Is it bad to complain about high prices on guns?

[Lone_Gunman]

Does it make me a communist to complain about high prices on guns? I have never thought about it like that.

For example, in the free market system it is ok to try to sell something for whatever price you can get. But is it not also ok for consumers to complain, and refuse to do business with, people and companies who engage in these tactics?

I have recently seen Cheaper than Dirt trying to sell a box of 380 ammo for over 50 dollars. And I recently saw a Ruger LCP listed for sale at $600. Why is it wrong to complain about such prices? If it is OK to list something for sale that far above market value, why is it not OK for consumers to complain?

 

[rbernie]

You absolutely have a right to complain. I will suggest that complaining to THR membership is silly, because we can't do anything useful to rectify that which irks you.

If ya wanna complain - send a note to the person/entity that irks you. Ranting at the clouds doesn't help much, and ranting here on THR isn't much different.

In the end, everyone needs to be mindful that THR is a shared resource, and these 'I need to get this off my chest' complaint threads are essentially the equivalent of crapping in the communal feed trough.

 

[waterhouse]

You are free to state your opinion. In your last thread, your opinion was not merely that "the listed price was too high," but instead that:

I think this goes beyond what is acceptable behaviour. Capitalism is great, but we have laws against usury. I would feel bad to sell something to someone that I know is not worth what I am selling it for.

Then people pointed out that in capitalism the market sets the price. If people are buying $50 boxes of ammo and paying $600 for a Ruger LCP, then that data point is part of the price set somewhere in the market. If people don't buy at those prices, then they either come down or the item remains unsold.

You can complain about high prices, but my response would be "well, don't buy it then."

I'm free to complain that there isn't a Ferrari in my driveway, but I doubt I would get any sympathy or that anyone would care.

 

[rdhood]

Hmm.... I look at it like I look at "for sale" threads when the price is obviously 200-300% higher than what I think is "fair". I simply don't purchase. That is the power that I have in a capitalist system. I buy elsewhere. IF the wholesale price is truly much lower, then supply/demand tells us that sooner or later there will be a seller who will take slightly less profit who sells slightly lower.... and so on... and so on... until the price of the item is only slightly above a minimum profit margin. One gas station on your corner could not exist selling gas at $8 a gallon while it was being sold at $2 a gallon on the other three corners of the intersection. Further, as a buyer, you have the ability to NEVER shop at the $8 a gallon seller again..... even if he lowers his price to $1.90. You can remember what he did and choose not to help him put the other vendors out of business knowing that he MAY jack the price back to $8 a gallon after his competition is gone. You need to nothing except alter your buying habits and remember what was done in this time of short supply.

 

[hso]

Everyone has the "right" to complain about prices...AND people who complain about complaining.

 

[pith43]

Not to mention the fact that the horse you're beating has been dead for a long time

 

[Speedo66]

There are high prices, and there is gouging.

I believe one large catalog and internet store is gouging on ammo prices, and I will not buy anything from them again, even if they are "cheaper" on other items.

Yes, they have a right to sell at any price they want, but many people have long memories, and the right to express their opinions.

I think they're kicking themselves in the ba$$s for the sake of short term profits.

So to answer your question, rant on.

 

[Hawk]

It's OK to complain but probably not OK to suggest coercive measures to change the situation.

Grey areas would include equating the practice to hoarding in the Talmudic context, highway robbery or usury.

Then there's suggesting that folks remember who the worst offenders were and possibly revising their purchasing habits accordingly. I'm OK with that but it's probably pointless. I've already changed vendors where I felt it was appropriate and would not have behaved any differently whether it had been suggested to me or not. Similarly, those who didn't feel "skinned" by their current sources of supply will be unlikely to change because you suggest doing so.

As example, stating that "Cheaper than Peat Moss in North Texas quintupled their prices on in-stock magazines" is likely pointless. My favorite dealer didn't raise his prices but, on the other hand, has no magazines. If you just had to have a magazine so badly that you paid 5 times what you believed it was worth, you pretty much did that to yourself.

Operating on personal principles entails a risk of cutting off one's nose to spite one's face. As example, if one had a weakness for classic S&Ws and had cut off "Cheaper than Peat Moss" on principle, would this also mean walking away from "EasyChairGunShowDotCom" 'cause the Peat Moss boys bought it out?

Hmmm. Complications of the free market. I've elected to abandon both places but a S&W collector might not see much advantage in tossing a favorite source overboard because people 1,000 miles away were making a 900% profit on a magazine they didn't want and / or ammo they have no use for.

I'm gradually coming to the conclusion that the manner in which we treat vendors that have annoyed us is a largely personal decision much like whether one dresses on the right or the left. Since no one here would share with the group which side we dressed on, we probably needn't share how we've modified (or not) our purchasing habits.

 

[JohnBT]

"Why is it wrong to complain about such prices?"

Because it's easier to laugh at them. It's better for you and takes a lot less energy.

JT

 

[Lone_Gunman]

Everyone has the "right" to complain about prices...AND people who complain about complaining.

Ha, I would like to complain about the people who complain about me complaining! Just shut up and listent to me bitch!

OK, I will shut up. You can close the thread, I think I am over it now.