Discussion ie: price gouging in classified forums

[Goosebrown]

Maybe we have jobs the would preclude us from standing in line all day/night long??....Don't live in our parents basements?? Have responsibilities to homes and families that make it impossible to sit on the phone/stand in line all day buying up game and concert tickets? We would be decent human beings, not the dirt-bag gouger/scalpers. Yep. Just ignore them.

Then you have good priorities and won't be able to go to your show. If they can afford to you're paying them for their time and trouble. You don't have a right to own something if you can't get out there and get it.

 

[Lazyfaire]

I've never really understood some people's desire to go into the classifieds and dissect someone else's posting. You think the price is too high for what it is?.....don't buy it and just go away! If its too high its not gonna sell. If you want to make an offer on something, do so. He can accept or he can say "Thanks for looking". You can always up your bid if you want it.

I once had someone ask me how little I'll take!! ?? My next answer will be $50 OVER my asking price. Thanks for looking!

 

[308]

I've never really understood some people's desire to go into the classifieds and dissect someone else's posting. You think the price is too high for what it is?.....don't buy it and just go away! If its too high its not gonna sell. If you want to make an offer on something, do so. He can accept or he can say "Thanks for looking". You can always up your bid if you want it.

I once had someone ask me how little I'll take!! ?? My next answer will be $50 OVER my asking price. Thanks for looking!

That last part sounds like a craigslist question. Was their a sob story about only having XX left over from their tax return to go with it?

 

[Lazyfaire]

That last part sounds like a craigslist question. Was their a sob story about only having XX left over from their tax return to go with it?

Nope. It was just that question. No sob story, and I wasn't really offended either. Though I did just sit and stare at it for a bit, amazed at the question.

 

[Mikej]

I didn't post in the ad - not one word. I am not crapping on it. I make no reference to the ad where the gouging is going on. I simply point out that there is a great deal online on the same ammo they are charging 35% more for and that they can get it delivered to their home instead of driving 30 minutes to meet someone and then 30 minutes back home. That is not a 'hair over cost'. If I could do make a profit like that every day I wouldn't need a job.

But I tell you what - if enough people will commit to buying ammo from me for a 35% markup, I will order it online in a group buy.

Hey, I'd never call it thread crapping. I'd call it doing a service to others! Now, there are people that will call things posted on others ads thread crapping. Personally I don't care. If it were MY ad and I take offence to it, then that's my right I suppose.

You all can do as you wish. I'll just sit back and smile. Or not?

 

[sealine]

Good times or bad times, I always do a web search for the item being sold to get an idea of the original or current selling price, then decide if the seller is being fair.

But some n00b selling his MAK90 or unfired SKS for $1100....yeah, permanent block.

See, I'm the exact opposite. I'll send that guy a follow request. If he's dumb nough to ask $1100 for a Mak90 or SKS, he's dumb enough to inherit grandpa's Browning over/under one day and ask $300 for it because it's not tacti-cool.

 

[308]

See, I'm the exact opposite. I'll send that guy a follow request. If he's dumb nough to ask $1100 for a Mak90 or SKS, he's dumb enough to inherit grandpa's Browning over/under one day and ask $300 for it because it's not tacti-cool.

Good thinking

 

[Member 3687]

I will admit I read the first 3 pages of posts then skimmed the rest and even though I do not want to pay a higher price I am happy the majority like the free market system. The ones that don't seem too are the ones that got caught with their pants down and did not have enough in their stores for the rainy day or feel if it is not a bargain, it must be gouging.

Most of us here have been doing this for a while and have seen the ups and downs and bought what we could when markets where low.

The ones I feel sad for are the new folks to the gun world and have not had a chance to stockpile yet before all this happen, but that is life and life sometimes sucks.

Back in the day I could buy a stainless Ruger GP100 (2008) for between 299.95 to 329.95 and felt it was worth every penny. I have plenty of poly guns and decided to look for something new and a revolver came to mind as it's been a while since I had one.

So Friday I went looking (we still can in Idaho) and found out they are 699.95 now and that's the normal price so is this price gouging, inflation or just the cost of manufacturing these days. For me it is just plain expensive and I will not pay it as I do not feel it is worth that price to me but to some it is.

I also have 22lr in 550 packs still marked $6.95 and now it cost almost 20 bucks before the latest price hike because of the virus. So once again is this price gouging, inflation or cost to manufacture.

I see prices go up all the time every year on everything (the disadvantage of getting old and seeing prices go up or in reality the value of the dollar go down) and I have to make the choice is it worth it to me or not, if it is I will buy it, if not I won't. I have no problem offering a lower price and do not get butt hurt if they decline because it is their property and they can ask whatever they want for it that does not mean I have to pay it.

Friday while at the store looking at revolvers I actually bought 5 boxes of 9mm for about 2 dollars a box more than I did at Xmas. Reason was I had a new shooter from my work come over Saturday for some basic training with a gun he got in February with his tax refund. I have a stash that I do not want to dig into but wanted to have enough to play with for proper training.

