Every time I browse Amazon, I come across at least one of these. Let's say you have the occasional jones for Campbell's SpaghettiOs with meatballs. Don't snicker. There are worse things you put in your body. I usually have a few cans around because it's one of the better meals I can scarf down when I need warm chow in me and can't spare the six minutes to prepare something better. Let's say you want to order some from Amazon.
I found these two listings side-by-side. The photos are identical. The contents of what you'd receive may not be because the one on the left can't decide if it contains ten cans or twelve…and you'll never know because you're smart enough to spot that the one on the right, which definitely contains twelve cans, is a buck cheaper.
And if you use Amazon Fresh, you won't order either because they sell however many cans you choose to order for 99 cents each. A dozen there will run you $11.88.
All of these contain, let me remind you, the exact same…we'll call it "food"…in the same can from (probably) the same assembly line. All 15.6 ounce cans of SpaghettiOs are created equal.
The great thing about Amazon is the utter convenience. You search, you click, you buy, you get. You don't have to rise up from your chair, put on a pair of those clean pants you aren't wearing much during The Pandemic, get in your car and spend time and gas money driving to a store that may be out of what you need and if they do have it, it probably costs more than buying it on Amazon. There are downsides to Amazon but it does save me time 'n' money.
Ah, but if you want the absolute best price — and you do, you know you do — you have to do some comparison-shopping. Amazon may have it listed three dozen ways for a myriad of prices. Every time I order a new package of my favorite protein powder, I could just click "Buy Again" but instead, I search anew for it and often find it for a buck less, sometimes on the same page. I also once found a better price for it by misspelling its name in the search window.
I don't have a huge point to make here. I just find it odd and I wonder how much of it is intentional. Mr. Bezos is no dummy and Amazon knows a lot about my buying habits. I wonder if they track how often I don't find the best price for myself…and if they show me the same options they show someone who always does or never does. Because almost everything I purchase there, I can find there for a dollar more or a dollar less if I take some of that time they're otherwise saving me.