Why Shopping Holidays Are Dying: Ubiquitous Pricing Information

[Enigmabomb]

It’s better to be currently knowledgable than to be just knowledgeable. This is true with almost anything, including shopping. While many might argue shopping is a chore, others, including this author, would consider it a sport, much like horse racing. The sport of shopping is particularly competitive during the holidays.


In 2009, over 10 billion dollars was spent on Black Friday alone. The ‘holiday’ got it’s name from the notion that the holiday season takes many retail outlets from the “red” indicating loss, into the “black”, indicating profits. This year, things are changing. The amount of savvy available to almost anyone is changing the playing field.


In previous years, savvy shoppers would scour websites or newspaper for circulars indicating Black Friday specials, and then line up early in the morning the day after Thanksgiving to make sure they got the best possible deal. Now, applications like Amazon’s Price Check App make it extraordinarily easy to know when you’re over paying. The Price Check application uses voice, visual, or search cues to be able to give you...

TA:
Ubiquitous Pricing Information | Trend/Peek

 

[Enigmabomb]

Well, I think this is fucking cool shit. Bah

 

[Shawn Collins]

It's easier to find a deal, but many brick & mortars still hold back these big deals until Black Friday to lure in suckers to buy a bunch of other stuff at near regular prices.

 

[Moxie]

 

[070707]

They are not dying. They actually keeping growing... including this year.

 

[guerilla]

A big excuse for government regulation is information asymmetry. That is alleviated by having competition.

Competition drives down prices and facilitates faster information exchange.

The reason we see so much competition on the internet, is that the cost of launching an ecomm or dropship site is many factors smaller than launching a B&M. The amount of taxes and licenses required to trade offline are a serious disincentive to participation as an entrepreneur.

This is why B&M owners, who have a substantial investment in the state's commercial extortion racket, are lobbying for taxes on internet transactions. All legislative regulation is pro-monopoly.

 

[Netphase]

Almost everything that people lined up to buy at 4am on Friday at my local Target was still in stock for the same price at 8pm on Saturday evening when I stopped there.

I think the flat panel TV deals were the only thing that I noticed were sold out.

I picked up one of the $69 2TB hard drives for myself and some other stuff for gifts.