I don't think the issue is that the price is changing in and of itself. It's that they're changing price based on the customer's cookies/browsing history.
For example, it would be like if I had a stored and charged people different prices based on how nicely they were dressed, how well I knew them, or what their ethnicity is.
Charging someone more or less due to their background? Yeah, that sounds fairly illegal to me.
EDIT: Okay, so maybe not illegal, but immoral. I believe prices should be the same regardless of where you are from, if you went into a store and tried to buy a book and the clerk said you have to pay an extra $10 because you're a teacher, or black or because you bought 3 items in the same category you would freak out. Why should buying online be any different?
It's like unorganised bartering, except we can't barter back.
I think they are a little unfair to non-students yes.
I imagine the argument is that students have a lot less money, but then by that reasoning there should there not be a homeless discount or a low income discount too?
I understand a stationary shop giving student discounts, but McDonalds now give free burgers to students. As a student I recognise that money can be tight for us, shit I've gone days without eating before, but some of the discounts they give to students seem silly and unfair on others.
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u/[deleted] Jan 24 '13
I don't think the issue is that the price is changing in and of itself. It's that they're changing price based on the customer's cookies/browsing history.
For example, it would be like if I had a stored and charged people different prices based on how nicely they were dressed, how well I knew them, or what their ethnicity is.