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If I knew I had a good chance to sell a $1,200 generator for $6,000; I might hit Home Depot or Lowe's and grab a couple and head on over to Houston.
That would increase the supply of generators available in Houston by a small, but measurable, level.
You will notice, however, that my ass is still firmly planted here near Tampa, FL.
Because of the anti-gouging laws in place, if I buy a generator at Home Depot for $1,200 the most I can charge for it in Houston will be $1,200. Hauling that generator to Texas is a net loss because I cannot recover my transportation costs, but even if I could, the maximum I can get under these laws is to break even. And I'd better have receipts!
So Houston must do without the 4 or 5 generators that Marv and I could load into his truck because, while we might be generous souls, we're not THAT generous!
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Exactly right.
ReplyDeleteThere's a line between price gouging and charging enough to cover your costs. If they arbitrarily set that line too low, they end up hurting the people they think they're protecting.
I heard the Texas Attorney General being interviewed on the radio and he sounded like he understood that. He seemed to say they wouldn't go after people unless it was particularly bad. The problem is giving anyone that discretion to set a limit. From the other side of the state it's a two day drive to get there, which means staying overnight somewhere and buying lots of gas. Let's say it costs you $200/per generator to carry them there. Do you want to bet that you won't get arrested for charging $1400 instead of $1200?
Besides, we have Irma coming. I thin she may miss us, but just in case.....
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