A new book by Lindsay Owens
The End of a Fair Price – and What That Means for Your Wallet
Available now
“There’s no one in the country who has done more effective work on pricing than @owenslindsay1." - @SenWarren.
“Lindsay is the person with the time, the training and the resources to make these C-suite guys sweat.”
Walmart and Instacart would have to agree.
I think one of the things that is underpinning so much of the global discontent is the feeling that modern life sucks. It’s the expense, sure. But it’s also the unrelenting barrage of tech that is supposed to make our life better but often feels even more overwhelming. Almost
We investigated Instacart, and what we found was shocking: they were running pricing experiments on shoppers without them even knowing.
But that's just one company. @owenslindsay1's new book, "Gouged," explains companies are using new technologies to reinvent the ripoff.
From McDonald’s to Walmart, companies are allegedly using dynamic pricing to change prices in a nanosecond.
That kind of volatility makes it impossible for families to budget – or know what something will cost from one minute to the next.
@owenslindsay1 on @WGNMorningNews.
“Back-to-school” headlines may be over, but for parents the costs don't end. When we looked at what parents were saying online about back-to-school costs, school lunch was the biggest topic.
My latest to Walmart. To regain trust in a time of economic and technological uncertainty:
Pull back the pending patents.
Relinquish the existing patents.
Get an independent audit of pricing.
Tell shoppers what data Sparky has &how it is safeguarded & used.
Walmart's customers deserve to know if, how, and when their personal data is being used – especially when it comes to pricing. It's time for Walmart to set the record straight.
@owenslindsay1 on @cnn breaks down exactly what Walmart should do to regain their customers' trust.
Walmart continues to deny current or future use of dynamic pricing. But all you have to do is look at their patents.
As @owenslinday1 told @chafkin it's a "company that is hell-bent on trying to make sure you pay the absolute most for each item in your cart.”
McDonald's is just the latest example of companies McRipping Off customers by using AI, which could exacerbate the country’s affordability crisis and make it harder for Americans to bear everyday costs.
@owenslindsay1 in @guardian:
Use Express Pickup you say? Not so fast.
If you tell Walmart a curbside pickup order is urgent, you just might get charged more. From a patent application they filed in July 2025:
Lots of folks covering this as “he said, she said.” In reality, it’s “he said, he said.”
Walmart is telling on itself — at the patent office, on earnings calls, in its filings. My job is to put a spotlight on it.
Consumers aren’t stupid. They can read the writing on the wall.
The only way to stop companies from using surveillance pricing to jack up prices?
Ban the practice outright.
@owenslindsay1 joined @AudieCornish on @CNNThisMorning on what policymakers need to do to protect consumers.
When corporate CEOs brag to Wall Street about gouging consumers, they should know: she's listening.
New profile out today from @chafkin for @business on our @owenslindsay1, the corporate earnings calls she can’t stop listening to, and her new book, "Gouged."
It was such a joy to have Max at @groundwork for 2 days this past March to cover our work. Seeing the org through new eyes gave me a deeper appreciation for our incredible team. I’m so proud of our impact & work to hold corporations accountable. He even previews what’s next!
🚨NEW from @SenateBanking and @SenWarren: The Trumpflation Tracker is shining a spotlight on how Trump's policies are making life more expensive for families.
Electric bills are up.
Gas prices are up.
Rent & grocery bills are up.
Wage growth is slowing.
We're keeping track.
BREAKING: @SenWarren just launched the Trumpflation Tracker.
Spoiler alert: Americans are seeing higher prices, shrinking paychecks, and suffocating household debt.
