April 30, 2026 • Competitive pricing helps merchants attract buyers, protect margins, and respond quickly to market changes. Many merchants worry about price competition. A Q4 2025 survey of 97 global brick-and-mortar retail executives released in February by Retail Systems Research found that 53% named increased consumer price sensitivity as one of their top retail fears. Those fears persist regardless of economic conditions. The report noted that retailers believe shoppers are becoming more price-sensitive, regardless of economic conditions or politics. Price Pressure Concerns about a competitor’s prices also reflect reality. Online shoppers can compare prices instantly across retailers such as Amazon and Walmart. Even small price gaps can shift demand. Sellers watch one another, adjust, and react. That behavior is not new, but ecommerce (and more recently AI ) has accelerated it. A popular TikTok video from a few years ago helps to make the point.…