if this is true absent some warning about the impending release/price reduction on the current stockpile of notably inferior cards (as per Donald X basically) this is kinda shady IMO.
I mean they are essentially printing $ with the new releases as many hard core dominionites will buy the 2nd edition too. You might as well fire-sale the old versions not dupe people into buying up the old inferior and soon to be outdated inventory.
Well I think the alternative is to not do second editions. Or I guess to wait until a set sells out, then start developing the second edition for it, test it, lay it out, print it, and ship it. And during that 6-12 month gap, lots of people complain that the expansion isn't available. Somehow I'm guessing the publisher isn't rushing to do that.
And as others have said, the first editions aren't awful. It's not like people are being tricked into buying something bad. There are plenty of rave reviews for the old expansions that remain perfectly valid. And some may even prefer the first editions.
As for a fire sale, who's eating that cost?