Price optimization is the process of using data and analytical methods to determine the optimal price for a product or service based on business goals and market conditions. It involves collecting data on factors such as market demand, competition, customer behavior, and cost, and using this data to develop pricing structures that maximize revenue, profit, or other objectives.

Price optimization is different from other pricing strategies, such as sticky pricing or premium pricing, because it relies on data and analysis rather than intuition or long-term strategy. By using formal methods to discover optimal pricing structures, businesses can more accurately predict the effects of changes in price on revenue, profit, and other metrics.

Price optimization is an important tool for businesses that want to maximize revenue, profit, or other objectives. By using data and analytical methods to determine the optimal price for their products or services, businesses can gain a competitive advantage and drive growth. The following are common types of price optimization.

Experiments
Experimenting with a variety of prices and price structures using techniques such as a/b testing. This is particularly common in industries such as online retail where it is easy to change prices on the fly.

Analytics
Using analytics tools to find patterns in historical data. For example, a fashion retailer might discover that their data indicates men in their twenties are price incentive to shoes under $100 but demand quickly drops after this price point.

Economics
Advanced entities such as nations or banks may model the prices of things such as commodities based on economic models that consider supply and demand curves and other factors.

Yield Management
Yield management is the practice of optimizing price at the level of an individual transaction. For example, airlines may attempt to optimize price for every seat in their inventory.