Profiteering during Haze Crisis

[jw5]

Singaporeans by and large are suckers as consumers, crisis or no crisis. The herd mentality is very strong here and Singapore consumers will rush to purchase when they perceive shortage even when they do not need the product. Just look at the ridiculous behaviour during the Hello Kitty craze. Same with the N95 mask. Did everyone really need an N95 mask so urgently from June 19 to 22, not to mention buying in big quantities? If one really needs an N95 mask so badly, is a price difference of $0.50-1.00 per piece a real cause for complaint when people have no qualms in say, paying $2 for a Breadtalk pork floss bun as a matter of routine? Tell me, if one really needs the N95 mask, which is a better value commodity - the mask at say $3 or the pork floss bun at $2?

Exactly.
Or as tonychat puts it much more obnoxiously but more succinctly and possibly just as accurately, stay away from sinkies.
LOL.

 

[chilakak]

Exactly.
Or as tonychat puts it much more obnoxiously but more succinctly and possibly just as accurately, stay away from sinkies.
LOL.

On the contrary, if one were in business to make money asap, morals be damned, one should specifically seek out sinkies.

 

[jw5]

On the contrary, if one were in business to make money asap, morals be damned, one should specifically seek out sinkies.

Not from the point of view of businessmen, but as fellow human beings/people/consumers/passengers/customers, etc etc............

 

[greenies]

Singaporeans by and large are suckers as consumers, crisis or no crisis. The herd mentality is very strong here and Singapore consumers will rush to purchase when they perceive shortage even when they do not need the product. Just look at the ridiculous behaviour during the Hello Kitty craze. Same with the N95 mask. Did everyone really need an N95 mask so urgently from June 19 to 22, not to mention buying in big quantities? If one really needs an N95 mask so badly, is a price difference of $0.50-1.00 per piece a real cause for complaint when people have no qualms in say, paying $2 for a Breadtalk pork floss bun as a matter of routine? Tell me, if one really needs the N95 mask, which is a better value commodity - the mask at say $3 or the pork floss bun at $2?

Different scenario/ case, brother.
We can avoid buying or eating that pricy foods, but N95 or certain medicines are essential in time of crisis.
Thus, profiteering should be banned and taken action against the vendors by the Gov.

 

[greenies]

Fren, I fully agree with your social inclination in case of a crisis. In the case of the haze at it's peak last week, I still wouldn't consider that a crisis though. People can choose to stay indoors, and I don't think there were any reports of people collapsing while walking around. I'd rate it as yellow alert, Red alert would be crisis, in which case, your citizen army should be the one going about handing out N95 masks to the people out there.

Off the main topic, in Singapore, demand and supply for many things are regulated. Cars, lodging, and to a certain extent, petrol (the three-quarter tank rule) are tuned by the gahmen. However, the society has come to accept that as normal, and to many, even necessary.

Cheers!

Thank you, brother.
We share our understanding and awareness on happening in Sinkie land.