Dynamic pricing, often referred to as surge pricing or demand pricing, is a tactic that involves varying pricing as per real-time demand and supply conditions. Essentially, it's a strategy that allows businesses to optimize prices for better sales or profits.

In the retail sector, dynamic pricing can be influenced by many factors, including:

1. **Demand**: If a particular product is trending or highly popular with consumers in a particular timeframe, a retailer might increase the price while demand is high.

2. **Competition**: Retailers will often adjust their prices according to what their competitors are charging. They may lower prices to attract customers from competitors or vice versa.

3. **Time**: Prices can also change based on the time of the day or week or even the season. For example, prices may increase during peak shopping times or seasons.

4. **Customer Behaviour**: Businesses often use data about customers' shopping behavior, past purchases, and browsing history to offer personalized pricing.

5. **Cost Factors**: If there are fluctuations in the costs associated with obtaining or producing the goods, these can be passed on to the consumer through dynamic pricing.

To combat dynamic pricing and ensure you're getting the best deal, it's beneficial to compare prices amongst different retailers and, if possible, monitor the price changes over time. Implementing these steps can help you understand when the best time to buy might be. Do keep in mind that while dynamic pricing is used by many businesses, it  s not universal, and some companies opt for a fixed pricing strategy. Regardless, being an informed shopper can help you get the best value for your money.

Determining the optimal price for a product based on real-time demand and supply conditions is a complex process that requires sophisticated tools and techniques. Here's a simplified explanation of how it works:

1. **Market Research**: First, retailers must fully understand the market, gather data on competitor pricing, as well as current supply and demand conditions. They must also take into account their costs, including production, acquisition, marketing, and distribution costs.

2. **Data Analysis**: Retailers use advanced data analytics tools and software to analyze the collected data. These tools utilize algorithms to identify patterns and predict future trends in demand and supply.

3. **Pricing Models**: Based on this analysis, the retailer can build a dynamic pricing model that automatically adjusts prices in real-time to maximize profitability. These models take into account not just demand and supply, but also real-time data on consumer behavior and competitor pricing. Factors like seasonality, location, and even the weather can also play a role.

4. **Implementation and Monitoring**: Once the pricing model is activated, the retailer will monitor how shoppers respond to the price changes. If the new prices are increasing overall profitability without negatively impacting sales volume or customer retention, the model is considered successful.

5. **Adjustments**: However, if the model is not delivering the desired results, the retailer might adjust the parameters or revise the pricing strategy altogether. The goal is to find a pricing level that maximizes both sales volume and profit margins.

Remember that while dynamic pricing can optimize revenue, it must be implemented carefully. Overpricing can lead to loss of customer trust, while underpricing can erode profit margins. That's why continuous monitoring and adjustment is crucial in a successful dynamic pricing strategy.

Market research is a crucial part of a retailer's process of determining the optimal price for their products. It provides detailed insights that can influence pricing decisions in many ways. Here is how it helps:

1. **Understanding Competitors' Pricing**: Market research can give retailers an understanding of what prices their competitors are charging for similar products. This allows retailers to position their prices competitively, either by matching, beating, or undercutting competitor prices, or by justifying higher prices with better value, superior qualities or branding.

2. **Understanding Customers' Expectations**: By researching the purchasing patterns, preferences, and behaviors of their target market, retailers can figure out how much customers are willing to pay for their products. They can find out if customers are price sensitive, which can influence the decision on whether to compete on price or on other factors, such as quality or service.

3. **Identifying Market Trends**: Market research can also help identify trends that can influence pricing. For example, if the demand for a product is increasing, it may be possible to increase the price.

4. **Evaluating Cost Factors**: Research can also provide insights into cost factors that contribute to the final price of the product. This includes cost of production, distribution, marketing and any other overhead costs. A thorough cost analysis helps retailers price products in a way that covers these costs and allows for a reasonable profit margin.

5. **Testing Price Points**: Retailers can use methods like surveys or A/B testing to gauge how customers would react to different price points. This can help them find the optimal price that maximizes both sales volume and profit.

To conclude, market research is like the compass that guides a retailer's pricing strategy. By offering insights into competitive landscape, cost structure, consumer behavior and market trends, it helps retailers make well-informed decisions that optimize pricing for profitability and customer satisfaction.