Food delivery service Uber Eats has been criticized after images emerged of the same product being sold to customers at different prices.
The images, which were posted online in December, showed the price of a Coles brand rotisserie chicken costing $12.52, $13.75 and $14.98 on three separate phones.
The customer, who posted the video and goes by the name Price Check Guy, asked his followers if she had also “encountered” this.
He said the vastly different prices were offered despite being ‘ordered from the same place’ and ‘delivered to the same address’.
“The only difference is the person ordering,” he said.
A number of social media users also claimed to have experienced the price discrepancies and were outraged by the lack of transparency.
‘I discovered this happens with delivery charges, tried PC, phone and a friend’s phone. All different prices,” one person wrote.
“They do this with their rideshare too, same locations, just different users,” said a second.
Australians have criticized food delivery service Uber Eats after a customer revealed prices of the same product differed between different accounts (stock image)
Some theorized that the varying prices could stem from the different delivery costs and responsibilities of the delivery people picking up the order.
“Could it be that one option is for the driver to go to the store for the person and the other option is for the store staff to pick up the items and give them directly to the driver?” someone asked.
“Uber has tiered accounts you can sign up for, which changes prices and delivery costs, etc,” another noted.
Price Check Guy assured that all accounts were using the lowest level available and was still confused as to what caused the difference.
“Never a good feeling to be charged more because an algorithm decided so,” he noted.
Others said they had turned away from using Uber as restaurants and stores started charging more to cover the commission per order – which can be as high as 30 percent.
“The prices for almost everything are extremely high compared to ordering directly from the store – and they still charge service and delivery fees,” one person wrote.
Another asked: ‘If you charge “service + delivery”, why do I also pay a secret hidden fee?’
Despite ordering the same Coles brand rotisserie chicken from the same store and location, the price varied between $12.52 and $14.98 between accounts (pictured)
Some claimed the change in prices was due to dynamic pricing that is also used for airline tickets, live event tickets and vacation rentals.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) says the changes are in response to “periods of high demand”.
“Surge or dynamic pricing is not illegal, but businesses must be clear about the price consumers will pay,” the ACCC website reads.
“They are also not allowed to make false or misleading claims about their prices.”
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Uber Eats for comment.