42,
Interesting. What’s even more interesting to me is that if true, that would dispel a theory of mine, that if it’s not geneiva, there might be issues of lo s’chonem to purchase what is available b’chinom. It would seem that plain and simple fairness makes it a benefit for the purchaser to pay for what he uses.
HaLeiVi,
Interesting theory. It would explain very nicely the distinction between a case of a lost sale and a case where there is no lost sale, because the poel only worked for those who would purchase the item.