Every time we shop online, we leave little pieces of information about ourselves. We search for products, compare prices, add things to our carts, and sometimes leave without buying anything, still wondering if we really need it. Most of us don’t think twice about it, but what if companies are using that information to decide how much we should pay?
Artificial intelligence is changing the way companies set prices, and it could mean that two people looking at the exact same product might not always see the same price. Companies can use data like location, browsing history, and previous purchases to better understand what customers want and how much they might be willing to spend. According to the Federal Trade Commission, some pricing tools can use personal information to tailor prices and promotions to individual consumers. That means the information we casually give away while shopping could potentially influence what we see when we reach the checkout page.
At first, this might not seem like a huge deal. Prices have always varied depending on where you live, what store you visit, or whether something is on sale. But there is a difference between paying more because you live in an expensive area and paying more because an algorithm thinks you are willing to spend extra. Imagine looking at a pair of sneakers online, deciding to wait a few days before buying them, and coming back to find a different price. Was it a sale ending? Did demand change? Or was the price influenced by information the company collected about you? Without knowing how the system works, it can be difficult to tell.
The problem is that most of us have no idea how much information companies collect or how they use it. We have gotten so used to clicking “accept cookies” and agreeing to privacy policies that we rarely stop to think about what we are actually agreeing to. Shopping online has become so normal that we don’t always question what happens behind the screen. We just want to find what we need, get a good deal, and move on with our day.
Personalized pricing can also make the idea of a fair price more complicated. In some cases, algorithms might help customers find discounts or receive better offers. However, if companies can use personal information to estimate what someone is willing to pay, it raises questions about who benefits from these systems. Someone who regularly buys expensive products might be treated differently from someone who constantly searches for the cheapest option. Even if the price difference is small, it becomes concerning when customers have no way of knowing whether they are being treated differently.
This is especially frustrating when everything already feels expensive. With groceries, gas, tuition, and everyday necessities, people constantly try to figure out where their money goes. The last thing anyone wants is to wonder whether they are paying more simply because a company has figured out how to use their personal information to its advantage.
Of course, not every price change is caused by AI, and not every company uses personal information to charge different customers different amounts. Prices can change for plenty of legitimate reasons, including supply costs, demand, and competition. The concern is not that AI exists or that companies use technology to make business decisions. It is that these tools can make pricing decisions harder for consumers to understand, especially when personal data is involved.
At the end of the day, companies are always going to look for ways to make money. That is nothing new. What is changing is how much they can learn about us and how quickly they can use that information. We already give companies access to our shopping habits, locations, and preferences without thinking much about it. But if that information can influence the price we pay, shouldn’t we have a right to know?
AI might make shopping more convenient, but convenience should not come at the cost of transparency. Consumers deserve to understand when their personal information is being used to influence prices, especially when those decisions affect everyday purchases. Because buying something should be about whether we want it and whether we can afford it, not about whether an algorithm has decided we can afford to pay a little more.
Sources
Federal Trade Commission. “FTC Surveillance Pricing Study Indicates Wide Range of Personal Data Used to Set Individualized Consumer Prices.” Federal Trade Commission, 17 Jan. 2025. https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2025/01/ftc-surveillance-pricing-study-indicates-wide-range-personal-data-used-set-individualized-consumer.
Bank of England. “This Time It’s Personal: The Rise of Dynamic and Personalised Pricing and What It Means for Inflation.” 7 Apr. 2026. https://www.bankofengland.co.uk/bank-insights/2026/this-time-its-personal-the-rise-of-dynamic-personalised-pricing-and-what-it-means-for-inflation.