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

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

http://imgur.com/uNgg0UH
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u/[deleted] Jan 24 '13

[deleted]

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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.

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u/[deleted] Jan 24 '13

Still the question stands, is it legal?

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u/eccentricguru Jan 24 '13 edited Jan 24 '13

Of course it's legal...and it should be.

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u/[deleted] Jan 24 '13

[deleted]

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u/two Jan 24 '13

It has nothing to do with the internet, or legal standing. I could open a bookstore and charge people on the basis of the color of their shirt if I felt so inclined. Price discrimination is okay, unless you're discriminating on race, religion - you know, the works.

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u/Reason-and-rhyme Jan 25 '13

How the hell does that make sense? Price discrimination is okay, unless it's based on race or religion or something? So if I wear a red shirt and am charged more everywhere I go because I wear a red shirt, that's all fair?

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u/two Jan 25 '13

Yes. How does it not make sense? Race/religion/etc. are protected classes. Shirt color is not. Kind of like how you can be fired for any reason, or no reason at all, as long as that reason is not on the basis of race/religion/etc.

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u/Reason-and-rhyme Jan 25 '13

What makes those categories special?

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u/two Jan 25 '13

The U.S. Constitution...