Walmart’s bold proclamation that it won’t hike prices based on your shopping history, as championed by CEO John Furner, certainly sounds like a breath of fresh air in the retail world. Yet, let’s not forget that Walmart has been quietly collecting mountains of data on its customers for years, so why should we trust them now? Furner assures us that your income, shopping history, urgency, and perceived willingness to pay won’t influence the price tag, but what about the time of day? If you’re shopping at midnight, does that mean you’re less likely to get a deal?

Moreover, the switch to digital shelf labels is touted as a time-saver for store associates, but does it truly eliminate the possibility of dynamic pricing? Perhaps Walmart is just stalling, waiting for the perfect moment to surprise us with a price surge based on our most recent purchases or even our facial expressions captured by the store’s cameras. After all, if Walmart can track our every swipe and scan, why not use that data to tweak prices in real-time?

Furner also mentions that Walmart won’t use conversations with its Sparky—presumably referring to the company’s AI or chatbots—when adjusting prices. But what if Sparky overhears us complaining about a product’s price and decides to raise it the next day? The world may never know!

Lastly, let’s not overlook the fact that Walmart’s promise of no price changes based on personal information or time of day could be a smokescreen to distract us from other potential costs, like increased packaging fees or premium placement fees for popular items. So, while we celebrate Walmart’s commitment to keeping prices stable, let’s keep our eyes peeled for the hidden gems—or perhaps the hidden price tags—awaiting us in the aisles. After all, in the retail game, nothing is ever truly free.