To think personalised pricing is unethical?

[Issummeroveralready]

I already thought that using a club card to get reduced prices on food items was a little close to the mark, but tonight on TV I saw advertised that a certain supermarket is now offering personalised prices on food items when a loyalty card is used (nectar card). AIBU to think this is neoliberalism gone mad. Surely food costs what it costs. Fancy Mary getting lurpack for 5 quid and John getting it for 2 because of some known algorithm. Bonkers.

Doesn't bother me. Due to some allergies, we buy some stuff from the free from ranges (not much, as it is expensive). If they give me money off this because they know I buy it, that's fine with me.

I have to say I found it more annoying to go to a tesco the other day where I couldn't even enter the shop (and thus compare the price of anything) because you needed an app on your phone to activate a barrier to get in the shop!
I only wanted a drink so I went next door to boots

So where is he using his cheques. Most banks no longer issue cards with the cheque guarantee and they only worked up to £100.

Saw on TV where a woman had approx £15k taken from her account using fraudulent cheques on her account. They were the same nos as the ones in her cheque book. I would prefer to pay bills by dd than send a cheque in the post which if it falls into the hands if scammers can result in the scam as above.

It doesn't bother me at all. I like discount and don't care if they track what I buy. I don't think the two tier pricing is any different to a person getting it cheap with an old style cut out coupon and the person behind not having a coupon. Is it unfair that some people get cheap cinema because they have the meerkat deal for instance?

Annoying yes, but they'll have calculated that being exclusive to their core audience is more cost effective than also being open to randoms.

They will be analysing to determine how to get you to spend more with them in the long run
Of course. They’re a business and they need to stay in business. Is it unethical to make you buy more?
The dodgy bit is when they mis represent an offer but there are laws they need to follow on that.

I think people are more worried by the idea that Tesco knows so much about you. I live in a small town and I’m more concerned about the check out staff knowing too much.

It's not bonkers if John buys Lurpak every week

That's how the algorithm works

It's based on shopping habits

Goodness how do some survive in the modern world

'Discounts' are now 'unethical personalised prices' ?

The world is full of price differentials based on demographics and behaviours ! Almost all of which rely on the sharing of data.

How on earth do you cope with child/senior discounts ? Personally, I crack on and pay The Price if I don't care to disclose my age for money off. It's not difficult.

It's not difficult but it is dystopian 😆

I prefer the Sainsbury's nectar prices which quietly pops up a cheaper price for me when I do a smart shop, over the Tesco's shouting to everyone that you're paying more unless you use your clubcard. That's more off-putting.

What is happening on here is completely different

Maybe I have a different perspective having previously worked somewhere that bought and used data. What is on here is just not at all the same.

'Data' covers a whole host of things - what the GP has and the NHS uses/sells, what shops gather to use/sell, what you post yourself (and FB is very different to Twitter and very different to here, for example).

I am willing to share the data I put here yes, but I am not willing to sell my whole life data for that low price.

No one can be 'no data' unless off grid and outside society, but there is a sliding scale and I made my decision which is personal to me.

The value of big data is enormous, for a good reason.

I don't use Tesco any more since they brought in the 2 tier system. If all the supermarkets end up with that model then we are essentially being blackmailed into sharing our data. The Tesco non-clubcard prices are ridiculous.

I'm not willing to sell at the price they offer, they are fleecing you for your data. A lot of younger people are starting to resist this cheap data extraction because companies do really need it so they should pay a fair price

This. Your data is worth much more than what they pay for it

And yet a much better advert for getting a clubcard. It is a marketing tool after all, and an absolutely genius game-changing one at that.

And yet many on this thread are happily posting on MN, for free.

Like you said - if you're not paying for a the product, you are the product.

Might want to delete your MN account!

Presumably the "I'm not selling my data that cheaply!" people only use cash. It is about creating a sellable data set. The data they gather through the store cards is cheap and collected in a format very easy and cheap to analyse and sell.

I don’t see how it’s any different if you get a coupon for butter in the Mail but not in the Sun though?

This type of response comparing MN vs store cards just demonstrates a lack of understanding about what is being gathered and what can be sold and for what purpose.

I have to say I found it more annoying to go to a tesco the other day where I couldn't even enter the shop (and thus compare the price of anything) because you needed an app on your phone to activate a barrier to get in the shop!
I only wanted a drink so I went next door to boots

I've seen one of these and it's always empty

You are happily giving away information to journalists and researchers every time you post.

I read an article where a man had found out that his teenage daughter was pregnant because Tesco started sending her coupons for baby products and complained to Tesco that it was inappropriate. Apparently they have a list of non-pregnancy related items that early-pregnant people tend to buy more of which tips them off.

Sainsburys is our regular supermarket and I've not heard of this

Does it work like Tesco club clubcard prices? Or are you just talking about their vouchers they print off that offer money off xyz (two things you do use and one you don't)

It's the Nectar card.

if you use Smart Scan you get special "nectar prices" based on things you buy. They change every week.

there are also targeted "coupons" you can add to your Nectar card giving you extra points.

See this is the only issue I have with it really and would’ve thought this is legally a bit tricky (hands up, I have no legal knowledge at all). Surely you can’t discriminate against a specific group of customers in this way, you have to be 18 to have a Clubcard and so anyone under 18 is automatically paying the higher price. Fair enough under 18s probably make up a small proportion of their customers but that is still discrimination.

And if I were to be really picky, using someone else’s card to gain the discounts is fraud. Not saying this to have a go at you pp but more that Tesco can’t just say use your parents card to get the discount. So not sure how Tesco can explain that they don’t discriminate against the school kid buying a meal deal or the child who’s buying a toy with their pocket money under the Clubcard prices offer.