The Wall Street Journal published a useful article, Websites Vary Prices, Deals Based on Users' Information. It talks about the ways in which Staples (and other e-tailers) use customers' IP addresses and location to provide pricing that differs by as much as 8%. The algorithm appears to be based on both the demographics of the customers' location and the degree of competition locally.

"It was the same Swingline stapler, on the same Staples.com website. But for Kim Wamble, the price was $15.79, while the price on Trude Frizzell's screen, just a few miles away, was $14.29.

A key difference: where Staples seemed to think they were located.

A Wall Street Journal investigation found that the Staples Inc. website displays different prices to people after estimating their locations. More than that, Staples appeared to consider the person's distance from a rival brick-and-mortar store, either OfficeMax Inc.  or Office Depot Inc. If rival stores were within 20 miles or so, Staples.com usually showed a discounted price."

For most of us, the fact that personalized offers are being made doesn't come as any surprise. After all, we devote a lot of ink to the discipline of personalized recommendations. Most people are also aware that pricing is often variable, real-time, and based on both demographics (supermarkets in upscale neighborhoods have higher prices than those in poorer neighborhoods) and yield management (three passengers sitting side by side on an airplane will probably have each paid a different price for their seat depending on when they booked).

But it IS surprising to many that online retailers like Staples and Home Depot vary the prices on basic staples as often as they appear to, according to this article. The researchers/reporters mentioned that Amazon and others had tried variable pricing but had found it to be very unpopular with customers who felt they had been "had."

What do YOU think? Should online stores vary their prices based on who you are?