March 16, 2013, 09:29 PM | #1 |
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LGS Ripoff!
I stopped in a south/eastern Tennessee gun store today and was completely disgusted with what I saw on their price gouging and lack of disregard for their customers. This was a well stocked small town store that seemed to have plenty of items that we all have been looking for. It appeared that their gouging was centered around just the popular pistol calibers and the AR platforms. I will never buy a thing from this store if this is how they do business. A few examples of the gouging below.
1000 small pistol primers $52 1lb of Universal Clays powder $50 20rds of PMC 223 FMJ $22 100rds of CCI 22LR $22 Used 20rd G.I. AR mags $30 AR 30rd Pmags $45 525rd carton of Remington 22LR $89 50rds of U.M.C 45acp FMJ $45 All their AR platforms were from $500 to almost a $1000 higher than normal. It was very evident that they were taking full advantage of the crazynes going on. Large rifle primers were $32/1000. Medium and large caliber rifle powders were $29/1lb. Loaded factory rifle ammo was in line also. I hope the locals remember how they were cheated when prices and availability start to improve. |
March 16, 2013, 09:44 PM | #2 |
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Those prices are almost double our LGS prices here.
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March 16, 2013, 09:48 PM | #3 |
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Those prices are high, but they are nothing compared to what I've seen private sellers doing at gun shows.
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March 16, 2013, 09:49 PM | #4 |
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It's called capitalism. Supply-demand will eventually find an equilibrium. In the meantime don't by anything when you find that the prices are too high. That's how you deal with that scenario.
I picked up 8 boxes of Independence 5.56 tonight for $10.97 each at Bass Pro, but at least it was there and not $1.00 a round. I hold out until I find something I can live with.
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Stay Groovy Last edited by Joe_Pike; March 16, 2013 at 10:18 PM. |
March 16, 2013, 10:07 PM | #5 |
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If you plan on waiting until prices drop back to what they were pre-Sandy Hook -- I hope you're really good at holding your breath, 'cause it ain't gonna happen. Those prices aren't gouging. Those are the new normal.
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March 16, 2013, 10:16 PM | #6 | |
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Quote:
Last edited by ScottRiqui; March 17, 2013 at 10:22 AM. |
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March 16, 2013, 10:27 PM | #7 |
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Supply is increasing. Eventually the demand will return to normal. At some point people will wake up and realize that there are no widespread attempts to ban or heavily tax ammunition. When the stockpiling and panic buying ends people will not be buying ammunition. Demand will, when the panic is over, be lower than before last December and the production will be higher than before last December. When that happens, prices will be lower than before last December.
Supply and demand works both ways.
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March 16, 2013, 10:35 PM | #8 | |
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The new normal? Probably a 5% or so increase over pre-December levels.
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March 17, 2013, 01:30 AM | #9 | |
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Quote:
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March 17, 2013, 04:39 AM | #10 |
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If your LGS had maintained old prices, the shelves would have been bare when you walked in.
Would that have made you happier? At least he has stock for those willing to pay the price.
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March 17, 2013, 05:35 AM | #11 |
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Nobody gets cheated when a gunstore lists exorbitant prices. It takes a foolish, spell unprepared and uneducated customer, for a perfect symbiosis.
By the way, do you know how that gunstore will be able to restock its inventory and get by during the rest of this uncertain time if he sells out at pre-panic prices? Will you donate money for their electrical bill when they cannot restock, pay their rent? |
March 17, 2013, 05:46 AM | #12 |
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I went to Cabelas yesterday they had abarrel full of Ar mags for $25.All Ammo wiped out .22s limt 1 brick per person that didn't last long had aline of at least 100 people in line for those.than went to Gander Mountain American Eagel .44 mag $65 for a box of 50.I paid $35 for the same thing back in Nov.
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March 17, 2013, 05:49 AM | #13 |
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Prices will come down as demand will eventually decline. Let's face it, this shortage is brought on buy panic buying and at some point the panic will ease.
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"He who laughs last, laughs dead." Homer Simpson Last edited by Kreyzhorse; March 17, 2013 at 06:03 AM. |
March 17, 2013, 05:56 AM | #14 |
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I agree, prices will come back down when supply rises and demand slows down.
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March 17, 2013, 08:08 AM | #15 |
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LGS Ripoff!
Anytime someone says "this is the new normal" I interpret that as someone justifying ripping someone off or justifying buying something they should've waited on. The sales model will return to costs of supplies plus small profit margin. Unless the cost of brass, steel, etc doubled at the same time that assembly costs doubled, then prices will come back down. It will return to someone having more than they can sell and then lowering the price to move inventory.
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March 17, 2013, 08:37 AM | #16 |
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OK, I guess I missed the rip-of part.
