In a capitalist economy in which a bona fide business transaction occurs, there is no such thing as price gouging.
Perhaps there would be no such thing as customer loyalty either, and a business should have no hard feelings if a customer goes elsewhere. I'm reminded of that ad on TV for one of those loan shopping services in which a banker whines because his customer went for a better deal elsewhere "but you've banked with us for 10 years" or something like that. There wouldn't be ads about a company caring or being the customer's friend. Businesses would welcome comparison shopping, because that's part of the free market system.
Loyalty works both ways, but some business owners act like the customer owes it to them.
I'm just throwing this out as food for thought. I do believe in the value of relationships, including the intangibles, but as a customer I don't like being taken for granted.
Paul
