Amazon.com's DVD pricing and Internet browsers . . .

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XMan

XMan

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
12,513
49
91
Saw this over at ARS Technica . . .

[l]http://www.computerworld.com/cwi/story/frame/0,1213,NAV47_STO49569,00.html[/l]

Apparently, Amazon's pricing shifts depending on whatever browser you are using on some items!

Amazon's response -

<< We've learned that certain aspects of our site resonate with customers in different ways, and we are continually fine-tuning our site presentation to see how these variables affect customers' purchasing decisions...Amazon is testing the prices on select merchandise in its DVD store for a limited time, so different shoppers could indeed be charged different prices for the same product >>

 
B

BANDITAENMASQUERADA

Member
Jun 25, 2000
109
0
0
It is really hard to know what is a glitch and what isn't on this site.

The big DVD sale that just happened supposedly wasn't a glitch but was an intentional act on Amazon's part to test what happens when things hit the movers and shakers category. For example, they took the Jet Li collectors box and sold it for 16.99...It jumped to number 1..then they took it to 69.99 then they took it back down to 16.99 and then back up to 79.99 all in the same day.

I am going to start watching that movers and shakers list for deals.
 
A

Atrac

Golden Member
Mar 26, 2000
1,222
0
0
Does anyone know if they actually honored the $16.99 price for the Jet Li Box Set?

From what I understand, when Amazon makes a mistake, they send out an email saying &quot;this is the correct price...want it or cancel the order?&quot;
 
B

BANDITAENMASQUERADA

Member
Jun 25, 2000
109
0
0
That is the point. We don't know what is a mistake and what isn't. There is a reporter that is claiming that she has been told by Amazon insiders that the Toy Glitch was intentional. Was it another mover and shaker test or ways to attract business or ways to clear out merchandise or what?

Supposedly the word that this was a mover and shaker test on these different DVD's comes from people within Amazon.

Now that we know they have admitted to variable pricing on items you can never know what is a real price and what isn't. I just ordered a TV/VCR combo at a site (not Amazon) for 0.00. Now I am sure that is a mistake ;-)

My orders haven't shipped yet. I think they have a thread for actual orders shipped over at dvdtalk.


EDIT...LOOKS LIKE TOY GLITCH ALL OVER AGAIN. SOME ORDERS SHIPPED WHILE OTHERS ARE GETTING THE DREADED EMAIL. JUST SAW IT ON DVDTALK. I still don't have the dreaded email
 
M

mwa009

Member
Aug 23, 2000
29
0
0
I ordered the Jet Li DVD set and got the confirmation email by amazon.
It should arrive in a couple of days. I can't wait.
 
H

Harvey

Administrator<br>Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
35,057
67
91
I don't usually post comments like this, but as of last weekend, Amazon.com SUCKS!!! :|

In case you didn't hear about it, they announced that they now regard any and all personal info they collect about you as a company asset which they can sell to anyone. If you made any purchases before this announcement, thier former privacy policy is incorporated in contract inherant in your transaction, and this constitutes a severe breach of that contract. If the law suits haven't already started, they should at any moment.

Amazon is now on my permanent disqualified vendor list.
 
B

BANDITAENMASQUERADA

Member
Jun 25, 2000
109
0
0
You should check out what all people are being told over at dvdtalk. Just think about this. Jet Li Box Collector set moves up to Number 1 seller and still has the price of 16.99. People say..HOT DAMN..Best Buy sells that for 99.99. They give Amazon their
personal information. Amazon can now sell it. People spread the word and now the #1 Seller goes to 69.99. A few hours later it is back to 16.99. A few hours later it is 79.99 Then they reneg on the deal for some and not others.

I hope the FTC is really looking at hard at them.
 
V

Valkore

Member
Jun 20, 2000
112
0
0
That is seriously wrong.. I'm glad I haven't bought anything from Amazon yet. Anybody know if Amazon has any &quot;affiliate&quot; sites from which they could get customer information?
 
M

mcdull

Senior member
Aug 7, 2000
348
0
0
I ordered some DVDs from Amazon, but they're not going to honour the prices. Here is a quote from their email:

We are sorry, but it has come to our attention
that the prices of the following items have increased:

Jet Li(Primary Contributor) &quot;Jet Li Collection-Box Set&quot;
NEW PRICE OLD PRICE
$79.99 $16.99

Sally Field, et al &quot;AFI's 100 Years, 100 Movies: American
Film Institute (Complete Edition)&quot;
NEW PRICE OLD PRICE
$67.99 $25.49

Tony Scott(Director), et al &quot;Tom Cruise Action Pack&quot;
NEW PRICE OLD PRICE
$64.97 $25.49

We apologize for any inconvenience or disappointment this
change in price may cause. We hope you will understand that,
with several million items listed on our web site, it is
unfortunate but inevitable that some items will occasionally
be mispriced.

As stated in our pricing policy, which is posted online on our
Help Desk, if we discover a mispricing we contact you to obtain
your approval of the new price before proceeding with the order.
 
R

RayW69

Senior member
Jul 2, 2000
424
0
0
The price variations are not browser dependant. It's based on the cookie you receive when first visiting Amazon.
 
C

cb4800

Member
Jun 17, 2000
49
0
0
I just got the &quot;price correction&quot; email for my Tom Cruise Action Pack. It was my first, and is now going to be my last order from Amazon. I think they did this DVD price mistake on purpost just to get more first time orders with new coustomer information.
 
M

mwa009

Member
Aug 23, 2000
29
0
0
I got the price correction email too from Amazon for my Jet Li's
set. Gush, I really thought I had a shot at this. Silly me!
 
O

optoman

Diamond Member
Nov 15, 1999
4,181
0
0
Now that's what I call a case of bait and switch. That has to be illegal when they purposely change the price, let you it and then tell you it was a mistake. I wish I was a lawyer and knew what could be done about this. Amazon sucks!
 
K

kingink

Senior member
Apr 24, 2000
626
0
0
you don't really want to be a lawyer do you? How about just boycotting their site and not shopping there anymore? Well, right after I get rid of all my gift certificates. hehe.
kingink
 
K

K-squared

Golden Member
Nov 1, 1999
1,386
0
0
http://talk.dvdtalk.com/ubb/Forum1/HTML/015809.html

Well, I have a possible solution to Amazon.com's shell-pricing game. Simply order the item multiple times and then cancel all but the lowest priced order! Or even better yet (if you really want to make a statement to Amazon), have them ALL delivered and refuse all but the least expensive one! That'll fix their ass!
 
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