# Are some of the prices on Amazon a joke? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 30, 2013, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-some-of-the-prices-on-amazon-a-joke/670022 "2013-09-30T18:04:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![pohjonen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pohjonen/32/423_2.png) [@pohjonen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pohjonen)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2013, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-some-of-the-prices-on-amazon-a-joke/670022/1 "2013-09-30T18:04:00Z")
Every once in a while I’ll stumble upon a seller price for something on Amazon that gets me shaking my head. Note the third price on this [gig bag](http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B000BU5V58/ref=dp_olp_new?ie=UTF8&condition=new). So is this a joke, money laundering, or is the price accidentally listed in Thai semi-pennies or something? ---
**Author:** ![gazpacho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6f9a4e/32.png) [@gazpacho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gazpacho)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2013, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-some-of-the-prices-on-amazon-a-joke/670022/2 "2013-09-30T18:17:31Z")
It is probably done by an automatic pricing algorithm that does not work very well. This link is an article about two pricing algorithms that get into a loop and raise the price of a book to millions of dollars. [http://www.michaeleisen.org/blog/?p=358](http://www.michaeleisen.org/blog/?p=358) ---
**Author:** ![74westy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/74westy/32/3950_2.png) [@74westy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/74westy)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2013, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-some-of-the-prices-on-amazon-a-joke/670022/3 "2013-09-30T18:21:27Z")
Here’s a blogger who [reverse engineered](http://www.michaeleisen.org/blog/?p=358) some pricing algorithms that amazon sellers uses and shows how they can fail spectacularly when 2 or more algorithms interact. In that case, seller A was trying to set his/her price slightly higher than seller B while seller B tried to undercut seller A slightly. The factors were not equal. Hilarity ensured. [QUOTE=Michael Eisen] Once a day profnath set their price to be 0.9983 times bordeebook’s price. The prices would remain close for several hours, until bordeebook “noticed” profnath’s change and elevated their price to 1.270589 times profnath’s higher price. The pattern continued perfectly for the next week. - See more at: [Amazon’s $23,698,655.93 book about flies](http://www.michaeleisen.org/blog/?p=358#sthash.8D0Q6sM7.dpuf) [/QUOTE] Ninja’d ---
**Author:** ![pohjonen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pohjonen/32/423_2.png) [@pohjonen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pohjonen)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2013, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-some-of-the-prices-on-amazon-a-joke/670022/4 "2013-09-30T19:05:05Z")
Thanks guys. That clears things up for me. I might have known an actual human being wasn’t being this stupid. ---
**Author:** ![Palooka](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/palooka/32/2902_2.png) [@Palooka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Palooka)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2013, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-some-of-the-prices-on-amazon-a-joke/670022/5 "2013-09-30T19:18:12Z")
It’s probably supposed to be $30.00 with $1 off and the person fat-fingered it. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2013, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-some-of-the-prices-on-amazon-a-joke/670022/6 "2013-09-30T19:19:17Z")
I once found one of my out-of-print books available on line for something like $3,000. Since I have a bunch of copies, I could have been rich - if a real person had actually been willing to pay such a price! ---
**Author:** ![Zakalwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zakalwe/32/270_2.png) [@Zakalwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zakalwe)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2013, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-some-of-the-prices-on-amazon-a-joke/670022/7 "2013-09-30T19:21:36Z")
> [@Palooka](#): > > It’s probably supposed to be $30.00 with $1 off and the person fat-fingered it. Actually my guess would be 29.99 with a missed ‘.’ Does Thailand use a comma instead of a period ala some European countries? ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2013, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-some-of-the-prices-on-amazon-a-joke/670022/8 "2013-09-30T20:24:27Z")
Yesterday, Amazon suggested to me a [2013 Get Fuzzy calendar](http://www.amazon.com/Get-Fuzzy-2013-Wall-Calendar/dp/1449416977). For a mere $4,556. Since it’s a single seller, no competing algorithms. (But you can get it by searching for other listings for only $16.) That’s a lot of dough for a calendar that’s only good for 3 more months. But the real puzzle: Why was Amazon recommending this to me??? Not remotely related to anything I’ve bought. ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2013, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-some-of-the-prices-on-amazon-a-joke/670022/9 "2013-09-30T22:40:09Z")
The price of [How To Avoid Huge Ships](http://www.amazon.com/Avoid-Huge-Ships-John-Trimmer/dp/0870334336/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top)is still rising. The comments section has gotten in on the fun. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2013, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-some-of-the-prices-on-amazon-a-joke/670022/10 "2013-10-01T00:47:25Z")
> [@Yllaria](#): > > The price of [How To Avoid Huge Ships](http://www.amazon.com/Avoid-Huge-Ships-John-Trimmer/dp/0870334336/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top)is still rising. The comments section has gotten in on the fun. From the 1 star section. > [@](#): > > I am a huge ship. Imagine having an entire book devoted toward actively avoiding you and your kind. I have always been bigger than other ships - and yes, I have endured years of being moared in the distance, never being able to enter the shallower bays, requiring tugs to guide me in - but now THIS! Mr. Trimmer, you sir, should be ashamed! Please do not be swayed by his drivel. I ask that you judge me not by the size of my cargo hatch but rather the content of my wheelhouse. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![california\_jobcase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@california\_jobcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/california_jobcase)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2013, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-some-of-the-prices-on-amazon-a-joke/670022/11 "2013-10-01T00:52:23Z")
