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> I dont think it’s the tariffs. I really think the entire category of merchants looked at each other and figured it was fine to raise prices.

Those statements aren't contradictory. Pricing in non-commodity goods is always a human phenomenon, driven ultimately by the idea that a business can 'get away with it' without losing too many customers to competitors.

Tariffs, on the other hand, provide a good reason/excuse to raise prices. Affected firms see their cost structures blown up, so they have to raise prices at least somewhat. Unaffected firms see that their competitors are raising / must raise prices, so they know that they can raise their own prices in the now less-competitive market. That's how and why tariffs work: they give domestic firms protection to have profits in excess of what they would have under a free trade counterfactual.

Any argument that tariffs don't raise prices is a very long-term one, relying on the idea that it will be easy to open new firms and expand domestic production to ultimately return to a competitive market. This has nearly no effect on short-term pricing, and it's why the least-damaging changes to tariff policies are long-run and well-telegraphed plans, slowly implemented.

That's what tariffs do though. If you have a product that competes with another that now costs more due to tariffs, you're now free to raise your prices as well, in order to maximize profit. Your product may not have a tariff, but it does have greedy shareholders that see that they can now raise their earnings because competitors suddenly aren't so competitive anymore.

Try going on a shareholder earnings call. They're free. It's company executives trying to impress shareholders. It's the only place I've ever heard people brag about how much they've raised their prices.

Business is always "greedy", but it's true that it took some external events to make them realize they could get away with higher prices because consumers had gotten lazy about comparison shopping and alternatives. Good on you for boycotting increases by eating simply.

It’s the tariffs. You’re assuming that everyone will raise the price and have the same goals. Some businesses will see it as an opportunity to undercut and gain market share.

After all, total profit = sales margin * sales volume. You can increase your profit by increasing your volume because you kept your prices unchanged while your competitors decided to increase prices.

it works as long as all businesses are working together to fix prices, all it takes is one to undercut the other and reap the reward then it's every person/business for itself. I don't really care because, like you, my thought is go ahead and raise prices all you want I just won't be buying.

Goods are priced by what sellers can get away with, and when you have tariffs on your competitors, you can get away with more.

Yes, stop going to McDonalds altogether and cook at home. For $6 I can get a pack of 4 pack of artisanal and locally made sausages and dip them in mustard for literally the same value, far more food, and 1000x better taste. Stop supporting these poisonous companies.

You are right. An entire category of merchants (made in USA) looked at others (importers) who now need to pay increase prices due an import tax and figured it was fine to raise prices. Those greedy businesses who figured that you can raise prices just below the import tariffs and make consumers pay. Oh wait, what were you saying about tariffs?

Honestly? Thats faaaar too cheap for an animal product.

And since this is super low qualy, there should be an additional markup of 30-50%

You don't think it is the one thing being wielded as a personal enrichment device by a giant man child that cheats at golf is the cause? Well okay good luck with that.

Why get mad about people selling things for more than you will pay? Just don't buy it and move on.

I think it’s a combination of a number of things:

  Tariffs
  Price gouging and folks continuing to pay
  Lack of alternatives - have a garden? Know how to work on a car? Etc. 
  Genuine competition for resources around the world and increased demand for those resources