05/17/2020
Please share.
I'm going to write a post here so people can get an idea of what COVID-19 items in particular should cost. There is a LOT of questionable pricing out there. I'm going to give a range, not my price. As always everyone should be careful before accusing a business of price gouging as everyone has their margins to cover and everyone has access to different supplies and ingredients. If the price you see is outside of the high end of these ranges, though, steer clear or directly ask for a better price.
All prices are given the situation right now May 16 with shipping costs, the dollar, and supply availability factored in.
Hand sanitizer - hand sanitizer in dispensers will be more than bulk sanitizer. The reasonable high end I have seen for hand sanitizer in pump dispensers is $25 per litre. In bulk, $150 for a 20 litre pail is a very high price.
Face masks - there are a lot of different kinds of face mask. N95 are not available right now, N95 is a North American distinction. KN95 is the Asian equivalent. 95 means 95% of particles should be filtered out. If you are being told the mask you are buying is medical grade you are being lied to. Medical grade masks are not making it into the hands of anyone right now, manufacturers in every country are in fact not even labelling masks not meant for the medical field with the appropriate distinctions (CE, FDA, etc) even though those distinctions are earned because those distinctions are being used to market masks as if they are medical grade.
KN95 masks - price should be no higher than $5 per mask.
3 ply civil masks - these are not surgical masks. They function like surgical masks in that they don't filter out incoming particles but keep droplets from going onto other people. Surgical masks wrap more fully around the mouth and nose. These 3 ply masks should be no more than $60 for a case of 50.
Wipes - everyone is buying wipes as soon as they see them, and this will probably continue for a while. They are all different styles and scents and composition, all of which has an impact on price. And of course there are different numbers of wipes in each cannister or package. It's best to break it down by price. Weaker Lysol type wipes should be no more than .17 per wipe. Stronger brands like Clorox should be no more than .20.
Sewing elastic - nor more than $.80 per metre.
