WuFlu masks -profiteering in Chiang Mai

[Thailand]

The latest Corona Virus (WuFlu) is seeing huge profiteering from pharmacies despite the government saying it won't happen.

Wife and a few others had to doing the rounds of pharmacies in Chiang Mai to get masks for kids and to send to friends /relatives in other countries that had no or little supply.

Even basic surgical type masks that were selling from 7-8 baht for a single mask prior to the outbreak are now seeing prices up to 50 baht for a single unit!

That said,I guess it is business and no doubt a multitude of companies will have massive production underway and by the coming week or two there will be an enormous over supply. Hope those pharmacies don''t get stuck with boatloads of unwanted masks. ????

[flare]

It's the same in the US- Amazon sellers are mostly out of masks (especially for kids) until March or April.  The ones that have the decent 3M masks in stock are playing games like jacking up shipping rates.  I think the best current deal that didn't entail waiting at least six weeks was ~USD$40 for a pack of five 3M masks- they should be half (or less) of that.  If you can wait, the price will be coming down, but if you want it now you have to allow yourself to be robbed.

[saengd]

Tried buying hand gel today at Airport Plaza, 300 baht a bottle, normally 125 or so.

[elektrified]

58 minutes ago, saengd said:

Tried buying hand gel today at Airport Plaza, 300 baht a bottle, normally 125 or so.

Hand gel is about 50 Baht a bottle at our local pharmacy.

[eyecatcher]

Supply and demand is a common concept in business.

When you have a product in demand you can put the price up, 

and when its over supplied the price comes down.

Petrol companies change the price every single day in the same way.

 

Good luck to pharmacies, they are all run by 22yr old post grads who cant even afford to fill all their shelves...and how much are they profiteering? Individuals i reckon will barely be taking home an extra 2000bt this month

[connda]

On 2/5/2020 at 4:42 PM, flare said:

It's the same in the US- Amazon sellers are mostly out of masks (especially for kids) until March or April.  The ones that have the decent 3M masks in stock are playing games like jacking up shipping rates.  I think the best current deal that didn't entail waiting at least six weeks was ~USD$40 for a pack of five 3M masks- they should be half (or less) of that.  If you can wait, the price will be coming down, but if you want it now you have to allow yourself to be robbed.

I got a box of 3M 9332A which filter out 98% of the PM 2.5 particulate and actually fit comfortably.  I ordered last year getting ready for the 2020 haze season up North.  In you live in the North they are good to keep in stock and buy them before stocks start selling out as they do each year around burn season.  Then the virus hit.  So much for 'prepping' huh.  Being prepared ain't a bad thing even if words like 'prepper' are pejoratives according to main-stream news.  Suddenly you have what everyone else wants.  That ain't a bad thing.