I agree with all of this.  I also think the AI is too merciful when given the opportunity to price gouge.  If there's no goods in the store and the AI is the only one with a surplus, they often don't wait to have the players pay top dollar. 

This also comes into play if you're playing a game with three real opponents and one AI and you and the AI are the only ones with a surplus (with an empty store).  The AI will sell right away, and sell off any remaining surplus to to the store, therefore negating any advantage you and the AI might have at that point.