I felt the extra 10 bucks for the 5 boxes was worth the experience we had on the range so I was willing to pay it.

Just my thoughts

.

 

[Slagiatt]

I have a simple solution; If a seller is marking prices more than 30% higher than pre-scare, I put them on ignore. That way when it all cools down I know who not to buy from. A person willing to profit from adversity has, in my personal opinion, just enough of a lack of morality for me to not trust them when times are good.

Theres a term for that. Carpetbagger.

 

[ZigZagZeke]

I'm all for capitalism, but there are actions that are just plain wrong. Going into a Costco and buying every roll of TP in stock is INTENDED to generate panic and create a shortage from which the buyer hopes to profit. Having your Bi-Mart clerk friend call you when a shipment of .22 LR comes in, so you can be first in line to buy it all for resale at twice the price is gouging. Going out of your way to create and/or maintain a shortage for your own profit is wrong.

 

[Pete F]

I totally disagree. This IS the market.

You could have got out and stood in line or whatever but you didn't do you pay a convenience fee of 400%. That's good business and it allows those that REALLY want to go, a chance that they otherwise would not have to go.

They buy the tickets online, and unless you have a faster computer setup to automatically buy when the tickets go on sale, you will not beat them. When was the last time that you bought concert tickets? They don't sell them at the ticket counter anymore.

 

[MrMillspecer]

Its common knowledge that the best time buy guns and ammo is during a pandemic.

Or wait for the Cascadia event clearance sales.

 

[Mikej]

Friday while at the store looking at revolvers I actually bought 5 boxes of 9mm for about 2 dollars a box more than I did at Xmas. Reason was I had a new shooter from my work come over Saturday for some basic training with a gun he got in February with his tax refund. I have a stash that I do not want to dig into but wanted to have enough to play with for proper training.

I felt the extra 10 bucks for the 5 boxes was worth the experience we had on the range so I was willing to pay it.

Just my thoughts

That's definitely NOT what this long thread is about. I would almost expect businesses to raise prices across the board after the mess we're in clears up. So many companies cash cash flow came to a screeching halt. And 9mm going for $12.00 a box isn't half bad.

 

[Esam85]

Is anyone really buying at unreasonable prices though? I mean most of us here are pretty educated and learned our lessons the last time and if someone is still able to afford to buy at those prices and can't realize that this is only going to last a couple of months vs an 8 year Obama administration where ammo companies did not have the tooling to keep up with demand so what if they do. So if they can afford so be it. I think its kind of silly to post at prices that no one in their right mind would pay and silly to pay for something that you will be able to buy for a few months later at regular price.

I think the only people paying the outrageous prices are people who can afford to and those who are complaining are those who didn't learn and got caught with their pants down so the only thing they can do is whine about it. Or newbs who really shouldn't be buying out of fear because if they do not know how to use the weapon and ammo they are buying they are at risk of hurting themselves or others because they did not take to time to educate themselves. so maybe it's best that they can't afford what they are seeing so they use this time to educate themselves and be better prepared in the event that we have an actual disaster.


There are still guys posting at some good prices maybe a little too good like one member posting .22 at 4 cents an rd. which means someone will probably buy it up and charge double or triple. I think he should have charged a little more like 7cents an rd. which would have still been reasonable and got the ammo to someone who was going to use it rather than flip it.

I just bought 22 ammo online at 4 cents around shipped to my door....

 

[eldbillbo]

I just bought 22 ammo online at 4 cents around shipped to my door....

Like I said the shortage is/was temporary

 

[The Heretic]

Let me put it another way; I do hoard - a little. When I go in for groceries, I buy more than I need for the time being - I buy extra, if there is enough.

But if I have enough for now, and the last package of something is sitting on the shelf, I leave it for someone else. If there are 50 bottles of cough syrup, I get two, even though I already have two at home - because I sometimes get sick with a cold, run out of it, and forget to stock up afterwards.

I don't go out and buy every bottle of cough syrup when I see it is going to be in demand then charge double for it when people need it. In fact, I pretty much do not sell anything I stock up on. Someday I, or one of my neighbors, might need it.

I may charge the going price for ammo if I decide to get out of a particular caliber, but not more than what a person could pay for it online.

 

[G1GRANDEUR]

sucks, but it is what it is.

everything when / Demand Increase: price increases

I just ignore it.

 

[cookie]

If some one wants to sell their ZXC ammo for 4 times the list price and some one is willing to buy the ZXC ammo at that price I don't see a problem . People are asking $2500.00 + for Colt Pythons when a $1200.00 S&W is a much better revolver.

 

[Mikej]

If some one wants to selltheir ZXC ammo for4 times the list price and some one is willing to buy the ZXC ammo at that price I don't see a problem . People are asking $2500.00 + for Colt Pythons when a $1200.00 S&W is a much better revolver.

I should clarify. The laughy face was because I agree with you. And your right. I find that funny!

 

[Used To Hunt]

A wise man once said "don't wait until the flood to start building your ship" the best lessons are the ones that hurt the most.