LETTER: Coke prices ‘a blatant rip-off’

To the editor:

I’m writing in regards to the “Losing its fizz” headline story in Wednesday’s edition of the Statesman. I’m not a big pop drinker, but I do believe in getting the most out of my money. Let’s just face it, I’m cheap. And I don’t like to see myself or others getting ripped off.

I would like to commend the bookstore for doing the right thing and not raising the price on the soda drinks. I agree with Cody Myers when he said “I feel like I’m really getting gypped now..”. Personally, I think Food and Dining Services is really just trying to rip the students off with the monopoly they have on campus. The proof of that is the fact that the bookstore was able to sell the drinks for $1 (while still making a profit) and Quick Stop sells the same thing for 40 cents more. That’s ridiculous. If that’s not a blatant rip-off, I don’t know what is.

I’m not a business major, but I have heard of a model called “supply and demand”. The way to get dining services to drop the price of Coke products is to not buy them anymore. All it would take is one week of zero coke product sales, and the price will drop. I know it would be a small inconvenience, but it would work. Once again, hats off to the bookstore for sticking up for the students.

Jared Crace