we’ll see if there’s any reply
My answers may be worthless BUT...
I suspect Shopify is the vendor here, really. You are buying from Shopify, the reviews are for the product as purchased from Shopify, the retail prices reflect Shopify pricing before discount. Just my guesses!
I imagine Gene had to go with the web store option that represented the absolute lowest costs to himself. Thus Shopify which I will guess is not so far removed from an Amazon affiliate program. Since Tech Night Owl is not paying for the merchandise, or stocking / shipping it, or (I believe) doing any sort of customer support, just being a gateway to pages where, uh, Tech Night Owl superfans might shop for these items... I'll guess the cut of any profit to TNO is tiny. Gene clearly has no head for business at all and imagines web store sales are going to fund his lifestyle.
Just my suspicions though, and I am not taking the time to do any research on those, just how it appears to me. Others may know the Shopify model better.
It's an effort but a poor and lazy one. Remarkable that it took so long to appear. Two 'fully stocked' stores (Tech Night Owl, Paracast) might generate a little money in time but I cannot see these weaning Gene off begging for money. Maybe the Paracast shop will have Paracast branded stuff though, somehow...? Not that I see a huge market for such.