The LGS has high prices. So doesn't Southerby's Auction House. - The large Gun Store has already purchased the items for resale. - Southerby's Auction House runs on commission, usually 28% from the seller and also charges the buyers a 10% buyers fee. (They have not purchased anything for inventory.) Who runs the biggest risk of losing money? The LGS who has money tied up in inventory or the Auction house who has no capital at risk? The market (Buyers) determine the price. When the sellers can no longer get what they are asking, the price comes down. I bought an AR platform from a friend for $500.00. The going prices where $800.00 + at the time. If I decide to resell the rifle now, should I only be allowed to ask $650.00 for it? (A 30% markup?)
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March 17, 2013, 08:52 AM | #17 |
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Buy before the panic starts. Buy after the panic subsides. I haven't bought a bullet since the panic.
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March 17, 2013, 09:02 AM | #18 |
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On the other side of the coin....
Do you think there will be all kinds of ammo, weaponry and gear on the market when the bubble bursts? Will those who aren't into shooting as a hobby be dumping product into the market when they realize the AR they bought is only in the closet collecting dust? |
March 17, 2013, 09:12 AM | #19 |
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Non-shooters who overpaid for ARs won't be in a big hurry to take a loss, that's for sure. A few things have to happen before all those new gun owners start putting their shiny new EBRs back on the market: (1) The legislative push to outlaw EBRs has to pass; (2) those folks have to realize that ARs aren't actually going to be impossible to get; and (3) as to each one individually, something has to happen so that a particular new owner needs the cash more than they need the gun.
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March 17, 2013, 09:24 AM | #20 |
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I marvel how, when a dealer wants $1000 for an item that the buyer thinks is worth $500, it's a "ripoff" and "gouging" but that same buyer walks into the same store and the seller has a gun that the buyer thinks is worth $1000 and it's marked at $500, he seems to have no moral objection to paying a lot less than it's worth.
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March 17, 2013, 10:11 AM | #21 |
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Hate to say this but when walmart has upped there federal 9mm only a buck since the madness happened and the lgs doubles the price it IS gouging IMO.
But if people buy the stuff at those prices I guess they don't agree. I am not buying at those prices. I will get it at WM when I can or wait for the madness to subside. |
March 17, 2013, 10:16 AM | #22 |
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I've done much better on the ammo prices by watching Internet sources. Stopped by Cabela's on a run to Austin and there was quite a bit of 45 ACP much cheaper and lots of AR mags.
Just wait it out. The glories of panic capitalism include fertilizing a crop of idiots.
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March 17, 2013, 11:06 AM | #23 | |
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Quote:
If the dealer raises the price on a rifle by 20% because his cost has gone up and supply has gone down, that's gouging. If the guy complaining buys the rifle, takes it to the gun show, and sells it at a 300% markup, that's just the free market.
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March 17, 2013, 11:33 AM | #24 | |
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I marvel at how one of my LGS has raised prices by 60%, but two others have not. I also marvel when someone says the dealer can charge whatever he wants and if people dont want to pay that, then they can go somewhere else. I frequent the shops fairly often, and when a dealer has a Beretta Neos, or Ruger 22/45, and the price goes up $150 overnight, then they will never get my money EVER again. Its a simple as that. I dont forget. I will support the shop that didnt try to get as much money out of my pocket as they possibly think they can. |
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March 17, 2013, 11:47 AM | #25 |
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It's only gouging if you BUY IT at that price. Otherwise it's just advertising.
Would you rather find the following: (1): a store with bare shelves, with an owner who sold all that he had at old prices, who can no longer get inventory, and who will be out of business soon because he still has to pay (rent, taxes, payroll, etc)? or: (2): a store that is still earning enough profit because there are willing buyers coming in at an adequate rate to let the owner sell what IRREPLACABLE inventory he has at prices that are high enough that he HOPES he can sell what he needs to sell to tide him thru this time until he can restock his store? This is a time of pure survival-mode for these small businesses. A smart businessman with zero resupply will sell JUST ENOUGH every month during this time of no resupply to pay his bills... and not a single item more. The goal is to BREAK EVEN at the end of the month while RETAINING AS MUCH INVENTORY AS POSSIBLE so he can try to do the same thing next month. He's going to need to bet his business on the hope that he can get more supply before he runs out of existing inventory. NOBODY likes it but the one who has the most investment in the "issue" is the small business owner. He's not "ripping you off"...he's desperately trying to stay alive. If you do not "Get" this, you've never run a small business. Cash flow is king. The monthly march of bills across your desk NEVER ends... if you cannot get what you sell... you are screwed. Willie . Last edited by Willie Sutton; March 17, 2013 at 11:56 AM. |
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