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淡旺季不同定价是合理的吗？
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比如，培根汉堡早餐可能在早上7点大家都吃早餐的时候卖7.99美元，然后三个小时之后，在既不是早餐时间，也不是午餐时间的时段卖6.99美元。
双语精读
So back in February on an earnings call, the Wendy's CEO said that they would start experimenting with dynamic pricing.
今年2月，温迪汉堡的CEO在财报电话会议中表示，该公司将开始试推行动态定价。
For example, the Breakfast Baconator might cost 6.99 three hours later when it's not breakfast time, but also not lunch time yet either.
比如，培根汉堡早餐可能在早上7点大家都吃早餐的时候卖7.99美元，然后三个小时之后，在既不是早餐时间，也不是午餐时间的时段卖6.99美元。
This idea made it from the financial news through the internet all the way to the morning shows such as The View. Dynamic pricing has been around since the dawn of merchandising.
这个想法登上了财经新闻，在网上传播开来，最后还被《观点》等早间访谈节目点评。动态定价从商品推销的诞生之日起就存在了。
Sometimes it's a means of maximizing return on fixed expenses, such as labor: Happy hour is a way to boost bar traffic before the after-work rush, for example. (You might say Wendy's was attempting a happy hour for Baconators.)
有时，它是一种从固定支出获得最大化收益的手段，比如劳动力这种固定支出：例如，欢乐时光就是增加酒吧在下班高峰期之前的客流量的办法。（可以说温迪汉堡就是在尝试给培根汉堡创造一个欢乐时光。）
"Load balancing" is a similar concept in energy and transportation. Utilities charge less for power overnight, and transit agencies impose higher fares during rush hour to encourage users to shift toward off-peak times, when energy and trains are in less demand.
“负载平衡”是一个类似的概念，多用于能源和交通领域。电力公司对深夜的用电收费较低，交通部门在高峰时段收取更高的票价，鼓励用户在非高峰期乘车，非高峰期的能源和车辆需求较低。
Other times, it's an effort to liquidate perishable or seasonal goods, like fresh produce at a grocery store or winter coats at Macy's.
其他时候，这是为了销掉易腐烂或季节性商品，比如杂货店的新鲜农产品或梅西百货的冬季大衣。
Then there's "surge pricing" on ride-hailing platforms, which is meant to quickly prod more drivers to start picking up passengers. Some commodity goods, like gasoline, fluctuate daily with international markets.
然后还有打车平台上的“高峰溢价”，目的是快速促使更多的司机开始接送乘客。一些大宗商品，如汽油，每天都随着国际市场的波动而波动。
In the analog era, changing prices was costly, requiring manually updating signs or applying markdown stickers. As restaurants, retailers, parking garages, gyms, salons and event venues became more automated, price changes became effortless even at brick-and-mortar locations.
在没有网络的时代，改变定价的成本很高，需要手动更新招牌或手动贴上降价标签。随着餐馆、零售店、停车场、健身房、美发沙龙和活动场所变得更加自动化，即使是在实体店，价格变动也变得毫不费力。
It's easy to understand why companies want to change prices more frequently: to make more money. But does that mean that as dynamic pricing spreads, prices will be higher on average?
为什么企业想更频繁地改变价格是很好理解的：为了赚更多的钱。但这是否意味着，随着动态定价变得更普遍，平均价格将会变得更高？
Senator Sherrod Brown, Democrat of Ohio, posed the question to the Federal Reserve chair, Jerome Powell, at an oversight hearing in March, calling the technique "just another way for corporations to make it harder for consumers to seek out lower prices."
俄亥俄州民主党参议员谢罗德·布朗在3月份的一次监督听证会上向美联储主席杰罗姆·鲍威尔提出了这个问题，布朗称这个定价技巧“只是企业让消费者更难得到较低价格的又一种方式”。
Mr. Powell responded that dynamic pricing lowers prices as well as raises them, and that the overall impact on price levels isn't yet known.
鲍威尔回应说，动态定价既会降低价格，也会提高价格，对价格水平的整体影响尚不清楚。
Part of the concern comes from the idea that dynamic pricing is often enabled by algorithms, which are opaque to consumers and regulators, and can be tools of collusion.
