Gouging gun prices

[thumperdogg]

What business is it of yours what I spend my money that I earned on what or how much I paid for it?

Business? It reflects the cost everyone else pays.

Am I in charge of telling people what they can pay? No, it's a free country pay what you want!

Oh, don't forget it is a free country and as I can't tell you how much you can pay, I sure as hell have the right to tell you that you're a complete idiot for over paying.

The select idiots that pay the ridiculous prices are the cause of all of this. The rest of us intelligent (or broke) people won't pay the over the top prices.

The bottom line is that sooner or later the market will bottom out and prices will hit the norm once again. Then what will we see? Someone will be listing a DPMS 5.56 in the classifieds for $1200, and good ole Walmart will have them back on the shelves at $597. All the poster will say is, just trying to get out of it what I paid. Idiocracy will show its pretty little face all over the internet classifieds. I am sure we will all have a good time laughing at it all!!!!

You don't have to be on the offensive telling me that I can't tell you what to do with your money, because I'm not, I'm just telling you that you are stupid for doing so! Not hard to point out the obvious.

Guns are not discontinued, be patient people. As far as bans, if you live in a communist state that takes away your rights, I suggest you uproot and get out of dodge so that you and your future family don't suffer from such tyranny!!

 

[thumperdogg]

I am not getting into this thread, but yes dealer prices have risen. This is fact. Not only have prices risen, but this year they are going to be expected to pay the same bills (rent, electric, gas, labor, interest, etc) with 1/2 the inventory.

Another thing to look at is take PSA for instance. Im not a PSA fan what so ever, but everyone got mad when they raised the price of their complete upper 100 bucks and made it 525ish. Yet you go on gunbroker (or ingo) and see the same thing going for 900. Why would PSA sit back and let joe blow make more on their work than they did?

Obvious increases from PSA and such are understandable, but Glock didn't raise their price $100, nor did DPMS. I'm sure the 1/2 inventory won't be an issue, I forsee gun stores being overstocked because all the panic buying going on, there will be a lower demand after the next several months and everyone has more than what they can afford or need.

 

[42769vette]

Obvious increases from PSA and such are understandable, but Glock didn't raise their price $100, nor did DPMS. I'm sure the 1/2 inventory won't be an issue, I forsee gun stores being overstocked because all the panic buying going on, there will be a lower demand after the next several months and everyone has more than what they can afford or need.

What about the companies (rock river, dpms, etc) that are not even taking orders from dealers until next year? Most companies in the ar 15 market are not even accepting orders until Jan 2014?

 

[hornadylnl]

Business? It reflects the cost everyone else pays.

Am I in charge of telling people what they can pay? No, it's a free country pay what you want!

Oh, don't forget it is a free country and as I can't tell you how much you can pay, I sure as hell have the right to tell you that you're a complete idiot for over paying.

The select idiots that pay the ridiculous prices are the cause of all of this. The rest of us intelligent (or broke) people won't pay the over the top prices.

The bottom line is that sooner or later the market will bottom out and prices will hit the norm once again. Then what will we see? Someone will be listing a DPMS 5.56 in the classifieds for $1200, and good ole Walmart will have them back on the shelves at $597. All the poster will say is, just trying to get out of it what I paid. Idiocracy will show its pretty little face all over the internet classifieds. I am sure we will all have a good time laughing at it all!!!!

You don't have to be on the offensive telling me that I can't tell you what to do with your money, because I'm not, I'm just telling you that you are stupid for doing so! Not hard to point out the obvious.

Guns are not discontinued, be patient people. As far as bans, if you live in a communist state that takes away your rights, I suggest you uproot and get out of dodge so that you and your future family don't suffer from such tyranny!!

What I choose to spend my money on is my business. I'm not the least bit concerned about those who overpaid and are trying to get their money back. I see their price and I move on. I'm not paying their bills so I don't care about their financial status in the least. I thought that was one of the great things about freedom. We're allowed to triumph or fail without interference from others.

And I also have the right to call a Marxist a Marxist. I don't have the right to bully buyers and sellers in an act of commerce in which I'm not a party to.

 

[LarryC]

Gouging is selling something that is used for more than what the MSRP on a new item is. People get scared and fall prey to the ones taking advantage of the scare, when they should just wait it out and in a few months you can have a new item for normal MSRP or less.

