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Clark Howard's Tips

December 8, 2006

Merchandise is so cheap these days that it often feels like retailers are giving items away. Clark recently got a memory chip for free because he'd been sent a coupon in the mail. That chip normally would have cost $80 to $100.

The flip side of that is that the Supreme Court is considering a case that will allow "minimum pricing laws." That is a nice way of saying "price fixing." So, costs could go up quite a bit.

It's upsetting because it means that manufacturers would be able to tell retailers what to charge. In other words, discounters would have to sell goods at the same price as full-price retail consumers and that would be horrible for the consumer. And that is just wrong.

If the Supremes agree to this, Clark hopes Congress steps in and acts on behalf of the consumer. Otherwise, our dollars will go a lot less distance.

Consumer advice courtesy of