Amazon reportedly used a secret algorithm to jack up prices — A new report details Amazon’s Project Nessie pricing algorithm::Amazon deployed a secret algorithm to gauge how high it could raise prices before its competitors stopped increasing their prices as well.

  • edric
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    1 year ago

    Use Keepa or CamelCamelCamel to see the price history of the item you want to buy.

    • Nollij@sopuli.xyz
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      1 year ago

      YSK this data is not entirely accurate. It relies entirely on Amazon’s API, which has been problematic in the past.

      Still a useful tool, nonetheless.

      • Marcbmann@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        That API you are describing is not active anymore. Hasn’t been in a long time.

        Keepa has to scrape Amazon data themselves.

    • kameecoding@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      in Slovakia there is an aggregator site where stores can publish the stuff they are selling and the price it automatically keeps track.

      well the smartwatch I have despite being in Slovakia shut up to 250 euros a month before Black Friday, then magically was many percentages off for 150.

      of course the aggregator site showed that it was 150 for the whole year other than that “random” jump before black Friday

      edit: found a screenshot, side-by-side with a store that’s not listed on the aggregator:

      https://imgur.com/a/wBdMJhN

      • Alexstarfire@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        Not sure if it’s just me but when looking at that in chrome on my phone the picture looks quite blurry and it’s hard to make out much. Doesn’t help that there doesn’t seem to be a way to full screen it.

        • CodingCarpenter
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          1 year ago

          Ah I am incorrect. I was thinking of woot. Though they did shut down during the pandemic at Amazon’s request

          • DrMango@lemmy.world
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            1 year ago

            Yeah ever since then CCC has felt sort of unreliable to me. If they’re willing to let Amazon tell them what data they can show once, they’re willing to do it again. Maybe they’re even doing it on an ongoing basis.