Best Buy $42 Water Not Worst of Harvey Price Gouging

Best Buy water was being sold in a Houston suburb for nearly $43 for a 24-bottle case, which Walmart was selling for $20, USA Today said. Best Buy issued an apology for the overpricing and blamed it on a few employees at one store.

Hurrican Harvey price gouging complaints were running high in Texas and there were reports of water prices from $30 to $90 per case. 

While residents in Houston and the surrounding areas fought to get out of dangerous floods left by Hurricane Harvey, a reporter posted a photo on Twitter on Tuesday of two cases of water being sold for $42.96 and $29.98 at the Best Buy in Cypress, USA Today noted.

One Houston resident sent me a pic of water he saw being sold for *$42* at a nearby Best Buy. They were kind enough to offer $29 bottles too pic.twitter.com/8dKz3sJJM1

— ken klippenstein (@kenklippenstein) August 29, 2017

Best Buy doesn't even sell water normally and put the overpriced H20 at the front of the store with a sign saying "limited suply!!!."

The price gouging, whether inadvertent or intentional, sparked outrage on social media.

Hey @BestBuy @BestBuySupport is this what you do to ppl that are in dire situations?

— ❄️OnTheWater (@2pineappletini) August 29, 2017

They need to be arrested. This is commerce at its worst. To take advantage of persons in this present situation is heartless!!!

— Richard Gaines (@PastorRGaines) August 29, 2017

Really @BestBuy ??? Price gouging when your fellow men needs your help. Shame. #HoustonStrong #CNN #MSNBC

— Francis (@adhonorem77) August 29, 2017

Best Buy spokesman Jeffrey Shelman issued an apology, saying the pricing error was made by a store employee who added up the cost of each individual bottle of water to come up with the price for the case, per USA Today.

"This was a big mistake on the part of a few employees at one store on Friday,'' Shelman said. "We're sorry and it won't happen again.'' Shelman said, noting that the electronics giant doesn't usually sell packages of bottled water.

USA Today pointed out that Walmart sells 24 packs of Poland Spring bottled water for $20.63.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said since Harvey's arrival, his office has been flooded with complaints of price gouging, according to Texas Public Radio.

"We've had over 500 complaints, what's nice today is people can send us pictures, they can send us email, people are becoming aware of the issue," Paxton said. "And so we've had issues with people overcharging water significantly."

Paxton said his office have received complaints of water prices from $30 to $90. He told Texas Public Radio that the fine for price gouging is up to $20,000.

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