mkirsch wrote:
Capitalism is great, until you're on the receiving end of it.
I'm sure you'll call this price gouging, BUT price gouging is when the SELLER sets the price at something above retail to cash in on a shortage. There's laws against that.
Here, it's the BUYER offering more than retail for the item. There is no law against that.
The thing you call "gouging" is a self correcting pricing.
There was a gas station in NJ that made arrangements for a generator to run the whole gas station, staged fuel delivery trucks out of state before hurricane sandy came through. He advertised fuel at a much higher price, to cover his increased costs, and I'm sure additional profit. So, since the state got involved, he shut down, leaving nobody with gas at any price.
Companies charge too much, other entrepreneurs will come along and find a cheaper way to supply product or services.
Gouging is a media term.