产生担忧的部分原因是，动态定价往往是由算法实现的，算法对消费者和监管机构而言是不透明的，可以成为串通的工具。
The Federal Trade Commission recently filed a legal brief warning that price fixing by algorithms is still illegal, even without explicit human direction. And when one company dominates the market, dynamic pricing is more likely to inflate prices overall.
美国联邦贸易委员会最近提交了一份简短的法律警告，称即使没有明确的人类指示，通过算法操纵价格仍然是违法的。而且当一家公司主导市场时，动态定价更有可能抬高整体价格。
词汇预习
financial [高考]
美[faɪˈnænʃl] | 英[faɪˈnænʃl]
adj. 金融的；财政的；[非正式]有钱的
frequently [高考]
美[ˈfriːkwəntli] | 英[ˈfriːkwəntli]
adv. 频繁地；经常地
impact [高考]
美[ˈɪmpækt , ɪmˈpækt] | 英[ˈɪmpækt , ɪmˈpækt]
n. 影响；冲击力；撞击 vt. 挤入；压紧；撞击；对 ... 发生影响 vi. 冲击；撞击；产生影响
peak [高考]
美[piːk] | 英[piːk]
n. 山顶；顶峰；山峰；尖端；帽檐；极值 v. 达到高峰；达到最高值 adj. 最高的；高峰期的；最大值的 【名】（Peak）（英）皮克（人名）
shift [高考]
美[ʃɪft] | 英[ʃɪft]
v. 移动；改变；换挡；字型转换 n. 轮班；变化；移动；计谋；轮班职工
overall [高考]
美[ˌoʊvərˈɔːl , ˈoʊvərɔːl] | 英[ˌəʊvərˈɔːl , ˈəʊvərɔːl]
adj. 全部的；总体的；全面考虑的 adv. 总的来说；总共 n. 罩衫；工作服
costly [高考]
美[ˈkɔːstli] | 英[ˈkɒstli]
adj. 昂贵的；代价高的
impose [高考]
美[ɪmˈpoʊz] | 英[ɪmˈpəʊz]
v. 强加；课征；强迫；征收(税款)
effortless [高考]
美[ˈefərtləs] | 英[ˈefətləs]
adj. 容易的；不费力气的；应付自如的
boost [高考]
美[buːst] | 英[buːst]
v. 提高；增加；鼓励；举起；为...做宣传 n. 增加；推进；鼓励
demand [高考]
美[dɪˈmænd] | 英[dɪˈmɑːnd]
n. 要求；需求 v. 要求；查问；需要
charge [高考]
美[tʃɑːrdʒ] | 英[tʃɑːdʒ]
n. 责任；电荷；指控；费用；照顾；主管 vi. 要价；充电；向前冲，冲锋；记在账上 vt. 控诉；赊账；给…充电；委以重任；归罪于；装填（炸药等） 【名】（Charge）（英）查奇
technique [高考]
美[tekˈniːk] | 英[tekˈniːk]
n. 技术；技巧；技能
concept [高考]
美[ˈkɑːnsept] | 英[ˈkɒnsept]
n. 观念；概念；想法
grocery [高考]
美[ˈɡroʊsəri] | 英[ˈɡrəʊsəri]
n. 杂货店 adj. 杂货的
brief [高考]
美[briːf] | 英[briːf]
adj. 短暂的；短期的；简短的；扼要的 n. 摘要；案件陈述 vt. 作…的概述；（向…）简单介绍
legal [高考]
美[ˈliːɡl] | 英[ˈliːɡl]
adj. 法定的；法律的；合法的
illegal [高考]
美[ɪˈliːɡl] | 英[ɪˈliːɡl]
adj. 非法的；不合法的 n. 非法移民
brick [高考]
美[brɪk] | 英[brɪk]
n.砖；砖块；积木；可靠的朋友 v.用砖砌；用砖镶填；用砖围砌；用砖铺筑 adj.用砖砌的；砖似的
dawn [高考]
美[dɔːn] | 英[dɔːn]
n. 黎明；曙光；开端；破晓 vi. 开始出现；破晓；逐渐明白
explicit [高考]
美[ɪkˈsplɪsɪt] | 英[ɪkˈsplɪsɪt]
adj. 明确的；清晰的；清楚的；露骨的
dynamic [高考]
美[daɪˈnæmɪk] | 英[daɪˈnæmɪk]
adj. 动力的；动态的；有活力的；【音】力度变化的 n. 动力；动力学
impact on [高考]
美[ˈɪmˌpækt ɑn] | 英[ˈimpækt ɔn]
对 ... 产生影响
means [高考]
美[miːnz] | 英[miːnz]
n. 方法；手段；收入；财产 v. 意思是，意味（动词mean的第三人称单数）
lower [高考]
美[ˈloʊər] | 英[ˈləʊə(r)]
adj. 低的；下级的；下层的 v. 降低；减弱；跌落
