Thread

1. handoflixue · 1790902443 · focus · HN ↗

   "price food items differently depending on where they are bought"

   Everyone is aware that they have been doing this since forever, right?

   Like, you've traveled to a different location, and discovered prices are different in different cities?

   Or how prices downtown are usually higher?

   Some of the other companies discussed go beyond this, yes, but the headline is just absurd

   1. hn_throwaway_99 · 1790908865 · focus · HN ↗

      Agreed, and the use of "AI" in the headline is basically just ragebait. There were companies in the late 90s and I'm sure earlier that sold "pricing optimization software" - that's literally what capitalism is built on: charging a price that optimizes profits. And of course many companies have used things like coupons as a tool for price discrimination for decades.

      There are parts further down in the article that are more concerning because they're using what should really be more private data in their pricing algorithms, like your geolocation, personal history or even the type of phone you have. But "store location" has been an aspect in pricing algorithms since basically the dawn of capitalism.

Unofficial Hacker News client; not affiliated with Y Combinator.