Price Gouging Gun Shops

[battleop]

I stopped by Shooter's Depot this afternoon (North GA Location) and saw they were selling 500 Bulk pack for $85/box and stripped AR uppers for over $600-650 each.  Just about everything they had that has a remote chance of making it to an AWB is considerably higher than normal.  I for one think we should all remember who is taking advantage of the public.

[Guest Razz]

Look at it this way: If they charged prices from last fall, they'd be completely out of stock and your thread would be about why these stores can't keep anything in stock... ;)

[battleop]

 I don't have a problem with a markup because of high demand as long as it is reasonable.  I can't see where 400+% is even remotely reasonable.

[GlockSpock]

Look at it this way. If they sale the stuff for less than market value, someone else (private citizen) will just buy everything they have for sale and then mark it up themselves.

 

Free market at work.

[TrickyNicky]

The truly beautiful thing about the free market is that no one gets to dictate who I spend my money with. They can charge whatever they want, I'm not buying. Not now, and from some of these shops never again. There are several shops who are not participating in the nonsense going on right now (most vendors here) who will get my money instead, even if it means paying a few dollars extra. IMO the dealers who are participating are showing their true colors and much like the gun grabbers won't let a good tragedy go to waste. IMHO.


<EDIT> the point about the private parties buying up the stock to resell is very true. Guess what? Won't buy from them either. Edited January 20, 2013 by TrickyNicky

[KJ48]

To someone that has been to all the stores with zero inventory looking for 22lr paying 400% over may not be such a bad deal. 

 

People have to pay the bills, I certainly would not pay that much but I'd probably pay 45.00 for a decent box of 500 22lr, I'm out :(

Edited January 20, 2013 by KJ48

[dlm37015]

i sold 5 cases today for 29.99 per 500 remington subsonics

[Dolomite_supafly]

i sold 5 cases today for 29.99 per 500 remington subsonics

And that is a deal even in normal times.

 

Just remember the shop during fairer times. Shops do not need us right now but when things settle back to normal they, without a doubt, need our money to stay in business. We, as gun owners, forget who upset us last month if they have a sale this month. I do not and refuse to buy from anyone who I think has done me wrong. And accordingly my list of "acceptable" shops continues to get smaller and smaller.

 

Dolomite

[Sam1]

I stopped by Shooter's Depot this afternoon (North GA Location) and saw they were selling 500 Bulk pack for $85/box and stripped AR uppers for over $600-650 each.  Just about everything they had that has a remote chance of making it to an AWB is considerably higher than normal.  I for one think we should all remember who is taking advantage of the public.

 

 

RRA stripped lowers were going for $750 at the show today, $650 is a bargain lol

[rugerla1]

I don't know what store's table it was but saw a S&W M&P 15-22 for $699. Ughhh!

[56FordGuy]

RRA stripped lowers were going for $750 at the show today, $650 is a bargain lol

Actually selling for, or just asking? 

[mav]

How in the world do you know Shooter's Depot is gouging?  Unless you work there, the short answer is you don't; you are merely speculating.  You have no idea what they are having to pay to restock merchandise that is in high demand.  If they are having to pay more for high demand merchandise, should they absorb the increased cost?  I most certainly wouldn't in today's market.

 

There are some clear cut cases of gouging going on in this market.  However, not all cases are price gouging, so we should be judicious in our usage of that term.  We are in a bubble market right now, and demand has vastly outweighed the supply.  Prices have and are going to increase in the short term, and on some items, the increase might be high.  If prices are too high for someone, then it is best that they wait out the market.  As with all bubble markets, the bubble eventually busts and prices drop.  The bigger the bubble becomes, the bigger the bust. 

 

Just look at the housing market bubble, which was government induced, as a recent example.  Houses were skyrocketing, and a lot of people said that prices would remain high because houses never decrease in value.  Well, they were wrong, and once the bubble popped, housing prices dropped precipitously.  Unless the government reinstates a ban, more than likely the same thing will occur in this market.  How long it takes, no one knows.

