r/TrueReddit • u/horseradishstalker • 12d ago
Business + Economics How to hide your spending habits from retailers (so you don't get ripped off)
https://www.npr.org/2026/09/29/nx-s1-5983457/4-ways-to-avoid-getting-ripped-off-according-to-a-pricing-expert116
u/horseradishstalker 12d ago
SS: Have you ever found a really great price on an airline flight, checked with a few other people to make sure that was good for them, and when you get back to the site, all of a sudden the price is much higher?
It’s neither a coincidence or an accident. “Personal pricing” is basically another form of price gouging. Instead of everyone paying the same price for a seat, the price is determined by how much the retailer thinks you will pay. And airlines are far from the only perpetrator.
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u/QueenMackeral 6d ago
Why does it never go the other way I wonder? Why don't they take a look at my order history and say "right this person is cheap af, saw the total and closed the browser, let's give her a discount"
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u/mandyvigilante 6d ago
Sometimes they do! I sometimes get texts from random retailers if I add things to my cart and then don't buy them
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u/SpoonwoodTangle 11d ago
Can anyone share some of these practical tips? I’m happy to support the author, but it’d be nice to get started
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u/horseradishstalker 11d ago edited 6d ago
I have multiple browsers and between sessions I always cleared the cache. Make that I set it up to automatically clear so I won’t forget. If I am booking travel, I will even change devices to make the final purchase.
Or for example, if a retailer sends me a breathless email telling me about their latest greatest deal, I don’t use their link. I bypass the link and go directly to the site. I also have my email set so that images never load because they have tracking pixels in them.
Every vendor gets their own unique alternative email which then forwards to my usual box. That way if my data begins showing up on places like White Pages, I have a pretty good idea of who sold my information.
If someone asked for my Social Security number, I either ignore their request or impressed. I ask why they need it, because legally I usually don’t have to give it to them.
I recommend using My Sudo or Cloaked for an alternate phone number to give out when asked.
I neither email nor message using either Google or Apple because they literally read your emails and messages. For example, if you are getting promotional emails from retailers in your Gmail inbox, Google has a pretty good idea of who you like to shop with. It also gives them a pretty good idea of your income because maybe you are getting Walmart level emails instead of emails from the local Tesla dealership that’s a pretty good indicator.
I never use the cards they try to talk me into at the local local grocery store store, because $.20 off carrots isn’t worth giving them all that information.
I generally pay cash locally rather than using a credit card. I pay my bills and shop online using the payment system like privacy.com. That way the merchant has absolutely no idea who I really am. Now, that doesn’t hide my activity from my bank, but even then my statements are only going to show the name of the private pay system rather than saying I went on a binge at my favorite backpacking shop.
Depending on how often you use them, most of these services have a free tier. If you search on r/privacy there is so much more information.
It won’t help you hide from the government. There you are on your own. But, if you are looking to keep retailers off your ass these are some potential solutions.
Edit to add: someone said this is a waste of time. There are two things here:
By using some of these choices, I limit my blast radius - guess how many times I found my information on HaveIBeenPwned or the dark web? Zero. It’s not luck. It is a very deliberate strategy because I know that breaches can and will happen.
Companies hoover up your data so they can sell it. It is actually extremely valuable. If it were not, companies would not be so rigorous about attempting to get it and millions of dollars would not be exchanging hands for it.
Nothing in life is free. I know your Pop Pop told you that. It has nothing really to do with whether you are leaving money on the table - it’s about how you want to pay.
Life may be less convenient, but on the other hand, for example, I don’t get spam calls.
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u/Webgardener 10d ago
Thank you for all this great information, that is really detailed. Much appreciated.
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u/GlovesForSocks 7d ago
If you use gmail (and several other services), you can use "username+anything@gmail.com" and it will come to the same mailbox. I often sign up to stuff with username+shopname so if a leak happens or my data gets sold, I can see who did it.
Can also be useful if you want to create duplicate accounts as a lot of places will treat each one as a unique email address.
That said, I'm in the UK so we have the GDPR which is very powerful.
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u/DrHenryPhilipMcCoy 6d ago
Don’t you think the data aggregators are smart enough to strip Gmail addresses in that format and still make the connection?
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u/Happy_Nihilist_ 7d ago
Protip: if a retailer asks if you have a phone number, use your local area code and 867-5309. Someone, somewhere has used it because they want a number they can remember that isn’t their phone number; the old pop song “867-5309” makes it easy.
I have yet to try this and have it not work. As a bonus, it poisons the data associated with that number due to multiple people using it.
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u/LonisEdison 6d ago
For years I have given the local time and temp phone number. I liked to think some college kid working a call center got a short break to listen.
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u/ZeniraEle 6d ago
You should also use an adblocker to avoid pixel trackers, along with other tracking software. I would never browse without it.
If a company requires you to disable Adblock to access their website, like Wayfair, the answer is simple: I don't use their site.
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u/sassergaf 6d ago
Same, and I buy the for-life, one-time fee on the adblocker. I also use protonmail for email and I don’t get spam.
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u/Sasselhoff 6d ago
I never use the cards they try to talk me into at the local local grocery store store, because $.20 off carrots isn’t worth giving them all that information.
You might consider getting one with fake details or something, because the savings where I am (in both sales as well as points to use on other things) are significant. Like, half my bill significant (provided I buy what's on sale, of course). Maybe your stores are not similar though, so YMMV.
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u/horseradishstalker 5d ago
That’s a fair point. I guess I was raised to be honest, and it’s more of a struggle for me to give fake details than it is to just avoid the situation altogether.
I really wish my mother would get out of my head some days. lol /s
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u/Sasselhoff 5d ago
Another option, which won't get you the points but will give you the sales (at least, at most stores that have such policies), is to give them whatever your area code is and then 867-5309. And if you don't recognize that number, then Jenny-Jenny, have I
got something you can hold on toa song for you.I have yet to go to a store that it didn't work, haha.
