OTAs offering cheaper flights to those coming via aggregators?
 

So just to preface this post, everything in this post has been done with the same IP but different private browsing windows.

I recently discovered that OTAs will price flights for customers from aggregators such as Skyscanner or Momondo differently to the same flights for customers coming directly to their website. Can someone explain the economics of this? For example, how are they able to sell tickets for 50 euros cheaper without making a loss? I understand that customers on aggregators are more price sensitive, but this doesn't make much sense to me.

For this example, I priced QR HEL-DOH-BKK return on 1.11 - 8.11 three different ways
1) Direct via QR website
2) Direct via Supersaver (2nd largest European OTA, largest Nordic)
3) Momondo -> Supersaver

The first two options are roughly the same, with the OTA being slightly more expensive. This makes sense. However, Momondo->OTA is much cheaper. How do the economics of this work? Will the ticket actually be bookable or will it simply bounce you after you try to pay? I can get all the way to the payment window. I know the exact flights may be a bit different but basically there was no difference, these were the cheapest options with many options at the same price.

1) QR direct - 603 euros
https://i.imgur.com/uaBlnkj.png

2) Supersaver direct - 609 euros
https://i.imgur.com/9EAO3Qd.png

3) Momondo -> Supersaver - 555 euros (+ 10 euro credit card fee at the end)
First, Momondo:
https://i.imgur.com/q0ZX7q7.png
Then, Supersaver:
https://i.imgur.com/jCZ08NR.png

My experience is the same as yours. Using Monodo will trigger a lower fare than searching for the airfares directly on the webpage of the OTA. I wouldn't say that it is common ground but it seems to be perfectly normal.

I dont have any explanation for this - other than apparently the OTA is prepared to lower the fares/prices in order to show up with the lowest fares when searching on Momondo, Skyscanner etc.