...Leaf sold out of the original Aptus 17 refurbs that went for between $7300.00 & $7500.00....Because of Leaf's greed they've just lost another customer to Phase One!
Ben, the first quoted sentence above explains why the price went up. Simple supply and demand.
However, "greed" implies a moral expectation that is out of place in a commercial transaction. As a business, Leaf's only obligations are to provide maximal return on its owners' investment of capital and to operate in a legal manner. These imperatives are best met by offering products or services customers are willing to pay for at prices that bring a profit to the company, while operating in a manner that brings the approval of its potential customers. The customer is then free to decide whether to trade with Leaf on those terms. Anything else is fluff--usually imposed by someone whose capital is not at risk in the company, but who sees a "rich" corporation as a flowing teat at which to suckle in the advancement of some other agenda.
Those who think companies should voluntarily assume a whole range of other obligations--"fairness", "social responsibility"--should consider those factors when deciding whether to buy from them. But understand that advancing such concepts is not the business of a business, except as it improves profitability.
Leaf obviously made the judgment that demand for the refurb backs would allow them to command a higher price for the item, since the previous lot sold out.
Not busting on you here, but too many people seem to want to jump on the evil-greedy-corporation bandwagon these days and it gets under my skin! Whew! (I have just executed a flawless double-backflip soapbox dismount. You are now free to move about the cabin....)
Re backs: If the Aptus 17 had been available when I bought my used Kodak ProBack I'd have jumped at the chance, and even more so for the P30. Glad for you that you found a solution.
Cheers,