Gas prices keep rising at a ridiculous rate, but gas station owners aren’t to blame — take it from a gas station owner. [More]
price gouging
Analyst Says NBC Universal-Comcast Union Will Make Cable Prices Rise Faster
By 2.1.11
Now that NBC Universal and Comcast have sealed their civil union to become NBCUniversal — isn’t it adorable how she took his name? — it will presumably soon be time for subscribers to give the company its wedding gifts: Higher cable rates. [More]
Self-Insured Premiums Jump By 20%, Triggering Warning From White House
By 6.22.10
About 10% of respondents in our informal poll yesterday about health insurance said they pay their own premiums, and according to a new poll from Kaiser Survey, three quarters of those people just faced a premium increase of 20% on average. The recent hikes have prompted the White House to say it will “sternly warn industry executives” today that insurers shouldn’t try to use the new health care law as an excuse to gouge customers, according to the New York Times. [More]
Beware Best Buy Computer Price Hikes
By 5.24.10
Donald says Best Buy is sticking it to uninformed customers by advertising computers at higher than regular prices and passing them off as great deals without quite calling them sales. [More]
Continental's Bereavement Fares Showed Us No Sympathy
By 5.7.10
Andy’s sister and her family suffered a relative’s death while traveling and had to stay for the funeral. Continental offered her a costly bereavement fare, telling her to take it or leave it, then hiked the price by $200 when she decided to check around and then buy the tickets. [More]
Walmart Overcharges Soldiers Stationed Abroad For Shipping
By 12.16.09
The idea behind military mail is to allow people in a given country to send mail to their loved ones stationed anywhere in the world, for the same price as mailing a letter or package to any other destination in the United States. However, the military paper Stars and Stripes reports that some retailers are increasing prices for customers with APO/FPO addresses, claiming “higher transportation costs.” The biggest offender? Walmart. Surprise! [More]
CVS, Walgreens Drop Tamiflu Prices After AG Sends Nasty Letter
By 12.1.09
Are CVS and Walgreens price gouging on liquid Tamiflu? The attorney general of Connecticut’s office says the AG, Richard Blumenthal, has “received information suggesting that some pharmacies have charged substantially increased out-of-pocket prices for Tamiflu, in some cases as high as $130 or more. He has also heard that some retailers may be purchasing capsules of higher-dosage Tamiflu from distributors and remarketing it as liquid-form lower dosages at greatly inflated prices.” [More]
Why Was Gas So Expensive?
By 10.13.08
Did you know that gas price gouging almost never occurs as prices rise? Rather, it’s most often when dealers keep prices artificially high even as their costs fall. As gas costs were near $5 a gallon until falling and oil companies earn around $100 billion each year, it’s a good time to question what really goes into the price of gas. The numbers on the gas station sign hide a complex set of transactions. Before gas can power your car, it must be discovered as crude oil, traverse three markets, and be refined from crude into gas. Inside, we’ll explain the three markets, walk you through the role of refineries, and show how oil companies use creative tactics to manipulate gas prices…
Is Walmart Price-Gouging Hurricane Victims?
By 9.20.08
A Walmart insider tells us that the price of cellphone chargers nearly doubled on orders from Walmart HQ in the wake of Hurricane Ike. Before the hurricane, chargers cost from $10-$15, but afterwards, they rose to a uniform $19.
New York City: 86% Of Milk Sellers Are Price-Gouging Customers
By 6.7.08
Sorry New Yorkers, but according to the City Council, you’re overpaying for both rent and milk. Anyone charging more than $3.93 for a gallon—86% of the city’s milk sellers, from bodegas to Whole Foods—is violating the state’s milk price-gouging law.
Why Is Gas So Freakin' Expensive?
By 5.29.07
Did you know that gas price gouging almost never occurs as prices rise? Rather, it’s most often when dealers keep prices artificially high even as their costs fall.
