Walmart dynamic pricing, its coming!!

[RivShore]

OK. I think it will take a few years to happen. I surely hope it doesn't, but this company is now charging customers in some markets to use the self check outs.

That is an exaggeration, some stores have designated a few lanes for delivery drivers and Walmart+ members...

https://www.reuters.com/fact-check/...tomers-98-use-self-checkout-lanes-2024-03-28/

 

[FreeTime]

So what happens if you put the milk in your cart at the $2 price, shop a bit, then it’s $3 at checkout??

Doesn’t seem right to me.

I originally had this thought also but then it occurred to me…maybe they also require everyone to use the handheld Scan and Go. Then, you get the current price as you drop it into your cart.

 

[tvguy]

many states have 'price gouging' laws on the books for the purposes of disasters and emergencies and some DID prosecute offenders during the pandemic. there are a couple of states that are exploring regulating dynamic pricing but there appear to be no state laws anywhere that spell it out as illegal. where it CAN become illegal is if it involves price fixing, collusion, discrimination, or deceptive practices. so if the grocery stores in a given area get together and agree to all jack up the prices of certain items at certain times of the day/days of the week it would then be illegal.

Just wonder how they would defend themselves if one price is posted when you pull an item off the shelf, and a higher price was charged at checkout. When they stopped putting prices on each item, many stores here had policies that if an item rang up at a higher price at checkout, it was free. Although some stores had a cap of $10 on the price of the item.

 

[tvguy]

OK. I think it will take a few years to happen. I surely hope it doesn't, but this company is now charging customers in some markets to use the self check outs.

They are taking self checkouts in some places here in California. Too many expensive items are going through the checkout without being scanned. The cost of manning checkstands if less than the losses.

https://www.retaildive.com/news/walmart-removes-self-checkout-stores-experience/714306/

 

[reddog21]

As a person who used to work retail in my younger days, I would have loved digital tags. The countless hours apon hours of putting up and taking down prices was the worst.

Dynamic prices already exists, anything your getting at market prices flucuates daily(not in the same day).

 

[halfpintpeggy]

Just wonder how they would defend themselves if one price is posted when you pull an item off the shelf, and a higher price was charged at checkout. When they stopped putting prices on each item, many stores here had policies that if an item rang up at a higher price at checkout, it was free. Although some stores had a cap of $10 on the price of the item.

This already occurs regularly at our local Walmart stores. Usually they’ll send someone to go look at the price on the shelf. It’s inconvenient for customers as well as store employees.
I’ve actually started taking pics of the shelf prices of items I’m buying which is kinda a ridiculous thing to have to do.

 

[RivShore]

I originally had this thought also but then it occurred to me…maybe they also require everyone to use the handheld Scan and Go. Then, you get the current price as you drop it into your cart.

No way they could require all, including the elderly and those that just refuse to use tech, to use scan and go.

 

[barkley]

Just wonder how they would defend themselves if one price is posted when you pull an item off the shelf, and a higher price was charged at checkout. When they stopped putting prices on each item, many stores here had policies that if an item rang up at a higher price at checkout, it was free. Although some stores had a cap of $10 on the price of the item.

in california it's not a choice on the part of the store, it's written into the law that the posted price is the price it must sell for. other states don't nesc. have those kinds of laws-washington for instance only has a process where you can file a consumer complaint and if the state chooses it can investage and see if an individual store is exceeding a certain threshhold of mismarked shelfed items and if so impose a fine. i suspect stores will continue to do what is required by the individual laws that apply.

 

[MillauFr]

So what happens if you put the milk in your cart at the $2 price, shop a bit, then it’s $3 at checkout??

Doesn’t seem right to me.

What happens is you never would shop at that store ever again.

 

[MillauFr]

No way they could require all, including the elderly and those that just refuse to use tech, to use scan and go.

More likely would be the store would be able to detect what products you put into your cart. That is what the Amazon Go Stores do.

 

[SL6827]

They are taking self checkouts in some places here in California. Too many expensive items are going through the checkout without being scanned. The cost of manning checkstands if less than the losses.

https://www.retaildive.com/news/walmart-removes-self-checkout-stores-experience/714306/

Right. Different markets, different tactics.

 

[SL6827]

Unfortunately, Walmart is the cheapest place to shop in many areas of the country. And that's where they have you by the ........

 

[tvguy]

This already occurs regularly at our local Walmart stores. Usually they’ll send someone to go look at the price on the shelf. It’s inconvenient for customers as well as store employees.
I’ve actually started taking pics of the shelf prices of items I’m buying which is kinda a ridiculous thing to have to do.

Never had an issue, and like I said, there days most stores there days have the prices of individual items on their website for the online shoppers, so much easier to check. You can do it from your smart phone at the check stand.
Only issue I ever had was back when they still individually prices items. Bought some Klondike Bars and the checker said "that's the wrong price", and started to peel of the sticker and after ringing up a higher price. I said you have to sell it for the price on the item, and the manager walked by and the clerk said "the Klondike bars are miss priced, this customer wants them at that price". Without missing a beat the manager said "so, charge him the price on the bars, and when you get off this checkstand, go put the correct price on the ones still in the freezer". Apparently he was the one responsible for stocking and pricing them.

 

[RivShore]

More likely would be the store would be able to detect what products you put into your cart. That is what the Amazon Go Stores do.

True. But I think Amazon may have given up on that auto detection. And it would be really hard to implement in a store as big as Walmart, they depended on cameras (and people) to capture what you put in the cart, that would have to be very difficult in their giant stores.

ETA-I guess they have not fully given up on the idea:

https://www.cnbc.com/2024/04/03/ama...ss-checkout-system-at-its-grocery-stores.html

 

[RivShore]

Unfortunately, Walmart is the cheapest place to shop in many areas of the country. And that's where they have you by the ........

And that is also what will prevent them from increasing pricing ten times a day.

Let's think about this - Walmart is known for one thing - Low Prices. They are certainly not known for their clean stores and clutter free aisles, nor their friendly fast checkout process, nor their "chic" clothes (ala Targe'). They are known for cheap prices and only cheap prices. Would they really throw their main thing away on something like surge pricing? I mean crazier things have happened in corporate America (see Bob Chapik) but it would be a stretch to see Walmart throw away the reason for their existence.

And lets not forget that even in areas where they don't don't have much competition, the internet and it's millions of options at very similar pricing is available 24/7.

 

[RivShore]

I could see them using this to run unadvertised sales at random times. Anyone old enough to remember the kmart Blue Light Specials? Random rack of stuff with a blue light on top that would have big discounts until the rack sold out. This could be used for the modern version of that.

 

[StitchesGr8Fan]

I think this is an overreaction. Kohl’s has had these digital price tags forever. They don’t do dynamic pricing. I think this makes it easier for Walmart to update prices and make it easier for the buyer to clearly see the product and the price associated with that product. There is too much competition for them to do surge pricing. Target is already gunning for them on groceries, and Amazon is there for everything else. Hysteria at its finest.

 

[SPINster]

There's a Planet Money episode from March 6th that explains how dynamic pricing works in European grocery stores, if anyone is curious. Basically they only REDUCE prices while the store is open. If they are going to raise prices, company policy says it has to happen while the store is closed.

 

[starlite_]

Do you not get tired at being outraged at everything stores do? I swear every week it's "Company Name out to scam customers!" and it's just a convenience fee that's been there for years.

 

[focusondisney]

Do you not get tired at being outraged at everything stores do? I swear every week it's "Company Name out to scam customers!" and it's just a convenience fee that's been there for years.

I noticed since their Disney trip is over they moved on to complaining about stores.