Hold-up problem

[AngelicaDeAlquezar]

I'll be very grateful if someone could help me find a synonym expression for "hold-up" so I can find a translation for it.

In economic jargon, a hold-up problem happens when in a relationship between two parties, one of them can take advantage of the other without the other being able to avoid it.

The most common example of a hold-up problem is this: For a specific buyer it's too costly to switch suppliers and has to buy from his regular supplier, who takes advantage of this situation by raising the price of his products.

Anyone?

[chileno]

retrasar?

suspender?

[JPablo]

How about,
stop, delay; hindrance, postponement ?
Or DELAY, setback, hitch, snag, difficulty, problem, trouble; traffic jam, tailback, gridlock; snarl-up, glitch, hiccup. ?

¿Paralización? ¿Punto muerto?

(Not totally sure in your context...)

[AngelicaDeAlquezar]

Thanks both, but I'm not sure any form of "delay" works here...
I think it's not a matter of when one party will "break free" from the other, but the fact that one can actually take advantage and the other cannot change that.

[chileno]

Ah!

Restricción?

[poli]

Hold up problem is a term I have never heard. If I understand the term corrrectly, I'm sure you can use caught up in a bind--but then, you would have to explain the circumstances of the bind.
I'm caught up in a bind with my supplyer. I know if I choose a different company costs would be less. but...

[AngelicaDeAlquezar]

@Hernán: No exactamente... para restricción hay otra jerga, pero se agradece.

@Poli: You've never heard it like that because it's economics jargon, but
your idea has lead me to Mexican slang "estar agarrado", which gives the idea of being stuck in a situation you can't change, and that someone is taking advantage of you. Thank you!!
My buyer here can't choose a different supplier because although prices of the products would be lower, the costs of breaking the contract with the old company, searching for a new one, signing up a new contract, etc., would be much higher (in time, efforts and money), so they have to stick to the supplier who's raising his prices. ;(

[poli]

I'm glad I can help you. You are always helpful to me and others.

[Pindar]

Late to the game, but from the description you gave at the beginning, I think the expression 'hold up' is derived from 'hold up' as in robbing someone, as in this. ('hold up" and "stick up" both come from what the victim does with his arms: he holds them up in the air or sticks them up in the air). What is the Spanish for 'hold up' in the sense of a robbery? And would that work in your case?

We do say things like this in English:

How'd that deal work out?
Work out? It was a hold up. There was nothing I could do but go along with the bastard.

[AngelicaDeAlquezar]

Oh, that makes sense now. Thank you very much, Pindar. You have helped me a lot.