bar [高考]
美[ bɑːr] | 英[bɑː(r)]
n. 酒吧；条；横木；栅 vt. 禁止；阻挠；闩上；在 ... 设栅栏
warning [高考]
美[ˈwɔːrnɪŋ] | 英[ˈwɔːnɪŋ]
n. 警告；警报；预兆 adj. 警告的；告诫的
parking [高考]
美[ˈpɑːrkɪŋ] | 英[ˈpɑːkɪŋ]
n. 停车，泊车；停车场，停车位 v. 存放，寄存；停车(park的ing形式)
era [高考]
美[ˈɪrə] | 英[ˈɪərə]
n. 纪元；时代；年代
seasonal [高考]
美[ˈsiːzənl] | 英[ˈsiːzənl]
adj. 季节的；依照季节的；周期性的
hearing [高考]
美[ˈhɪrɪŋ] | 英[ˈhɪərɪŋ]
n. 听力；听觉；说话或申辩的机会；审讯；听证会
would [高考]
美[wʊd , wəd] | 英[wʊd , wəd]
aux. 将；可能；大概；总会；愿意；will的过去式
gasoline [四级]
美[ˈɡæsəliːn , ˌɡæsəˈliːn] | 英[ˈɡæsəliːn , ˌɡæsəˈliːn]
n. [美]汽油
surge [四级]
美[sɜːrdʒ] | 英[sɜːdʒ]
n. 汹涌；波涛；猛增 v. 汹涌；涌起；激增；[海]缆绳滑脱
manually [四级]
美[ˈmænjuəli] | 英[ˈmænjʊəli]
adv. 用手；手动地
commodity [四级]
美[kəˈmɑːdəti] | 英[kəˈmɒdəti]
n. 商品；日用品；有价值之物
fluctuate [四级]
美[ˈflʌktʃueɪt] | 英[ˈflʌktʃueɪt]
vi. 波动；动摇；起伏 vt. 使动摇
earnings [四级]
美[ˈɜːrnɪŋz] | 英[ˈɜːnɪŋz]
n. 收入；利润
make it [四级]
美[mek ɪt] | 英[meik it]
成功 达到预定目标,性交易,幸存
seek out [四级]
美[sik aʊt] | 英[si:k aut]
找出； 挑出
fixed [四级]
美[fɪkst] | 英[fɪkst]
adj. 固定的；不变的；确定的
transit [四级]
美[ˈtrænzɪt] | 英[ˈtrænzɪt]
n. 运输；经过；转变；[天]中天；凌日；经纬仪 vt. 穿越；旋转 vi. 越过
inflate [四级]
美[ɪnˈfleɪt] | 英[ɪnˈfleɪt]
vt. 使膨胀；使得意；使通货膨胀 vi. 膨胀
opaque [六级]
美[oʊˈpeɪk] | 英[əʊˈpeɪk]
adj. 不透明的；难懂的
all the way [专四]
美[ɔl ði we] | 英[ɔ:l ðə wei]
一路上,自始至终,特地
collusion [专八]
美[kəˈluʒən] | 英[kəˈlu:ʒn]
n. 共谋；勾结
prod [专八]
美[prɑːd] | 英[prɒd]
n. 刺针；刺棒；戳；刺激；激励 v. 戳；刺；刺激
liquidate [专八]
美[ˈlɪkwɪˌdet] | 英[ˈlɪkwɪdeɪt]
v. 清算；清偿；消除
Federal [考研]
美[ˈfedərəl] | 英[ˈfedərəl]
adj. 联邦制的；联邦政府的；同盟的 n. 联邦主义者；同盟盟友
merchandising [雅思]
美[ˈmɜrtʃəndaɪzɪŋ] | 英[ˈmɜ:tʃəndaɪzɪŋ]
n. 销售规划
重点讲解
So**** back**** in**** February**** on**** an**** earnings**** call****,**** the Wendy’s CEO said**** that**** they**** would start experimenting with**** dynamic pricing.****
今年2月，温迪汉堡的CEO在财报电话会议中表示，该公司将开始试推行动态定价。
For example,**** the Breakfast Baconator might cost**** 6.99 three hours later when**** it****'s not breakfast time****,**** but also**** not lunch time**** yet either****.****
比如，培根汉堡早餐可能在早上7点大家都吃早餐的时候卖7.99美元，然后三个小时之后，在既不是早餐时间，也不是午餐时间的时段卖6.99美元。
This idea made it from the financial news through the internet all the way to the morning shows such as The View. Dynamic pricing has been around since the dawn of merchandising.