I feel the land scenario is not a good analogy, There is only one plot of land in said spot. So youre selling or buying something that is one of a kind. So the value can only be determined by what the seller is selling it for and if someone will pay that.

Guns are mass produced and can be had from the dealers for set MSRP like prices. You wait it out and you can usally find whatever you want at or below MSRP and something used, unless it's unique in some way, will decrease in value because it is used. And new versions are typically readily available. people didnt "invest" in 9mm Glocks they bought some and saw people selling at crazy prices and just jumped on the bandwagon. Most of them knew that they could sell high now and wait and get a new Gen4 in a few months for less than they charged for their Gen3 with 1,000+ rounds through the pipe oh and don't forget they only sold it with 1 magazine as well so there's $50/mag extra they can profit too. Or the others that did invest, found someplace that was selling at normal prices and bought everythign that they could then went to gunbroker and listed it for $200-300 more than what they just paid.

You can preach supply and demand and free market and capitalism .. But everyone knows that people can take advantage of situations. Thats why we have anti-monoploy laws and even back immediately following Sept 11th when all of the oil companies decided to cash in on the tragedy and charge insane prices for gas, just because they could. Thankfully they got their hands slapped and they were fined for gouging. If not we'd all probably be paying $8-10/gal now.

In my opinion the OP did give a good analogy - you didn't! Anti monopoly laws are there to prevent a person or group of people from purchasing all of suppliers of a needed good, like steel, gasoline or other commodity. Price fixing is the collusion of all suppliers of a particular commodity to raise the price of that commodity beyond what the capitalistic "supply and demand" free trade will provide. There are and always be people that take advantage of situations, they are called capitalists. I hope there always are. True Communism doesn't have them, the capitalists are the ones that see a need and fill that need, risking THEIR money and labor to obtain a profit. No one can claim that the manufactures have committed a breach of either law - neither fixing prices or creating a Monopoly. The current panic buying is by individuals. Some were buying ammo at low prices and asking a lot more. NO ONE is being "forced" to buy! If YOU or any of the others paying the overly high prices had "prepared" and scrimped to buy what they now "needed" (more wanted) they would not pay the price. The best thing I see from this issue is that many will think about delaying some "entertainment" (Cheetos and Candy bars and meals out and new CD's and Cars and Tv's) and storing up some ammo and buying the firearms they so desperately need now!

 

[LarryC]

Midget and thumper make good points, people are buying with the sole intention of reselling at a mark up. Which happens to be illegal, but according to some of you others, that's alright. I mean why not sell a Glock 19 that's seen 500+ rounds with only 1 mag for $650. When you could go to Orions and get one for $535 brand new in the box!

Everyone is saying that people do not have to buy, but in their minds, they do. They were scared that they would not be able to buy these unless they paid the hefty ransom and there are still those people out there that are scared and just don't know of the good LGS's that have these same guns in new condition for over $100 less than someone on here or any other site.

The only thing illegal is purchasing a firearm for someone else, that is called a straw purchase - or doing it as a substantial portion of your income, that is dealing without a license .
. Anyone that can buy 1 or 2 guns at a cheap price and sell them for a great profit is free to do so. If the people are "scared", why weren't they scared 2 months ago? NO they are buying now as they think they may be banned. If they are really scared for their families or themselves they can buy a shotgun pretty reasonable. They "WANT" not need an AR or AK or 20 round mags cause they fear they may be banned - If they all (and their are tens of thousands) needed these items - Why weren't they buying them before?? + 1 for Capitalism (NO I haven't sold ANY ammo or guns in the last 10 years or so- but do have a lot I thought I "needed".)

 

[thumperdogg]

What I choose to spend my money on is my business. I'm not the least bit concerned about those who overpaid and are trying to get their money back. I see their price and I move on. I'm not paying their bills so I don't care about their financial status in the least. I thought that was one of the great things about freedom. We're allowed to triumph or fail without interference from others.

And I also have the right to call a Marxist a Marxist. I don't have the right to bully buyers and sellers in an act of commerce in which I'm not a party to.

The Constitution of the United States of America
Constitution of the United States - Official

Feel free to say as you wish, as will I.

 

[redlegrod]

The Constitution of the United States of America
Constitution of the United States - Official

Feel free to say as you wish, as will I.

Watch out hornadylnl! He is pulling a Marxist tactic of using the constitution only when it suits his argument!

Lol this thread got way off on a tangent.

