adapters and $5.00 for shipping or an additional $0.25 for each additional splitter. In addition to what others have said, I wanted to give you some insight on this one. The reason additional items are so cheap to ship compared to the first item is the weight. In most shippers, unless it's a half pound increase you usually pay the same rate (this is my experience with USPS, FedEx and UPS). 1 pound to 1.49 pounds is the same rate then it jumps when you hit 1.5 pounds and not again until after 1.99 pounds. In something like a phone splitter, those are quite small and you can add several more before it jumps up to the next weight trigger. The initial cost being what it is, is likely due to paying for the packaging materials as well as the shipping service and any additions like insurance or tracking. |
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to Camelot One
said by Camelot One:Add-on items under $25 can be purchased from a Prime account, you just don't get the free shipping. Your account must be set up differently then mine. I have never been offered add on items with a option to pay separate price for shipping. Every time I tried to purchase an add on item a text box popped up demanding I purchase merchandise costing at least $25.00 in order to purchase the add on items. Every time I was at an anonymous computer Amazon offered the unknown customer me a lower price than if Amazon was able to identify me. I was at the auto dealership having my car serviced. There were computers available for customers convenience. When I checked the prices for the same items I checked the price for at home the price Amazon offered the unknown user, me a lower price for each item. In some cases I was offered free shipping at the lower price even though the Amazon scamming system did not know I was a prime subscriber. There was a description of this scam on several news sources and the scheme was described as price discrimination. From Wikipedia this is what I am experiencing: "Personalized pricing (or first-degree price differentiation); selling to each customer at a different price; this is also called one-to-one marketing. The optimal incarnation of this is called perfect price discrimination and maximizes the price that each customer is willing to pay, although it is extremely difficult to achieve in practice because a means of determining the precise willingness to pay of each customer has not yet been developed." See this article in Wikipedia: » en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pr ··· mination |
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 PeeWee
Premium Member
join:2001-10-21
Madera, CA |
to Mr Matt
Try putting item in shopping cart and closing browser, and wait for the email notice of a price drop. |
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MDG_420 to Mr Matt
Anon
2015-Mar-25 2:51 pm
to Mr Matt
said by Mr Matt:From Wikipedia this is what I am experiencing:
"Personalized pricing (or first-degree price differentiation); selling to each customer at a different price; this is also called one-to-one marketing. The optimal incarnation of this is called perfect price discrimination and maximizes the price that each customer is willing to pay, although it is extremely difficult to achieve in practice because a means of determining the precise willingness to pay of each customer has not yet been developed."
See this article in Wikipedia: »en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pr ··· mination Yes, AKA: Dynamic Pricing  Maybe there's hope for this thread yet. |
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to PeeWee
said by PeeWee:Try putting item in shopping cart and closing browser, and wait for the email notice of a price drop. I tried that when I wasn't sure what I wanted to purchase. I left an item in the cart for several days, when I went back to the cart the price had increased substantially. I called Amazon and asked why the price had increased, the CSR stated the original lower price was a promotional price available for a limited time and since I did not purchase the item immediately the price increased because the promotional price was withdrawn. |
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18189353 (banned)
Member
2015-Mar-25 4:17 pm
said by Mr Matt:said by PeeWee:Try putting item in shopping cart and closing browser, and wait for the email notice of a price drop. I tried that when I wasn't sure what I wanted to purchase. I left an item in the cart for several days, when I went back to the cart the price had increased substantially. I called Amazon and asked why the price had increased, the CSR stated the original lower price was a promotional price available for a limited time and since I did not purchase the item immediately the price increased because the promotional price was withdrawn. Can you post some examples of what your seeing? Items do go up and down normally. If seller A has an item for $20.00 today and you go back 3 days later and seller A is out of stock you'll see seller B's item at say $32.00 so it looks like it went up but it really didn't. Seller B was $32.00 days ago when seller A was $20.00 you just didn't know. Seller's can offer a promo on items like Seller B could offer a promo from $32.00 to $19.99 for a week just to under cut Seller A who is at $20.00. This is just retailing 101. |
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to Mr Matt
I don't understand why this is so confusing.
When you log in as a Prime account, you will by default see the Prime price for items. That may not be the cheapest price, which is why under nearly all Prime items there is a "Note: Available at a lower price from other sellers, potentially without free Prime shipping." You are free to check those other prices, to see if the price + shipping ends up being less than the Prime price with free 2 day shipping. Even when there is free shipping, you are comparing free 2 day shipping to free ground/parcel post/who knows what shipping. They are not the same thing, and often will not be priced the same.
