When I saw that Omnicron was likely to spread across the UK, pushing up our already very high infection and death rates, I decided to buy myself some good disposable masks to wear in public places.
On Sunday 28th November I ordered 20 IDOIT FFP” Face Masks from Amazon for £20.99. They arrived yesterday, Tuesday 30th November. I tried them out today and found that they were comfortable to wear and did a good job in keeping my air out of people’s faces.
I was happy. So happy that I decided to order another box of 20.
I clicked on Amazon’s ever-so-convenient ‘Buy it again’ button and was about to place my order when I saw that the price was now £23.99.
That’s an increase of a little over 14%. In three days. For the same product. From the same supplier.
Suddenly, I wasn’t so happy.
My guess is that the original margin on the product, split between idoit EU and Amazon, would have been about 14-15%. If that’s right, then the margin just doubled. In three days.
What’s changed?
Not the design.
Not the cost of distribution.
Just people’s level of anxiety about a disease that was already killing more than 1,000 people a month in the UK and which now seems to have increased its transmissibility.
I’m sure there’s a name for that.
What do you think it is?
Suggestions are welcome.
Share them here and or with Amazon UK and Idiot EU.
Mike Finn's Fiction 
How did it go up that much?
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I suspect it’s based on what they think the market will bear
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Well, legally, it may not be price gouging or profiteering, but it’s pretty damn near close to it. Or just plain, ol’ greed.
Rose
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I think you’re right, Rose. From what I can see, this was a firm that made facemarks for people doing DIY work. COVID must be a bonanza for them. They make good masks but it seems like they can’t resist squeezing the lemon a little harder.
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