这个想法登上了财经新闻，在网上传播开来，最后还被《观点》等早间访谈节目点评。动态定价从商品推销的诞生之日起就存在了。
make v. 设法到达
【例】The story made the front pages of the newspapers.
这件事登在了报纸的头版。
Do you think we'll make the airport by 12?
你觉得我们 12 点能到机场吗？
I don’t think I can make the deadline.
我觉得我没办法按时完成了。
merchandise n. & v.
1. 作名词：（强调品牌或活动）商品
【例】official Olympic merchandise
奥运会官方指定商品
official Disney merchandise
迪士尼正版商品
【近义词】goods n.（强调原料或用途）商品
commodity n. （原材料或国家间贸易）大宗商品
produce n. 农产品；生鲜商品
2. 作动词：推销产品
【例】The store merchandised its new line of summer clothing with eye-catching displays.
这家商店用吸引眼球的陈列设计来推销新款夏季服装。
【近义词】promote/market v. 推销/市场营销
means n. 方式；途径；手段
【例】Internet is an effective means of communication.
互联网是一种有效的传播途径。
means of transport 交通工具
means of identification 身份证明
【近义词】way/method/approach n. 方式；方法
traffic n. 来往车辆；人流量；通信流量
【例】The bridge is open for traffic.
这座桥通车了。
There is little traffic on the roads.
路上车很少。
Sometimes it’s a means of maximizing return on fixed expenses, such as labor: Happy hour is a way to boost bar traffic before the after-work rush, for example. (You might say Wendy’s was attempting a happy hour for Baconators.)
有时，它是一种从固定支出获得最大化收益的手段，比如劳动力这种固定支出：例如，欢乐时光就是增加酒吧在下班高峰期之前的客流量的办法。（可以说温迪汉堡就是在尝试给培根汉堡创造一个欢乐时光。）
make v. 设法到达
【例】The story made the front pages of the newspapers.
这件事登在了报纸的头版。
Do you think we'll make the airport by 12?
你觉得我们 12 点能到机场吗？
I don’t think I can make the deadline.
我觉得我没办法按时完成了。
merchandise n. & v.
1. 作名词：（强调品牌或活动）商品
【例】official Olympic merchandise
奥运会官方指定商品
official Disney merchandise
迪士尼正版商品
【近义词】goods n.（强调原料或用途）商品
commodity n. （原材料或国家间贸易）大宗商品
produce n. 农产品；生鲜商品
2. 作动词：推销产品
【例】The store merchandised its new line of summer clothing with eye-catching displays.
这家商店用吸引眼球的陈列设计来推销新款夏季服装。
【近义词】promote/market v. 推销/市场营销
means n. 方式；途径；手段
【例】Internet is an effective means of communication.
互联网是一种有效的传播途径。
means of transport 交通工具
means of identification 身份证明
【近义词】way/method/approach n. 方式；方法
traffic n. 来往车辆；人流量；通信流量
【例】The bridge is open for traffic.
这座桥通车了。
There is little traffic on the roads.
