It used to mean the deli guy knows your name and slices up free bologna. Now, it means the price you're paying for detergent and spaghetti sauce might be different than what the person right next to you in the aisle is paying.
It's called personalized pricing and it's the future of shopping.
Stores know your buying habits and are personalizing electronic coupons, sent via email to try and entice you to buy certain items. You get a discount and the store gets to track your every purchase.
Dominick's, for example, emails out personalized offers with a customer's permission that includes deals and discounts on items you always buy. Sometimes the deals are on similar products, but different brands; nudging you to make the switch.
Experts say the next step could be to simply have people scan items in the aisle for their "personal price." Computer programs would know your identity and set a custom price just for you. It's a way for the stores to encourage spending based on shoppers' behaviors.
The pricing model is already in Safeway and Kroger stores, and could eventually replace the standard pricing in more stores nationwide.
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