6) A significant passage on how technology is changing pricing was both interesting and relevant to a recent dilemma. This passage (bottom of pg. 19) reminded me of how Target's credit card security system recently got hacked into. I don't know all of the details of the story, but I do know that the hacker(s) were able to aquire credit card numbers of anyone who swiped their card at Target and sell them on the internet. Like many other stores, Target has their own special card that you save a certain percentage depending on how much you spend. Credit cards individualized to stores draw in consumers because we think we will be saving money. Consumers are blinded by the appeal of "saving 10% everytime you shop" when really, the company is collecting data by observing your shopping patterns to make it seem like you are getting the best deal possible.
"Grocery stores appear to be the model of one price for all. But even today, they post one price, charge another to shoppers willing to clip coupouns and a third to those with frequent-shopper cards that allow stores to collect detailed data on buying habits" (20).
Technology is changing the way we shop and making it easier to meet the demands of consumers with tools such as "frequent-shopper cards".
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