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Then someone gets schooled:
That's why it's called a suggested manufacturer's price. The maufacturer suggests what it should cost but they can sell it for whatever they want. (the suggested price keeps the competition close though.)
Schooled with a capital "C". For Capitalism:
And here you are incorrect. Now, often it makes good business sense to adhere to MSRPs and cover prices, but there is no law requiring adhering to them. In fact, if the companies applied any pressure to us to stick to the cover prices either lower OR higher, they would be running the risk of a government investigation. I don't remember the exact details, but several years ago the record industry got in trouble over what was called "MAP" or minimum advertised price. When a new item came out, the record companies told retailers of ALL sizes that they could not advertise below a certain price. A consumer group found out of this practice and filed a class action lawsuit which resulted in fines from the federal government and a lawsuit settlement that cost the companies hundreds of millions in reimbursements. (My numbers may be a tad off, there, I'm going from memory)As a rule, the controls and laws regarding pricing in this country exist to protect the consumer from either gouging or collusion. If every retaile in the country sat down in a room and said "We're charing $25 for Astonishing X-Men #17 variant", that would be collusion, and illegal. Gouging is only invoked, generally, in the case of raising prices on necessary items in a time of crisis. Now, you can TRY to argue in court that a comic is a necessity, but you aren't likely to get far.
Posted by YourMomsBasement at September 22, 2006 12:00 PM