School districts are paying extra for basic supplies thanks to unpredictable dynamic pricing on Amazon, which is costing them on average 17 percent more, according to a report by the Institute for Local Self-Reliance (ILSR). Unlike the contracts schools and local governments would traditionally make with local suppliers, who would bid to offer the best rates, Amazon Business doesn’t guarantee locked-in prices, resulting in huge pricing swings.

For instance, the report mentions an employee of the City of Boulder, Colorado who purchased a 12-pack of Sharpie markers for $8.99, while an employee of the nearby Denver Public Schools was charged $28.63 for the same product on the same day. ILSR cites similar price fluctuations for Crayola markers, Kleenex tissues, Expo dry erase markers, Elmer’s

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