(The Epoch Times)—Retailers are using private consumer behaviors—such as items left in online shopping carts or patterns of mouse movement on webpages—to customize prices for individual shoppers, according to preliminary findings from the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC’s) study into “surveillance pricing.”
Preliminary findings from the study, released on Jan. 17, reveal that retailers rely on a wide range of personal data, including location, browsing history, and demographics, to tailor prices. The FTC said these practices raise concerns about transparency and fairness in the marketplace.
“Retailers frequently use people’s personal information to set targeted, tailored prices for goods and services—from a person’s location and demographics, down to their mouse movements on a webpage,” FTC Chair Lina Khan said in a statement. “Americans deserve to know how their private data is being used to set the prices they pay and whether firms are charging different people different prices for the same good or service.”
Khan said that the findings are preliminary and the agency would continue its investigation. As part of the ongoing probe, the FTC issued a request for public comment on consumers’ experiences with surveillance pricing.
The initial findings are based on a July 2024 FTC order compelling eight companies—including Mastercard, JPMorgan Chase, and Accenture—to provide documents shedding light on how retailers implement surveillance pricing tools. At the time, the FTC said the orders were aimed at helping the agency gain a better understanding of the “opaque” market for products by third-party intermediaries that use personal consumer information—along with advanced algorithms and artificial intelligence—to set individualized prices for customers.
The preliminary staff report outlines how retailers track online behaviors, such as abandoned shopping carts, frequency of visits, and mouse movements, to create consumer profiles. These insights are combined with external data, like location and social media activity, to adjust prices dynamically. While the report acknowledges potential benefits, such as discounts for price-sensitive shoppers, it warns of risks to vulnerable groups, such as by encouraging impulse buying at higher prices during critical times such as during floods.
“These tools could also potentially be used to collect behavioral details that a retailer could use to forecast a customer’s state of mind, like using a shopper’s selection of ‘fast-delivery’ shipping on an order of infant formula to infer that a shopper could be a rushed parent who may be less price sensitive,” the report states.
The report notes that the findings are not exhaustive, with “much more work to do and share.” The agency plans to release further findings later this year after anonymizing sensitive data to protect trade secrets.
“It does so in order to issue another press release just before President Trump takes office,” the dissent states. “Slowly dripping out information obtained during the Section 6(b) process, rather than carefully studying the material produced and issuing a comprehensive final report, does not serve the public interest.”
Ferguson and Holyoak expressed confidence that the study—once completed—will contribute to the public’s discussion of important issues and have the potential to inform federal legislation. However, they argued that releasing early staff impressions rather than robust factual findings risks undermining public confidence in the FTC’s investigations.
“The Commission should allow staff to do its work and issue a final, fact-based report, rather than rush to meet a nakedly political deadline to present something, anything, to the public,” the dissent states.
Bypass Big Tech Censors
Why Bullion Beats Numismatics and Collectible for Your Safe or IRA
Precious metals continue to attract Americans seeking reliable ways to protect their wealth amid inflation, geopolitical risks, and stock market swings. Whether stored in a home safe or held inside a self-directed IRA, physical gold and silver deliver tangible value that paper or digital assets often lack. Yet investors must choose carefully between bullion—pure bars and coins valued mainly for their metal content—and numismatics or collectibles, where rarity, history, and collector demand heavily influence pricing.
Advisor Bullion serves as a dependable source for straightforward, high-quality bullion. The company specializes in physical gold, silver, platinum, and palladium, emphasizing transparent pricing and products that deliver maximum metal content for every dollar spent. This approach makes it ideal for both personal holdings and retirement accounts.
Bullion consists of refined precious metals in standard forms like one-ounce coins (American Gold Eagles, Silver Eagles, Canadian Maple Leafs) or bars. Their value tracks closely to the current spot price of the metal. A typical gold bullion coin trades near the live gold spot price plus a small premium. This structure keeps costs clear and predictable.
Numismatic coins and collectibles add substantial value from factors such as age, rarity, minting errors, or historical significance. A pre-1933 U.S. gold coin or graded proof piece can carry premiums of 30%, 50%, or even 200% above melt value. While this appeals to hobbyists, it creates complexity. Pricing depends on subjective grading, collector trends, and auction results instead of daily spot prices.
For investors focused on wealth preservation and retirement security rather than building a collection, bullion often delivers better results.
Lower Costs and Better Liquidity for Home Storage
When keeping metals in a home safe or private vault, liquidity and efficiency count. Bullion offers clear benefits:
- You acquire more actual gold or silver per dollar invested. Numismatics divert a large share of your money into rarity premiums and massive sales commission, reducing your metal exposure.
- Selling bullion involves tight bid-ask spreads, so you recover nearly full spot value with minimal fees. Collectibles require finding the right buyer and may sell at a discount if demand for that specific item weakens.
- Bullion prices remain transparent and update with global spot markets. You can track gold near current levels or silver accordingly and know exactly where your holdings stand. Numismatic values are priced by the Gold IRA companies with hefty margins applied.
- Standardized coins and bars store efficiently and divide easily for partial sales. Rare coins often need protective slabs and controlled conditions, adding hassle and expense.
- Bullion enjoys worldwide acceptance. A 1-oz Gold Maple Leaf or Silver Eagle sells quickly to dealers anywhere. Niche numismatic pieces may appeal only to limited buyers, slowing liquidation when speed matters.
In times when quick access to value becomes important, bullion’s simplicity stands out.
Stronger Fit for Precious Metals IRAs
Precious metals IRAs continue gaining traction as investors diversify retirement portfolios beyond stocks and bonds. IRS rules permit certain bullion products in self-directed IRAs if they meet purity standards (.995 fine for gold, .999 for silver) and are held by an approved custodian. Eligible items include American Gold and Silver Eagles plus many generic bars and rounds from recognized mints.
Numismatic and most collectible coins generally face heavy scrutiny from custodians due to valuation disputes and elevated markups. These higher premiums mean less actual metal ends up working inside the account.
Bullion avoids these issues. Its value links directly to verifiable spot prices, which simplifies reporting and lowers the risk of regulatory challenges. More of your IRA contribution purchases real metal instead of dealer profits or speculative upside. Over time, owning additional ounces that appreciate with the metal itself can create meaningful outperformance compared with high-premium alternatives that deliver fewer ounces.
Regulatory guidance from the CFTC and state securities offices repeatedly cautions against aggressive sales of expensive numismatics or “semi-numismatic” coins for IRAs. For retirement planning, transparent bullion from established providers reduces risk and aligns better with long-term goals.
How to Get Started with Bullion
Begin by clarifying your goals. Are you protecting savings in a safe, or moving part of a retirement account into a precious metals IRA? Focus on the number of ounces you can acquire at current prices rather than chasing marked-up collectibles.
Diversify sensibly: use gold for core preservation and silver for its blend of industrial and monetary qualities. Mix coins for easier divisibility with bars for lower per-ounce costs on larger buys. Arrange secure storage—whether at home with proper insurance or through professional facilities.
As economic uncertainties linger and faith in conventional assets erodes, bullion continues proving its worth as a dependable store of value. Its direct approach avoids the hype that sometimes surrounds collectible markets and keeps the focus on the metal itself.
For investors prepared to strengthen their portfolios, Advisor Bullion supplies the expertise and selection needed to acquire high-quality bullion efficiently. Whether building personal holdings or integrating metals into an IRA, their emphasis on transparent, investment-grade products helps secure more ounces today that support greater financial security tomorrow. In a complicated financial landscape, bullion’s clarity and reliability make it the smarter foundation for protecting what matters most.