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Welcome To Pricing Hell
Article

Welcome To Pricing Hell

The ubiquitous rise of add-on fees and personalized pricing has turned buying stuff into a game you can’t win.

The Atlantic, 2024

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Editorial Rating

9

Qualities

  • Controversial
  • Analytical
  • Hot Topic

Recommendation

Imagine trying to book a plane to go to an important event, such as a funeral, only to see that airline prices have skyrocketed. As companies gain more access to your data, you may find they charge you more when an algorithm determines your need for a product or service is higher. Christopher Beam, a writing fellow at The Atlantic, does an illuminating deep dive into the dynamic pricing “hell” that he sees emerging, pushing consumers, companies and economists to reflect on whether such practices are actually fair.

Take-Aways

  • As data-driven personalized pricing grows ubiquitous, consumers are speaking out. 
  • While many economists praise dynamic pricing for its efficiency, a select few are critiquing its lack of fairness.
  • If you want to limit personalized pricing “hell,” support regulations that protect your data.

About the Author

Christopher Beam is a New York-based writing fellow at The Atlantic.