Thanks to a reader who suggested I look at this. Amazon is charging different prices on some DVDs to different consumers, or even the same consumer at different times. “Included among the determining factors, they said, was
which browser was being used, whether a consumer was a repeat or first-time customer and
which Internet service provider address a customer was using… Amazon spokeswoman Patty Smith said the price differences on certain DVDs are the result of
tests that the company performs to re-evaluate various aspects of its Web site, such as the
navigation system, what the home page looks like, overall site design and product pricing.” One industry analyst described the pricing strategy as befuddling. I’ll settle for “just nuts”, not having gone to business school. Computerworld
