[maxerickson]

The checkout free experience doesn't magically exempt them from price display laws.

Here a store has to display prices for a high percentage of the items on the shelves and if there is a discrepancy at the register the displayed price is the decider.

It'd also be perfectly possible to implement different prices with a traditional barcode scanner. Just have a button on the register (or say, give a discount if the person signs up for a store card...).

[epicide]

So they display the lowest price they'd accept (could even be automated) and have the checkout try to change the price to higher values based on the customer.

If the customer notices a discrepancy, they give them the lower price. They win out in the long run since it depends on the customer to notice the discrepancy and point it out.

Any minor advantage at their scale wins out as a pretty big deal.

[pavel_lishin]

That's called fraud.

I think a better approach would be to display an initially high price, and mention automatically applied coupons at checkout - or require the user to use their smartphone's app to apply the coupon.

[ShannonAlther]

That makes calculating the final price far too hard. If the customer has to use a smartphone app to shop anyways, why not just have the app display the personalized price?

[lumisota]

This is how Amazon Books stores work. Prices aren't displayed on the shelf, but using an app. The price is different for Prime members vs. non-Prime members.

[Roedou]

Last time I was in an Amazon Book store, BOTH prices were displayed on the shelf - Prime and regular. Has this changed?

[lumisota]

No prices on the shelf in this article: https://www.recode.net/2017/5/24/15683852/amazon-books-nyc-t...

Maybe it depends on the state, and its laws on price marking.

[Johnny555]

Grocery stores already obscure prices with specials.

$3.75 each Or buy two and get the second one at 25% off with bonus card.

I suspect that few customers do the mental arithmetic to figure out what their final cost will be.

[ccalvert]

Look at Recode's pictures. There are prices for the items on the shelves.

https://www.recode.net/2018/1/21/16913984/what-does-photos-a...

[jonknee]

> If the customer notices a discrepancy, they give them the lower price. They win out in the long run since it depends on the customer to notice the discrepancy and point it out.

That kind of fraud is what the corner bodega does, not what Amazon does.

[backtoyoujim]

Amazon offers free bodegas to anyone as long as they get a cut.

[stale2002]

And then they get sued for breaking the law?

What you described is called fraud.