Secrets Of Online Shopping Discrimination

CBSMIAMI.com ^ | 11-14-16

[afraidfortherepublic]

Most people think you can usually find a better deal when you shop online.

But the price you see can be different than what other people see. The type of computer you use, your online search history, even your zip code have all been used by online retailers to determine what price you pay.

In a study conducted by researchers at Northeastern University in Boston, nine out of 16 online retailers and travel websites tested showed different prices or difference results for the same searches.

“I always assumed all the prices would always be the same,” said Liz Owens.

Owens, a busy mother of two, does a lot of her shopping online and was initially skeptical when she was told the prices she sees are not always what everyone else sees until she participated in a test.

Owens, along with six other people, were provided a list of items and had to look them up on the same websites Most people think you can usually find a better deal when you shop online.

[super7man]

My wife and I were shopping for airline tickets to Dublin. Every time I went to the site to see the prices and get ready to make a reservaton, I notice the price had gone up a little bit (like $20). I suggested that my wife log on using her computer, and the prices were back down for her for the same flight. We booked the flight on her computer right then and there.

I think that they know that if you come back to the same site multiple times, you are interested and they raise the price.

[Not gonna take it anymore]

Some online stores are upfront up the shipping charges being higher in certain areas.

QVC and HSN are two of them. If you live in a rural area your costs will be higher. Makes sense to me.

[afraidfortherepublic]

I received a request from American Airlines to check in on line for a recent flight and to pay for my checked bag by credit card. I did, but they made me pay again at the airport. I still have to straighten that out with them. Grrrr.

[super7man]

I feel for ya’. Its frustrating.

[ReformedBeckite]

If one buys online from one of the big box retailers there shouldn't be a problem, especially if they are all over the United States, especially if these big box stores have a high turn around in products.

Take for instant Walmart, Target, Home Depot, Lowe's and stores like that, they have Warehouses all over United States and all most all of them are near major shipping hubs of United states, so their isn't going to be a major problem in buying from them.

[Albion Wilde]

bump

[Svartalfiar]

Another useless study trying to create an issue where none exists. We use to call it “shopping around”. Heck, even big box stores may have different prices on the same items in the same towns. In fact, I have seen gas stations with a 20 cent difference in price just a couple miles apart. Just be a smart consumer. Same could also apply to homes. Using this logic shouldn’t the price of a home in N.Y. be the same as a home in Indiana.

Not quite. This would be more like everyone going to the same store, then they change your item prices after they check your driver's license and see where you're from. Different shipping costs to different places makes sense. But sneaky methods of looking at your browsing history and pulling locations, then varying prices based on that info, is pretty shady. If the home in Indiana and the home in NY were in the same location, and exactly identical, but had different prices for buyers from NY or IN, then yes your analogy would work.