EMPLOYEES STOCK AND FULFILL ONLINE ORDERS QUICKER, AND THE DIGITAL PRICE TAGS IN THE CONCERNS OF DYNAMIC PRICING HAVE BEEN IN THE SPOTLIGHT RECENTLY, ESPECIALLY IN PENNSYLVANIA. EARLIER THIS WEEK, STATE LAWMAKERS WERE DISCUSSING A PROPOSAL THAT WOULD BAN THE PRACTICE OF DIGITAL PRICE GOUGING, CITING THE DIGITAL PRICE TAGS AND ONLINE SHOPPING SERVICES LIKE INSTACART. SO EARLIER TODAY, NEWS EIGHT SPOKE WITH TWO LOCAL ECONOMISTS, ONE WHO IS ON SABBATICAL OVERSEAS, BOTH AGREEING WHILE DYNAMIC PRICING OR PRICE DISCRIMINATION ISN’T A NEW PRACTICE BECAUSE WE SEE IT WITH AIRLINES AND RIDESHARE SERVICES, WITH THE USE OF IT EXPANDING TO ESSENTIAL GOODS. IT’S A SLIPPERY SLOPE. WHILE IT HAS OCCURRED, IT HAS NEVER BEEN ABLE TO OCCUR SO QUICKLY AND SO AGGRESSIVELY AND SO PREDATORY WAY PREDATORY IN A PREDATORY FASHION TO. DISADVANTAGE THE CUSTOMER. THIS CAN BE TAKEN TO ALL DIFFERENT SORTS OF LEVELS, LIKE, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, MAYBE IT UNDERSTANDS, MAYBE THERE MAY BE SOME RECOGNITION, MAYBE THERE MIGHT BE. THIS IS LOOKING DOWN THE ROAD, BUT MAYBE THERE WILL BE SOME RECOGNITION ABOUT WHO’S LOOKING AT THE PRODUCT. WE SHOULD REALLY KIND OF THINK WHAT THEY’RE GOING TO BE. THE CONSEQUENCES OF DYNAMIC PRICING. IS DYNAMIC PRICING GOING TO HURT WEAKER CONSUMERS? IS IT GOING TO CREATE SOME INEQUITIES? PROFESSOR SHAW WITH PENN STATE SAYS INSTEAD OF REACTING WITH LEGISLATION TO SPECIFIC ISSUES OR TECHNOLOGY, HE WOULD INSTEAD LIKE LAWMAKERS TO LOOK AT THE BIGGER PICTURE OF THE PRACTICE AND CREATE POLICY BASED O
Pennsylvania lawmakers consider ban on digital price gouging
Updated: 8:25 PM EST Mar 6, 2026
Pennsylvania lawmakers are discussing a proposal to ban digital price gouging, focusing on digital price tags and online shopping services.Local economists share concerns with dynamic pricingEarlier today, News 8 spoke with two local economists, including one on sabbatical overseas, who both agree that while dynamic pricing is not new, its expansion to essential goods is concerning.”While it has occurred, it has never been able to occur so quickly and so aggressively and in a predatory fashion to disadvantage the customer,” said David Brennan, professor of economics at Franklin and Marshall College.”This can be taken to all different sorts of levels, like, you know, maybe, it understands there’ll be some recognition, maybe there might be this is looking down the road, but maybe there’ll be some recognition about who’s looking at the product,” Brennan added.Ran Shorrer, an associate professor of economics at Penn State University, raised questions about the impact of dynamic pricing.”We should really think, ‘What are the consequences of dynamic pricing? Is dynamic pricing going to hurt weaker consumers? Is it going to create some inequities?'” Shorrer said.He said that instead of reacting with legislation to specific issues or technology, he would like lawmakers to look at the bigger picture of the practice and create policy based on what outcomes we want to see to best fit our community.
Pennsylvania lawmakers are discussing a proposal to ban digital price gouging, focusing on digital price tags and online shopping services.
Local economists share concerns with dynamic pricing
Earlier today, News 8 spoke with two local economists, including one on sabbatical overseas, who both agree that while dynamic pricing is not new, its expansion to essential goods is concerning.
“While it has occurred, it has never been able to occur so quickly and so aggressively and in a predatory fashion to disadvantage the customer,” said David Brennan, professor of economics at Franklin and Marshall College.
“This can be taken to all different sorts of levels, like, you know, maybe, it understands there’ll be some recognition, maybe there might be this is looking down the road, but maybe there’ll be some recognition about who’s looking at the product,” Brennan added.
Ran Shorrer, an associate professor of economics at Penn State University, raised questions about the impact of dynamic pricing.
“We should really think, ‘What are the consequences of dynamic pricing? Is dynamic pricing going to hurt weaker consumers? Is it going to create some inequities?'” Shorrer said.
He said that instead of reacting with legislation to specific issues or technology, he would like lawmakers to look at the bigger picture of the practice and create policy based on what outcomes we want to see to best fit our community.