1) Nvidia et al. have to work with Big Retail (tm) [i.e. Walmart, Target, Best Buy]. Big Retail isn't interested in doing auctions. They function off the trie

1) Nvidia et al. have to work with Big Retail (tm) [i.e. Walmart, Target, Best Buy]. Big Retail isn't interested in doing auctions. They function off the tried and true MSRP model. No matter how much money is being left on the table. This applies just as much to GPUs and hard drives as it does to the recent console shortages. I've worked with Big Retail execs before. They're old school and conservative (in the business sense). In a smoke filled CES hotel room they shook hands on a deal of X for $Y, and that's how it's going to stay for the next decade. 2) Risk. These shortages and cryptocurrency demand spikes are a blip on the history of these companies. It'd be stupid to suddenly change their entire business models and retail relationships for something that could disappear next month. As much as I believe cryptocurrency and hence mining is here to stay, I can't fault these companies for not believing the same and acting accordingly. Especially given the cycles of boom and bust that cryptocurrencies have gone through.