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> The second solution is to ration the commodity – putting limits on the amount a customer can buy. Imperfect though these buying limits are, they are feasible,

> The second solution is to ration the commodity – putting limits on the amount a customer can buy. Imperfect though these buying limits are, they are feasible, as shown by the restrictions put in place by Australia’s supermarkets. The restrictions do not work, if not heavily supervised. And even then it’s still a gamble. People would queue again at another cashier to buy another pack of TP. I don’t think there is a solution, if actors are invested in gaming it.

the8472 7y ago
The inconvenience of having to queue several times might already lead to a sufficient decrease in hoarding to keep shelves stocked, especially when combined with increased supply. If not you can escalate, e.g. by limiting TP checkout to a single register.
zxcvbn4038 7y ago
Or implement surge pricing like uber so only the rich have toilet paper and it’s cvs receipts and three sea shells for everyone else. Issuing ration cards like WWII would be an option also and that solves a number of the problems you mentioned, you could use the existing electronic benefits infrastructure for that. You’ll never have a completely unbeatable system but you can go a long way to keep honest people honest. Even forbidding the resale of TP so people realize they are stuck with whatever they buy can do a lot of good - people wont buy eight thousand rolls of toilet paper if they know they’ll be stuck with it.
- zxcvbn4038 7y ago
  Along that thought I imagine that if TP resale was forbidden then people would have to pay the moffia to take the stuff and insert it into the supply chain someplace so then it would be double penalty - you lock up significant resources in TP or you take a loss to have someone sell it for you.
- mtrower 7y ago
  But how do the damn three seashells work?
fortran77 7y ago
People will shoplift if there are limits. This has already been widely reported.
- stefan_ 7y ago
  Shoplift toilet paper? That would be funny to watch.
  - WillPostForFood 7y ago
    Make TP expensive enough, and shoplifting will be the least of the problem, it will be worth robbing or killing over. https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2020/03/20/819406422/n-c-sheriffs-find-18-000-pounds-of-toilet-paper-and-other-products-in-stolen-tru https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2020/0...
- SilasX 7y ago
  The smaller packages sure, but isn't it pretty hard to smuggle out the megapacks that are in demand?
stevenicr 7y ago
I look at this problem a bit. Reading the article title gave me an idea - raise the price to $20 per pack. Give each customer 2 coupons per week that takes $15 off one pack. Tied to a name / loyalty card or whatever. The heavily supervise-ing can be a night mare. Local one data point, 16 yo self checkout 'watcher' yesterday was brought to tears with some customers demanding something be done about the person buying 12 packs of ground beef when the sign says limit 2. I noticed yesterday some local cashiers are breaking - psychically and mentally/likely emotionally - yet they keep moving to keep pushing stuff down the conveyor belt and bag. Most cashiers were not hired to be or trained to be security guards and prepared for the emotional battles that can come with that.

the8472 7y ago

The inconvenience of having to queue several times might already lead to a sufficient decrease in hoarding to keep shelves stocked, especially when combined with increased supply. If not you can escalate, e.g. by limiting TP checkout to a single register.

zxcvbn4038 7y ago

Or implement surge pricing like uber so only the rich have toilet paper and it’s cvs receipts and three sea shells for everyone else. Issuing ration cards like WWII would be an option also and that solves a number of the problems you mentioned, you could use the existing electronic benefits infrastructure for that. You’ll never have a completely unbeatable system but you can go a long way to keep honest people honest. Even forbidding the resale of TP so people realize they are stuck with whatever they buy can do a lot of good - people wont buy eight thousand rolls of toilet paper if they know they’ll be stuck with it.

zxcvbn4038 7y ago
Along that thought I imagine that if TP resale was forbidden then people would have to pay the moffia to take the stuff and insert it into the supply chain someplace so then it would be double penalty - you lock up significant resources in TP or you take a loss to have someone sell it for you.
mtrower 7y ago
But how do the damn three seashells work?

fortran77 7y ago

People will shoplift if there are limits. This has already been widely reported.

stefan_ 7y ago
Shoplift toilet paper? That would be funny to watch.
- WillPostForFood 7y ago
  Make TP expensive enough, and shoplifting will be the least of the problem, it will be worth robbing or killing over. https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2020/03/20/819406422/n-c-sheriffs-find-18-000-pounds-of-toilet-paper-and-other-products-in-stolen-tru https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2020/0...
SilasX 7y ago
The smaller packages sure, but isn't it pretty hard to smuggle out the megapacks that are in demand?

stevenicr 7y ago

I look at this problem a bit. Reading the article title gave me an idea - raise the price to $20 per pack. Give each customer 2 coupons per week that takes $15 off one pack. Tied to a name / loyalty card or whatever. The heavily supervise-ing can be a night mare. Local one data point, 16 yo self checkout 'watcher' yesterday was brought to tears with some customers demanding something be done about the person buying 12 packs of ground beef when the sign says limit 2. I noticed yesterday some local cashiers are breaking - psychically and mentally/likely emotionally - yet they keep moving to keep pushing stuff down the conveyor belt and bag. Most cashiers were not hired to be or trained to be security guards and prepared for the emotional battles that can come with that.