Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Price gouging is a term referring to when a seller spikes the prices of goods, services or commodities to a level much higher than is considered reasonable or fair, and is considered exploitative, potentially to an unethical extent. It's illegal in most states. A landscaper was charging anywhere from $500 to $750 an hour for snow removal. If this is his typical rate, I wouldn't think it be an issue, which I highly doubt. Raising his rates 10 times just because a rare snow storm hits, that meets the definition of price gouging. This new story should be less about how the teen made $35k and more about how he took advantage of people during a snow storm to line his own pockets.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
44,570 posts, read 81,147,605 times
Reputation: 57791
I don't think that gouging applies in this case. He is not an established Seattle business charging more than usual for the same work. Considering how far he drove to get here and that he must have taken time off from his regular job, I would expect him to charge considerably more. Obviously people could afford it and were willing to pay it, or he wouldn't have made so much. I know in our neighborhood many people would have loved to have him around to hire. We still can't pout out the trash for collection because of the snow a foot deep going out 4-5' into the road. Our city plows made one quick pass through the middle and a week later the berms have not melted.
I agree with other, this is not price gouging. In California, price gouging is when someone advantage of consumers during an emergency or disaster. Up to 10" of snow is an inconvenience to the folks in Seattle. They could have taken a shovel to clear their driveways for homeowners, but some were willing to pay this guy's price. If businesses were using his service, maybe he was the cheapest bid.
If you have a plow, the amount of time it takes to do a residential driveway is minimal. Also, what is fair to charge someone to run a 3/4 truck with a (not at all cheap) plow for an hour?
It is, by OP's definition, exploitative. Which means that people are getting exploited. Which implies that they have a real need or panic about getting a product or service. Snow removal doesn't cut it.
Price gouging is when a store charges $30 for a $3 case of water in front of a hurricane. People have a legitimate fear they won't be able to have drinking water. Snow removal is an inconvenience.
I agree with other, this is not price gouging. In California, price gouging is when someone advantage of consumers during an emergency or disaster. Up to 10" of snow is an inconvenience to the folks in Seattle. They could have taken a shovel to clear their driveways for homeowners, but some were willing to pay this guy's price. If businesses were using his service, maybe he was the cheapest bid.
Quote:
Originally Posted by JONOV
If you have a plow, the amount of time it takes to do a residential driveway is minimal. Also, what is fair to charge someone to run a 3/4 truck with a (not at all cheap) plow for an hour?
It is, by OP's definition, exploitative. Which means that people are getting exploited. Which implies that they have a real need or panic about getting a product or service. Snow removal doesn't cut it.
Price gouging is when a store charges $30 for a $3 case of water in front of a hurricane. People have a legitimate fear they won't be able to have drinking water. Snow removal is an inconvenience.
People have no right to purchase goods and services at a price that they deem as acceptable, even in the presence of natural disasters.
Laws against "price gouging" are simply the result of economically illiterate politicians pandering to a more illiterate constituency.
The FACT that anti "price gouging" laws ALWAYS result in shortages in the wake of disasters should be proof positive of how ridiculous the "gouging" issue is.
Price gouging is a term referring to when a seller spikes the prices of goods, services or commodities to a level much higher than is considered reasonable or fair, and is considered exploitative, potentially to an unethical extent. It's illegal in most states. A landscaper was charging anywhere from $500 to $750 an hour for snow removal. If this is his typical rate, I wouldn't think it be an issue, which I highly doubt. Raising his rates 10 times just because a rare snow storm hits, that meets the definition of price gouging. This new story should be less about how the teen made $35k and more about how he took advantage of people during a snow storm to line his own pockets.
I think he was providing a service people needed and were willing to pay for, rather than shovel it themselves, or invest in their own snowblower.
Good example of price gouging--which always happens after a hurricane, is the water that minimarts are selling for 3 times the normal cost, or the gasoline. Things that are necessities when their is a shortage and no choice--hiking up those prices is price gouging.
If you have a plow, the amount of time it takes to do a residential driveway is minimal. Also, what is fair to charge someone to run a 3/4 truck with a (not at all cheap) plow for an hour?
It is, by OP's definition, exploitative. Which means that people are getting exploited. Which implies that they have a real need or panic about getting a product or service. Snow removal doesn't cut it.
Price gouging is when a store charges $30 for a $3 case of water in front of a hurricane. People have a legitimate fear they won't be able to have drinking water. Snow removal is an inconvenience.
This is a bad example that came up during hurricane Harvey here locally. People were pissed off at a local gas station and when interviewed they explained that it was the normal price per bottle the store sold they just hadn’t broken the case down. 30.00/24 bottles 1.25 per bottle
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
