price gougers
Disaster markup artists
Price gougers are sellers who sharply raise prices during emergencies or shortages, exploiting desperate demand.
The term is always pejorative, implying greed and unfairness: Price gougers were selling bottled water for ten dollars a gallon after the hurricane.
Many jurisdictions have laws against the practice, though economists debate whether such laws help or hurt consumers.
Resell tickets above face value
- hoardersExcessive keepers of things
- profiteersThose gaining from hardship
- monopolistsSole market controllers
- opportunistsThose exploiting any advantage
swindlers · racketeers · middlemen · speculators · resellers · ticket scalpers · landlords · vendors
Exploiting scarcity for gain
- shortagesInsufficient quantities available
- scarcityInsufficiency of something needed
- hoardingExcessive accumulation of goods
- black marketIllicit trading system
opportunism · supply shock · panic buying · rationing · stockpiling · monopolizing · essential goods · emergencies
Added percentage for profit
- overchargingDemanding excessive payment
- supply and demandPrice-determining economic forces
- market manipulationArtificially distorting asset prices
- antitrustAgainst corporate market dominance
monopoly · oligopoly · consumer protection · regulation · fines · penalties · lawsuits · enforcement
Morally unacceptable, beyond reason
- exploitativeUnfairly using others' vulnerabilities
- predatoryExploiting the vulnerable
- unscrupulousLacking moral principles
- opportunisticExploiting circumstances for gain
extortionate · exorbitant · rapacious · mercenary · unfair · immoral · illegal · deceptive
Those who buy goods
- elderlyAdvanced in age
- vulnerableOpen to attack
- low-incomeEarning below average wages
- desperateDriven by urgent need
stranded · sick · uninsured · renters · students · travelers · essential workers · families
scalpers
Resell tickets above face value
- hoardersExcessive keepers of things
- profiteersThose gaining from hardship
- monopolistsSole market controllers
opportunists · swindlers · racketeers · middlemen · speculators · resellers · ticket scalpers · landlords · vendors · retailers
profiteering
Exploiting scarcity for gain
- shortagesInsufficient quantities available
- scarcityInsufficiency of something needed
- hoardingExcessive accumulation of goods
black market · opportunism · supply shock · panic buying · rationing · stockpiling · monopolizing · essential goods · emergencies · natural disasters
markup
Added percentage for profit
- overchargingDemanding excessive payment
- supply and demandPrice-determining economic forces
- market manipulationArtificially distorting asset prices
antitrust · monopoly · oligopoly · consumer protection · regulation · fines · penalties · lawsuits · enforcement · artificial scarcity
unconscionable
Morally unacceptable, beyond reason
- exploitativeUnfairly using others' vulnerabilities
- predatoryExploiting the vulnerable
- unscrupulousLacking moral principles
opportunistic · extortionate · exorbitant · rapacious · mercenary · unfair · immoral · illegal · deceptive · manipulative
consumers
Those who buy goods
- elderlyAdvanced in age
- vulnerableOpen to attack
- low-incomeEarning below average wages
desperate · stranded · sick · uninsured · renters · students · travelers · essential workers · families · communities
price gougerssocial enterprises
Businesses with charitable aims
discount retailers · loss leaders · charitable organizations · food banks
price gougersphilanthropists
Generous supporters of good causes
benefactors · givers · altruists · humanitarians · volunteers
price, prices, priced, pricing, pricey, priceless, reprice, gouge, gouger