“Pink tax” in tech: why are colored devices more expensive?

It's not only pink razors that cost more than they should.

In our household, the most used device is not a TV or a computer – it's a PlayStation. Since I never understood the hype of video gaming but saw how much joy it brings to my partner and other friends who use it, I thought I'd give it a go. To motivate myself more, I decided to get my own controller.

When it comes to controllers, once I saw that PlayStation has plenty of colors to choose from, and being a big fan of purple, it was a no-brainer to pick that one.

I paid €70 (around $75) for it, while the same one, but white, cost €65 (around $70). While this may not seem like a high price difference, it made me think: Did that make me a victim of the pink tax?

What's a pink tax?

The infamous pink tax term dates back to the 1990s, and while it has been widely scrutinized and discussed, it's still relevant today.

It's a pricing tendency that occurs when products marketed for women are more expensive than those created for men.

This phenomenon got the name pink tax, as manufacturers would create products in this color, advertise them as tailored specifically for women, and thus charge a higher price despite the product itself having no other differences in quality or specifications.

Popular pink-taxed products include things like body wash, deodorant, razors, clothing, toys, and electronics.

Most common pink-taxed electronic goods

With electronic goods taking over almost all aspects of our daily lives, the desire to personalize them with different colors also arises.

Examples of electronic devices that some companies market in gendered colors:

• Smartphones and their accessories
• Smartwatches and fitness trackers
• Headphones and earbuds
• Gaming consoles and their accessories

One Reddit user illustrated this by looking for a headset and finding one in purple. They then found out that the same headset in black or white was priced at $40 less.

The user stated, "They also had a pink headset stand that was more expensive than the others, but that was the only product I could find among thousands."

The situation prompted them to write an email to the company, which replied that perhaps it was a weird mistake and sent another link with the purple headset being priced the same as devices in "regular" colors.

It may have been a pricing error, as the user said, "I only found two products, including this headset, where the pink/"girly" one was more expensive." However, it could also be a company’s attempt to profit.

It's not always about the color

The situation prompted a discussion online, with some attributing this to colored devices being "limited edition."

"Black and white are usually an older or first version of the product. Other color variations that come out will be set at a higher price due to it being new and most likely more in demand," said one Redditor.

The same logic could be applied to PlayStation controllers. I decided to check the official store in the US, where black, white, blue, and even purple and pink colored controllers sell for $75. In contrast, controllers that seem to be in new edition colors, such as "volcanic" red, "cobalt blue," and "chroma" teal controllers, are priced at $80, with limited edition Fortnite controllers costing $85.

A month ago, the Finnish smart ring maker introduced its latest Oura Ring 4, which comes in six different finishings, including gold and rose gold.

All six rings are in three pricing categories. Silver and black are the cheapest options ($349). Then comes stealth and brush titanium ($450), with gold and rose gold being the priciest (gold is $500, and rose gold is $550).

This price difference didn't go unnoticed once the ring was out, with some Redditors attributing it to the pink tax and some stating, "The finish price difference has always been this, so that's normal."

But why does such a price difference exist, then? I checked the Oura Ring finishing and the materials used. The company says it uses a physical vapor deposition (PVD) coating for almost all of its rings.

The only reason the rose gold ring could be priced higher is its ability "to be a living color that will develop a darker patina over time."

Generally, getting rose gold is trickier than getting yellow gold, as it takes more effort to achieve the right balance between gold and copper to get that pink shade.

Is the pink tax coming to an end?

While it might seem that every time you decide to buy something that's not black or white, you have to do a little research, the previously mentioned examples show that it does help to recognize if you're not getting tricked or at least spot the telltale signs of the pink tax.

Some examples show that changes have occurred over time, with some big tech companies turning to gender-neutral pricing.

One such company is Apple. The company no longer bases the price of its iPhone on the device's color. So, whether a particular model is black or pink, it will cost the same.

Microsoft also offers devices, accessories, subscriptions, and services based on users' needs and usage, not gender. The price of the products stays the same despite their color or other personalizations.