Three scholars from Fudan University School of Management shared their analysis as well as solutions concerning the topic of price discrimination using big data.
Professor Xu Zhengchuan, whose research direction includes industrial application of big data and information security, pointed out that the operating cost is very low when the platforms are using intelligent technology to implement differential pricing. He believes there are two major solutions to the problem: one is to improve regulation on the platform’s authority in using users' personal information; the other is to develop programs that help consumers compare prices. Meanwhile, he suggests that an "algorithmic audit" should be conducted on platforms suspected of tailoring prices using big data.
Lin Chen, who has been researching corporate social responsibility and digital marketing, advised merchants not to rely solely on pricing to increase profit, but to focus on providing more differentiated products and better service for every single consumer.
Fu Xiao has been researching antitrust economics and competition policies. He pointed out that since the ownership of data is not yet clarified under the current legal framework, the regulation of price discrimination using big data can be very challenging. He suggested that the government improve relevant laws and regulations to restrict platforms from collecting and abusing users’ data.
