Amazonian Oddities

[annuin]

I don't get why Amazon.com has ever changing levels of discount on various products, most notably on their dvd's. Sometimes a dvd is cheap on their site, then weeks or months later it's really expensive, or vice versa. It's quite bizarre. I remember watching a dvd start at $22, go down to $17, then be back up at around $22 over the course of months, so it's not like they only get cheaper over time as they become older moviesQ.

I happened to notice Sunday night that a dvd we'd bought last month was now $7.50 cheaper than when we'd bought it... down to $14.99 from $22.49. Now if were talking pennies or maybe a buck or two, it's not that big of a deal, but when there's a $7.50 difference I feel a bit jipped. So I checked other dvd's from that order, and several others were cheaper now than they had been when we got them... only one was more expensive, the dvd of Sin City, which was $21 or so and we'd pre-ordered it at $15.99. All up, and ignoring the increase in the Sin City price, it would have saved us $10.55 if we'd waited a mere month to order. So I emailed Amazon to ask them what was up, and why their dvd prices fluctuate like that (never did get a clear answer to that), and they issued a credit for the $10.55.

So bonus points for their customer service, but I remain baffled by their arbitrary pricing methods.

Comments

[catdraco.livejournal.com]

If a company uses several suppliers in order to ensure the lowest possible price, then prices can fluctuate dramatically depending on who's supplying what, when, and how consistently. I imagine, given Amazon's "guaranteed shipping" advertised all over the place, they would need to use several suppliers to ensure consistency of delivery.

That's just speculation, but it seems plausible to me.

[notagod.livejournal.com]

Maybe combine that with a demand based pricing scheme...

[domesticmouse.livejournal.com]

There are actually some papers getting around on their internal pricing models. They are attempting to discover price elasticity for their stock. They actually vary their prices on many factors. Location, age, sex, etc. Quite interesting.

[pj-41.livejournal.com]

Location, age, sex, etc. Quite interesting.

Hmm, isn't that bordering on discrimination?

[domesticmouse.livejournal.com]

Meh, i don't know american laws. Not being an american, and all. :-)

[pj-41.livejournal.com]

Bleah, I don't even care about the law, it would annoy the hell out of me if I found out I was paying more for a DVD simply because I happen to be a female thirtysomething (gah! is that possible?? note to self: never utter that t word again).

[domesticmouse.livejournal.com]

Aye, 21 forever, is all i will say :-)

[pj-41.livejournal.com]

Huzzah!