The LA Times notes a study that found pricing accuracy in many Wal-Mart stores below federal requirements. The study was funded by a union critical of the Arkansas giant, but researchers found more under-charging than over-charging. (Most previous studies of … Read More
Blog
“Outsource Your Personal Life”–This Time, They’ve Gone Too Far
Last week I was on a plane, reading an inflight magazine. Between ads for beachfront condos, Las Vegas condos, and “Steroids for Your Career” was an exhortation to “Outsource Your Personal Life.” I started laughing loudly enough that I had … Read More
Sites Compete to Scoop Black Friday Prices
The New York Times (free registration required) had an article on price comparison sites, which are growing increasingly influential. These sites receive promotional materials from employees of companies like Wal-Mart or employees of the printing companies that product the materials. … Read More
Tokyo Hotel for $2 per Night
Not so fast, says online travel site Expedia after a pricing glitch gave some travelers extremely cheap rooms in some of the most expensive cities in the world. Apparently, a “technical error” in Hilton’s computer systems caused incorrect prices for … Read More
Amazon to Sell Pricing Data
In an intriguing move, Amazon is selling access to pricing information from its vast data warehouse in a project called Amazon Historical Pricing. The program allows users to submit queries through Amazon’s web services API to track the price and … Read More
The Best Pricing Book I’ve Read in a Long Time
I’ve been meaning to write a post about Moneyball for some time now, but I can never find the time to give it the treatment it truly deserves. Finally, I decided that giving it the following treatment is better than … Read More
Wal-Mart to Discount Heavily for Holiday Season
Word has (been?) leaked that Wal-Mart will discount key items in electronics and other departments starting on Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving. While Wal-Mart claims no knowledge of the leaks, after pricing details showed up on the internet in … Read More
SD Hospitals to Post Pricing for Procedures
In a small move that could have big consequences for healthcare pricing, South Dakota passed a law requiring hospitals to post pricing for their 25 most common procedures to a state website. The hospital must perform at least 10 of … Read More
Inflation in Food, Energy, Materials
Inflation is creeping up for manufacturers, according to this report on Purchasing.com. This may be good news for industry, as it indicates some degree of pricing power. On the consumer side, core inflation is very low (0.1% in September), but … Read More
Why Pricing Belongs in the Executive Suite
There’s a new newsletter out, talking about why pricing belongs in the executive suite, and how executives should handle pricing matters. I’d love to hear your comments…