Will Price Discrimination Affect Customer Satisfaction in the Shared Transportation Market? -A Case Study of Didi

With the rapid growth of the digital economy, the frequency of shared transportation services, particularly through platforms like Didi, has significantly increased. While these services offer convenience by allowing passengers to book rides according to their needs, the practice of price discrimination has raised concerns about customer satisfaction. This study explores how price discriminationwhere different consumers are charged varying prices based on their willingness to pay, usage patterns, or other factorsaffects customer satisfaction in the shared transportation market, through a survey of 61 participants, we found that a significant portion of users (62.3%) were unaware of price discrimination when using Didi's services. Interestingly, those who were aware of price discrimination tended to have lower satisfaction with their ride-hailing experience. The study also highlighted the anchoring effect, showing that providing discounts can improve customer satisfaction even when prices are initially perceived as high. Our findings suggest that while price discrimination may enhance platform profitability, it risks eroding customer trust and satisfaction if perceived as unfair. Therefore, shared transportation platforms must strike a balance in their pricing strategies to ensure transparency and maintain customer loyalty.