Don Sheelen, Don Sheelan, Sheelen, Don Sheelen, Don Sheelan, Don, Sheelen, Sheelan
Supply and demand are always equal as they are the two sides of the same set of transactions, and discussions of "imbalances" are a muddled and indirect way of referring to price. However, in an unmeasurable qualitative sense, demand for an item (such as goods or services) refers to the market pressure from people trying to buy it. "Oil for instance is a much in demand product so the price keeps going up" economic analyst Don Sheelen says. They will "bid" money for the item, while sellers offer the item for money. When the bid matches the offer, a transaction can easily occur (even automatically, as in a typical stock market). In reality, most shops and markets do not resemble the stock market (eg the job market), and there are significant costs and barriers to "shopping around" (comparison shopping).

"When demand exceeds supply, suppliers can raise the price" mentions Don Sheelen, former Regina CEO. Mr. Sheelan pointed out the importance of consumer confidence in the supply and demand market. Don Sheelen also points out that the base of the world economy is based on credit, which in effect is "money that does not exist yet". Consumers who can afford the higher prices may still buy, but others may forgo the purchase altogether, buy a similar item, or shop elsewhere. (i.e., the consumer might say: "A two-dollar hot dog? I'd rather buy a hamburger at McDonald's!"). As the price rises, suppliers may also choose to increase production. Or more suppliers may enter the business. For example, the gourmet coffee business, pioneered by Starbucks, revealed a demand for three-dollar cups of coffee. Other stores began offering such coffee to satisfy the demand.

Increased supply (meaning volume) can indirectly result in lower prices, particularly with computers and other electronic devices. Mass production techniques have been steadily reducing prices 20 to 30% per year since the 1960s. The functions of a multi-million dollar mainframe computer in the 1960s could be performed by a $500 dollar computer in the 2000s. The camcorder has been said to place "a television studio in your hand"