凤凰网财经·2026-01-17 13:00Core Viewpoint - The online travel industry leader, Ctrip, is facing multiple crises, including a wrongful termination notice, an antitrust investigation, and allegations of price discrimination through data manipulation, reflecting a broader consumer discontent with internet platforms [4][5]. Group 1: Pricing Discrimination Issues - Consumers have reported experiences of price discrimination, such as significant price differences between accounts or devices, abnormal price increases after repeated searches, and higher prices for long-term users compared to new users [4]. - The algorithmic pricing strategy employed by platforms like Ctrip is a form of price discrimination based on user characteristics, utilizing big data to analyze consumer habits and willingness to pay [4][5]. - Traditional economic theories suggest that reasonable price discrimination can expand market size and efficiency, benefiting both producers and consumers, as seen in practices like discounted afternoon tea in Hong Kong [4]. Group 2: Algorithmic Pricing and Market Dynamics - In the context of platform economies, algorithmic pricing has deviated from optimizing resource allocation and has become a tool for platforms to exploit information asymmetry, leading to consumer trust erosion [5][6]. - Consumers often lack a clear understanding of how pricing mechanisms work, while platforms leverage their data advantages to implement dynamic pricing that consumers may not notice, undermining fairness in the digital market [5]. - Examples of pricing anomalies include varying delivery fees based on smartphone brand and model, and ride-hailing prices that increase based on the user's phone battery level, indicating a shift from efficiency tools to profit extraction mechanisms [6]. Group 3: Regulatory Response and Industry Implications - The Chinese government has initiated regulatory measures, including the issuance of guidelines to standardize pricing behaviors on internet platforms, aiming to protect consumer and operator rights [6]. - Ctrip's recent investigation is not an isolated incident but signals a critical industry-wide issue regarding algorithmic pricing practices, emphasizing the need for transparency and fairness in pricing strategies [6]. - The long-term value of a business is rooted in consumer trust, and sacrificing this trust for short-term gains can undermine the foundation of the digital economy [6].