Texas Gun trader .com

[brickboy240]

True....thats why I said I am not buying a 800 dollar AK or 1400 dollar AR.

There is no compelling reason why a gun made mainly of alloy and plastic should go from the 700-1000 dollar range to 1500-2000 dollar range in the past month or so. There has been NO huge increase in the cost of any of the materials the AR-15 is made of. In fact, with the drop in fuel costs...it ought to be a tad less.

However, many gun sellers ARE playing on the Obama fears of everyone and the prices reflect this. Emotion is driving the prices up...nothing else. The stories I am getting from many local gunstore empliyees range from a mix of half truths and predictions to outright fantasy and fearmongering. Odd...because many of these same people will lambast CNN or CBS for biased coverage on a story....yet they themselves are whipping up as much BS as they can to benefit from the "pre-Obama" panic. Where is the difference between the two?

The man is not even in office yet, but everyone is acting like the ban on effective at the end of February! The fact is...we don't know for sure WHAT will happen when BO takes office. There may be no ban at all...he might ban everything that evryone is paying higher prices for right now...amybe an ammo tax. When everyone calms down...at the end of the day...we simply don't know what or when a ban is coming.

A basic Stag or Rock River AR would NOT sell for 1300-1600 bucks right now if McCain had won. They also would not be selling for that price, if some paranoid people had not payed the high price.

So yes...I say WE can affect the market prices by NOT buying at these high prices. Just don't do it.

Also, after all this calms down...remember which local shops kept prices on all gun things reasonable and which ones went nuts with pricing as the fear ramped up. I plan to only buy from those that did not ramp up prices on things to take advantage of panic buying madness and never go back to the others.

The free market is a beautiful thing...we just need to remember that WE are the free market and WE can control these prices if we put our minds to it.

- brickboy240

 

[JKTex]

The free market is a beautiful thing...we just need to remember that WE are the free market and WE can control these prices if we put our minds to it.

- brickboy240

I only skimmed the rest because it's the same silliness so I didn't read it thoroughly.

Your past statement cancels out your theory/opinion as do most people with the idea that in our free society, the only things that are good, are the ones we like.

You are correct. "We" being the buyers, are controlling the prices; the prices they are selling for. For anything to sell by a seller, it must be bought by a buyer. Thus, the market.

 

[brickboy240]

I am a fan of a free market...really. However, I often find that the market takes turns I don't always like. Does not mean that by criticizing it...I don't beleive in the free market or free enterprise.

Its still a better system than any alternative that might come our way.

Criticism of a person who pays too much for an item on the free market does not necessarily mean I detest the free market or how it works.

- brickboy240

 

[idleprocess]

True....thats why I said I am not buying a 800 dollar AK or 1400 dollar AR.

DING DING DING DING DING DING WE HAVE A WINNER!

Really, voting with your wallet (or rather, not voting with it) will have far more effect on prices than clamoring against gouging. It's good to be aware of market prices and inform others about which sellers have good and bad prices, but complaining about it with the undertone of "something has to be done about these prices!" simply isn't effective.

If you really want to buy something popular but the market price is a little too high, organize of participate in a group buy. The sale of a quantity of a single item is legitimately cheaper for the retailer, who will gladly pass the savings on to the buyers if it's not too inconvenient for them.

Retail prices aren't always fixed - try negotiating.

Cash, check, and money order have lower handling/processing costs than credit cards - gun show dealers offer ~3% discounts for paying cash... perhaps a gun store or your local FFL will also offer a cash discount.

 

[perdurabo]

You could definitely make the argument that anytime a vendor raises prices without a corresponding increase in their own cost, it could be considered by some as gouging. Its not as if Adam Smith's magic invisible hand is reaching into the gun shop and erasing the price tags and replacing them with higher prices. The shop owner/wholesaler/manufacturer has to make a conscious decision to raise that price BEFORE someone can make the decision to PAY that price. Price increases are ALWAYS the discretion and responsibility of the VENDOR not the MARKET. Now obviously I don't advocate any sort of socialist price fixing or planned economics, but what I do advocate is for consumers to not tolerate higher prices to in order to maintain a healthy market. Let me repeat that lest those who tend to merely skim posts before replying start making asinine kneejerk statements about me being a socialist: I ADVOCATE NO FORM OF COMMAND ECONOMIC RESPONSE TO PRICING WHATSOEVER BY ANY FORM OF LEGISLATION FROM ANY LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT. When prices rise without a corresponding increase in cost, smart people simply dont buy. I can only assume that people who buy at the inflated and unreasonable price are either: 1) too ignorant/stupid to know they are overpaying, 2) Are so motivated by fear or some other debilitating emotion that they lose their capacity for reason and willingly overpay, or 3) They are so filthy rich it doesnt matter to them that they are overpaying. I think that far more often than not, its #1 that explains most ill-advised purchasing and therefore the only way to keep pricing under control is not only to vote with your own wallet, but be as LOUD as you can about calling BS on out of line pricing that others will be educated and realize that the prices that are being offered are unreasonable, and thus will also be motivated to vote with their wallets against gouging.

