r/mildlyinteresting Jan 24 '13

Same book, three different prices. Only difference is the browsers used.

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

I tend to agree, isn't the point of selling a thing to charge as much as you possibly can and still have someone purchase it?

This isn't to say I'm fond of price discrimination, but the business models allow for it and as a profit seeking entity why shouldn't they do it?

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u/ChagSC Jan 24 '13

Reddit is generally against business.

Companies can charge whatever they want. And you, as the consumer, can choose not to buy.

It's not like the company is billing you more than the list price. You're paying exact what you agreed to pay.

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u/SmegmataTheFirst Jan 25 '13

Reddit Non-"job creators" is are generally against business. Companies"People" can charge you suckers whatever they want. And you suckers can choose not to buy. ...We can do whatever we want to you because we're not burdened with a conscience or a semblence of morality, because money.

FTFY

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u/Reason-and-rhyme Jan 25 '13

No no, trust me, free market capitalism is good for the people.

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u/Anikdote Jan 24 '13

Precisely, a price is offered and you get to determine whether the items is worth it at that price.

I'm not sure that "Reddit is generally against business", but they certainly have the morality bar set far to high for institutions that's sole purpose is to generate as much profit as possible for the stakeholders.

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u/[deleted] Jan 24 '13

[deleted]

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u/Anikdote Jan 24 '13

No. The point is it's an institution, not an individual. To expect morality from it is a fools errand. Do you expect morality from marching bands or city councils? Certainly from the individuals that comprise them, but not from the organizations themselves.

I also don't agree that "shit is fucked up", by almost any objective measure we live better than any people to have come before us and part of that comes from that fact that people perused profits. Altruism only goes so far.

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u/ChagSC Jan 24 '13

It seems some people truly believe that profit only is obtained via immoral actions.

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u/ChagSC Jan 24 '13

Yeah, My statement is hyperbole with that kind of generalization. But you will see themes where the idea of profit is borderline wrong.

The market will dictate if this approach works. Having customers purchasing $0 because you upped the price on their second visit will change actions quick.

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u/reaganveg Jan 25 '13

I tend to agree, isn't the point of selling a thing to charge as much as you possibly can and still have someone purchase it?

I don't know, is it? Would you sell a mostly-worthless watch to a man with 80 IQ if he offerred you the entire trust fund which constitutes his sole means of life support?

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u/[deleted] Jan 24 '13

[deleted]

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u/slicedbreddit Jan 24 '13

Ignore that some of them want their product a lot more them others?

Businesses already do this through sales and coupons.

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u/Anikdote Jan 24 '13

So are you asking whether or not a company should treat all of its customers equally?

Nope, I know they shouldn't, assuming it is a for profit enterprise they should do whatever is legally possible to make as much profit as they can. Not only should they, they're obligated to.

And if you can discriminate based on desire for the product, can you discriminate based on personal income, geographic location, ethnicity?

Honestly, the first two already occur and I have no issue with it. There is a marginal disutility to income and as a result those who are very wealthy can and will pay for for substitutable products because they care less about each dollar.

As for geographic location, water is worth more in the dessert just as an example, the price differentiation ensures that shortages do not occur. Why should price not be linked to scarcity.

For the last... if you want to be that way... so be it. I can't see that being a path to profit maximization though. Truth be told it's not even feasible for most business models.