How Cartels Fool Sophisticated Buyers—and How AI Could Help

Opublikowano: 2026-10-29

How can a cartel survive for years when its customers are sophisticated firms with substantial buying power? In episode 8 of How Cartels Really Work, we examine two large cases in history, the automobile parts cartels and the international vitamins cartel. Both involved suppliers selling to large businesses with professional purchasing departments. But some of these illegal agreements ran for a decade or more. Why didn’t their customers see the cartels? We begin with Costco’s buying practices. If suppliers want to raise their prices, Costco’s buyers examine the underlying costs and challenge any increases that don’t appear w...