Overselling seems to be an important tactic in retail today, Andy. Twenty years ago I could walk into a stationery store and buy a single pen. Now they come in packages of four or more. So I end up buying single pens at corner stores or subway kiosks, where they've split open bulk packs. I probably pay the same price as I would have back when I could buy single pens in the stationery sore. In the end you have to wonder if this tactic does produce more sales. As you point out. the solution is to find alternative sources.

I like metapuns as long as they are not sold in plastic bags.

A pun a day keeps the free radicals away. Or so they say.