This has been happening for years. I found a while ago that a lot of coach and train ticket places in the UK will hike the price up by 25-50% if you check out a specific time/date and then fail to book but come back later from the same IP. If you search for the same ticket from a remote server (or your cellphone) it'll give you the original lower price.

So it basically boosts the price knowing you've problem come back in desperation. Shameful and bad. I know other places give different prices based on browser too, especially flights and other items like that.

All I know is when this arrives in the mail, I'm going to have to come up with a better excuse than "Oh that? I accidentally ordered it" :(

I don't know why we're so concerned about cross-contamination. The only potential downside to it that I can see is if it obscures evidence that life existed on other planets.

I just find it hard to care about balls of rock and their 'pristine environment'.