Recent Demand for Air Purifiers in Wake of The Bushfires

nomster on 09/01/2020 - 20:48

I'm seeing a flurry of articles, and talk of air purifiers and face masks running out of stock.

Huge shortage with Wesfarmers, Harvey Norman, JB and popular eBay vendors all out of stock.

Are there pricing laws in NSW/QLD/VIC that would prohibit price jacking to meet demand here?

I can only imagine that scalpers will start to emerge to take advantage of this.

What will society do if that happens?

Side Note:
Actually, this may start to run into water purifiers too considering how close Warragamba was to the Green Wattle fire. Maybe there will be metro water shortage and water will be $10/L?

General Discussion Air Purifier

Comments

  • Hybroid on 09/01/2020 - 20:49
    +3

    We live in a capitalist society. Demand and supply fluctuations exist.

    • nomster on 09/01/2020 - 20:54

      Is it right that sellers should take advantage of this? Something akin to medication. (maybe a long bow)

      • Hybroid on 09/01/2020 - 20:57

        Legally? Yes.

        Morally? Debateable.

        • [Deactivated] on 09/01/2020 - 21:06
          +1

          There's no moral ambiguity about it.

          Is the item naturally available to everyone? No.

          Is the item's supply controlled or restricted? No.

          Is the pricing the same for everyone? Yes

          The consumer is therefore not deprived of a commodity they would otherwise be able to access if not for restrictions and there isn't a preferential treatment for supply.

      • HighAndDry on 10/01/2020 - 08:40
        +1

        Perfectly fine. If you want something that belongs to someone else, you have to pay enough so that they agree to give it to you; you don't just get to take other people's stuff.

      • whooah1979 on 10/01/2020 - 09:00

        Absolutely.

    • wisdomtooth on 18/01/2020 - 00:34

      You mean *market economy. Commerce and markets have long existed before capitalism came about. And, of course, market prices responded to supply and demand then too.

  • [Deactivated] on 09/01/2020 - 20:53

    Wait a few more months and there will be heaps on second hand market.

    • nomster on 09/01/2020 - 20:55
      +1

      Snag em cheap, flog em off next December. when the unburnt Royal National Park & Georges River goes up?

      • [Deactivated] on 09/01/2020 - 20:57
        -1

        If you're so sure it's going to happen, you should put your money where your mouth is.

        • nomster on 09/01/2020 - 21:07

          I'm not sure of the timing or severity, but it'd be illogical to say that the bush doesn't burn.

          • [Deactivated] on 09/01/2020 - 21:09
            -1

            @nomster: The crazy dudes prophesizing the end of the world also operate on the same logic.

            • Slippery Fish on 10/01/2020 - 09:07

              @[Deactivated]: No he has his points… the Aussie bush is designed to catch fire it's how a decent amount of our native trees seed.

              Aboriginals knew this and burnt sections and moved until it was grown back.

              • [Deactivated] on 10/01/2020 - 09:11
                -1

                @Slippery Fish: Like I said, if one believes in their prophecies, there are options to buy that will see you to riches.

                Of course, if one was wrong, then the opposite is true.

                Talk is cheap.

                • Slippery Fish on 10/01/2020 - 09:22

                  @[Deactivated]: I have standards and won't speculate in the misery of others.

                  My only point is that the Australian bush is one that is drought resistant (because it has droughts often) and uses fire to germinate (as it has fires often enough to germinate itself)

                  Its Europeans that introduced the concept of making solid structures and not being nomadic.

                  • [Deactivated] on 10/01/2020 - 12:36

                    @Slippery Fish:

                    I have standards and won't speculate in the misery of others.

                    You say misery, others call it need/convenience.

                    All commodities traded are to someone somewhere a necessity.

  • Wallyt99 on 10/01/2020 - 00:56

    Just got one from eBay Gearbite using the 10% off ebay plus code. Good value.

  • Ugly on 10/01/2020 - 08:13
    +1

    Forget about water purifiers - the bushfires will not affect the quality of the water supply.
    All water is run though treatment plants before entering the system. It doesn't go straight from the dam to you.

    • [Deactivated] on 10/01/2020 - 09:05

      Unless… you know… your water comes from rain collection.

      • Slippery Fish on 10/01/2020 - 09:23

        But all that charcoal around can filter it.

      • Ugly on 10/01/2020 - 12:13
        +1

        response was to OP's comment was about the fires being close to Warragamba, not rainwater tanks

        • [Deactivated] on 10/01/2020 - 12:33
          -1

          Fair enough.

  • whooah1979 on 10/01/2020 - 09:09

    Maybe there will be metro water shortage and water will be $10/L?

    Drink bottled water.

  • Melb69 on 10/01/2020 - 10:21

    Is there evidence of price jacking? In any event a store can price jack given a shortage of supply. Gee the dam petrol stations just jacked up prices as soon as the Iran thing has happened. Just do your research and consider the prices. I believe the prices aren't jacked at the moment as the models not supplied are similar at other stores. Ebay prices of re-sellers, might be jacked as on sellers try to capitalise on shortage.

    Not every one wants to spend dollars on an air purifier. Gee you can make your own from what other experts are saying. If you want one just wait till stocks are available again and there is a sale. Like any other product. Someone will post a bargain.

  • AustriaBargain on 11/01/2020 - 16:25

    Do air purifiers work on smoke.

  • deme on 11/01/2020 - 16:38

    I agree that you should not be able to jack up prices due to a disaster however my understanding of legislation is that this is legal, I personally think this should be changed.

    What would not be legal is jacking up prices in a cartel manner

    • wisdomtooth on 18/01/2020 - 00:42

      It is buyers who push prices up by competing to acquire something in short supply, not sellers who "jack" them up. Unless, of course, they are oligopolists. If they aren't, and they don't raise their prices in response to increased demand, they go broke either bc their competitors will be making more money, enabling them to invest more (in marketing, etc), or their costs will be going up too, and they'll be making losses on their items.

      • deme on 18/01/2020 - 19:34

        Now that is new speak if I ever heard it

        • wisdomtooth on 19/01/2020 - 13:46

          Nope, it's Microeconomics 101.

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