Gouging

[sandtrap]

So Costco buys balls from salesman a for $15, Costco sells said balls for $29. Buyer of $29 balls sells them for $50.

 

Why is buyer of balls at $15 a good guy and buyer of balls at $29 a bad guy?

 

A better question is why does anyone buy water? It's free and abundant in these United States.

[sandtrap]

Everything that you buy that wasn't made by the guy selling it is a "flip"

[eagle1997]

I will refrain from commenting about the current majority consumer that feels golf is either too hard, takes too much time or requires too much energy.

 

And I'll refrain from stating how most consumers are unathletic, gullible boobs who can't turn off their cell phones long enough to sample the sounds, smells, tastes and feel of pure golf.

[daveltb]

Wow.

Should have gave the OP more credit.

Never thought this thread would go past page 1.

[DrCRHop]

honest question: why should i care if the game grows or not. not associated with any retailers and golf course owners, restaurant shops etc. thought that was always a marketing phrase after tv commercials.

 

doesn't affect me in the least if my foursome were the only people on the course. couldn't care less if the cost of golf drives hacks away.

 

last thing i need is another 6 hour round

Unfortunately if your foursome is the only group on the course on a regular basis, you won't have a course to play on for very long. Whether you care or not is fine, but your description would definitely affect you.

[Medic]

Unfortunately nothing you can do OP. It's a free market sort of thing. If people were not willing to pay more for the items then those selling would move on.

 

I myself got a bargain set of irons awhile back that I did not want. I paid far less than they were worth. I ended up selling them on eBay for twice what I paid. Was I supposed to just pass those same savings along to the new owner?

 

Not the way it works. Sadly there seems to be a sort of a sense of entitlement going on to a certain degree. "You only paid $10 so when you sell it to me you should let me have it for $10 cause that's what you paid. Otherwise you should not post it for sale here because it's not fair to me."

Nope - not the way it works at all.....

[jpdx]

early bird gets the worm? day late and dollar (or $15/dz) short?

[jschwarb]

A gas station owner tripling his price in a shortage, a grocery store jacking prices on milk and bread in a disaster -- that's gouging. This is supply and demand.

[Augster]

So Costco buys balls from salesman a for $15, Costco sells said balls for $29. Buyer of $29 balls sells them for $50.

 

Why is buyer of balls at $15 a good guy and buyer of balls at $29 a bad guy?

 

A better question is why does anyone buy water? It's free and abundant in these United States.

 

This is EXACTLY it. Same for Jordan releases.

 

Nike gets the shoes for $15 a pair and sells them for $200. A guy gets a hold of the pair for $200 and sells for $300 and he shouldn't? Crazy math people.

 

Every single item you buy has been marked up from the original cost.

 

I don't get these communist rants that sometime fester on this site.

 

Ball prices are not a deterrent to "growing the game". It is probably the last item that matters in growing the game. 90%+ of golfers would shoot the same score with a range ball or a V1. Your "average" golfer can't break 100. Does the ball he plays really matter?

 

Commerce. Supply and demand. Free markets. If you don't like it, start planning your overthrow.

[Medic]

A gas station owner tripling his price in a shortage, a grocery store jacking prices on milk and bread in a disaster -- that's gouging. This is supply and demand.

 

Gouging is also a dangerous wrestling move where you stick your thumb deep into your opponent's eye socket and keep tugging until he gives up or his eye pops out - or both.

 

But seriously, this is the most accurate definition of price gouging or "profiteering" that could be written. And there is definitely a difference between that and making a reasonable profit on a sale.

[Fade]

A gas station owner tripling his price in a shortage, a grocery store jacking prices on milk and bread in a disaster -- that's gouging. This is supply and demand.

 

Gouging is also a dangerous wrestling move where you stick your thumb deep into your opponent's eye socket and keep tugging until he gives up or his eye pops out - or both.

 

But seriously, this is the most accurate definition of price gouging or "profiteering" that could be written. And there is definitely a difference between that and making a reasonable profit on a sale.

