The new labels allow employees to change prices as often as every ten seconds.

“If it’s hot outside, we can raise the price of water and ice cream. If there’s something that’s close to the expiration date, we can lower the price — that’s the good news,” said Phil Lempert, a grocery industry analyst.

Apps like Uber already use surge pricing, in which higher demand leads to higher prices in real time. Companies across industries have caused controversy with talk of implementing surge pricing, with fast-food restaurant Wendy’s making headlines most recently. Electronic shelf labels allow the same strategy to be applied at grocery stores, but are not the only reason why retailers may make the switch.

  • EleventhHour
    2•5 months ago

    some minimum-wage retail worker shouldn’t be punished for the decisions of corporate. they have zero control over this, and their complaints will just be ignored by corporate anyway.

    • BoozillaEnglish
      21•5 months ago

      I considered that, but the worker gets paid the same either way. Most of them really don’t care. Restocking is no worse than ringing up a bunch of people and bagging.

      And I disagree that corporate won’t notice. They track everything in detail. The POS system will record refused items.

      • EleventhHour
        6•5 months ago

        as a retail employee myself, i assure you that standing still and pushing buttons would be preferable to all of the added work that comes with restocking something.

        and i said corporate would ignore their complaints, not that they wouldn’t notice them.

        • BoozillaEnglish
          12•5 months ago

          They won’t ignore the metrics. They obsess over them, so the larger point stands. My brother consults with Wal Mart and Kroger, I know what I’m talking about.

          I have worked multiple minimum wage jobs. I have friends who worked in grocery stores. I’m not talking from no experience.

          You’re really stretching to win an internet argument here, when we’re basically on the same side (I assume)…which is price gouging customers is bad.

          • EleventhHour
            2•5 months ago

            corporate pays attention to one metric: profit line go up or go down. walmart is famous for not giving a damn about their employees.

            You’re really stretching to win an internet argument here

            lol, no. i’m here to have a nice discussion. i’m not having an argument, certainly not one i feel needs “winning”. if you’re going to get hostile over nothing, then i’m done here.