If you go to the site anonymously, you will see the lowest price as the default. It may not be the lowest price after shipping is added. Some may have free shipping. Some may be cheaper than the Prime price.
And yes, prices do change. Everywhere. Best Buy has some things on sale this week that were full price last week, and will be full price again next week. There is also the issue of multiple vendors having different prices, and you'll only see pricing for those who have the item in stock. |
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kherr
Premium Member
join:2000-09-04
Collinsville, IL |
to Mr Matt
If you don't like the price, don't buy it. I have Prime and find on items that I check on Amazon's cheapest before you consider shipping. And on those few that aren't are cheaper after you consider the others high shipping. In the end (after shipping) Amazon is normally cheaper. A quite a few of the items are difficult, if not impossible, to find in any other store for any price(online or storefront). And as said above Amazon is one heck of a lot quicker in shipping ...
I guess your one of those that think you should get something for nothing ..... it doesn't work that way. |
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to 18189353
said by 18189353:Can you post some examples of what your seeing? I cannot do that right now because Amazon makes that impossible. Even though I clear all of my cookies in one netbook I no longer use to log into Amazon, the website still greets me with my name. The only I can avoid being identified by Amazon is using someone else's computer. I have access to three broadband services, cable, DSL and a wireless hotspot and no matter which one I use Amazon identifies me. Can you give me some advise on how to prevent the Amazon website from identifying me? |
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rody_44
Premium Member
join:2004-02-20
Quakertown, PA
4 edits |
rody_44
Premium Member
2015-Mar-25 7:16 pm
If your using firefox you can just browse privately. Upper right square below the close button click and browse privately. Nothing is remembered before or after. Actually its new private window. Amazon doesnt make it impossible. 2 clicks away for me.
You can actually go in there under options and change it to not remember you at all for all windows. But they do that for your benefit. Options and privacy if you really dont want it remembering you.
Maybe amazon is in conclusion with firefox to enable that shit by default so they can overcharge customers. Who knows. |
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to Mr Matt
said by Mr Matt:said by 18189353:Can you post some examples of what your seeing? I cannot do that right now because Amazon makes that impossible. Even though I clear all of my cookies in one netbook I no longer use to log into Amazon, the website still greets me with my name. The only I can avoid being identified by Amazon is using someone else's computer. I have access to three broadband services, cable, DSL and a wireless hotspot and no matter which one I use Amazon identifies me. Can you give me some advise on how to prevent the Amazon website from identifying me? Just post the item description or item number and the prices you see so people can look it up themselves. You don't need to post screen shots just text. |
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 Thaler
Premium Member
join:2004-02-02
Los Angeles, CA |
to MDG_420
Can't say I've observed anything of the sort since Amazon got busted jacking around pricing following a cookie flush a couple years back. I guess it could still be going on, but they've been clever enough for me not to catch any of it. |
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proxyboy to Mr Matt
Anon
2015-Mar-25 9:21 pm
to Mr Matt
Pretty simple answer.
I won't get into this discussion as the posts are all over the place.
Just as this site, as well as all sites can identify you, is with your IP address.
Next they have any persistent cookies to look at as well as other browser and computer id's.
I have a dedicated proxy browser that I use to circumvent these very real manipulations that you are seeing Mr Matt.
What led me to do some research was a truck rental a number of years ago.
The cost went from $500. to $300. just by my changing my IP address.
Same from/to/route.
Call it what you like and explain it how you will, it is real and has been around for quite awhile. |
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said by proxyboy :What led me to do some research was a truck rental a number of years ago. The cost went from $500 to $300 just by my changing my IP address. The same from/to/route. Call it what you like and explain it how you will, it is real and has been around for quite awhile. If people were to use "a number of years old" info for everything what do you think would happen to the world? FYI: I fixed your post. You don't make sentences into paragraphs unless the subject changes. You also don't need a period after currency unless it has cents $500 or $500.00. |
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to rody_44
I use Pale Moon or SRW Iron. I have both set to toss everything on exit, and PM also set to never remember history. Both browsers also have a private mode.
Amazon does not recognize me on either Windows or Linux. If they do, nothing is noted. I don't have Prime - not worth it to me.
I often check out items just to read the reviews. I do check more options on items. If I know the vendor, (I've seen Adorama Camera listed) I'll buy from that vendor even if is shipping is higher. I've bought from their web site and know how they package and ship. |
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Maybe there's hope for this thread yet.
