#pricing

All the price increases on consumer/first net plans! Yelp they gonna pay for Plano Golden Palace!

Is this double dipping? Fuel supply agreements are made sometimes years ahead while prices are cheap. Not fair to keep adding fuel price hikes to the customer. Customers are not blind to this they just move on to better deals.

In my local Virginia paper, there was an article about LHX expanding its Orange County, VA rocket parts plant. The article ended with a paragraph about LHX providing false pricing data to the US Military in 2025 and had to pay $62M to USG. I’m I the only one who hadn’t heard about this?

Well, the company with the funny name N-everPure run by the man with the funny hat is in deep… all their moat of DirectFlash is in a bit of hot water, every-green is now never-green or ever greenER as in pay up more, no matter what the little paper you sing says… they either missed the rise in pricing of just lied to customer and the street about how much their DirectFlash was deflecting the pricing pressure… looks like their major price hikes is going to put all the “momentum” under lot’s of pressure… little man is going to put his chopping blades to good use… the field is getting recalibrated… yes, their going to blame AI, only this time, it’s true…

The IEA has advised workers to work from home due to the oil shortages that have started and will soon be getting worse. Will Elevance Health’s CEO acknowledge this new reality by removing the silly in-office requirements?

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/mar/20/oil-price-energy-watchdog-iea-emergency-measures-work-from-home-slow-down-on-the-road

For years, Verizon Communications built its brand on one idea. The best network.

That worked when the gap was real. It is not anymore.

Today, every major carrier is good enough. Most customers do not see a meaningful difference in daily use. But they do see the bill. And they do feel the experience.

That is where the problem is.

You cannot charge a premium if people do not feel it. Not in speed. Not in service. Not in how easy it is to deal with you.

This is not really about the network. It is about everything around it.

Simple plans
Clear pricing
Fixing issues the first time
Respecting the customer’s time

These are not big ideas. These are basics. And when the basics are off, no network claim can save you.

The real shift is this. Telecom is no longer about who has the best signal. It is about who delivers the best overall experience for the price.

Verizon is now being forced to face that reality.

The next move will matter. If it is just more promotions, nothing changes. If it is a real reset in how the company serves customers, then there is a path forward.

Right now, the message is simple.

Having the best network is expected.
Making it worth paying for is what matters.

Got word that the 2026 Rate event that was supposed to be April/May is on hold. No word given, but suspect worried about losing customers.

https://www.yahoo.com/finance/economy/policy/articles/doritos-prices-jumped-50-four-200242097.html

This is on the BNSF Webpage:
“Merger Response Resources”

“If you have concerns and reservations about the proposed merger between Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern, or you believe conditions are needed to ensure the merger doesn't reduce your competitive options, it is important that the Surface Transportation Board hear from you now and at every opportunity during the regulatory review process. Your voice matters.”

It’s like it’s another way of saying that they don’t want to compete with UP even more. It’s funny how they act like they care about the customer when they’ve ripped them off for years as well. If you want the customer’s business, lower your prices and offer better service. Simple. You know it as well as everyone else.

Small companies and independents hitting the gas hard in Midland. We going to ramp up and chase price or maintain our discipline?

Instead of providing customers and partners with transparent information about the current situation, Lenovo is optimizing at the expense of its customers. They are actively intervening in the backlog to achieve the highest prices for rare components. I'm not sure how long this will work in the current situation, precisely because other manufacturers are acting differently here.

I used to believe that I was helping my local community by buying from stores like Lowe’s. However, now I believe they and stores like them are taking advantage of all their customers. If I have a project that requires lumber and a mix of other products I buy the lumber from a lumberyard and then all the fasteners and adhesives and tools from Amazon. Reason?
Pricing. Box of 30degree clipped 3” framing nails are 1/2 the Lowe’s price on Amazon. Caulk, same.
People plan for projects and have time to shop around. Sorry for the employees of brick and mortar stores, but Amazon and Lowes treat them like cr-p in either case. So I do what is best for me and my family.

