Markups

In stock sales, retail markets, and pretty much anything you can buy, somebody bought it before you did and paid $X. Then they stuck a price tag on it that said something like $2X or $5X or $10,001x and sold it to you at a profit. They "marked up" the price they originally paid. It's called Capitalism. And I've heard it has "invisible hands," so let's keep that in mind when you get pinched inappropriately. It wasn't me, I swear.