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LATHICAI Glossary

Advanced Concepts

Surveillance pricing

Using personal information or guesses about someone to decide which prices they are offered.

Example

A seller tailors a price using information associated with an individual shopper.

Why people use it

It highlights prices influenced by information about a particular shopper.

What you'll hear

“Why are we seeing different offers?”

What this means for you

Ask whether individualized data is used and compare available prices where practical.

Can you control it?

Sometimes

Sometimes. Your choices depend on the tool and your access. The settings available to an everyday user may differ from those available to the people running it.

Common questions

Can guesses about a person influence a price?
Yes. A seller may use estimated characteristics, not only facts the person directly supplied.
Does the seller need my real name?
Not necessarily. Activity linked to a device or account may still help distinguish shoppers.
Is a changing price always surveillance pricing?
No. Prices can change with timing or general demand without relying on personal information.

Related terms

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