posted in Technology

UnLocoPoco@UnLocoPoco@lemmy.world

€2.99 or €3.49? Proton VPN's Pricing Test Exposed

cross-posted from: lemmy.world/post/50434194

Proton VPN’s pricing page exposed an ab-test identifier linked to two VPN Plus prices: €2.99/month (70% off) and €3.49/month (65% off). Repeated testing produced B → A → B → A → B, with the variant matching the rendered price each time. €12 difference over 24 months.

thecybersecguru.com/news/proton-vpn-ab-testing-price-difference/
Proton VPN AB testingThe CyberSec GuruProton VPN Is Showing Different Prices: Inside Its €2.99 vs €3.49 A/B Test | The CyberSec GuruAn investigation into Proton VPN's pricing page found an A/B-test tag linked to two VPN Plus prices: €2.99 and €3.49 per month
🌞 Alexander Daychilde 🌞@daychilde@lemmy.world

Replying to @⁨UnLocoPoco@lemmy.world⁩

Yet again Lemmy shows that much of the userbase is young and has little general knowledge. A/B testing is quite standard, and there is nothing shady about testing different prices to see what consumers will purchase more.

A couple of times I’ve been walking in a mall (dating this anecdote back a couple of decades or so. heh) and got asked to participate in product testing where I was shown - in the case I remember better - two cans of soda with different designs. Strawberry soda - one pink can, one red can - which one I was more likely to purchase.

A/B testing is quite common as companies figure out how to sell you more. Assuming it’s randomized, it’s completely ethical.

mannycalavera@mannycalavera@feddit.uk

Replying to @⁨tabular@lemmy.world⁩

Randomised is not what makes it ethical. It’s what makes the AB test statistically valid such that you can test your hypothesis.

Ethical would be to run the test, gauge the click through rate to checkout to find a winner, then for all those you charged the higher price to give them a discount code such that everyone gets the product at the same price. What you’re testing is the click through rate of a price advertised further up the funnel.

Maybe later you can say ok the rates didn’t drop off people seem ok with the higher price. Higher price for all. Or not as the AB test would reveal.