Pricing During the Pandemic case study in the Harvard Business Coursepack.

1. What can be the reasons for the price increase in offline retail stores?

2. From the data provided, can one conclude that there was a differential price response from the online and offline retail spaces to the supply chain shock following the lockdown? Use the data and run appropriate statistical tests to back up your responses.

3. What led to the divergence in the price response of the offline and the online retail platforms, if nay? Do their objectives differ?

4. Do you think the offline stores engaged in price gouging? If you were part of the panel, what would be your conclusion and recommendation to the government?

5. Discuss the role of public policy in price monitoring and consumer protection.