The retail space has certainly long known that pricing is a key factor in a customer’s decision whether to purchase a given product or service. However, while how much something costs is far from the only element influencing the sales process, pricing strategies continue to evolve as the marketplace becomes more and more crowded with emerging retailers. In particular, discount pricing -- itself a tried-and-true method of boosting sales -- has become less about simply dropping price points and more about strategically adjusting to fit the ever-changing nature of the market.

As the leading online retailer, Amazon has played an integral role in shaping the future of the industry, and if the site’s current practices are any indication, automation may be the key to navigating the rocky waters of retail sales. For instance, discount pricing may sound like a no-brainer, but without the right process in place to support it, even this approach may not yield the results your business deserves. Yet, applying automation to discount prices is fast becoming the way of the future, allowing businesses to both streamline their processes and boost sales at the same time.