The price changes are due to supply and demand. A,B,C,D and E do not set the prices. We all know who controls all of the vendors down there. The "pharmacists" from each site are given a little leeway, like giving a couple of freebies, replacing fakes, lost orders, etc, but that is the extent of their involvement in the finance part of the business. Hell, most of them did/do not even know they were/are selling fakes. You have to trust me on that last statement, it is true.
Are their orders down? Sure are! What kind of numbers have you seen on your envelopes? Mine used to get as high as 40 or 50. Now they are in the teens. That is another reason for the price hikes.
Most of this post is fact that can be researched easily. A small part of it is opinion. Do with it what you want, just do not propose that we all stop buying gas on a certain day to protest the high cost charged by the oil companies, if you get my meaning.
T
*Mods - like topdog referenced in his post, if this discussion (which I think is within the guidelines and is certainly viable to the subjects in this forum), needs to be modified, or moved to a new or different thread, please go ahead and replace or move my post as well.
topdog - I thought your post was great with several strong points. Now maybe I have misread the posts and opinions of those before me in this thread, but just to clarify my point, I didn't say and did not, in any way, mean to insinuate that the vendors set the prices for the products advertised on their websites and were/are responsible for the minimum and price increases everyone has experienced, especially lately. In fact, I addressed this subject 2 days ago in the 'I Have Something To Say But..." thread (Actually, I mistakenly thought it was earlier in this thread). But I don't expect you or anyone else to have noticed that, I only brought it up to illustrate my previous viewpoint on the subject. Anyway, in that thread I said, "It just seems like... the boss behind the vendors are pricing themselves right out of customers (insinuating that not only were those vendors - "be it A, B, C, D or E," not responsible for the increases in price or in minimums, instead technically their bosses were."
I've also stated that I thought greed, in addition to the supply and demand that you mentioned, played a role in both the price and minimums increase. I think if it was only supply and demand, as the orders go down and assuming they stay down and level off again at some point, the prices and even the minimums would also go back down, or at least partially. And in the years I have been following these OPs (formerly over on the DB forum for a decade), I can count on zero fingers and thumbs how many times I have seen the prices go up on items and then return to their original or previous amount - not on any item whatsoever. That obviously does not mean it can't happen, as a matter of fact, I'd LOVE for that to happen, but both my past experiences with OP's (from this country, Mexico, Europe et al.), and my basic knowledge of human nature tell me otherwise.
I absolutely remember the numbers on the letters that you mention in your post, and I certainly would've noticed if mine went from the 50's down to the teens, but unfortunately, like others, I haven't been able to order since these new increases were put into place. However, it is nice to know that orders have gone down, if only as personal solace in knowing that I'm not the only one who just can no longer afford to play ball (so to speak).
I genuinely don't know who was proposing that everyone stop doing business with their vendor of choice on a certain day as a form of protest, but I could not agree with you more on how ridiculous and pointless that type of action would be.
Although, I still don't see a problem with the basic outline liveline101 proposed above. Even though the vendors do not set the prices, rules etc... they still are somewhat of a conduit between the customers and those actually responsible for changing the prices. But like I said in an earlier post, I'm also not delusional as to what I think would happen even if every single customer expressed their disappointment in these changes and even if just as many made it clear to those calling the shots, that (like myself) they would not be able to order nearly as often as they did previously. But I also don't think doing either or even both of those things would hurt.
In my opinion, the only thing that could or will change the prices, the minimums or both, back to what they once were, or at least to a more reasonable increase, is the loss of business and profits. And even if that were to happen, or even if it is beginning to happen now, my cynicism won't allow me to believe that the customers will see a return to the order sizes and prices of old, or even less of an increase in both areas as a type of a compromise in an attempt lure old business back again, anytime even remotely soon.
Anyway, thanks again topdog for your post, as it's always helpful to read another opinion on this matter, especially a well-informed one like yours.
GoldenBoy74
