[MayflowerMadam]

“nobody is going to sell something at a loss.”

Maybe that’s true for some people. But during Harvey businesses were donating necessities at 100% loss. Depends on what’s in the hearts of certain people.

[longfellowsmuse]

Right, but I guess the question becomes should a business be able to decide how it sells goods during an emergency situation, or should the government legislate regulations. Just because something is unethical doesn’t mean it should be illegal. Government trying to regulate “ethics” is why we are currently in much of the mess we are in today.

[cyclotic]

Eminent economists Walter Williams and Thomas Sowell agree with me. (OK, I agree with them)

Also another article by John Stossell.

http://walterewilliams.com/price-gouging/

http://www.richmond.com/opinion/their-opinion/williams-price-gouging-or-conserving-resources/article_38b62a0e-1aeb-59f1-892c-93fd1572789a.html

http://www.aei.org/publication/thomas-sowell-provides-some-much-need-education-on-the-obvious-implications-of-anti-price-gouging-laws/

http://www.unionleader.com/column/John-Stossel-Price-gouging-and-other-disaster-myths-08312017

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

But during Harvey businesses were donating necessities at 100% loss. Depends on what’s in the hearts of certain people.

Did they donate all of their inventory or just enough to get people through the initial recovery phase?

No business is going to sell their products for a loss.

Price gouging isn't "gouging." It is natural supply and demand. When you raise the prices, more suppliers will enter that market and the price will decrease. It also prevents people from hoarding.