Abstract: An automatic pricing method and apparatus for use in electronic commerce environments is described. Automatic pricing uses live price testing to estimate and measure demand for specific products—taking into account where appropriate, a vendor selected segmentation scheme. The results of live price testing are compared using a vendor selected goal function, e.g. profit maximization, to select a new price. A goal function that balances short term gains versus long term gains based on customer lifetime value is described. The live price testing approach used is designed to minimize losses due to price testing through statistical methods. Additionally, methods for distributing price testing across time so as to avoid problems caused by too many ongoing tests as well as side effects from testing are described.

Abstract: An automatic pricing method and apparatus for use in electronic commerce environments is described. Automatic pricing uses live price testing to estimate and measure demand for specific products—taking into account where appropriate, a vendor selected segmentation scheme. The results of live price testing are compared using a vendor selected goal function, e.g. profit maximization, to select a new price. A goal function that balances short term gains versus long term gains based on customer lifetime value is described. The live price testing approach used is designed to minimize losses due to price testing through statistical methods. Additionally, methods for distributing price testing across time so as to avoid problems caused by too many ongoing tests as well as side effects from testing are described.

Abstract: Techniques are described for automated dynamic pricing of a product according to the demand trend for the product and by isolating the effect of price on the demand for the product. Price candidates for a product are either offered in parallel or in series to determine an optimal price. The offering of price candidates accounts for market trends that affect the optimal price for a product. Once an optimal price is offered for a product, the optimal price is monitored using an automated monitor process. During the automated monitor process, periodic demand measurements (L2B measurements) are taken for the optimal price. If there is a significant change in demand, the monitor process will trigger a re-offering of price candidates to determine a new optimal price.