I’d love to see the tabloid TV shows tackle this one.
At the government owned Australia Post store opposite my shop they are offering 256MB USB memory sticks for $75.00 each. We have them for $55.00. Comparable on quality, brand name but NOT on price.
While I’m happy for Australia Post to be more expensive, their pricing policy ought to attract the same scrutiny from the tabloid TV ‘current affairs’ shows as they given to pharmacists on their markup policies. (Recent comparisons were made between pharmacy prices and supermarket prices with pharmacists looking greedy even though the comparison was biased in the supermarket favour.)
Unfortunately, punters locked in long lines through Post Offices waiting for mail services at the back counter will get lured in to buying stationery items.
This is why the government ought to sell off its retail network to independent business people so that the unfair advantage of the postal services counter is not used by the government against businesses like mine.
Of course, if Australia Post undercuts my price on USB stick I’ll have another crack complaining that they are using revenue from their mail business to underpin unprofitable markup policies for stationery.
Having my own government competing with my business angers me. They have no business selling stationery, greeting cards and other items carried in newsagencies like mine for decades prior to Australia Post entering the space. They have an unfair advantage and no one seems to care.