Most of the time, Joe Sixpack doesn't know there is a reduction in supply, he only sees a higher price at the checkout stand. When there are fewer items on the shelf to buy, the prices don't magically increase... they have to be increased consciously by the vendor. Lower supply makes it ATTRACTIVE for vendors to raise prices, but it is not like a universal law of physics. Some conditional human intervention and decision-making must occur for that price to actually change. These vendors were presumably making sufficient profit to continue their business when the price was X before the election... why do they suddenly NEED to raise the price to X+Y when they can still make sufficient profit with the price as X? How exactly am I supposed to be okay with someone trying to get ahead and become richer when I know its completely at my expense? Why should I help them get richer when they are not doing the same for me?

When the vendor raises prices because of an obvious and verifiable increase in their costs, I'm fine with paying a higher price. If the vendor cant prove to me (to whatever degree that's practical/possible) that their costs have actually risen and that they are not making significantly more profit than they did before, they are essentially asking me to give them charity simply because "other people are doing it" That doesn't cut it for me. Somewhere in the pricing process a conscious decision is made on the part of the vendor that goes something like "Hey, there seems to be a lot of people wanting this item, I wonder if I can raise the price on it and see if I can make EVEN MORE money on it!". They raise the price as bait for the suckers who just don't know any better. Anyone who will buy at the higher price KNOWING the costs for the vendor have not increased is either ignorant of what the price SHOULD be or is so wealthy that they just dont care that they are paying more for the same item. When a vendor raises prices without a corresponding raise in their cost they are essentially BETTING THAT THEIR CUSTOMERS ARE STUPID. To me that feels like contempt, and I wont do business with anyone who has essential contempt for me. I will not be made a dupe, and I'm not interested in helping anyone else get rich at my expense and I will do my damnedest to avoid it if at all possible.

Of course, Ive already got a sizable stash of ammo and gear that I made several years ago. I feel sorry for those who have just now got on the bandwagon, but to be honest I think the blame for high prices should be laid squarely on vendors, wholesalers and manufacturers who think this is an opportunity to make excess profit that is patently unnecessary. Once again, I don't advocate any kind of socialist price fixing.... a healthy capitalist market presupposes a well informed consumer who will not pay prices that are out of line and to me, any increase in retail price without a corresponding increase in wholesale cost is, more often than not, generally out of line and should not be tolerated by the consumer. This lack of tolerance includes doing your damnedest to inform other consumers that this pricing is unacceptable so that it isn't supported out of market ignorance. THIS is how a free market is properly regulated... if consumers just blindly pay whatever price the vendors suggest, then it is NOT a free market.

 

[jrstang473]

Im just glad the honest suppliers aren't raising prices very much.

 

[Mcoupe]

Is there a fee to advertise on Texas Gun Trader.com??

Thanks.

 

[Hoji]

I gotta admit, I'm not sure what you're point is. Sellers use Texas Gun Trader to sell on. They don't dictate pricing. If that's what you mean....

Otherwise, if something has an MSRP of $1350 and I can buy for that, yet there are people that will pay $1500, I'll buy 200 and resell them all.

Free market!

quote]


Till you end up showering with guys you don't like, nor would you associate with anywhere else but prison.

 

[kville79]

Is there a fee to advertise on Texas Gun Trader.com??

Thanks.

as in posting a gun for sale? no... just register and post away.

 

[JKTex]

I gotta admit, I'm not sure what you're point is. Sellers use Texas Gun Trader to sell on. They don't dictate pricing. If that's what you mean....

Otherwise, if something has an MSRP of $1350 and I can buy for that, yet there are people that will pay $1500, I'll buy 200 and resell them all.

Free market!

quote]


Till you end up showering with guys you don't like, nor would you associate with anywhere else but prison.

I admit, I had to read, reread and think, think hard to figure out what you meant. Then I realized, I think. I strayed away from gun's and meant products in general.

If I get what you mean, you're right, I won't be buying 200 of any gun and reselling them.

 

[brickboy240]

When gas goes back up to 3-4 bucks a gallon this coming summer....I expect NO WHINING from anyone here that is now trying to justify the very high gun prices...ok?

Just pay your 100 bucks to fill up your behemoth 4x4 and be quiet. I work in the oil biz and I have to eat and have kids to put through college.

