What appears to be the same chair sells for different price points on same website
Online shopping has seen massive growth over the past decade, but it really surged over the past year due to the pandemic.
Now it's easier than ever to compare prices online, but did you know the price you see could be different based on your browsing history and other factors?
A CTV News Toronto viewer searching on the Wayfair website said they found a chair for $900. Later, when he checked again, he found what appears to be the same chair for $730. He then found it again for $680 and again for $250.
CTV News Toronto reached out to the website to ask about the price discrepancy.
According to a spokesperson for Wayfair, “Though these chairs look similar, they are sold by different suppliers.”
“We realize this may cause confusion for customers, so we work to avoid similar products at different price points on site. In this case, we have taken these skus down for further review and to ensure they're accurately priced.”
University of Toronto Rotman School of Management economics professor Heski Bar-Isaac said price discrimination already exists when booking hotel rooms and airline tickets and studies have shown a price can also be higher or lower depending on the device you’re using to search a website.
As sellers gather more information about the kinds of items you shop for online he said it could become more common for websites to offer different prices to different customers.
“We are seeing more and more of this and we should expect to see more and more of this. This also ties in to how our data is being used," Bar-Isaac said.
Companies collect data from customers and can know a lot about you from your browsing history and past purchases. Prices could also be different depending on what times it is, the day of the week and your postal code.
Prices could also fluctuate depending on whether you're using a computer or a smartphone.
“Now in the online world there is this capacity to gather so much information about us and about what we want, so firms that have the ability to respond to that are choosing to do so," said Bar-Isaac.
You can use a private browser to see if the price of an item will be higher or lower. If you're on a computer, you can try searching for the same item on your phone to see if there is a price difference.
Consumers are advised to shop around to make sure they're getting the best deal possible. As for the chair sold through Wayfair, it's back on their website currently listed for $239.99.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
A healthy lifestyle can mitigate genetic risk for early death by 62%, study suggests
Even if your genetics put you at greater risk for early death, a healthy lifestyle could help you significantly combat it, according to a new study.
When you have a moment's notice to evacuate, what do you take?
Knowing what to have at home, or take with you for an evacuation, can be useful and even life-saving.
B.C. brings in law on name changes on day that child killer's new identity revealed
The BC NDP have tabled legislation aimed at stopping people who have committed certain heinous acts from changing their names.
No, a best-selling American writing duo didn't pen a Galen Weston romance novel
You would be forgiven for thinking Christina Lauren's latest romance novel stars a hunky reimagining of Loblaw chairman Galen G. Weston.
Avs forward Valeri Nichushkin suspended at least six months
Colorado Avalanche forward Valeri Nichushkin was suspended for at least six months without pay and placed in Stage 3 of the league's player assistance program.
Sunchips, Munchies recalled by Frito Lay Canada for possible salmonella contamination
Frito Lay Canada is recalling two of its most popular snacks due to a possible risk of salmonella contamination.
Ellen DeGeneres addresses the 'hurtful' end of her talk show in new stand-up set
Ellen DeGeneres is reflecting on how her talk show came to an end in her newest Netflix special, 'Ellen's Last Stand ... Up Tour.'
Western University researchers unlock potential 'cure' for ALS
New research out of London, Ont.'s Western University is shedding light on a potential cure for ALS, in which the targeting of the interaction between two proteins can halt or fully reverse the disease's progression.
Police release 3D images of young child found in an Ontario river two years ago
Police have released a three-dimensional image of a young child whose remains were discovered in the Grand River in Dunnville, Ont. almost two years ago.