Why do amazon prices constantly go up and down by _tiny_ amounts?

[pmv]

I realise that there's logic in changing prices according to demand and stock, but the size of the price changes are often weirdly small.

E.g. a memory card which was previously £52.99 is now available at the knock-down discount price of...£52.98. This enticing reduction is dramatically highlighted via use of the strikethrough font on the product listing page.

Another item has gone down by 11p out of about £100.

Does this actually induce anyone to 'press the trigger' on a purchase?

 

[pmv]

I suppose, answering my own question, it's done by some automated algorithm. Still think it would look less silly if they put some sanity-check in there to not bother if the amount involved is ridiculously small.

 

[sdifox]

A cent x 1M = ten grand

 

[lxskllr]

I'll remember that when I need a million of something, and wait for that sweet 1¢ discount.

 

[IronWing]

I'll remember that when I need a million of something, and wait for that sweet 1¢ discount.

Jockey moved their factories from South America to Vietnam, leaving thousands unemployed, to save 7¢/shirt.

 

[lxskllr]

I'd pay +$5 to have them made in the US. Well... If I bought Jockey anyway. Moving to the US would make that more likely to happen.

 

[IronWing]

I'd pay +$5 to have them made in the US. Well... If I bought Jockey anyway. Moving to the US would make that more likely to happen.

I bought a pack of Jockey underwear. I think they were designed by/for skinny-ass eunuchs.

 

[sdifox]

I'll remember that when I need a million of something, and wait for that sweet 1¢ discount.

No, a million transactions, not you buying a million items.

 

[OccamsToothbrush]

I suppose, answering my own question, it's done by some automated algorithm. Still think it would look less silly if they put some sanity-check in there to not bother if the amount involved is ridiculously small.

You're ignoring Amazon Marketplace, vendors will get sucked into price wars to be the top listed item. If eight different vendors are all selling the same item for 52.99 the one selling it for 52.98 gets listed first.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Possibly allowing for currency fluctuations?

 

[Red Squirrel]

I think it's all games. I heard that prices for one person may not even be the same as for another. For example if you put something in your cart but don't buy it may cause the price to go up or down. Possibly to make you buy it as you might worry about it going up. "Better buy it now!". But the price you see may not be the same price someone else sees. Not sure if this is the case though just recall hearing something to that effect. Suppose it could be tested using two computers on different networks.

 

[pmv]

I think it's all games. I heard that prices for one person may not even be the same as for another. For example if you put something in your cart but don't buy it may cause the price to go up or down. Possibly to make you buy it as you might worry about it going up. "Better buy it now!". But the price you see may not be the same price someone else sees. Not sure if this is the case though just recall hearing something to that effect. Suppose it could be tested using two computers on different networks.

I heard that they did that for a while and then stopped doing it.

Maybe it is the Marketplace jockeying-for-position thing, though this was sold by Amazon themselves. Maybe they compete against their own marketplace, though.

 

[randay]

they get undercut by the third party sellers so they have to constantly adjust their prices to give the best deal.

 

[balloonshark]

They are trying to squeeze every last penny out of their users. Also prices go up when stock goes down. In many cases I see Amazon lowering their prices to match walmart's. I see it all the time on slickdeals.

If you want to find out pricing history on amazon check out this site. https://camelcamelcamel.com/

 

[RossMAN]

If you want to find out pricing history on amazon check out this site. https://camelcamelcamel.com/

Beat me to it and I've set price alerts previously, forgot about it, then received an e-mail a few weeks ago when price dropped to whatever I set. It works.

camelcamelcamel Features

camelcamelcamel Features at camelcamelcamel: Amazon price tracker, Amazon price history charts, price watches, and price drop alerts.

camelcamelcamel.com

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

Do you know how Wallstreet (or more specifically) stock markets in general are run by algorithms and other computer programming to conduct the trades? It's the same concept in that humans are paternalist in general.

People have a higher probability to buy something (regardless of the price) during certain times. You know - Karen getting drunk every night at 9 PM and searching online for things to appease her brain patterns and increase dopamine?

 

[FeuerFrei]

One reason some people overlook ....

When an item has multiple sellers, Amazon will shift sellers off and on, because they all want the premium spot where THEY get the sale when you click "Add to Cart". Hence the price APPEARS to fluctuate.

Maybe one seller paid off Amazon for prime positioning, maybe one seller ran out of stock, who knows ... but there's some kind of rotation going on - not NECESSARILY simple price adjustments.

Some people don't bother to check the seller when they add something to their cart - so their order gets fulfilled by the vendor Amazon was featuring on the "Add to Cart" button at the time of the order.

 

[pmv]

One reason some people overlook ....

When an item has multiple sellers, Amazon will shift sellers off and on, because they all want the premium spot where THEY get the sale when you click "Add to Cart". Hence the price APPEARS to fluctuate.

Maybe one seller paid off Amazon for prime positioning, maybe one seller ran out of stock, who knows ... but there's some kind of rotation going on - not NECESSARILY simple price adjustments.

Some people don't bother to check the seller when they add something to their cart - so their order gets fulfilled by the vendor Amazon was featuring on the "Add to Cart" button at the time of the order.

Ah, but in this case the seller and supplier was Amazon themselves.

I get that which supplier takes top billing will change, but that's not what I'm referring to. With memory cards I don't really trust any third party sellers, because of the epidemic of fakes out there, so I specifically pay attention to that.

What I'm commenting on is how often Amazon themselves will make tiny reductions to their own prices. It used to be such reductions would only happen when they were significant, at some point they started doing pointlessly small shifts. I still think it must just be some automated algorithm.

Also - why are there so damn many people selling fake memory cards on both Ebay and Amazon? Some of them are ludicrously obvious (made-up-brand name, 1Tb micro SD card for £10...yeah, sounds legit). But some are borderline - a bit cheaper than average, supposedly a known brand...but cheap enough to be fake? Dunno. It destroys any second-hand market, it seems to me, and reduces the competition for driving prices down for real cards. I hate those guys.