Enjoy the free market...it works both ways! LOL

- brickboy240

 

[txinvestigator]

When gas goes back up to 3-4 bucks a gallon this coming summer....I expect NO WHINING from anyone here that is now trying to justify the very high gun prices...ok?

Just pay your 100 bucks to fill up your behemoth 4x4 and be quiet. I work in the oil biz and I have to eat and have kids to put through college.

Enjoy the free market...it works both ways! LOL

- brickboy240

Who tried to justify the price? I missed that. I did see a couple who understand that it is not UNFAIR to ask whatever you want. Only demand and desire justify a price.

 

[txinvestigator]

Im just glad the honest suppliers aren't raising prices very much.

Implying that those who ask more are dishonest? How is that?

 

[brickboy240]

No, the sellers of high priced guns may or may not be honest. I never calle them "dishonest.' I have no idea whether or not they're honest.

Are they taking advantage of a false panic? Absolutely. The ethics of that may be called into question but its not dishonest. Truthfulness does not factor into the equasion.

Because of this....they can expect me to NOT buy their wares. Go ahead...price that ratty thrown togeher AK at 800 bucks...hell...price it at 1300. Someone will buy it...but it won't be me.

I'll buy again when they offer guns at decent prices. Until then...forget it.

- brickboy240

 

[Hoji]

I admit, I had to read, reread and think, think hard to figure out what you meant. Then I realized, I think. I strayed away from gun's and meant products in general.

If I get what you mean, you're right, I won't be buying 200 of any gun and reselling them.

You got it.

And if there are people reselling new guns at a profit on TXguntrader the BATFE will catch up with them and make examples sooner or later.

This is of course completely wrong, but it will happen.

 

[txinvestigator]

No, the sellers of high priced guns may or may not be honest. I never calle them "dishonest.' I have no idea whether or not they're honest.

Oh sorry. Since you wrote that you were glad the HONEST sellers were not raising prices much, I just figured you meant that those who did raise prices much were dishonest.

Are they taking advantage of a false panic? Absolutely. The ethics of that may be called into question but its not dishonest. Truthfulness does not factor into the equasion.

Taking advantage/panic/questionable ethics/

more scary words indicating wrongdoing on the sellers part.

Because of this....they can expect me to NOT buy their wares. Go ahead...price that ratty thrown togeher AK at 800 bucks...hell...price it at 1300. Someone will buy it...but it won't be me.

I'll buy again when they offer guns at decent prices. Until then...forget it.

- brickboy240

And on this, we agree.

 

[brickboy240]

Never used the word "honest"...I merely said that I will remember who raised prices to crazy levels to capitalize on the panic and who did not and that is who I might buy from in the future.

Actually, the last few gun purchases I have made have been online from out of state sellers. Really, the brick and mortar stores in the Houston area have really escalated their prices. Even with shipping and a transfer fee, I have beaten the Houston stores by quite a bit on some buys.

I would like to buy form local people, but, like everyone else, my back pocket comes first and if its cheaper somewhere else...my thrifty Scottish roots will not allow me to pay more.

The uptick in the overall cost of this hobby/passtime/sport has made it even more important than before for me to shop around and keep the cost down.

I think this is true of many people, because I hear the same thing from almost every shooter I talk to at the range.

- brickboy240

 

[40Arpent]

Never used the word "honest"...

It easy to get all you abcdefg123 username guys mixed up.

 

[JKTex]

When gas goes back up to 3-4 bucks a gallon this coming summer....I expect NO WHINING from anyone here that is now trying to justify the very high gun prices...ok?

Just pay your 100 bucks to fill up your behemoth 4x4 and be quiet. I work in the oil biz and I have to eat and have kids to put through college.

Enjoy the free market...it works both ways! LOL

- brickboy240

I never whined paying near $200 to fill up my Excursion this summer, I sure would have liked to see diesel prices in the $1.50 range, but they weren't. I never even whined paying the prices I was for premium gas, including inflated prices at gas docks on the lakes, I actually thought the gas dock prices, for example, on Tablerock Lake, were pretty good compared to street prices. At 65 gallons of premium gas for the boat and 45 gallons of diesel for the truck, I had some pain at the pump, but I paid it and never once wanted a fixed price market. I certainly wanted things to correct in our free market, and they did. Of course after boating season when I don't need the gas and need only fill the truck about once a month.

...false panic?

False? If it's false, then why are people doing it. Go tell the high price buyers their panic is false. We'd all appreciate them backing off so prices will come back down, as they do in a free market.

You can't win at this.....

 

[Kbear]

Hmmm… last time we deregulated a market and then allowed it to right itself, we ended up with a 700 billion dollar bailout. I wonder if congress will fund a bailout for all the $800 ak buyers who are running up their credit card debt?