Oh, there's no doubt the airlines, and hotels, move prices, and rapidly. The question is - is that because of previous visits logged by cookie, or because perceived demand (or previous purchase history if an account is logged in) - is is driving prices up?
There was a flurry of interest in the topic a few years ago. The most recent "official" research on the subject I can find is from the OFT here
It's an interesting read, principally about "Personalised Pricing". Section 17 discussed cookies and pricing. It concludes that there was no evidence warranting further investigation at that time.
That said, it seems that in the travel sector various software solutions are used to show prices to internet visitors and for that reason alone, using an incognito window to browse the quote pages makes sense.
Interesting topic and I've learnt something there
------------- Mike
My advice is worth no more than the price paid for it
Prague May/Jun 2017
Lake Annecy Aug 2017
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
I was searching P&O this morning for prices 3 days away. First quote I got was something like £74 return using the cheapest available prices. Within 5 minutes that went up to £89 on a new quote with the same sailings. Another 10 minutes later the outward sailing had gone up to £210!
I guess it could just be that bookings were coming in ultra fast and filling the sailings but it does make one wonder?
The research calls it "demand pricing". In a ferry context, as spaces go for imminent sailings, prices go up. It is to do with enquiries and sales, but not necessarily to do with them cookie'ing your machine.
Be interesting if you re-visited in an incognito browser and see if prices had gone back down.
------------- Mike
My advice is worth no more than the price paid for it