Nathan Burrow

And earlier you said that there are three main reasons why it's so hard to find a good deal. What's the second reason it's so hard to discern a true bargain from a fake one?

And earlier you said that there are three main reasons why it's so hard to find a good deal. What's the second reason it's so hard to discern a true bargain from a fake one?

So this one is another acronym, largely on the manufacturers, and it's called MAP pricing, which stands for minimum advertised price. So in order for a retailer to carry a manufacturer's product, they will often broker an agreement where the retailer cannot openly advertise a price that is lower than than a price that is predetermined by the manufacturer. Retailers have ways to get around that.

So this one is another acronym, largely on the manufacturers, and it's called MAP pricing, which stands for minimum advertised price. So in order for a retailer to carry a manufacturer's product, they will often broker an agreement where the retailer cannot openly advertise a price that is lower than than a price that is predetermined by the manufacturer. Retailers have ways to get around that.

So you'll see things like on-page coupons when you go to a product listing or verbiage that indicates that the sale price will reflect only when you add something to cart. What that creates is a situation where it actually makes it harder for people that are shopping online to identify something that's on sale readily.

So you'll see things like on-page coupons when you go to a product listing or verbiage that indicates that the sale price will reflect only when you add something to cart. What that creates is a situation where it actually makes it harder for people that are shopping online to identify something that's on sale readily.

And some retailers might want to advertise and give you a better price, but they can't. And so in a sense, it's a little anti-competitive because it disincentivizes them in terms of offering a price so good, it'll set the market and get you as a shopper through the door because you have to be there on site already to see it. And so if you can't see it before you're there,

And some retailers might want to advertise and give you a better price, but they can't. And so in a sense, it's a little anti-competitive because it disincentivizes them in terms of offering a price so good, it'll set the market and get you as a shopper through the door because you have to be there on site already to see it. And so if you can't see it before you're there,

There's really no reason for them to try to push to provide this rock bottom price. This makes determining the price, the everyday price of a product difficult and sometimes impossible from a shopping search. So customers don't have ready access to information about pricing when they're going around shopping on the internet casually.

There's really no reason for them to try to push to provide this rock bottom price. This makes determining the price, the everyday price of a product difficult and sometimes impossible from a shopping search. So customers don't have ready access to information about pricing when they're going around shopping on the internet casually.

A lot of retailers out there will track other retailers' pricing. And so there's a lot of... Amazon is probably the best example of a company that is really algorithmically... tracked the pricing of other major retailers out there, immediately matches that pricing, and as a result, is trying to make itself the only game in town.

A lot of retailers out there will track other retailers' pricing. And so there's a lot of... Amazon is probably the best example of a company that is really algorithmically... tracked the pricing of other major retailers out there, immediately matches that pricing, and as a result, is trying to make itself the only game in town.

They will match a Walmart price if Walmart drops price to a certain point. They will match a Best Buy price if Best Buy drops its price to a certain point. And so, in that sense, retailers track one another, which sets the market, but it does not drop below that pricing

They will match a Walmart price if Walmart drops price to a certain point. They will match a Best Buy price if Best Buy drops its price to a certain point. And so, in that sense, retailers track one another, which sets the market, but it does not drop below that pricing

Unless they decide to take one of those extraordinary measures and have that on-page coupon or have the price that reflects in card.

Unless they decide to take one of those extraordinary measures and have that on-page coupon or have the price that reflects in card.

One of the things that you have to look out for is definitely that verbiage that exists on our product listing page.

One of the things that you have to look out for is definitely that verbiage that exists on our product listing page.

And so while it might take a little bit of additional effort, it's worth clicking through on the retailer of your choice to see if the product listing has that coupon verbiage or if there's verbiage on that product listing page that says, you know, see price in cart or deal price reflects in cart.

And so while it might take a little bit of additional effort, it's worth clicking through on the retailer of your choice to see if the product listing has that coupon verbiage or if there's verbiage on that product listing page that says, you know, see price in cart or deal price reflects in cart.