 

[hornadylnl]

The Constitution of the United States of America
Constitution of the United States - Official

Feel free to say as you wish, as will I.

You have the right to say whatever you want. You don't have the right to bully 2 parties in a transaction in which you are not part of. Feel free to say things are priced too high. But there's a fine line between saying your piece and trying to intimidate others. I've given the example here many times. Why would I list a pmag here for $25 only to be called a gouger when I can list it on Gunbroker and get $50 from a willing buyer? Congratulations. You just shrank the number of ads here and just put more money in my pocket. The incessant whining here IS affecting the market place. Just not in the way you think.

 

[hornadylnl]

I've got Federal 22 bulk pack ammo that I paid $12 a box for. Would I be gouging if I sold it for $18.95 a box that Walmart is now charging for non existent ammo? How many trips and how much money in gas is a guy going to waste going to Walmart until he finds one of those magical boxes of 22? If I sold it for $20 a box, would that be gouging? How about $25? Likely if someone truly factored in their time and gas for their multiple trips to Walmart, they're going to have more than $25 in that box.

I've got more 22 than I'll likely shoot in my lifetime and I haven't bought any in at least 4 years. So does that make me an evil hoarder? Is my investment and foresight worth something? How much per box is an acceptable profit for 4 years?

No matter what I would charge, there would be those Marxists who would cry that I'm gouging. Guess what. I'll just sit on my 22 ammo and to hell with the whiners who complain that they can't find it and that people are charging too much. Maybe the whiners will learn to stock up when prices go down. I'm not holding my breath.

 

[Reggywill]

I hate the prices as much as anyone else but over the past 4 months I have bought/built a 16" flat top M4 AR with 10 Pmags at a total cost of $700 including shipping for all the stuff. If you want to do it, there is a way, if you have patience. Now ammo is a completely different story. Not as many manufactures there as with the actual parts. I will say $0.50 per rd for steel ammo you can't even reload is outrageous. Guess I'll just keep looking.

 

[thumperdogg]

You have the right to say whatever you want. You don't have the right to bully 2 parties in a transaction in which you are not part of. Feel free to say things are priced too high. But there's a fine line between saying your piece and trying to intimidate others. I've given the example here many times. Why would I list a pmag here for $25 only to be called a gouger when I can list it on Gunbroker and get $50 from a willing buyer? Congratulations. You just shrank the number of ads here and just put more money in my pocket. The incessant whining here IS affecting the market place. Just not in the way you think.

Not whining at all, I don't pay it! If me saying don't overpay for something because it is idiotic is bullying, then I guess I am just a bad guy. If you want to put stuff on gunbroker feel free, your choice!

If you make a private deal, that's all good, if you post your stuff all over the internet, it is public knowledge and open to everyone's opinion.

I love living in a country where I have the right to call people out on their BS. You have the right to try to over charge, I have the right to say BS. I have never and will never buy from GB because of the inflated prices even before the panic. I stick to the online retailers that sell things at real prices not sheeple prices.

Have I ever threatened or intimidated anyone in anyway? NO

I think we are now the land of the free and the home of the sensitive. I voice my opinion and get called a bully? Ease up, it is just a conversation.

The high prices are also causing a divide in our country even amongst us gun owners. Here is what I am saying plain and simple, if you hang out at a gun shop all day waiting for an AR, get it and turn around and post it for sale for 2x what you paid, you are a gouger, and a criminal (if doing without a FFL).

 

[hornadylnl]

I think we got a little confused in the complaint at hand. We should be attacking the idiots wasting their excess money on this stuff, more than willing to overpay, and driving the prices up.

Thanks to all the idiots!

Not whining at all, I don't pay it! If me saying don't overpay for something because it is idiotic is bullying, then I guess I am just a bad guy. If you want to put stuff on gunbroker feel free, your choice!

If you make a private deal, that's all good, if you post your stuff all over the internet, it is public knowledge and open to everyone's opinion.

I love living in a country where I have the right to call people out on their BS. You have the right to try to over charge, I have the right to say BS. I have never and will never buy from GB because of the inflated prices even before the panic. I stick to the online retailers that sell things at real prices not sheeple prices.

Have I ever threatened or intimidated anyone in anyway? NO

I think we are now the land of the free and the home of the sensitive. I voice my opinion and get called a bully? Ease up, it is just a conversation.

