Many journalists, even those in specialized media, often confuse seasonal pricing with dynamic pricing. This was the case a few months ago when the Casino chain tested differentiated pricing on Sundays, awkwardly and irrelevantly reflecting cost increases in their prices. About ten articles were published on Casino’s « Dynamic Pricing. » However, as you now know, this was also a case of seasonal pricing, not dynamic pricing.
Nevertheless, the core of the article holds true: an increasing number of sectors are genuinely adopting dynamic pricing (or Yield Management, which covers this aspect along with other management levers). The airline industry paved the way, followed by cruise lines, hotels, and car rentals. More recently, railways, buses, campsites, and generally the entire transportation and accommodation sector have embraced it.
Other sectors have recognized the benefits of Yield Management and are adopting it: ticketing (amusement parks, performance venues, sports arenas), parking, golf courses… We recently worked on tennis tournaments and a bowling alley. So yes, the practice is becoming widespread. Not to « fleece people, » as Adrien might say over his beer, but to regulate flows, maximize the average price during peak periods, and, in return, significantly reduce prices during off-peak periods.
