Beware of 'surge pricing' when shopping online

(WWBT) - There's nothing worse than trying to buy something online, only to find the price has suddenly gone up.

It happens all the time with airline tickets and some businesses are now even pointing the finger at Amazon.

The FTC is reportedly looking into allegations of deceptive pricing on Amazon's part in a complaint by a group consumer watchdog. Some of those allegations involve what's called "surge pricing."

That's where retailers change prices based on demand.

Surge pricing itself is not illegal, but there are ways to work around it. First, always research prices before you buy. One great tool for doing that on Amazon is a site called "camel camel camel."

It lets you see prices for specific items on Amazon stretching back several months so you can spot the truly good one.

One other smart move, when you check prices on Amazon, or for an airline ticket, clear your cookies and search history or try a different browser, that way your past interest in a product doesn't push the price up.

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