Yeah, like, decades. It basically means whatever agreement they have with the supplier says that they can’t advertise for under MSRP. This is not a thing that’s unique to Amazon.
That’s because of restrictions/contracts with the manufacturer. Sometimes there is a clause about the minimum advertised price. If it’s being sold below that price, that’s what you’ll see.
However, that clearly isn’t what’s happening- or if it is, then Amazon is violating those terms. They are showing the price in some circumstances, but not others. That leads me to think it’s a smokescreen, using the above as an excuse.
This is actually a common thing and has been around for awhile. I see it on amazon mostly. Seen it on Microcenter’s website a number of times as well. Newegg was big on doing it when they were more PC focused and not a chinese website. Was more prominent in the early 2000s as there were more competing online stores back then.
US thing. It’s a loophole vendors will use to get below contracts with manufacturers so they can clear stock and not actually be publicly displaying the sale price. Keeps them from getting sued by the manufacturer and the consumer ends up with a better deal.
Except now the consumer has no reference for the price, which is illegal in most if not all EU member states. Not to forget that now the seller can hide the prices of products and make it impossible for a consumer to make an informed purchase. If any store, physical or otherwise, were to pull a stunt like this to me (EU as well), they’ll be talking to a regulator.
I can’t actually visualize what Amazon looks like at the moment I don’t currently have a way to check, but I’m positive if it shows me prices.
I know it does because I use it to filter out the cheap crap that infests Amazon. If something is too cheap it’s not worth buying. So I always order cheapest to most expensive and then scroll down a little bit but I definitely can see the actual prices.
I wonder if the a/b testing this if they are then anybody who doesn’t see prices should point blank refuse to actually buy anything. We don’t want this becoming common
This has been common for ages. In lots of stores.
Yeah, like, decades. It basically means whatever agreement they have with the supplier says that they can’t advertise for under MSRP. This is not a thing that’s unique to Amazon.
That’s because of restrictions/contracts with the manufacturer. Sometimes there is a clause about the minimum advertised price. If it’s being sold below that price, that’s what you’ll see.
However, that clearly isn’t what’s happening- or if it is, then Amazon is violating those terms. They are showing the price in some circumstances, but not others. That leads me to think it’s a smokescreen, using the above as an excuse.
More likely, the price changed between screenshots.
We don’t know what the price is on the left.
Yup. Or minimum advertised price is location bound. So the one on the right which has a location set can show it but the one on the left can’t.
This is actually a common thing and has been around for awhile. I see it on amazon mostly. Seen it on Microcenter’s website a number of times as well. Newegg was big on doing it when they were more PC focused and not a chinese website. Was more prominent in the early 2000s as there were more competing online stores back then.
I’ve never seen it either. Might be a regional thing, as in better/worse consumer protection…? I’m from the EU.
US thing. It’s a loophole vendors will use to get below contracts with manufacturers so they can clear stock and not actually be publicly displaying the sale price. Keeps them from getting sued by the manufacturer and the consumer ends up with a better deal.
Except now the consumer has no reference for the price, which is illegal in most if not all EU member states. Not to forget that now the seller can hide the prices of products and make it impossible for a consumer to make an informed purchase. If any store, physical or otherwise, were to pull a stunt like this to me (EU as well), they’ll be talking to a regulator.
I can’t actually visualize what Amazon looks like at the moment I don’t currently have a way to check, but I’m positive if it shows me prices.
I know it does because I use it to filter out the cheap crap that infests Amazon. If something is too cheap it’s not worth buying. So I always order cheapest to most expensive and then scroll down a little bit but I definitely can see the actual prices.
I wonder if the a/b testing this if they are then anybody who doesn’t see prices should point blank refuse to actually buy anything. We don’t want this becoming common
These agreements are specific to certain products. Amazon continues to show prices under normal circumstances.