路上车很少。
“Load balancing” is a similar concept in energy and transportation. Utilities charge less for power overnight, and transit agencies impose higher fares during rush hour to encourage users to shift toward off-peak times, when energy and trains are in less demand.
“负载平衡”是一个类似的概念，多用于能源和交通领域。电力公司对深夜的用电收费较低，交通部门在高峰时段收取更高的票价，鼓励用户在非高峰期乘车，非高峰期的能源和车辆需求较低。
transit n. 运输；输送；交通
【例】goods damaged in transit 在运输中损坏的货物
the public transit system 公共交通运输系统
【近义词】transport/transportation n. 交通
【拓展】transition n. 过渡；转变
perishable adj. 易腐烂的；易变质的
【例】Perishable foods must be kept refrigerated.
易腐败的食物必须冷藏。
【近义词】go bad/spoil 坏掉；变质
【拓展】perish v. 毁灭；消亡
Other times, it’s an effort to liquidate perishable or seasonal goods, like fresh produce at a grocery store or winter coats at Macy’s.
其他时候，这是为了销掉易腐烂或季节性商品，比如杂货店的新鲜农产品或梅西百货的冬季大衣。
transit n. 运输；输送；交通
【例】goods damaged in transit 在运输中损坏的货物
the public transit system 公共交通运输系统
【近义词】transport/transportation n. 交通
【拓展】transition n. 过渡；转变
perishable adj. 易腐烂的；易变质的
【例】Perishable foods must be kept refrigerated.
易腐败的食物必须冷藏。
【近义词】go bad/spoil 坏掉；变质
【拓展】perish v. 毁灭；消亡
Then there’s “surge pricing” on ride-hailing platforms, which is meant to quickly prod more drivers to start picking up passengers. Some commodity goods, like gasoline, fluctuate daily with international markets.
然后还有打车平台上的“高峰溢价”，目的是快速促使更多的司机开始接送乘客。一些大宗商品，如汽油，每天都随着国际市场的波动而波动。
prod v.
1. 戳；杵
【例】He prodded at his breakfast with a fork.
他拿叉子戳弄着早餐。
2. 催促；刺激
She finally prodded him into action.
她终于促使他行动起来。
【搭配】prod sb to do sth/into sth
analog adj.
1. 指针式的
【例】You can choose to have the time display as an analogue or digital clock.
你可以选择让时间以表盘还是数码形式显示。
2. 老式的；非数码的
【例】analogue cameras 胶片相机
apply v. 运用；使用
【例】apply fertilizer 施肥
apply the brakes 踩刹车；拉手刹
apply makeup 化妆；上妆
apply pressure to a cut 压住伤口
In the analog era, changing prices was costly, requiring manually updating signs or applying markdown stickers. As restaurants, retailers, parking garages, gyms, salons and event venues became more automated, price changes became effortless even at brick-and-mortar locations.
在没有网络的时代，改变定价的成本很高，需要手动更新招牌或手动贴上降价标签。随着餐馆、零售店、停车场、健身房、美发沙龙和活动场所变得更加自动化，即使是在实体店，价格变动也变得毫不费力。
prod v.
1. 戳；杵
【例】He prodded at his breakfast with a fork.
他拿叉子戳弄着早餐。
2. 催促；刺激
She finally prodded him into action.
她终于促使他行动起来。
【搭配】prod sb to do sth/into sth
analog adj.
1. 指针式的
【例】You can choose to have the time display as an analogue or digital clock.
你可以选择让时间以表盘还是数码形式显示。
2. 老式的；非数码的
【例】analogue cameras 胶片相机
apply v. 运用；使用
【例】apply fertilizer 施肥
apply the brakes 踩刹车；拉手刹
apply makeup 化妆；上妆
apply pressure to a cut 压住伤口
It’s easy to understand why companies want to change prices more frequently: to make more money. But does that mean that as dynamic pricing spreads, prices will be higher on average?
为什么企业想更频繁地改变价格是很好理解的：为了赚更多的钱。但这是否意味着，随着动态定价变得更普遍，平均价格将会变得更高？
oversight n.
1. 疏忽；忽视
【例】The mistake was the result of an oversight, not intention.
