Rhymes With Right - Looks Like Best Buy May Face Legal Trouble

This was the scene at one New Jersey Best Buy as Hurricane Irene approached.

Unfortunately, state law in New Jersey makes this illegal.

Attorney General Paula T. Dow and the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs today warned gasoline retailers, grocers, and other merchants that price gouging is prohibited during the State of Emergency declared in advance of Hurricane Irene. * * *

The law makes it illegal to sell merchandise at excessive price increases during a State of Emergency or within 30 days of the termination of the State of Emergency.

* * *

The law deems price increases excessive if they are more than 10 percent higher than the price at which a good or service was sold in the usual course of business prior to the State of Emergency; or, if additional costs are imposed by suppliers or certain logistical concerns during the State of Emergency, the increase is more than 10 percent of the amount of markup from cost, compared with the markup ordinarily applied.

Violations are punishable by civil penalties of up to $10,000 for the first offense and $20,000 for the second and subsequent offenses. Each individual sale of merchandise is considered a separate and distinct event.

I hope anyone who got taken by the folks at Best Buy will report the violation.

H/T Doug Ross

---

Source: http://rhymeswithright.mu.nu/archives/320679.php

tom waits aetna aetna hp touchpads hp touchpads hp touch pad hp touch pad