Price Gouging

[.455_Hunter]

The thread title is correct, because regardless of how you feel about "price gouging", it is against the law in Texas for essential items to have their retail cost inordinately increased during times of hardship. Ammo is on that list, and that is a portion of CTD's legal problems. I am not making a judgement either way, just stating the basis for the charges. Arguing that "price gouging" laws shouldn't exist is a separate discussion.

[Jer]

The thread title is correct, because regardless of how you feel about "price gouging", it is against the law in Texas for essential items to have their retail cost inordinately increased during times of hardship. Ammo is on that list, and that is a portion of CTD's legal problems. I am not making a judgement either way, just stating the basis for the charges. Arguing that "price gouging" laws shouldn't exist is a separate discussion.

When someone says "The price on the page was changed during checkout" that's not price gouging. That's what my statement was in response to. That may be an understandable technical mistake by a reputable vendor or (as is the case with CTD) a shady af business tactic done intentionally as they no longer get the benefit of the doubt in such matters. What it isn't, is price gouging by the letter of the very law you cited. Even the article doesn't draw a direct correlation between this check-out issue and the charges of price gouging as they're not one & the same.

Realize that I'm in no way defending CTD nor do I support them with my money. My larger fear is that ultimately these sorts of laws meant to protect consumers will have unintended consequences that could eventually be used against us. Keep jamming up the sellers of firearms and ammo with litigation and see how long you have vendors willing to sell such products. Say they get a win in court against CTD... who's next? What if it's a vendor you would otherwise approve of? What if the smarter ones realize it's not worth the BS and they can clear the same profit selling cheap imported Chinese phone chargers?

Personally, if I see something I want (or even "need" as is required for "price gouging" laws to apply) that's one price on the landing page and then during the check-out process the price increases for whatever reason... I make a mental note and move on to another supplier instead. I've done this countless times over the years with other vendors who clearly have profit margin built into their S&H fees and other random fees and upcharges. This is no different. Nobody is forcing anyone to follow through with what is clearly a shady transaction.

[Bailey Guns]

So-called conservatives: "We want smaller government. We want less interference of government in our lives."

Same so-called conservatives: "We want the government to make a law to prohibit retailers from charging the price they want to charge."


I'll never understand how people who say they believe in less government, capitalism and free-market ideals can reconcile the idea of "price gouging" with these ideals. It makes no sense to me whatsoever. These are the same people who denounce socialism as the first step to communism. But that's exactly what they're advocating for when they call for laws against "price gouging"...it's a step where the community (or the state at the behest of the community) controls part of the economic and/or market process.

Does it bother me that some companies/individuals do it? Yeah...sometimes. But I move on and either buy what I need at the inflated price or I don't. Because I'm an adult with free will and I make countless decisions like that every day practically. I've seen how CTD and some others do business and I'd think long and hard before giving my support to a company like that.

But... We've had this discussion numerous times here. It always goes the same way.

[MrPrena]

Bruh...y'all all commie bruh.

Selling medication for $10,900 insulin, $4000 for 1 day worth of antibiotic, $1000/mo internet services is considered Suppy and Demand fuckconomics 101 bruh...

So many fuckonomics doctorates ...