Amazon changing prices during the day? Yep

[rh71]

Ummm, do you have it in a Wish List? And that Wish List saved in Camel3? They routinely will scrub through your wish list for new prices.

Also:
http://camelcamelcamel.com/blog/how-our-price-checking-system-works

Agree - wish list is the way to go, not saved for later.

 

[Midwayman]

You can literally watch items drop dozens of times over a few days, sometimes just adjusting pennies, seemingly in competition with another sites algorithm (or just another seller on Amazon) that's doing the same thing. Eventually they reset, and the whole thing starts over, it's rather bizarre.

Its kinda funny sometimes. I remember seeing a few things that had spiraled out of control through bugs in those auto pricing algorithms. Like stuff that should be a few bucks ending up in the thousands of dollars.

 

[Brainonska511]

Another annoyance: fake list prices. I don't know how they come up with them, but sometimes, they are way above MSRP. When I was looking for an i5-6500, Amazon had the list price $200 more than Intel's suggested retail price and I doubt anyone was selling an i5-6500 for >$400.

 

[Carson Dyle]

While we're on Amazon...

Are Amazon Dash buttons the stupidest fucking thing you've ever seen? I know some of you think you're too busy to ever go grocery shopping, but if you're incapable of keeping toilet paper or laundry detergent stocked in your house, or you can't even remember to order it when you're at your computer, you should be euthanized.

 

[DaveSimmons]

I agree on the buttons, but the Dash UPC scanner wand is cool. They sent me one free, probably because I've used Fresh delivery for years. It's pretty handy to scan codes as you open a bag of coffee, crackers, whatever and have it add the item over wifi to your Fresh shopping cart for your next delivery.

 

[kranky]

Its kinda funny sometimes. I remember seeing a few things that had spiraled out of control through bugs in those auto pricing algorithms. Like stuff that should be a few bucks ending up in the thousands of dollars.

I've seen that on Sears' site - third-party vendors offering items for many multiples of the regular price probably because of some algorithm bug. One I remember specifically was when looking for a grill cover made for our ancient grill, and I thought Sears was a likely place to have an item that hadn't been made in years. A third-party vendor on their site had the item - $900.

Common sense would tell you nobody is going to spend $900 on a grill cover, but the stuff is so automated no human can watch every price change.

 

[Artdeco]

Impressive that with 80 million + price changes/day the OP is just now noticing this.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/walterl...e-miserable-for-the-competition/#77b3bf932401

 

[Red Storm]

While we're on Amazon...

Are Amazon Dash buttons the stupidest fucking thing you've ever seen? I know some of you think you're too busy to ever go grocery shopping, but if you're incapable of keeping toilet paper or laundry detergent stocked in your house, or you can't even remember to order it when you're at your computer, you should be euthanized.

If THAT is the stupidest fucking thing you've ever seen, you haven't seen much. What's wrong with a little convenience? If you look at your own life, I'm sure you are using various items that simply make life more convenient. I don't have any dash buttons, but I totally understand the appeal.

 

[slag]

i was just looking at Jaybird X2 headphones on Amazon. I checked before lunch and they were 98.88. I then worked out, came back, and they were 97.55. Then I pulled them up on my cell phone and they were 97.00. I checked at my desk and they showed $96.57. I bought them and they will be here Friday.

 

[Rakehellion]

I have been tracking one item on Amazon for a while now, Guitar Pro 6. In the morning the price is about $40 to $43. I put it in my cart and wait until I get home. It then jumps to $48. I have seen it repeat several times over the last two weeks.

So just buy it already.

 

[TwiceOver]

So just buy it already.

I was wondering this too. If you have time to put it in your cart in the morning, you have time to click the 1-click buy button.

 

[Carson Dyle]

What's wrong with a little convenience? If you look at your own life, I'm sure you are using various items that simply make life more convenient. I don't have any dash buttons, but I totally understand the appeal.

It's not a matter of convenience, but a matter of asking: Does that really make anyone's life easier? If it does, they've got problems managing some of the simplest tasks ever put in front of a human being. I can't even imagine how they'd manage something more difficult.

