—and if we pay too much, that's our problem.”
I agree with some of the things you're saying, but how would you enforce that?
They see it as being like going to a yard sale. If you want to buy that piece of junk somebody's selling, and pay $100 for something that's worth a dollar, that's your problem, because you wanted to buy it.
If you want to protect consumers—and awareness may be the way to do it—where is the responsibility of the consumer here?