 

And yet, the practice of "real" price gouging can be easily argued for:

 

https://en.wikipedia...t_price_gouging

 

Excerpt:

 

Economists Thomas Sowell and Walter E. Williams, among others, argue against laws that interfere with large or exorbitant price changes. According to this view, high prices can be viewed as information for use in determining the best allocation of scarce resources for which there are multiple uses. Many libertarian economists oppose price gouging legislation and argue that it prevents goods from going to individuals who value them the most and not just to those with the greatest wealth. For example, after a storm has felled numerous trees in a locality, advocates of this theory claim that a rise in the price of chain saws will discourage their purchase by people with only a minor need for them, making them more available for those with the strongest need, rather than the most wealth. Problems during the Siege of Paris (1870–1871), which critics attribute to price restrictions, are often held up as another example. With price gouging laws in place, producers are only able to charge a price set by law, and therefore have little additional incentive to increase supply to adversely impacted areas. If producers are able to make extra profit, these theorists argue, then they will increase the supply. It is claimed that these laws lead to after-market operations as consumers with the lowest opportunity costs buy up desired resources and attempt to resell them to public at higher prices.

 

To me, there isn't all that much difference in the practice, whether we are dealing with wants, or with needs.

[gmangolf]

This thread again? Seems like we have the same debate every three weeks.

 

This is the way the real world works. You may have the means and desire to sell something you own under market value, but generally speaking most do not. The buyers dictate market price by the way.

 

FWIW, I bought ksigs and have no intention of selling.

[wobgon]

Isn't the real question, why people are so obsessed with these golf balls......Seems almost embarrassing.

[LPSISCO]

I bought 4 dozen Ksigs when they first came out - played one dozen, the other 3 are sitting in my garage while I decide whether I want to standardize on the Chrome Soft for the year. I probably will. If I do, does that mean I'm a gouger if I sell the Ksigs at market price? Please.

[TheBIIgCat]

Why would you not sell them for market value ? Who is the dummy if you sell them for less then what the market dictates ?

[LPSISCO]

Why would you not sell them for market value ? Who is the dummy if you sell them for less then what the market dictates ?

 

Of course. The OP is upset because people are selling Ksigs for the same price guys pay for ProV's every day of the week. It's silly.

[TheBIIgCat]

Couldn't have said it better

[jpdx]

Isn't the real question, why people are so obsessed with these golf balls......Seems almost embarrassing.

 

How so?

[Medic]

A gas station owner tripling his price in a shortage, a grocery store jacking prices on milk and bread in a disaster -- that's gouging. This is supply and demand.

 

Gouging is also a dangerous wrestling move where you stick your thumb deep into your opponent's eye socket and keep tugging until he gives up or his eye pops out - or both.

 

But seriously, this is the most accurate definition of price gouging or "profiteering" that could be written. And there is definitely a difference between that and making a reasonable profit on a sale.

 

And yet, the practice of "real" price gouging can be easily argued for:

 

https://en.wikipedia...t_price_gouging

 

Excerpt:

 

Economists Thomas Sowell and Walter E. Williams, among others, argue against laws that interfere with large or exorbitant price changes. According to this view, high prices can be viewed as information for use in determining the best allocation of scarce resources for which there are multiple uses. Many libertarian economists oppose price gouging legislation and argue that it prevents goods from going to individuals who value them the most and not just to those with the greatest wealth. For example, after a storm has felled numerous trees in a locality, advocates of this theory claim that a rise in the price of chain saws will discourage their purchase by people with only a minor need for them, making them more available for those with the strongest need, rather than the most wealth. Problems during the Siege of Paris (1870–1871), which critics attribute to price restrictions, are often held up as another example. With price gouging laws in place, producers are only able to charge a price set by law, and therefore have little additional incentive to increase supply to adversely impacted areas. If producers are able to make extra profit, these theorists argue, then they will increase the supply. It is claimed that these laws lead to after-market operations as consumers with the lowest opportunity costs buy up desired resources and attempt to resell them to public at higher prices.

 

To me, there isn't all that much difference in the practice, whether we are dealing with wants, or with needs.

 

I would be very careful using Wikipedia to back a position. Lots of higher educational institutions will not allow the use of this "source" because it is so unreliable. Not that what you cited isn't accurate. But just the use of this source sort of serves to discredit your position a bit.

