Stop calling it gouging.

What's with all the upset people calling raised gun prices "gouging"? That's simple market based pricing. There's nothing bad about it. I'm sorry that it's more than you want to pay. Boo hoo. The United States still ostensibly operates based on a free market economy. The price for anything, including guns, is based on the free agreement between buyer and seller. The seller will charge as much as he can, and the buyer will pay as little as he can. If those two prices meet somewhere, a sale is made. If they don't, no sale. It's pretty simple.

The demand for guns and ammo has gone up. That means everything from the demand for materials to produce them, to the amount of shipping of materials and completed guns, to increased sales staff in stores, and everything in between has gone up to. Those things need to be paid for. And then there is the simple fact that any business exists to make a profit. Produce item for price X and sell item for price Y. The difference between the two prices is how the business owner feeds his family and makes sure he has another truckload of guns coming next week for you to buy. Stop whining that you're on the "negative" end of market forces this time.

Ever bought something on sale? Market forces.
Ever bought something in bulk for a lower price? Market forces.
Ever bought something used for a lower prices? Market forces.
Ever bought something online that was cheaper than in a store? Market forces.
Ever tried selling something yourself? Did you sell it for $10 when you could have sold it for $200? Market forces.

Did you feel bad that you were "gouging" the other side by paying less than you might have elsewhere, or that you got as much as you could for that thing you sold at a yard sale/craigslist/Gunbroker/etc? I bet you didn't. Because you were the one benefiting from the market at that point. So why are you whining now?

When you bought something on sale, or used, or in bulk, etc, you paid a lower price because the value of those items was lower. That's the way the market works. Say a brand new gun costs $500. Would you buy the same gun from me for $500 after I've used it for a few years and shot a few thousand rounds through it? No? Why not? Because you wouldn't see the value as being as high as if it were new. I could try setting the price at $500, but you wouldn't take it until I lowered it to a price you're comfortable with. Remember, the price for something in a free market is where the lowest price the seller is willing to sell for and the highest price the buyer is willing to buy for meet. You wouldn't buy that used gun for $500 and I won't sell it for $100. But I'll keep lowering my price until we find one we agree on. If it's too low for me, I won't sell. If it's too high for you, you won't buy.

So why are PMAGs going for $50-75+? Why have certain ammo calibers doubled in price? Why are certain guns going for a few hundred above the price a few months ago? Is it because that mean old gun store owner is trying to "gouge" you while you're down? Of course not. Stop being childish. It's because people are willing to pay it. If no one paid $75 for a PMAG, the price would drop to $70. If no one paid $70, the price would drop to $65, and so on and so on. Until it got to a price that both the seller and buyer are ok with. No more, no less.

If you've ever bought something on sale, or bought something used for a lower price, etc, you need to stop whining about "gouging" right now. It's hypocritical and ignorant. The price is whatever two people agree on. Right now people are agreeing on prices that are higher than what they agreed on a few months ago. Suck it up and pay..........or don't. That's your choice in a free market too. And believe me, you don't really want the alternative.

Merchants are free to charge whatever they can get. and I'm free to cut them off. I suppose we will see in the long run whose is bigger.

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And that's exactly the way it's supposed to work.

A brand new electronic gadget/TV/game system/etc comes out and sells for $600. Why not $1,000? Because no one would but it. Why not $20? Because the company would lose money. So the initial price is $600. That's the price that they seller knows they can actually sell enough of them to make a profit. Not low enough to lose money and not too high to not sell. So 6 months later the price drops to $500. Why? Because no one wants to pay $600 for something that isn't "new" anymore. A year later after sales have plateaued, it goes on "sale" for $350. Why is that price lower than the original $600? It's the same device right. If it was worth $600 it's worth $600 right? Wrong. People aren't willing to pay that anymore. But they are willing to pay $350. So sales spike a bit. A few years go buy and the company is set to release the next model of whatever gizmo they make. Prices for the old model drop to $150. Why? Because they have excess inventory and want to sell as many off as they can before they become obsolete and essentially worthless.

In each price range, a different type of buyer is OK with that given price. The early adopter is totally fine with the $600. The sensible average buyer knows he can wait a bit and save a few hundred. And the guy on a budget knows he can get it for next to nothing by just buying it when the next new thing is about to be released. So why is the exact same item that does the exact same thing able to be sold for $600, $500, $350, and $150? Because enough people are willing to pay it.



Question: why is it bad when a seller benefits from extra demand but not bad when the buyer benefits from extra supply?

You NEVER hear them scream "under pricing" when something they want is on sale.............

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Exactly. I bet every single person in this thread would say "YES" if someone offered them $500 apeice for a few 30rd magazines. Or if I offered to sell my magazines for $1. Why is that?