Again, if you're in Canada, you've seen this before. Current figures, after taxes are $10.24 in most places. POTJ figures were nearly $14 after taxes at one point, at TRU, just about the only reliable retailer at the time. Sure they're Canadian dollars, but that's all I earn, so at times I've paid 3x what the average US collector has paid. Exchange rate is so much better now, it's almost no question that I buy figures out of the US - even with shipping and customs fees it's still cheaper than here. How sad is that.
Is it awful? Yup. Ben said it though, where's the surprise.
Price increase or no, I'm going to pick up the figures I really want and am prepared to pay for. Otherwise I'll wait six months for the loose figure dumping.