这错误是疏忽造成的，不是有意为之。
【拓展】overlook v. 忽略；忽视
2. 监管；监督；负责
【例】Lawmakers are questioning whether the industry needs more government oversight.
立法机构在质疑，该行业是否需要更多的政府监管。
【拓展】oversee v. 监督；监视
Senator Sherrod Brown, Democrat of Ohio, posed the question to the Federal Reserve chair, Jerome Powell, at an oversight hearing in March, calling the technique “just another way for corporations to make it harder for consumers to seek out lower prices.”
俄亥俄州民主党参议员谢罗德·布朗在3月份的一次监督听证会上向美联储主席杰罗姆·鲍威尔提出了这个问题，布朗称这个定价技巧“只是企业让消费者更难得到较低价格的又一种方式”。
oversight n.
1. 疏忽；忽视
【例】The mistake was the result of an oversight, not intention.
这错误是疏忽造成的，不是有意为之。
【拓展】overlook v. 忽略；忽视
2. 监管；监督；负责
【例】Lawmakers are questioning whether the industry needs more government oversight.
立法机构在质疑，该行业是否需要更多的政府监管。
【拓展】oversee v. 监督；监视
Mr. Powell responded that dynamic pricing lowers prices as well as raises them, and that the overall impact on price levels isn’t yet known.
鲍威尔回应说，动态定价既会降低价格，也会提高价格，对价格水平的整体影响尚不清楚。
oversight n.
1. 疏忽；忽视
【例】The mistake was the result of an oversight, not intention.
这错误是疏忽造成的，不是有意为之。
【拓展】overlook v. 忽略；忽视
2. 监管；监督；负责
【例】Lawmakers are questioning whether the industry needs more government oversight.
立法机构在质疑，该行业是否需要更多的政府监管。
【拓展】oversee v. 监督；监视
Part of the concern comes from the idea that dynamic pricing is often enabled by algorithms, which are opaque to consumers and regulators, and can be tools of collusion.
产生担忧的部分原因是，动态定价往往是由算法实现的，算法对消费者和监管机构而言是不透明的，可以成为串通的工具。
opaque adj. 不透明的；模糊的
【例】opaque glass 不透明玻璃
opaque jargon 让人听不懂的黑话
opaque rules 不透明的规则
【反义词】transparent adj. 透光的；透明的
file v. 正式提交
【例】to file for divorce 提交离婚申请书
to file a lawsuit 提起诉讼
to file a claim 提出索赔
The Federal Trade Commission recently filed a legal brief warning that price fixing by algorithms is still illegal, even without explicit human direction. And when one company dominates the market, dynamic pricing is more likely to inflate prices overall.
美国联邦贸易委员会最近提交了一份简短的法律警告，称即使没有明确的人类指示，通过算法操纵价格仍然是违法的。而且当一家公司主导市场时，动态定价更有可能抬高整体价格。
opaque adj. 不透明的；模糊的
【例】opaque glass 不透明玻璃
opaque jargon 让人听不懂的黑话
opaque rules 不透明的规则
【反义词】transparent adj. 透光的；透明的
file v. 正式提交
【例】to file for divorce 提交离婚申请书
to file a lawsuit 提起诉讼
to file a claim 提出索赔
课后练习
What was the Wendy's new pricing strategy?
A. Changing prices based on the time of day.
B. Providing discounts for high-spending customers.
C. Advertising its prices on different media platforms.
D. Raising the price of the Breakfast Baconator to $7.99.
Which of the following is NOT a reason for implementing dynamic pricing?
A. To spread the workload more evenly.
B. To increase revenue during less busy hours.
C. To obtain an advantage over other competitors.
D. To motivate workers to be efficient in rush hours.
What was Senator Sherrod Brown's concern about the impact of dynamic pricing?
A. It was unfair for some of the consumers.
B. It would make prices consistently lower.
C. It might uniformly lower product quality.
D. It could raise the overall prices in the market.
What practice did the Federal Trade Commission warn against?
A. Using algorithms to set prices.
B. Directing algorithms to promote goods.
C. Dominating the market to increase prices.
D. Engaging in price fixing through algorithms.