Dynamic pricing and how it affects your holiday shopping

With Black Friday approaching, dynamic pricing is in full swing online. Prices change hourly – so which retailers should bargain hunters watch out for?

This is 'dynamic pricing.'

To find out, Decodo analyzed 150,000+ prices from 37 top U.S. retailers over the past year, revealing a constantly shifting market where timing, category, and algorithms decide if shoppers score real deals or fall for clever marketing.

Here are some key findings from their latest report:

Amazon leads the U.S. eCommerce market with an ‘ultra-aggressive’ pricing approach, adjusting prices nearly three times per product each day (19.3 per week overall).

Kroger is second, adjusting prices 10.2 times per product weekly, followed by Walmart with 6.7 weekly changes.

Victoria’s Secret has the deepest discount depth among retailers analyzed, averaging 56.6% when applied.

Books and media see the most volatile pricing, with 14+ weekly changes and an average 27.1% discount, making it an attractive category for Black Friday.

Fashion retailers hold back deals until Black Friday, indicating that shoppers are better off waiting for the event to make purchases.

How can consumers beat the algorithm this Black Friday?

"Black Friday has become less about when you buy and more about whether you know how to read the patterns," noted Vaidotas Juknys, Chief Commercial Officer at Decodo.

Shop at the right time. Retailers frequently adjust prices throughout the day, so checking deals early morning, late at night, or midweek can help you catch the best fluctuations. Monday sees a high proportion of price reductions with the deepest average discounts at 21.2%, according to our research.

Use multiple devices and incognito mode. Retailers sometimes adjust prices based on your browsing history or location. Checking deals in incognito mode or on a different device can help you see unbiased pricing and avoid potential algorithm-driven increases.

Compare prices and stay patient. Popular items can experience frequent price swings due to dynamic pricing, so it's best to shop around. Check multiple retailers before committing, and don’t rush on the first deal you find – sometimes waiting for Cyber Monday can land you a better bargain.

Create price alerts. Set up price alerts for the products you’re eyeing so you can see if an “early Black Friday deal” is truly the lowest price. Tools and browser extensions like CamelCamelCamel, Keepa, or Honey can notify you when an item drops to your target, helping you distinguish genuine bargains from inflated sale prices.

Use advanced price-tracking methods. For those who want a deeper level of insight, advanced dynamic pricing tools can monitor real-time pricing across multiple eCommerce platforms. This allows users to compare historical data, spot pricing trends, and identify the optimal moment to buy. On the B2B side, the same technology enables brands to track competitor pricing and react quickly to market changes, helping them stay competitive during key sales periods.

The full report can be found here: https://decodo.com/blog/black-friday-dynamic-pricing-strategies/