 

[Spydermag68]

I hate paying too much for stuff. When I was updating my computer last year I got $30 off the normal price of my ps. The day I received it the ps was a shell shocker and another $30 off. I called up NE and they gave me store credit. I used this to get $30 off my memory.

 

[dave_the_nerd]

Had a bike rack in my cart for $50. Went up to $73 today.

Bought a used one "Fullfillment by Amazon" for $46. Fuck that.

But, yeah, autopricing - sure, they change the price during the day - when else are they going to change them?

 

[dave_the_nerd]

It's not a matter of convenience, but a matter of asking: Does that really make anyone's life easier? If it does, they've got problems managing some of the simplest tasks ever put in front of a human being. I can't even imagine how they'd manage something more difficult.

How often do you forget to get something from the grocery store? That's all it is - I need this, I am aware of it now, and I will now press the button. Now I don't have to think about it.

The more time you spend worrying about the little stuff, even if it's cheaper/smarter to do so, the less brainpower you have for other stuff. Science: http://elitedaily.com/money/science-simplicity-successful-people-wear-thing-every-day/849141/

 

[Carson Dyle]

How often do you forget to get something from the grocery store? That's all it is - I need this, I am aware of it now, and I will now press the button. Now I don't have to think about it.

Very seldom. I make a list. Like my grandmother did and her grandmother and her grandmother's grandmother.

I used the last of the toothpaste last night. So I busted out the new tube that I had in the hall closet and I put toothpaste on my shopping list. Now I just need to buy it again sometime in the next, oh, two months or so.

Sheesh.

 

[XavierMace]

You sound old.

 

[dave_the_nerd]

Sounds like somebody who doesn't have a lot of brainpower left to worry about the big stuff.

 

[sportage]

I noticed this practice years ago.
Amazon is like the stock market.
The availability of an item and its demand determines the price on an hourly basis.
Years ago I was looking to buy a 55" LG TV.
The price fluctuated $100 from am to pm.
From one day to another.
I finally caught the lower price and closed the sale.
A week later, it dropped still another $120.
Fortunately, Amazon refunded the price difference after contacting them.
But as I understand it, they will do that only once on the item.
If it drops another $100 a day later, no difference refunded.
Just think of it as the stock market. Jump in when you think you have the best price, and consider how badly you want the item.

 

[Carson Dyle]

I noticed this practice years ago.
Amazon is like the stock market.
The availability of an item and its demand determines the price on an hourly basis.

No, its's absolutely nothing like that. It doesn't explain how an obscure item's price goes up and down by 25, 30% at a clip several times a day.

They're trying to entice you to buy. I'm not sure what algorithm they're using, but I've seen items in my cart drop in price by 1/2 and then 30 minutes later they go back up in price to higher than it was before. And sometimes that gets repeated once a week, sometimes just once. It's not just influenced by competitive or market pricing, I'm certain of that.

 

[Mike64]

New to Amazon?

:thumbsup:

 

[Carson Dyle]

Sounds like somebody who doesn't have a lot of brainpower left to worry about the big stuff.

Curious... How do you buy toilet paper and laundry detergent? Do you press a little button? Have humans become that stupid and dependent on technology that turns them into morons?

"Mom, we're almost out of Tide. Can I press the button?"

"No, I pressed it yesterday, I think."

"Are you sure?"

"Well, I know I pressed a couple of buttons. One for crackers and another, I think for coffee. Maybe one for laundry detergent. I'm not sure."

"Maybe Dad pressed it?"

"I'll call him at work and see if he remembers."


.... Yeah, so convenient.

 

[kranky]

Curious... How do you buy toilet paper and laundry detergent? Do you press a little button? Have humans become that stupid and dependent on technology that turns them into morons?

"Mom, we're almost out of Tide. Can I press the button?"

"No, I pressed it yesterday, I think."

"Are you sure?"

"Well, I know I pressed a couple of buttons. One for crackers and another, I think for coffee. Maybe one for laundry detergent. I'm not sure."

"Maybe Dad pressed it?"

"I'll call him at work and see if he remembers."


.... Yeah, so convenient.

"Mom, where's the button for trash bags! I can't find it!"
"Your father was looking for it yesterday. Did you check in the laundry room? Please keep looking, we're almost out."