A What-If Story

 Lets say that you went out and bought a grocery (maybe a Whole Foods....maybe a Piggly Wiggly).  In the first five years.....you had a general profit of around $250,000 a year....after balancing the books and paying your taxes.  Then along came Covid, some changes in law, and you noted that weekly theft numbers went up.  

You had theft insurance but upon discussing the matter with the insurance folks....you came to realize that one single submission for one single month....would trigger a 75-percent increase in the yearly cost of insurance.  So you avoid triggering the insurance rate increase.

What you do?  Well....you go into the system and add 2-percent onto the cost of all products sold.  In the beginning...it's  not a big deal.

About a year into increased theft.....you notice that the weekly rate has doubled.

So you go in and rig up a 7-percent increase in the cost of groceries.

You go and add cameras. You add 7 security guys (adding more expense, so you trigger another 7-percent increase on goods).

More measures are taken.....you add another 1-percent to 3-percent onto the cost.

Then one day, you notice some person claiming intellect and wit....running for president....has said price-controls have to occur.  You add up the woes, weekly pressure, and increasing theft....wondering....how quick could I sell this 'load-of-crap'  grocery before price-controls arrive and destroy my model.

Your nephew 'Micky' comes up....business graduate of some stage university.   He wants to give you advice on how to properly run a grocery.  You eyeball his words....knowing that he has zero insider knowledge on how things work in today's world.  

What happens after November's election?

One of two things....you either keep running a theft-prone business with a ever-increasing pricing scheme, or you fold up because some idiots with no understanding will price-control you out-of-business.  

In the real world.....you opt for a 3rd option....making it a private operation that you can  only enter if you pay for a membership (with a active credit-card).....and agree to a full-up frisk at the end of the shopping experience....promising one-third off from what other groceries are offering.