> If price gouging were legal, are you going to stockpile masks and sanitizer for a hundred years, so you're ready for the next gobal pandemic? You’re not unde

> If price gouging were legal, are you going to stockpile masks and sanitizer for a hundred years, so you're ready for the next gobal pandemic? You’re not understanding the play here. All you need to do slightly increase the amount you keep in stock and reduce JIT delivery dependence. This increases your capital expenses a few percent and only pays off if you can occasionally make big money by drawing on your extra stock. You also seem to misunderstand the law - it’s not illegal anywhere in the US (afaik) for random people to stockpile and resell goods. It doesn’t matter, because that’s not really a viable distribution strategy. It is illegal in many states for stores to suddenly raise prices, and stores are the institutions who would actually be equipped to absorb demand shocks.