Why are amazon prices always changing up/down

Doobedoo · 20 Nov 2022 at 12:23

Vanquish-Storm said:
It mainly revolves around the "Buy Bar" there is an algorithm not just based on price that gives the "best" seller the "Buy Bar" this can run checks every hour on most products.

Me and my misses will get different sellers as the buy bar if we search simultaneously on our separate accounts.

Vanquish-Storm · 20 Nov 2022 at 22:24

Doobedoo said:
Me and my misses will get different sellers as the buy bar if we search simultaneously on our separate accounts.

Even people at Amazon are not sure on the algorithm. I’d guess that would be related to past purchases.

dlockers · 20 Nov 2022 at 22:28

chaparral said:
I used to use that camelcamelcamel website

But i found this Keepa app is far better as it shows the price history striaght away on the actual amazon web pages of the items you're looking at

Pawnless Endgame said:
Yeah, I use the Greasemonkey script (well Violentmonkey) which injects a Camel x 3 chart into Amazon (etc) product pages. It shows you the price history of the item that you're viewing.

Keepa apparently does this but with fewer steps!

Feel like a n00b as I was about to buy a TP Link router but can see it is just regular price:

Ali195 · 21 Nov 2022 at 06:47

This year and last I didn't bother. I think it's fine to buy if you were planning on anyway but I wouldn't wait 6 months for black Friday, holding out for a bargain when there was a need for it now (eg kids needing a laptop).

It's become a farce when a Friday became a week, then a two weeks etc etc; each outlet trying to get your money first so starting early. Lost all meaning now.

Doobedoo · 21 Nov 2022 at 07:24

Latest one. I’ve had a TP Link indoor camera saved in my basket for about a month. The price has been on offer at 16% off the regular price £23.30 or so for about 2 weeks, had a look yesterday to see what the Black Friday sale has done for me. 35% off excellent, which brings the price to £25.99! That’s the exact same product.

lookitsjonno · 21 Nov 2022 at 07:41

A bit like eBay voucher codes, the sellers put the price up by 20% but in reality you're paying the same price. It's very hard to spot a genuine bargain

SpellowHouse · 21 Nov 2022 at 08:23

Much of the UK stock actually comes from the EU so it is updated daily by the exchange rate. There are other factors too, of course.
They have so many products that from time to time they make mistakes or they are just not updated when they go out of stock. I remember I bought a £70 soldering iron for £12 and there have been some other ridiculous bargains from time to time.

Slackworth · 21 Nov 2022 at 08:43

SpellowHouse said:
Much of the UK stock actually comes from the EU so it is updated daily by the exchange rate. There are other factors too, of course.
They have so many products that from time to time they make mistakes or they are just not updated when they go out of stock. I remember I bought a £70 soldering iron for £12 and there have been some other ridiculous bargains from time to time.

That used to be the case but since Brexit no longer - very little is traded cross-border to the UK now.