4 ms·

This reminds me of the time my middle-school history teacher decided to bring in one of the student’s financial advisor parents to defend price-gouging on gas d

This reminds me of the time my middle-school history teacher decided to bring in one of the student’s financial advisor parents to defend price-gouging on gas during Hurricane Katrina evacuation and subsequent exodus. It was an unconvincing argument then, and is an unconvincing argument now.

Rebelgecko 1y ago
FWIW this is the most convincing argument I've seen for allowing prices to raise during an emergency: https://www.econlib.org/library/Columns/y2007/Mungergouging.html https://www.econlib.org/library/Columns/y2007/Mungergouging.... Second most convincing argument is people who hoarded toilet paper during COVID
- caterama 1y ago
  Is this a viable workaround… Charge $XX entry/membership fee for the opportunity to buy ice at the regular price?
- Arainach 1y ago
  >Second most convincing argument is people who hoarded toilet paper during COVID That's not an argument for price gouging, it's an argument for rationing.
  - Auracle 1y ago
    That’s awfully hard to do well though, especially setting up a system quickly. Sure, you can limit amount per customer per store. But then someone comes in with their husband and double dips, and then go back through in 10 minutes hitting different checkouts, or just go through self checkout, and then go to different stores… All the toilet paper is still gone, encouraging fear in other people to do the same as the couple above. The alternative would have been “you idiots are buying all the toilet paper? Fine. It’s 5x more expensive now.” People then see that toilet paper is still in stores and prices can come down gradually but rapidly, and if people start being nervous again prices can quickly raise to stamp that out.
    - rightbyte 1y ago
      > But then someone comes in with their husband and double dips, and then go back through in 10 minutes hitting different checkouts, or just go through self checkout, and then go to different stores… During a panic toilet paper shooping spree that would allow like 100 other customers to also get toilet paper.

Rebelgecko 1y ago

FWIW this is the most convincing argument I've seen for allowing prices to raise during an emergency: https://www.econlib.org/library/Columns/y2007/Mungergouging.html https://www.econlib.org/library/Columns/y2007/Mungergouging.... Second most convincing argument is people who hoarded toilet paper during COVID

caterama 1y ago
Is this a viable workaround… Charge $XX entry/membership fee for the opportunity to buy ice at the regular price?
Arainach 1y ago
>Second most convincing argument is people who hoarded toilet paper during COVID That's not an argument for price gouging, it's an argument for rationing.
- Auracle 1y ago
  That’s awfully hard to do well though, especially setting up a system quickly. Sure, you can limit amount per customer per store. But then someone comes in with their husband and double dips, and then go back through in 10 minutes hitting different checkouts, or just go through self checkout, and then go to different stores… All the toilet paper is still gone, encouraging fear in other people to do the same as the couple above. The alternative would have been “you idiots are buying all the toilet paper? Fine. It’s 5x more expensive now.” People then see that toilet paper is still in stores and prices can come down gradually but rapidly, and if people start being nervous again prices can quickly raise to stamp that out.
  - rightbyte 1y ago
    > But then someone comes in with their husband and double dips, and then go back through in 10 minutes hitting different checkouts, or just go through self checkout, and then go to different stores… During a panic toilet paper shooping spree that would allow like 100 other customers to also get toilet paper.