Net Adds will happen

The wireless industry does not traditionally have a great reputation when it comes to being transparent. That was the basis of T-Mobile’s entire Un-carrier strategy, which forced Verizon and AT&T to drop what used to be the mainstays of how the industry charged.

https://sg.finance.yahoo.com/news/verizon-ceo-admits-apologized-huge-172100197.html

"As of February 2026, PepsiCo is reducing suggested retail prices on some bags (e.g., from $4.99 down to $4.29) due to consumer pushback on high prices."

C'mon, Frito people. How much does it take to make a bag of chips?

Elliott had to wake up the clueless PEP management and show them how to run the business.

https://www.foxbusiness.com/lifestyle/pepsico-slash-prices-popular-snacks-after-consumer-backlash

Chanel, Zegna, Kiton, Brioni, Cucinelli, Stefano Ricci, Burberry, Ferragamo
The top names in luxury fashion, have all had staggering price increases on merchandise since 2020. Some items have doubled and tripled in price. A Chanel handbag that was $5,500 in 2022 is now over $11,000. kiton men’s blazer was $3,900 in 2022 is now $9,000. Wealthy Customers are not stupid.

It's kinda nuts because the sushi they sell at the cafeteria is quite literally the same sushi you buy at HEB. Still has the original packaging and stickers - minus the HEB price tag - but charge almost double for it lol. 2 hard boiled eggs in a little container is $4.50? I can buy a dozen eggs for less than that. An egg, cheese and bacon breakfast taco is 3.50 but 99% of the time there is no cheese and/or bacon? yeah dawg, i'll just scan it, pretend to pay and leave.

Call it what you want but, if they are making us be in office 5 days/week then fu--ing step up the gd cafeteria food and make it a LOT cheaper. Not that I really care much as I only go to office from 10am-12pm anyways but jesus...

Schulman should forfeit the entirety of the awarded compensation package and only be based on incentives. And cutoff Hans and Shankar show them both the door because why are these chaps continue to get paid and to receive benefits.

Bottom line as the Verizon Communications, Inc., share price cannot close over $40/share.

Prices go up but your modifier goes down down down!
Make less money and retire less quota with higher prices!
Eat those costs right from your own wallet!
Math doesn’t math in the world of Dell!

https://www.lightreading.com/5g/verizon-s-new-wireless-rates-spark-price-war-worries

Verizon's Competitive Pricing Strategy
Aggressive Holiday Promotions
Verizon has recently implemented aggressive holiday promotions that significantly undercut T-Mobile's pricing. This strategy aims to attract customers by offering larger discounts across various price tiers. Analysts suggest that Verizon is now positioned as the discount provider in the market, a role that T-Mobile previously held.
Financial Implications
Despite the attractive deals, Verizon is reportedly incurring losses with these promotions, estimated at $640 per account. The company believes that retaining customers through these discounts will lead to long-term profitability as subscribers typically upgrade their plans and purchase additional services over time.
Market Positioning
Verizon's new pricing strategy includes a "Bring Your Bill" promotion, which allows customers to bring their current bills from T-Mobile or AT&T to receive a customized offer that often matches or slightly undercuts their existing costs. This initiative is part of Verizon's effort to reverse recent customer losses and enhance its competitive stance in the wireless market.
Conclusion
Overall, Verizon's current pricing strategy is designed to attract customers from T-Mobile by offering better deals, even at the cost of short-term losses. This shift in strategy marks a significant change in the competitive landscape of the telecommunications industry.

The result of this is T-Mobile has already followed Verizon’s lead and has started laying off employees in order to cut costs. Dan is a genius, the race to the bottom has begun!

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/kroger-s-biggest-pricing-scandal-erupts-as-ftc-heat-puts-24-6b-future-at-risk/ss-AA1S5rcc#image=1

Dollar General and Family Dollar say they offer low prices, but inspectors keep finding that a lot of items ring up higher at the register than the shelf price, especially in poorer and rural communities where people do not have many other places to shop. Since 2022, thousands of their stores have failed price accuracy inspections, sometimes with huge error rates, and many are repeat offenders. Some states have sued and reached settlements, but fines are often small compared with profits, and in a lot of states there is barely any enforcement at all.

