Has the author ever looked at the income statement of a big box retailer? Profit on selling products is their primary source of profit, not investment or interest income. Products are cheaper at larger chains largely due to economies of scale in manufacturing, distribution, and retailing – i.e., less hours and dollars of labor and other costs per dollar of product sold.

Similarly, the marginal cost of putting one more passenger on a plane or one more guest in a hotel is extremely close to zero if that plane seat or hotel room would otherwise be empty.

This needs to seep out into public consciousness!