[Chilldoubt]

right- but prior to a product entering the market, its price is affected by a retailer's costs (raw materials, utilities, wages, etc.)
retailers' costs are considered when pricing...
why are taxes not considered a cost to be paid but light bills are?

[Bigun]

Oh! BTW! In case you haven't already noticed, Willie Green has about as about the same level of economic knowledge as your average turnip.

[Willie Green]

but prior to a product entering the market, its price is affected by a retailer's costs (raw materials, utilities, wages, etc.)

Not at all. Price is solely determined by survey of market competition.
It is always independent of cost.
The objective is always to charge "as much as the market can bear" to maximimize profit.
Those who simply try to set price as cost plus a "reasonable markup" are idiots.