Inside the stores, prices in the computer change automatically while workers, who are usually stretched thin and dealing with stocking, cleaning and the register, cannot keep up with switching shelf tags. Former employees say that is the main reason for the mismatches and some even claim fake sale signs are used to make normal prices look like discounts. The people paying the price are shoppers on tight budgets who may not notice a few extra dollars here and there or cannot afford to travel to another store. The companies say they care about accuracy and fix errors when they are told, but the pattern across states, fines and lawsuits shows a system that keeps overcharging the very customers it claims to help.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/dec/03/customers-pay-more-rising-dollar-store-costs

Good luck selling shoes for 180 bucks ever again

Even the wealthy 1% are not spending at Neiman Marcus, they are getting sticker shock as well. Look at the prices compared to just 5 years ago, it’s two and three times what they use to be. $6,000 for a Prada bag that was $3,200 in 2020….come on’.

I love it. Saw this on another board for PWC layoffs. (Price Waterhouse..one of the big 4 accountiing firms) I Googled this:
Client Demands and PwC's Response
Demand for Discounts: As PwC has publicly touted its significant AI investments and the resulting efficiency gains (e.g., in audit and tax processes), clients have started requesting price cuts. Clients argue they are entitled to a portion of the benefits when AI tools complete work faster.

“We don’t just raise prices to raise prices,” said Stankey. “We raise prices when we think we’ve given the customer greater value.”

AT&T is suffering from an alarming customer problem | https://www.thestreet.com/retail/att-is-suffering-from-an-alarming-customer-problem

This should have been an offer for Visible. The street is not going to like this next week…

I look after the Gartner contracts for a large multinational. Am curious as to internal position on AI, with deep research now I can often get better insight from a broader fact base faster and more tailored to what I need. What is the internal talk about using this for better research? Forrester has with their Izola. Also what’s the deal with sales teams, they seem super desperate at the moment, nearly threatening with things like price increase if you don’t renew early, or sign up to this or that, real hard sell, justify to me how you could possibly survive without Gartner etc. is that just my account?

Bloomberg reported that PwC has been cutting prices for some services after clients pushed back, saying that if the firm is bragging about efficiency gains from AI, they should get a fair share of those savings.

PwC’s Chief AI Officer was quoted saying:
“Clients would hear us talking about using AI and say, we want our fair share of those efficiencies. We certainly, as appropriate, give our clients the pricing benefit of the efficiencies that we are achieving.”

The article also notes that PwC and other Big Four firms are facing challenges retaining partners, with hundreds leaving in recent years.

It’s interesting to see this tension. On one side, firms want to showcase how AI is making them more efficient and innovative. On the other, clients are essentially saying, “If you’re doing the same work faster and cheaper, then we should pay less.”

Do you think this trend of clients demanding “AI discounts” will spread beyond consulting and audit firms? Or will companies try to pocket the margin improvements instead?

Joined 3 years ago. People tell me that prices go up and down, bo-m and bust cycles. That makes sense but it now feels that it'll never go up, almost like this is a systemic change. Not sure, it's just my gut feeling but I wanted to see if people with experience can chime in.

Did your store just increase the prices of 1300 items like mine did?

And we’re not talking little price increases either. Some items increased by 20-40 percent!! How is that possible!? The customers are going to be shocked. I know I was.

I guess this is the tariffs finally becoming reality. I don’t think our customers have any idea what’s in store for them. They’ve been complaining like crazy before this, wait until they see the prices now!

Hold onto your hats boy and girls. This sh!t’s about to get real.

The most recent ex-dividend date for Exxon Mobil Corporation (XOM) is August 15, 2025, with a quarterly dividend payment of $0.99 per share, payable on September 10, 2025, to shareholders of record as of the close of business on August 15, 2025.

It ain’t much but every little bit helps.

Evaluated Pricing also known as TRPS, is going to start moving NY heads to South Carolina. They have picked the perfect person to execute this new strategy.

New municipal roles will be hired in Costa Rica and Fort Mills. The job market is good for job seekers— if you are in munis start looking for a job.

Congrats BVAL and ICE - you are the winners!