That should be illegal also, and is in some countries.

In France, for example: “Le vendeur doit clairement signaler les rabais proposés par rapport à un prix de référence réel. Il est ainsi interdit d'augmenter le prix d'un produit avant la période des soldes, dans le but de faire croire à une offre promotionnelle plus importante qu'elle ne l'est réellement.”[0]

My translation: “The vendor must clearly indicate the discounts offered relative to a real reference price. It is thus forbidden to increase the price of a product before the sales period, with the goal of making people believe that a promotional offer is more significant than it actually is.”

This sort of practice shouldn’t be considered normal. It’s one of the many ways in which low-level corruption is widely legal and accepted in the US.

[0]: French government website explaining sales regulations. https://www.service-public.fr/professionnels-entreprises/vos...

> It isn't really fraud unless we start regulating and prosecuting it. And we don't, right?

I can't let this stand. Actions were right or wrong before the first regulation was written and before the first judge banged his gavel under an acacia tree. Wrong actions continue to be wrong no matter what laws and judges say.

Lying to make a sale is fraud, whether it's regulated and prosecuted or not.

All of the above should be prosecuted. If you want markets to be anywhere near efficient you're gonna have to force the capitalists into it. If we don't we'll eventually be back to kings.