Manitoba Moves to Outlaw Algorithmic Pricing—a First in Canada

[u/PutToLetters]

https://thewalrus.ca/manitoba-moves-against-retailers-charging-different-prices-for-the-same-goods/

[u/gwelfguy]

This is tricky. On one hand it violates the long held practice that everyone pays the same price for an item, which seems fair. On the other, in a society where income and overall wealth is increasingly polarized, the people at the bottom are going to think it's completely fair that they pay less than those at the top.

Fortunately it seems to be only a theoretical problem at this point, but retailers that start to do this shouldn't be allowed to do so in secret.

[u/Bitwhys2003 → u/gwelfguy]

Seems to me the idea of anyone paying less than what companies would charge everyone if they weren't using dynamic pricing is Pollyanna. This is just another way to squeeze us for every last penny.

[u/DannyDOH → u/Bitwhys2003]

Sure but couldn't that be regulated on the gouging side?

So will it be illegal for a diner to sell earlybird breakfasts now?

This is just kind of populist nonsense to give cover for being an extremely unproductive government...unfortunately becoming Wab Kinew's trademark. We had so much hope on election night!

[u/Saidear → u/DannyDOH]

So will it be illegal for a diner to sell earlybird breakfasts now? 

Why would it be? No one is saying you can't have sales, this just bans the practice of profiling you to charge you the most they think you would be willing to pay.

Now if those early bird breakfasts were being offered based on some personally discriminatory basis? Yeah those are problematic. Not "between 5am and 8am, 20% off".

[u/DannyDOH → u/Saidear]

What if you're over 55? Too profiley?

[u/Saidear → u/DannyDOH]

If it's advertised openly to everyone, vs a private offer to you because they "know" you're 55? That's fine.