Saturday, February 7
The gas lighter man
When I was on my way to the post office today in the city(AHEM) centre I noticed a strange phenomenon, the gas lighter man. Standing outside Wilkinsons is a small, slightly dishevelled man selling lighters at five for £1.
There is nothing amazing about this you might think...but I later found out that the prices of the lighters seem to fluctuate throughout the year. Maybe it is seasonally, or maybe due to supply and demand.
Perhaps there is a shortage of cigarette lighters in the Lancashire area - Mr gas lighter man will then sell 4 for £1. Or what about if the market is suddenly flooded with cheap lighters - the price then drops to an all time low of 6 for £1. Apparently he also sometimes diverges into socks and elastoplast.
Who would have thought that a guy selling crappy lighters could provide such an excellent example of Laissez faire free market economics...
When I was on my way to the post office today in the city(AHEM) centre I noticed a strange phenomenon, the gas lighter man. Standing outside Wilkinsons is a small, slightly dishevelled man selling lighters at five for £1.
There is nothing amazing about this you might think...but I later found out that the prices of the lighters seem to fluctuate throughout the year. Maybe it is seasonally, or maybe due to supply and demand.
Perhaps there is a shortage of cigarette lighters in the Lancashire area - Mr gas lighter man will then sell 4 for £1. Or what about if the market is suddenly flooded with cheap lighters - the price then drops to an all time low of 6 for £1. Apparently he also sometimes diverges into socks and elastoplast.
Who would have thought that a guy selling crappy lighters could provide such an excellent example of Laissez faire free market economics...