 

If people got caught with their pants down, meaning they didn't have adequate supply, or they waited to get something on their wish list, etc... , during this hysteria, it sucks to be them.  They are now going to have to compete with everyone else who was unprepared over a limited supply of goods.  Thus, they are more than likely going to have to pay more for what they want. 

 

I stated in another thread that this entire situation is a great learning lesson for all of us.  Due to the political volatility, which is never going away, surrounding our chosen hobby, it would behoove us to make sure, if funds allow, to always have adequate supply of ammo, parts, mags, etc... on hand.  Additionally and if funds allow, it would be a good idea to pare down our wish list as well.

Edited January 20, 2013 by mav

[RED333]

The prices are nuts right now, remember where you saw the prices, do not support them when they need us to buy.

[Guest RevScottie]

Keep in mind a lot of the really high priced AR stuff at Shooters Depot is being sold on consignment.

[Metalhead]

Mav,

 

Current dealer on an average stripped upper is $70 bucks. $600 is gouging.

Edited January 20, 2013 by Metalhead

[battleop]

RRA stripped lowers were going for $750 at the show today, $650 is a bargain lol

 

I went to the Dalton Gun Show last weekend.  There was a guy there with 5 or 6 Stag stripped lowers with a sign that hyped the gun grabbing.  He had a real deal, $1,000.00 Each or 3 for $2,500.00.  He had one of the few tables where no one was even slowing down to look at what he had to sell.

[battleop]

Mav,

 

Current dealer on an average stripped upper is $70 bucks. $600 is gouging.

 

If they were in the $300-400 range I would have thought it was very high but not gouging since that's the ball park of what I am seeing them on gunbroker.com

[battleop]

How in the world do you know Shooter's Depot is gouging?  Unless you work there, the short answer is you don't; you are merely speculating.  You have no idea what they are having to pay to restock merchandise that is in high demand.  If they are having to pay more for high demand merchandise, should they absorb the increased cost?  I most certainly wouldn't in today's market.

 

I refuse to believe that they can't find anyplace to get 22lr at a reasonable price.  There are plenty of small shops out there are managing to find some stock even if it's limited. If dlm37015 is still getting it cheap enough to sell at $30/500 then it's still out there at a reasonable price.

[mav]

Mav,

 

Current dealer on an average stripped upper is $70 bucks. $600 is gouging.

 

I don't think it is my place to tell someone how much they can make.  However, if it is how you say and they are paying $70 and trying to make $580 on it then I would agree they are gouging.  If it is how you say, I would also agree with several on here that I will not spend any money with a dealer who is engaging in such practices.

 

I have no experience with the Georgia store, but I have had a lot with the Chattanooga store, and everything has been positive.  I purchased a new Gen4 G19 after the Newtown shooting.  Not counting tax, I purchased it for lower than anything I could find online.  I tend to believe that something like RevScottie mentioned is the reason for the high prices.

[Sam1]

Actually selling for, or just asking? 

 

Selling, and selling multiples

[orientalexpress]

Lots of people have mentioned here that in there moral principles they wouldn't do this that and the other. I agree that $600 is way too high for a receiver. But if they sell them for the normal price someone is likely to buy them up and sell them on gunbroker, arms list, gun show etc. that's what's happening with ammo at place like Walmart academy. Before any of you jump on here saying that's not what I'm doing I'll never do that whatever, you can easily see that maybe you're not doing it but someone is. I don't know what the right answer is. I mean if you're a small gun dealer and you pay retail at Walmart and mark up ammo at $10. Is that wrong? $20? Is it wrong that you bought all the ammo and no one else gets any at that price?

[Metalhead]

I think you can buy stripped uppers off of Brownells for around 85 bucks? Now if he ment a complete upper, $600 would be entirely reasonable.