Most American consumers don't realize Internet merchants and even traditional retailers sometimes charge different prices to different customers for the same products, according to a new survey.
The study, "Open to Exploitation," found nearly two-thirds of adult Internet users believed incorrectly it was illegal to charge different people different prices, a practice retailers call "price customization." More than two-thirds of people surveyed also said they believed online travel sites are required by law to offer the lowest airline prices possible
*snip*
First-time buyers at a retailer could see higher prices than a firm's repeat customers, and retailers may not offer discounts to consumers who buy the same brands regularly without even looking at alternative products on the same site.*snip*
Amazon.com outraged some customers in September 2000 after one buyer deleted the electronic tags on his computer that identified him as a regular customer and noticed the price of a DVD changed from $26.24 to $22.74. The company said it was the result of a random price test and offered to refund buyers who paid the higher prices.
Full article:
http://www.cnn.com/2005/TECH/internet/06/01/internet.shopping.ap/Link to study:
http://www.annenbergpublicpolicycenter.org/I clear most cookies daily and usually browse retail sites without logging in unless I see an item I want to buy. So if they don't have a record of my site activity, I could be penalized for protecting my privacy. :grr:
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