Nintendo Switch Price Gouging on Amazon

Gamestop, Best Buy, Target et. al. list the Nintendo Switch console with Gray Joy-Con at $299. Yes they are sold out. The lowest price that Amazon lists for the Switch is 50% higher. I don't want to pay a premium to get the item in 2 days, I simply want to pay a fair price and wait for availability.

When I visited Nintendo's official Switch web page I learned that $299.99 is the suggested retail price for the console. The first retailer they link on the page is actually Amazon. Following the link leads you to the product page I linked above where the lowest price listed for the Switch is $449.99. There is a total disconnect at Amazon here. The large $150 discrepancy only makes Amazon appear ravenously greedy.

I have been bothered by the pricing gouging trends on Amazon for the past couple of years. The current pricing for the Nintendo Switch is an excellent example. These practices erode their customer base and encourage buyers to consider competitors (Jet.com, Target, Best Buy). If I have to wade through a slew of gougers whenever I shop at Amazon, I will spend less time relying on them and put effort in to find better store options.