US shoppers are unhappy about high prices.
美國消費者對高物價感到不滿。
They are also angry and confused about how chain restaurants and big stores set prices.
他們也對連鎖餐廳和大型零售商的定價方式感到生氣和困惑。
These companies use high-tech ways to set prices.
這些公司用高科技方法來定價。
Digital price tags on grocery shelves are quickly replacing paper tags.
雜貨店貨架上的數位價格標籤正快速取代紙質標籤。
AI tools help companies guess how customers will react. Then they set prices.
人工智慧工具幫公司預測顧客的反應,然後決定價格。
The words "dynamic pricing" and "surveillance pricing" cause worry on social media.
「動態定價」和「監控定價」這些詞在社群媒體上引起焦慮。
Some people think different customers pay different prices for the same item.
有人懷疑,不同顧客對同一商品被收了不同的價格。
Katie Thomas leads a consumer think tank at Kearney, a consulting firm. She says there is a lot of tension now.
管理顧問公司科爾尼的消費者行為智庫負責人凱蒂·托馬斯說,現在有很大的緊張關係。
The key question is this: do companies hold the power, or do shoppers?
關鍵是權力在企業手中,還是在購物者手中。
Companies that use these tools say some worries come from misunderstanding.
使用這些技術的公司則說,有些擔心來自誤解。
Walmart CEO John Furner said digital price tags save workers time. They also keep prices up to date.
沃爾瑪執行長約翰·弗納說,數位價格標籤節省員工的時間,也讓價格保持最新。
He said the company does not change prices by weather. It does not change prices by time of day or by one shopper.
他說,公司不是依天氣、時段或個別購物者來調價。
He wrote that the company sets prices for products, not for people.
他寫道,公司是為產品定價,不是為人定價。
But it is not always clear how companies collect and use customer data.
但公司收集和使用客戶數據並不總是透明。
This makes consumers suspicious.
這讓消費者產生懷疑。
Lawmakers and regulators have started to act.
立法者和監管機構已經開始行動。
A group says at least 30 states reviewed pricing bills this year.
據全國州議會會議統計,至少30個州今年審議了定價相關法案。
The Federal Trade Commission also proposed a policy on enforcing the law.
聯邦貿易委員會也提出執法政策。
It warned companies about using personal data to set prices. If they do not tell people, they may break the law.
它警告企業,如果沒有說明使用個人數據來設定個別價格,可能違反消費者保護法。
The report says dynamic pricing changes prices based on supply, demand, and other market conditions.
報導指出,動態定價是依供需等市場條件調整價格。
Airlines and Uber are examples.
航空公司和優步就是例子。
Electronic shelf labels let stores update prices electronically.
電子貨架標籤讓商店能用電子方式更新價格。
Europe and Asia have used them for a long time.
歐洲和亞洲早已使用。
Personalized pricing gives different prices based on a customer's location, income, or browsing habits.
個人化定價則依顧客位置、收入或瀏覽習慣提供不同價格。
Some advocacy groups call it "surveillance pricing."
部分倡導團體稱之為「監控定價」。
Algorithmic pricing uses software to suggest or set prices automatically.
演算法定價則用軟體推薦或自動設定價格。
Artificial intelligence can help find patterns in sales and competitor prices.
人工智慧可以幫忙找出銷售和競爭對手價格的模式。