Tell Us: Did the price change after you bought it?

[Consumer Reports]   Friend, When shopping lately for your favorite coffee beans or tickets to the latest concert tour, does it sometimes seem that the price is rigged – that what you're being charged may not be the same as the next shopper in line, or is constantly changing? With the rise of widespread data collection and artificial intelligence, your hunch may be true: the price you pay may be completely different than what others pay, and you may never know it. Dynamic pricing, when prices change frequently based on supply-and-demand, is moving beyond typical industries like airlines and rideshare apps and into the mainstream, including grocery stores and concert tickets. And as more companies collect our data and feed it through algorithms, they may use it to extract as much money from us as possible through ‘surveillance pricing’ – charging more to those consumers they deem more likely to pay or less likely to shop around. We need strong rules and laws that protect consumers from pricing tactics being used in a predatory manner. And you can help us advocate for these reforms by telling us about your experience with these types of pricing schemes. [Have you bought something only to see the price drop, or discover that someone else paid less for the same product?]( Have you noticed different prices for the same product based on if you shopped in-person or online through different browsers? Have you noticed being charged more for renewing a subscription than a new customer? [Share Your Story](  In the past, companies’ pricing structures were primarily based on predictable factors such as material and labor costs. Now, some companies are changing prices throughout the day based on how many other consumers are trying to buy the product, or charging you a higher price based on their detailed analysis of how much you’re willing to pay or how unlikely you are to shop around. Recently, grocery stores like Kroger have installed electronic shelving labels that can change prices in real-time. And ticket prices for the comeback tour of British rock band Oasis doubled within the span of a few hours due to high demand. A joint investigation between Consumer Reports and The Markup in 2020 also uncovered the rise of surveillance pricing that uses artificial intelligence to extract more profit from consumers. Auto insurer Allstate proposed using an algorithm to identify consumers who were less likely to switch insurance companies, planning to charge them more for insurance. While Maryland insurance regulators rejected this plan, it is alarming that companies are considering such tactics. Your stories about pricing are important. They can help uncover predatory pricing tactics and illustrate why we need strong rules and laws that protect consumers from these practices. [Help us make change by sharing your story, and we’ll use it to push for the strongest protections possible.]( [Share Your Story](  If you don’t have a story, but have a friend or family member who does, please share this with them. The more examples we have, the better chance we have at holding these companies accountable. Thank you, Angel Han Consumer Reports [Unsubscribe from Consumer Reports action alerts.]( © 2022 Consumer Reports, 101 Truman Avenue, Yonkers, NY, 10703 [Contact Consumer Reports](