this post was submitted on 03 Mar 2026
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121
Dynamic pricing could be coming to your local supermarket (www.abc.net.au)
submitted 2 hours ago by Beep@lemmus.org to c/technology@lemmy.world
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[–] Zephorah@discuss.online 6 points 46 minutes ago

I’m still not clear on exactly what triggers this. Is it phone location, because a phone number is linked to all your data (unless you’ve been gaming it for the last 5-10yrs)? Do I walk by with my phone and the price goes up?

Is it like goodwill? Does the price change as you’re checking out? Do I grab a 2lb bag of medium roast coffee beans for $13, and because buying it consistently for decades, it’s now $18 at checkout? But is still $13 for the guy behind me who decided to try whole bean over pre-ground?

If rich people turn off their phones before hitting the parking lot and poor people leave theirs on, does the entire store get cheaper?

If you take a pic with your phone of the “advertised” price does that mitigate sudden increases while checking out, if you’re even watching?

Does having your unemployed, deadbeat uncle or kid do the shopping from their phone make it cheaper for the household?

What are the triggers?

[–] lIlIlIlIlIlIl@lemmy.world 47 points 2 hours ago (1 children)

It’s going to be hilarious when these get hacked

[–] Zagorath@aussie.zone 26 points 1 hour ago (2 children)

Reminder that by law, if the price is listed wrong:

Sometimes the price of an item in store or online at the checkout may not match the displayed or advertised price in store or online. If this happens, even by mistake, the business must either:

  • sell the product for the lowest price - either the checkout price, or displayed or advertised price, or
  • stop selling the item until the incorrect price is corrected.
[–] docus@lemmy.dbzer0.com 7 points 34 minutes ago (1 children)

What law? In what country?

[–] Zagorath@aussie.zone 1 points 59 seconds ago

Australia, the country the article is talking about. That was a quote from the ACCC website.

[–] MimicJar@lemmy.world 3 points 51 minutes ago

stop selling the item until the incorrect price is corrected

Not a lawyer but couldn't they just refuse to sell it to you? We all know it would be bullshit but couldn't a company say "Oh that minimum wage clerk made a mistake, but don't blame them, just an honest mistake."

Or is the law, if it's on the shelf, it must be honored?

[–] bitjunkie@lemmy.world 30 points 2 hours ago (2 children)

I will institute my own "dynamic pricing" scheme if this ever happens

[–] Thatuserguy@lemmy.world 15 points 2 hours ago (2 children)

Is it really dynamic if the price is always "free"?

[–] ParlimentOfDoom@piefed.zip 4 points 1 hour ago

If the price changes for them specifically, yes. That's the entire concept they're pushing here.

[–] Winter_Oven@piefed.social 5 points 1 hour ago (1 children)

surely negative numbers are in the cards? since we deserve the compensation for all the trouble

[–] philanthropicoctopus@thelemmy.club 2 points 1 hour ago

Wait for all the codeberg projects tryna break these things

[–] philanthropicoctopus@thelemmy.club 7 points 2 hours ago

Its much easier than you'd think.

[–] Babalugats@feddit.uk 17 points 2 hours ago

Boycott the stores that use them, it might help them change their mind behind they become the norm.

[–] its_kim_love@lemmy.blahaj.zone 24 points 2 hours ago (2 children)

If my local store switches to digital price tags to do this I'm just going to gather as many as I can and flush them down the toilet.

[–] Ulrich@feddit.org 16 points 2 hours ago (2 children)

It's a nice thought but good luck not getting caught on the 3k cameras in the store and following you to your car.

[–] ParlimentOfDoom@piefed.zip 1 points 1 hour ago

Security cameras in stores are kept purposely garbage so they don't get bugged by the police to provide footage to them. Unless something changed in the last decade since I worked in a retail joint.

[–] its_kim_love@lemmy.blahaj.zone 2 points 2 hours ago

Of course I wouldn't be doing it without some preparation.

[–] harmbugler@piefed.social 8 points 1 hour ago* (last edited 1 hour ago) (1 children)

My local Woolies has had e-ink tags for at least two years, maybe more. Between this and Coles hiring Palantir, we mostly shop at Aldi. Bunnings and Kmart using facial recognition as if it's no biggie as well. How long until they partner with CBA to check your credit card limit as you stand in front of the bananas to see how much you'll pay?

[–] its_kim_love@lemmy.blahaj.zone 5 points 1 hour ago (1 children)

They're opening an Aldi's near me. I'm excited.

[–] MintyFresh@lemmy.world 5 points 1 hour ago

Aldi's is the shit. No bloat, no bs, just groceries. They don't have some stuff, but for the staples you're set. I usually go to the more traditional grocery store every 4th trip or so.

[–] docus@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 32 minutes ago

Those e-ink tags have been around in the UK for some time.

[–] Hairyfishnuts@feddit.online 10 points 2 hours ago

Thanks. I hate it.

[–] proudblond@lemmy.world 5 points 1 hour ago* (last edited 1 hour ago) (1 children)

The chain grocery store near us (Safeway) has had stupidly high prices since the pandemic. I decided I’m not going to shop there anymore unless I really have to. We are lucky to have a locally-owned, small chain grocery store very close to us. Prices are high but honestly not much if at all higher than Safeway and I’d rather pay a small premium to help them stay in business. Also I doubt they would ever opt into something like this stupid price scheme, but Safeway absolutely would and will.

[–] chillpanzee@lemmy.ml 1 points 11 minutes ago

Yeah, Safeway has been shitty for a long time. I'm fortunate like you that we have a wealth of independent grocers and small ethnic markets that are so much better. They're also a fair bit cheaper too.

[–] TachyonTele@piefed.social 8 points 2 hours ago (2 children)

These have got to be hackable in a fun way

[–] IHeartBadCode@fedia.io 3 points 1 hour ago

Firmware on these is pretty tight. They're usually using CC2510s or CC2530s. The CC2510 has a voltage glitch hack that you can use to attempt to read the contents via the DCOUPL capcitor, but it's not very effective and you can only read a few bytes per attack.

You can see a github some tools some have created here. Eventually someone is going to read the firmware off theses and be able to hack them, it's just a matter of time.

[–] tourist@lemmy.world 1 points 1 hour ago

If they got batteries

I want them batteries

[–] Wammityblam@lemmy.world 5 points 2 hours ago

It’s obviously shitty and exploitive anywhere, but this makes food desserts even more of an issue.

Scummy ass companies making life worse for everyone to line their pockets.

They wouldn’t even be in financial trouble, they would just be less rich.

[–] bitofarambler@crazypeople.online 3 points 2 hours ago* (last edited 2 hours ago)

Not sure how much longer people are going to think I'm crazy for living abroad.

[–] ugjka@lemmy.ugjka.net 2 points 2 hours ago

Hook it up with BT id you can't turn off in your phone - bada bing

[–] OfCourseNot@fedia.io 1 points 1 hour ago

In Spain we've had those for years now, and prices are as stupidly high in the stores with paper ones...

[–] sexy_peach@feddit.org 1 points 1 hour ago

Finally! Cheap things when I don't need them