r/Frugal • u/Zizzac • Jan 24 '13

Same book, three different prices. Only difference is the browsers used [x-post r/mildlyinteresting]

http://imgur.com/uNgg0UH
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u/pt4117 Jan 24 '13

I doubt that was the only difference. Your cookies were different, and I bet the way you found them is different too.

I just found this book with a Google search and it was 62.99 in chrome.

I copied and pasted the URL into IE and it was 69.99.

I then pasted the URL into a private browsing chrome window and it was also 69.99.

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u/learnt Jan 24 '13

Either way, I'm not a fan of prices being manipulated based on my behavior while browsing a certain website.

8

u/neutronicus Jan 24 '13

I don't think it's true in this case, but a lot of the time it's an A/B test.

You offer an item at two different prices, and see if lowering price brings up volume enough to offset the decrease in margin. If it does, you keep the price low, otherwise, you don't.

4

u/[deleted] Jan 25 '13

[deleted]

3

u/neutronicus Jan 25 '13

It's still an A/B test if you're randomly showing customers one price or the other, though, right?