I'm hoping that this trend ends with the re-introduction of something I've long felt is missing from the American shopping experience. The ability to haggle.

Circumstances surrounding items in stores change by the minute. Things like demand, how long an item has been at a store, the fact that an updated model was just released, etc. American retail stores seem bound to the retail price set in the computer even when that price has been made absurd by unfolding circumstances. It would be much better if the staff were empowered to deal than to ship unsellables off to some giant auction house to get pennies on the dollar.

Of course, that would mean creating a chain of authority in stores ending with giving minimum wage employees responsibility. Then again, if you can give them a cut for upselling those ridiculous "monster" cables, they may relish the opportunity.