WOAH. I think it was just yesterday I said on HN that I'd flip out if any bank ever did this. And here we are...This is why cash is great to carry around!
You should not be surprised. Credit reporting companies sell your score data to credit card and mortgage lenders. Retailers pool your shopping habits into "co-ops" which are used for direct mail and online ads. It goes on and on.
My question is the following: When every company has rewards systems and 70% discounts on coupon sites, coupled with credit card rewards, discounted gift cards, manufacturer coupons and the new ability to get more discounts by adjusting my shopping patterns, how do I know what a product is actually worth?
Companies like Scvngr are trying to insert game mechanics into the offline world, but it feels like the retail sector is already way ahead in making us play their discount game.
You know what a product is actually worth by thinking hard about what use or pleasure you'll get from it. If you're currently trying to deduce what things are worth from their prices, you're already getting very wrong answers -- price-setting is a complicated business involving lots of psychological trickery. Sometimes you can sell more units of a product by increasing the price, precisely because lots of people use the "what it costs is what it's worth" heuristic; you can often sell more of product X at $P without changing either X or P, just by introducing a new super-expensive premium version of X that costs $(10*P); etc.
I researched a small, b/w laser printer for a friend last week. $100 at Amazon.
I return to Amazon yesterday to look for a wrist rest. In the "recently viewed" section of the page, that printer is $130.
I've come to consider seriously the implication that ~30% changes in pricing have in aggregate, in the demand this gaming places upon my time and attention. One or two items, I may say "time is money" and just buy.
When the entire system starts to feel gamed, like a casino in Vegas, I start looking seriously at my options for simply opting out.
Once again, information asymmetry is being used to disadvantage the small player.
Citi has been doing this for years on their credit card statements. Checking/saving accounts was the next logical step.
With the easy money (credit card interest, late fees, debit card interchange fees, etc) drying up, banks will explore every possible alternative to generate revenue and cut costs. Anything short of stealing money right from your account won't surprise me going forward.
8 comments
[ 2.8 ms ] story [ 33.1 ms ] threadhttp://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2140095
My question is the following: When every company has rewards systems and 70% discounts on coupon sites, coupled with credit card rewards, discounted gift cards, manufacturer coupons and the new ability to get more discounts by adjusting my shopping patterns, how do I know what a product is actually worth?
Companies like Scvngr are trying to insert game mechanics into the offline world, but it feels like the retail sector is already way ahead in making us play their discount game.
I return to Amazon yesterday to look for a wrist rest. In the "recently viewed" section of the page, that printer is $130.
I've come to consider seriously the implication that ~30% changes in pricing have in aggregate, in the demand this gaming places upon my time and attention. One or two items, I may say "time is money" and just buy.
When the entire system starts to feel gamed, like a casino in Vegas, I start looking seriously at my options for simply opting out.
Once again, information asymmetry is being used to disadvantage the small player.
With the easy money (credit card interest, late fees, debit card interchange fees, etc) drying up, banks will explore every possible alternative to generate revenue and cut costs. Anything short of stealing money right from your account won't surprise me going forward.