The high prices are also causing a divide in our country even amongst us gun owners. Here is what I am saying plain and simple, if you hang out at a gun shop all day waiting for an AR, get it and turn around and post it for sale for 2x what you paid, you are a gouger, and a criminal (if doing without a FFL).

We should be "attacking" the idiots, huh? Keep attacking. The only affect you're having is a further decrease in market supply.

 

[thumperdogg]

We should be "attacking" the idiots, huh? Keep attacking. The only affect you're having is a further decrease in market supply.

I am glad that you think my statement above is threatening. Attack? A little out of context, as in tell them what prices should be and that we shouldn't stand for all of the people gouging! Once again if that makes me a bully so be it! That is your and thanks to the constitution you are entitled to it! Glad my opinion sways the market so much. Never knew me saying stuff is high caused more sales?

 

[Citizen711]

There is no such thing as gouging where discretionary purchases are concerned.

/thread

 

[DEstes001]

I see a lot of negative posts about the gouger being greedy but the gougee has every opportunity to walk away from a deal. He has just as much control over the supply and demand as the gouger. Look at all the people out there that bought into the ball card frenzy and the Ty bean bag things cabbage patch kids, all that crap. None of it is worth anything. Go to a flea market and you will find it for pennies on the dollar, they took a chance and lost huge. I venture to say several people sank thousands into these things and have nothing to show for it. Gougers may suffer the same fate, we do not need additional ammo right now, we all just want it. If we have a good full magazine or cylinder we're good to go. Nothing has been banned and it will all be back at market prices if we just wait around for it. Patience is a virtue I've always been told.

 

[B6240]

There is no such thing as gouging where discretionary purchases are concerned.

/thread

I agree you can choose to not join in on the high prices if you do not want to. I am not willing to pay more than what I think is a fair price. So I am doing with out things that I want. I can wait till they come down if they do not then I guess I will go with out.

 

[hornadylnl]

I am glad that you think my statement above is threatening. Attack? A little out of context, as in tell them what prices should be and that we shouldn't stand for all of the people gouging! Once again if that makes me a bully so be it! That is your and thanks to the constitution you are entitled to it! Glad my opinion sways the market so much. Never knew me saying stuff is high caused more sales?

I didn't say your opinion causes more sales. I said it further decreases the market supply. Guys like myself might feel sympathetic to those poor and downtrodden shooters who can't find 22 ammo. If I offered to sell someone a 550 round bulk pack for $25, you and others would cry that I'm ripping them off. My ammo isn't costing me anything sitting in my shelf and I don't need the money. Why should I sell it for what I paid for it when I can easily get $30 for it? Yet if I offer it for $25, I'm called a gouger. So instead, I'll not sell it to anyone at any price. That's real ammo that could go on the market but won't because the cryers bullied it out. I don't mind helping a brother out but a brother isn't entitled to my time and investment with no benefit to myself.

 

[Booya]

Holy Jeebus, this topic again!? No way am I reading through all six pages to hear the same thoughts again and again. Some people get it. The ones that don't get it are complaining. In a free market people are allowed to capitalize on any scenario to make a profit. If you want it bad enough you will pay it! If you don't you won't.

One of you guys who has jumped in these threads complaining about "gougers" please tell me you call your Roth IRA people or your retirement specialist... Etc each month to verify that you made NO GAINS from any market that spiked out of fear/politics... Etc.

This topic is old and stupid. If you're mad about prices, then you weren't prepared. End of story. If you're complaining about prices now, it's because you have nothing to sell. Give this a rest. After 800 threads on the same topic, sheesh.

 

[mrortega]

It's gouging if you need something and you are forced to buy it from a particular source, as in natural gas and electricity. It isn't gouging if you don't have to have it to survive and you aren't being forced to buy it.

I sold a couple guns in the last few months and made some money. The buyers agreed on the price and we made a deal. Another guy I know who made some money said he was smart enough to start buying what he thought he might need/want as soon as the Emperor was elected the first time and saw what was coming when he was re-elected. The massacre at Sandy Hook just opened the flood gates of demand for those who've been sleeping.

I've gone a step further now and made plans for what I need if/when there is a total ban on all semi-autos. I'm satisfied at where I am. When the next step happens and Joe Average wakes up and realizes he needs a revolver, a pump shotty and a bolt .308 and gets caught in the next Shortage From Hell he deserves what he has to pay, if he can find anything that he wants.