Half a croissant, on a plate, with a sign in front of it saying '50c'
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Price Management

 Control customer flow with pricing
  (+2, -5)
(+2, -5) 		  [vote for,
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Electronic price displays on shelves will vary according to the time of day. Research database will help control supermarket traffic by analyzing purchases and making them more expensive at peak demand and less accordingly. Maybe the perceived inequities would turn off consumers and outweigh the benefits thereby, but who knows? Those who don't mind spending more would probably be the types most contented with keeping the hoi polloi off the streets for a spell.
—JungFrankenstein, Jan 10 2005

erm.. http://www.pricer.s...ures/folder_eng.pdf
Electronic shelf edge labels ca. 2001 [neilp, Jan 11 2005]

[link]






       It seems to me that there is already a strong incentive to not shop during peak hours - the crowds. I have often walked out of a store when I've seen a long line.   

       Then again, there are still all of those people who do stand in line, and maybe this will convince a few others to come again later. Or maybe you can just turn the heat way down during peak hours or play very loud annoying music. That might cut down on the lines. Though your system ends up making more money for the store.
—Worldgineer, Jan 10 2005
   

       This already happens over a longer timescale during the run up to the holidays - and it doesn't stop people shopping then. People shop when they can/have to, I can't see how adding further misery to the mix would help matters.
—zen_tom, Jan 10 2005
   

       Crowds and peak hours are beneficial to stores. Why do you think they have huge sales during the holidays? Having many customers at a specific time allows them to hire staff accordingly, cutting costs after the rush. It might even allow them to keep shorter hours.
—Aq_Bi, Jan 11 2005
   

       Well there were be a consumer reaction to that by pre-ordering groceries at a fixed price that would be led by food activist groups.
—mensmaximus, Jan 11 2005
   

       <aside> I used to be a psychoanalyst you know.... I was Jung, I needed the money</aside>   

       Electronic shelf edge labels have been with us for a while, and (where legislation allows) retailers do this all over the place (have you not noticed how petrol is sometimes cheaper on the other side of the road).   

       (see link for eShelf)
—neilp, Jan 11 2005
   

       Saw the link. Guess it's baked. I live in west Michigan, so perhaps I'm more north-woods than I hoped to imagine. Funny thing is this is just the sort of thing that will turn my stomach a bit when it finally does arrive. But thanks for the feedback!
—JungFrankenstein, Jan 11 2005
   

       they're also v. expensive so until the cost of labour in your region justifies it you're unlikely to see them.   

       Welcome to the HB [Jung].
—neilp, Jan 11 2005
   

       Yes, welcome Frank. I see this system is big in Germany. There should be a legislated fair Food Policy in a city before this is installed. A volunteer group I belong to is getting an update on how to do this from a member who will be attending a one week national seminar on the subject soon.
—mensmaximus, Jan 11 2005
   
      
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