Also, it's not dishonest to lie to a giant corporation that is absolutely screwing you in every way it can (case in point, you pay for Walmart workers with your taxes)...same reason if you're in Walmart and see someone stealing food, no you do not.
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u/horseradishstalker 5d ago
I recognize the number and I will probably be singing it all day.
The best part about Amazon and Walmart workers being paid for by the government is that the corporations and owners themselves don’t pay the taxes that support the workers because they also don’t pay living wages.
This comment is not particularly anti capitalism, it’s anti-grift. I mean, I don’t necessarily like it, but I do pay my taxes - even though my income is less than Bezos or Sam’s offspring.
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u/Sasselhoff 5d ago
Yep, I have no problem paying taxes, as that is the cost to live in society. I have a problem paying taxes when rich people don't have to.
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u/It5beenawhile 6d ago
In regards to the using a separate email so you know who sold your info, what do you do with that information at that point? Is it just a matter of knowing "okay so I can't trust this company"? Or is there some action you can take after the fact?
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7d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/BlueCandleSnake 7d ago
the title says it’s about company pricing. you also didn’t read the article.
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u/the_planes_walker 7d ago
I understand the idea behind your comment. At the end of the day, it's almost impossible to hide from the massive surveillance state (private or public). But it doesn't mean you can't make it more difficult for them. I used to work in marketing and when cookies became less used, it was almost impossible for most companies to do anything because they just couldn't verify that you were you.
It's an equation you have to solve for yourself: how much time (and money) versus how much information. Clearing cache is easy and can be set up by default (as with his e-mail image defaults). Some of his things are harder to implement for an everyday user, but honestly doesn't actually take up much time.
I do some of these but not others. It's worth it to some people.
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u/gdghhfdffrf 7d ago
there are too many identifiers to hide, it's a mesh now. but what you can do is to never pay more on-line than you are willing to pay. for instance, when you're shopping for staples that you know you have to buy, throw the things in your cart and leave them there. open up another store, throw the same things in their cart. do it at another store. leave them there and wait for the promos. in the meantime leave amazon and a few key biggies untouched. a few days later you'll find sales and promos, then compare at the biggies. buy what you can. if they are in the form of subscribe and saves - cancel the subscription before they try to charge the original price or double. eventually, they'll come to you when prices are low knowing you will buy quantity - doesn't mean a lot, maybe two large bottles of downy and 4 small persils. i mean it depends.
also add a lot to your cart, like one big wish list - then save for later items you find cheaper elsewhere or random items you didn't intend on buying at all but like sometimes. the system is all ready, big money - then boom. they're ready to see what price entices you.
i always pay about half price. is it a lot of work? no, not really - they do it all.
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u/bigdaddypoppin 7d ago
Yeah and also using cash over credit cards for everything? That’s terrible advice and so much wasted value left on the table.
My Delta AMEX gets me Diamond status every year = free upgrades to first class/D1 when I travel for work and my second cash back card earns me $500-$1,000 every year back as literal cash in hand (Costco card does this).
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u/Holiday_Ad_9163 6d ago
But you realize that’s not free money right? You are trading something for those bonuses. Which might be acceptable to you, but you should be aware.
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u/Liambp 6d ago
Be careful what you wish for. If you do successfully hide from all the trackers you will still get ads they just won't be personalised and you will instead get random ads for unbelievable tat. I have tried both approaches and I am not sure one is better than the other.
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u/kafetheresu 6d ago
this
I have a background in this. I did my graduate thesis on this exact form of surveillance, I've worked in this field, presented on it, and saw how it progressed from basic cookie technology to machine learning kubernetes pipeline to current LLMs.
The truth is that erasing your data tracks is considered one of the worst forms security because it creates a big blank hole. The average person has 2 smartphones, 4 social media platforms, 3 email accounts and LOTS AND LOTS of data trails. Having absolutely no data trail is like sending a giant beeping signal that to everyone and anyone that not only are you untrustworthy, but you are algorithmically demoted. If you can't get digitally authenticated, your digital existence is equally locked out.
There are two tactics: the first and easiest which I recommend to most people -- data obfuscation. Have a bland profile, create the minimum expendable trails. An email account specifically set up to manage and sign up for all your shopping. A credit card for grocery and consumer items. It doesn't have to be complicated, it just need to be cohesive so you are authenticated.
The second tactic is more complex and requires some work, but basically you can outwit the system by being THE most perfect/ideal consumer. Retailers use big data to identify the best type of consumer, they pay money to advertise and reach this Ideal Customer. Because they love this Ideal Customer, they are willing to anything --- offer discounts, packages, specialised early rates and other benefits that less than ideal customers don't get. It's the same principle as why wealthier/high networth individuals get better line of credit with lower interest rates. The data crunching machine has identified their risk profile as low, the signal is high. This isn't just for retail or consumer products, but you can use the same tactic from real estate to health insurance policies to even job employment.
If you're clever and know what the patterns are, you can fake out and BE the Ideal Customer. Pattern recognition and algorithmic manipulation works both ways.
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u/Webgardener 12d ago
"What we're seeing is Big Tech reinventing the rip-off," says Lindsay Owens, head of the consumer advocacy group Groundwork Collaborative. "These are old tricks, but they've been supercharged by new technologies."
Owens, author of a new book published in September, Gouged: The End of a Fair Price — And What That Means for Your Wallet, uncovers pricing schemes that corporations try to hide, and shares advice on how to protect yourself from these tactics.
She was with Jon Stewart on the daily show recently, I recommend the interview. His jaw dropped more than a few times as she explained what she had found.