You don't have to pay your water and electric bill first; you have to pay your property taxes first.  

EWEB can't take your house if you don't pay like the City and County government can if you don't pay your property taxes.

If you really believe that Albertson's or Wal-Mart wasn't going to pass that 2.5% extra cost on with a 20 minute re-program of their computers you are delusional.

Fred Meyer and Safeway monitor your spending so closely that you get coupons which match the things you buy so they can get the maximum profit from your purchases.  They do that on an individual basis person by person.

Some corporations price their products on a store by store basis.  Go to a Freddy's in Lake Oswego and price similar items between there and other demographic locations around the State.  Then check out the prices in other Freddy's in other states.