price gouging
Exploiting desperate buyers
Price gouging is charging excessively high prices during emergencies or shortages—selling bottled water at ten times the normal price after a hurricane, or marking up masks during a pandemic.
The term carries strong moral condemnation, implying exploitation of desperate circumstances.
Laws against price gouging vary by jurisdiction, typically triggered by declared emergencies.
The attorney general investigated reports of price gouging at gas stations after the storm.
Exploiting scarcity for gain
- extortionObtaining through threats
- overchargingDemanding excessive payment
- opportunismExploiting circumstances for gain
- taking advantageBenefiting from circumstances
fleecing · swindling · highway robbery · rip-off · markup · unconscionable · unscrupulous · squeezing
Excessive desire for wealth
- avariceExcessive desire for riches
- unfairUnjust or partial
- immoralContrary to ethical principles
- unconscionableMorally unacceptable, beyond reason
exploitation · profiteering · selfishness · opportunism · predatory · unethical · injustice · immorality
Sudden ruinous event
- emergencySerious sudden danger
- hurricaneViolent tropical windstorm
- earthquakeSeismic ground movement
- pandemicGlobal disease outbreak
shortage · flood · tornado · blackout · evacuation · natural disaster · state of emergency · essential goods
Fierce moral indignation
- angerIntense hostile emotion
- backlashStrong negative reaction
- boycottOrganized economic protest
- protestPublic expression of disapproval
condemnation · indignation · resentment · uproar · disgust · fury · public outcry · social media
Laws defending purchasers' interests
- attorney generalChief governmental legal officer
- fineAcceptable in quality
- penaltyPunishment for wrongdoing
- prosecutionPursuing legal charges
regulation · enforcement · complaint · investigation · lawsuit · class action · statute · illegal
profiteering
Exploiting scarcity for gain
- extortionObtaining through threats
- overchargingDemanding excessive payment
- opportunismExploiting circumstances for gain
taking advantage · fleecing · swindling · highway robbery · rip-off · markup · unconscionable · unscrupulous · squeezing · victimization
greed
Excessive desire for wealth
unconscionable · exploitation · profiteering · selfishness · opportunism · predatory · unethical · injustice · immorality · moral outrage
disaster
Sudden ruinous event
- emergencySerious sudden danger
- hurricaneViolent tropical windstorm
- earthquakeSeismic ground movement
pandemic · shortage · flood · tornado · blackout · evacuation · natural disaster · state of emergency · essential goods · bottled water
outrage
Fierce moral indignation
protest · condemnation · indignation · resentment · uproar · disgust · fury · public outcry · social media · viral
consumer protection
Laws defending purchasers' interests
- attorney generalChief governmental legal officer
- fineAcceptable in quality
- penaltyPunishment for wrongdoing
prosecution · regulation · enforcement · complaint · investigation · lawsuit · class action · statute · illegal · prohibited
- shoppingbuying, shopping cart, shop, purchases, sale
- pricingdiscounts, overcharge, markdowns, unit cost, market rate
- bad behaviorcheating, stealing, lying, greed, selfishness
- consumer problemsdefective product, billing error, wrong item, hidden fees, hidden fee
- greedgreed, avarice, covetousness, cupidity, materialism
- business ethicscode of conduct, ethics code, codes of conduct, ethics training, ethics committee
price gougingdiscounting
Reducing prices offered
price reduction · charitable giving · markdown · price freeze · giveaway
price gougingcharitable giving
Donating to help others
price controls · anti-profiteering · mutual aid · humanitarian aid · community support
price, prices, gouge, priced, pricing, overpricing, mispricing, repricing, underpricing