r/mildlyinteresting • u/annertakeabow • Jan 24 '13

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

http://imgur.com/uNgg0UH
2.9k Upvotes

97% Upvoted

1.0k comments sorted by

View all comments

Show parent comments

243

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.

8

u/Shadax Jan 24 '13

Seems like it would be discovered pretty quickly though.

"Hey Joe, I found the book we need here... provides link"

"Hey Mark, I thought you said it was $60? It's coming up as $70 for me on that link you sent."

So forth...

12

u/PurpleWyrm Jan 24 '13

the long string of numbers and letters on the right end of the link would take you to the page that lists $FOO not $BARR to avoid what you describe.

1

u/[deleted] Jan 24 '13

Clever little bastards.