Top shopping tips for Cyber Monday
Think safety, but also value this Cyber Monday...
With Black Friday deals laid to rest, it's time for the tech lovers to emerge and get to clicking.
Cyber Monday is here, and it's time to do some smart shopping as you navigate through the online sales.
One of the most pressing things that shoppers often overlook is that they are being profiled by retailers based on their online behaviour.
While most people understand that they form part of a demographic and are served content based on their usage (an algorithm at work), they fail to realise that there are ways of bypassing the price profiling.
Here are some technical tips you can apply to optimise your device and your shopping experience.
1. Use incognito mode when searching for deals
Online shoppers can avoid surveillance pricing or price profiling by opening up the website in incognito mode. Retailers use this pricing strategy and dynamic pricing to their advantage.
What is price profiling or surveillance pricing?
When retailers use a shopper's personal data to deliver personalised prices to them.
What is dynamic pricing?
This is a pricing strategy used by many online platforms where pricing is quietly adjusted based on factors such as:
- How many times has a shopper searched for the product
- The time of day when the shopper is searching for the item
- The demand for the product
Jonathan Spencer of OneDayOnly told Bizmag: "Dynamic pricing isn’t inherently bad – it helps retailers manage stock, respond to supply chain costs, and stay competitive. Airlines have used it for decades, sometimes offering lower prices during quiet travel periods. Similarly, shoppers can sometimes find better deals when demand is low."
However, it can be confusing for shoppers who sometimes get the raw end of the deal.
For example, two customers shopping online for the same item at different times or from varied devices may not see the same price for that item.
Using an incognito tab when searching for deals can help with price profiling and/or dynamic pricing.
2. Clear your cookies
By clearing your cookies or cache, you can reset your shopper profile. Cookies track your searches, online spending habits, and previous online purchases.
3. Switch devices to check if pricing changes
There has been some online speculation about whether the type of device you use affects the price of the product or service you search for.
Consider this as a possible way to get the best price if you change the device, browser, or even the brand of your smartphone.
We do not have any evidence to say that any retailer has profiled shoppers based on the type of device they use. However, we searched for the same item on two different devices, a mobile device and a laptop, and the same price was displayed.
4. Turn off your location
Pieter Arntz from Malware Bytes says: "Companies are showing customers different prices for the same goods and services based on what data they have on them, including details like their precise location or browser history."
He said that this is part of surveillance pricing. By switching off your location and sharing as little information as possible online, you not only safeguard yourself and your identity but also help secure better deals.
What will you be buying this Cyber Monday?
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