Explain this one- [http://www.amazon.com/Kraft-Macaroni-Cheese-7-25-oz/dp/B0006IDJAO/ref=sr\_1\_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1380588534&sr=8-8&keywords=kraft+macaroni+and+cheese](http://www.amazon.com/Kraft-Macaroni-Cheese-7-25-oz/dp/B0006IDJAO/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1380588534&sr=8-8&keywords=kraft+macaroni+and+cheese) $5.69 for 1 box of Kraft Mac & cheese? :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Anduinel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Anduinel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anduinel)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2013, 8:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-some-of-the-prices-on-amazon-a-joke/670022/12 "2013-10-01T08:26:42Z")
> [@california\_jobcase](#): > > Explain this one- > [http://www.amazon.com/Kraft-Macaroni-Cheese-7-25-oz/dp/B0006IDJAO/ref=sr\_1\_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1380588534&sr=8-8&keywords=kraft+macaroni+and+cheese](http://www.amazon.com/Kraft-Macaroni-Cheese-7-25-oz/dp/B0006IDJAO/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1380588534&sr=8-8&keywords=kraft+macaroni+and+cheese) > > $5.69 for 1 box of Kraft Mac & cheese? :dubious: A lot of vendors who advertise “free” shipping on Amazon just combine the shipping fee into the sale price. So it’s probably a $1.70 box of mac and cheese with $3.99 shipping tacked on. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2013, 8:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-some-of-the-prices-on-amazon-a-joke/670022/13 "2013-10-01T08:33:39Z")
> [@Zakalwe](#): > > Actually my guess would be 29.99 with a missed ‘.’ Does Thailand use a comma instead of a period ala some European countries? No, it uses the American system of a decimal point. The European comma in place of a decimal looks just as odd to a Thai as to your average American. ---
**Author:** ![Zakalwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zakalwe/32/270_2.png) [@Zakalwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zakalwe)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2013, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-some-of-the-prices-on-amazon-a-joke/670022/14 "2013-10-01T12:48:42Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > No, it uses the American system of a decimal point. The European comma in place of a decimal looks just as odd to a Thai as to your average American. Thanks for the info! So probably just a fat finger then. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2013, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-some-of-the-prices-on-amazon-a-joke/670022/15 "2013-10-01T13:11:57Z")
> [@Yllaria](#): > > The price of [How To Avoid Huge Ships](http://www.amazon.com/Avoid-Huge-Ships-John-Trimmer/dp/0870334336/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top)is still rising. The comments section has gotten in on the fun. I wonder if that book really exists. Anyone know? Along the lines of prices auto-adjusted between vendors, I have noticed, but not bothered to seriously document, that if I search for a particular item on the Internet, but don’t buy it right away, often the price at the same vendor the next day is higher. Maybe it’s confirmation bias or coincidence, but I’ve often suspected there was something going on as a result of my visit. If it’s deliberate, it often backfires on the vendor, since if I didn’t want it badly enough to buy it right away, I’m probably not going to want it more at a higher price. ---
**Author:** ![brendon\_small](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/brendon_small/32/17101_2.png) [@brendon\_small](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brendon_small)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2013, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-some-of-the-prices-on-amazon-a-joke/670022/16 "2013-10-01T13:24:59Z")
I know that these things always get categorized as algorithm issues, but I still wonder (deep down) if it is somehow (sometimes) part of a giant money laundering scheme. It’s possible! Brendon Small ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2013, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-some-of-the-prices-on-amazon-a-joke/670022/17 "2013-10-01T16:06:51Z")
> [@Musicat](#): > > I wonder if that book really exists. Anyone know? . . . According to wikipedia,[yes](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/How_to_Avoid_Huge_Ships). > [@](#): > > The book won the 1992 Bookseller/Diagram Prize for Oddest Title of the Year and was used to title the first compilation of prize winners, How to Avoid Huge Ships and Other Implausibly Titled Books (2008). The book finished third in The Bookseller’s 2008 competition for the oddest book title of all time (behind Greek Rural Postmen and Their Cancellation Numbers and People Who Don’t Know They’re Dead: How They Attach Themselves to Unsuspecting Bystanders and What to Do About It). It’s a serious maritime operations guidance book. If wiki’s right, the joke comments came before the runaway pricing. ---
**Author:** ![JustinC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justinc/32/8083_2.png) [@JustinC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JustinC)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2013, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-some-of-the-prices-on-amazon-a-joke/670022/18 "2013-10-02T19:53:51Z")
I sent an item back and after a few days it reappeared with a ridiculously higher price. I put that down to some deviousness or maybe the owner wanting to take it off the market. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2013, 12:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-some-of-the-prices-on-amazon-a-joke/670022/19 "2013-10-06T12:02:04Z")
There’s also the tactic of raising the price to avoid having to ship an item you don’t have, without marking it as out of stock. The idea is that, if someone does want to pay that much, you can just order it somewhere else yourself, send it to them, and still make a tidy profit. Granted, this usually doesn’t involve as high of numbers as the other strategies, but it does result in some silly looking prices. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Slant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c57346/32.png) [@Mr.Slant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Slant)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2013, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-some-of-the-prices-on-amazon-a-joke/670022/20 "2013-10-06T15:55:42Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > Yesterday, Amazon suggested to me a [2013 Get Fuzzy calendar](http://www.amazon.com/Get-Fuzzy-2013-Wall-Calendar/dp/1449416977). For a mere $4,556. Since it’s a single seller, no competing algorithms. (But you can get it by searching for other listings for only $16.) That’s a lot of dough for a calendar that’s only good for 3 more months. Some sellers have their algorithm set prices even if there aren’t any competitors. The Repriceit site used to have an option to set all items without competition to a single pre-defined price.