 

Back to the OP, "gouging" is not the same as selling something for a profit. A profit is a reasonable amount of mark-up taking into consideration the actual total cost of the good or service. To gouge is to use one's position in marketing to force another to pay an excessive amount for a good or service that is a necessity.

Water during a hurricane aftermath selling for $5 per bottle is price gouging. (and is illegal here in Florida) Golf balls selling for $30/dozen simply isn't. People can live without one but must have the other.

[BeeMan]

Why would you not sell them for market value ? Who is the dummy if you sell them for less then what the market dictates ?

 

Of course. The OP is upset because people are selling Ksigs for the same price guys pay for ProV's every day of the week. It's silly.

 

Have at paying triple the price, the people paying that are stupid IMO.

[TheBIIgCat]

Agreed

[GoIrish17]

Why would you not sell them for market value ? Who is the dummy if you sell them for less then what the market dictates ?

 

Of course. The OP is upset because people are selling Ksigs for the same price guys pay for ProV's every day of the week. It's silly.

 

Have at paying triple the price, the people paying that are stupid IMO.

 

So you agree that the buyers are the idiots and not the sellers?

[TheBIIgCat]

No previous comment... I could care less what other people spend their money on

[GoIrish17]

No previous comment... I could care less what other people spend their money on

 

This post makes no sense. "No previous comment", and could care less. So, what would it take to not care less?

[coach_harris1]

honest question: why should i care if the game grows or not. not associated with any retailers and golf course owners, restaurant shops etc. thought that was always a marketing phrase after tv commercials.

 

doesn't affect me in the least if my foursome were the only people on the course. couldn't care less if the cost of golf drives hacks away.

 

last thing i need is another 6 hour round

This is what's wrong with our country today!!!! Piss ants wanna be all about themselves and not the big picture. Quotes like this make me sick. "Why should I care, doesn't affect me?" Seriously dude are you a politician?

[coach_harris1]

Buying and selling for profit is just good ole capitalism. Nothing wrong with it. Price gouging is like on 9/11 and days after when the gas stations jacked the price up to $5 and $6 a gallon. Same when we have a big tornado here in Ok. Stores have been known to jack up the prices of certain things like debris clean up, lumber, etc. Taking advantage of a disaster or something similar is gouging.

[jj9000]

Is it really considered "Gouging" if both parties to a deal are satisfied with the deal?

 

Or, is it only considered gouging when a 3rd party...that has nothing to do with the deal...injects his/her thoughts and beliefs into the deal?

 

Serious question...why do some of you care so much about how other people spend their money? If you don't consider something a deal...move on.

 

I assure you there are folks in this world that could easily take your same stance relative to gouging...especially when the clothes you wear and the car you drive could feed their family for months.

 

So...tell me again about this gouging concept.

[TheBIIgCat]

No previous comment... I could care less what other people spend their money on

 

This post makes no sense. "No previous comment", and could care less. So, what would it take to not care less?

I thought you had quoted me, initially.. You didn't, which is why it makes zero sense

[Pudgelewis]

Unfortunately nothing you can do OP. It's a free market sort of thing. If people were not willing to pay more for the items then those selling would move on.

 

I myself got a bargain set of irons awhile back that I did not want. I paid far less than they were worth. I ended up selling them on eBay for twice what I paid. Was I supposed to just pass those same savings along to the new owner?

 

Not the way it works. Sadly there seems to be a sort of a sense of entitlement going on to a certain degree. "You only paid $10 so when you sell it to me you should let me have it for $10 cause that's what you paid. Otherwise you should not post it for sale here because it's not fair to me."

Nope - not the way it works at all.....

 

Remember the thread sometime in the last year or two where the guy was saying whatever you paid for something was the new "value" of it and you were strictly forbidden from getting more than that for it (or something asinine like that)?

 

A gas station owner tripling his price in a shortage, a grocery store jacking prices on milk and bread in a disaster -- that's gouging. This is supply and demand.

 

That's the way I've always seen it.

[Skhacker]

Costco execs are laughing at how they're able to dump these bargain balls and still make a nice profit, knowing they'll sell out every time. That being said, I still have 6 dozen lol. They're definitely no pro v1x or Chrome soft for that matter, but a cool gift for someone down the road. I don't feel I was gouged paying retail in store when Costco likely bought these for a couple bucks a dozen though.