this post was submitted on 18 Dec 2023
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The dynamic pricing scheme allows the prices of vending machine items to be raised when demand is high and lowered when sales are low.

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[–] [email protected] 32 points 8 months ago

"Lowered" to current prices and raised when possible to extract the most money out of consumers.

[–] [email protected] 15 points 8 months ago

God damn it.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

In the late-stage capitalist utopia, everyone will be able to enjoy cheap, affordable soft drinks during the hours of 1:00 - 1:30 AM on weekdays. Unless everyone tries to enjoy cheap, affordable soft drinks, in which case surge pricing takes priority.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 8 months ago (2 children)

Coca cola have barely any ground in Japan, and Japanese vending machines are about a quarter the price of countries where Coke is prevalent. Most drinks are ¥110 to ¥150 at the moment... which is like... a buck.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 8 months ago (1 children)

Coke is not the only thing being sold in these vending machines. Irohas and Georgia coffee are all owned by Coca-Cola, and they’re everywhere.

Prices have gone up a lot recently (it’s more like ¥150-¥180 now, in Osaka at least) and this would send the prices up more - just think things like the prices for water shooting up in the middle of summer.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 8 months ago

180円 everywhere around me in Tokyo for a Coke, and I live quite far out of the 23-ku.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 8 months ago (2 children)

which is like… a buck.

Unless you get paid in USD instead of JPY, it's 180 yen by me which is like... 180 yen on my Japanese employer salary.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 8 months ago (1 children)

Can you show your math on that conversion to your salary?

[–] [email protected] 2 points 8 months ago

Getting paid in JPY, it's usually about 1 JPY to 1 JPY. Or am I missing something here?

[–] [email protected] 1 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

It's weird how exchange rates don't reflect a person's hourly worth.

I'm in Australia and a coke from a vending machine on a train station platform is $4.50, which is ¥435 at the current rate. A bottle of water costs the same, because... Coke.

I honestly bought a 600ml ¥100 water in a Kyoto tourist trap in July this year. A vending machine on the street.

[–] fsxylo 7 points 8 months ago

God damnit coke you don't need that money.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 8 months ago

It's fun if you remember that dynamic prices are supposed to reflect changes in supply and demand. Never had supply issues anywhere at a vending machine. That is a solved problem. Still, they use a "repair" mechanism for a problem that doesn't exist to say nicely that they increase prices.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 8 months ago (1 children)

Me that knows how much a coke costs: Sees that it costs more at the vending machine and then doesn't buy it.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 8 months ago

I was using the vending machine in my apartment's pool area all the time until they raised the price from $1.25 to $3.00 overnight. I stopped using the machine because if I walk a little further and go across the street, I can get that same Coke for $1.50.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 8 months ago

I'm morbidly curious to see what the 180円 500ml coke will become, though I haven't gone to my local vending machines since they dropped Coke Zero.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 7 months ago

So am I to expect 1000円 bottles in the summer?