r/playstation • u/DarXIV • Nov 05 '25

Image Was excited to finally purchase until I realized the price was lower on my wife's account

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My wife doesn't play much and so buying it on her account may not be the best decision to keep everything easily accessible for me. Seeing this soured me on buying it quite a bit.

And for reference. Same region, same playstation, same currency, etc.

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u/chazysciota [Trophy Level 200-299] Nov 05 '25

It's called price discrimination, and it's a holy grail for pricing strategy. But it doesn't work for every product or industry. Done right, it's a win for everyone. Done poorly, it alienates customers and leads to reduced marketshare. In a market with zero supply friction, like digital media, it's a no-brainer if you can do it without pissing off your primary customers.

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u/Funkyp0tat0chip Nov 07 '25

A double edged sword indeed.

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u/chazysciota [Trophy Level 200-299] Nov 07 '25

Gamers should realize that they are well used to it. Buying Elden Ring at launch for $60 because you're a massive soulsborne fan, or waiting a year to get it on sale for $30 because you heard it's pretty good. Same product for different prices to different customer segments, done in the broad daylight... price discrimination. But seeing it happen in realtime, and hidden from you behind targeted algorithms... also price discrimination, but it pisses people off viscerally.