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    Right2Carry

    Active Member
    Feb 27, 2009
    695
    District 32
    I understand your frustration in the given market, you are not alone. However i think it's wrong to say that most of us dealers are out there trying to gouge every penny we can for what we have. For some of us this might be the last "hurrah" for a while. As we dealers are having a very hard time finding product to restock with. Most dealers are looking at what current market value is on a product and pricing accordingly, some higher some lower. Dont blame the dealers for making a living.

    I agree. Most dealers have to pay business rent on top of their own mortgage/rent. Business rent is typically a contracted term lease with high termination penalties. Dealers simply cannot place their business on hold, and plus Maryland always wants their quarterly business taxes. Additionally, dealers don't want to lay off employees in this current economy.
     

    lkenefic

    Ultimate Member
    Aug 19, 2011
    3,778
    I don't want to hijack this thread (it's supposed to be about the gun show) but in reference to pricing... It's this how a "free market economy" works? If you feel the price is too high, don't buy! The market will take care of those dealers that have priced themselves out of it. Buyers also have to realize that dealers may not be able to re-stock at pre-Dec2012 prices. However, some dealers obviously can and are getting the bulk of the business. The argument that dealers have to pay to keep the lights on, works to an extent. Profit margins were pretty thin before all of this madness, and I would expect prices to go up to reflect increased demand, but electricity and rent doesn't cost two or three times as much now as it did back before Christmas, yet some dealers have changed their pricing to reflect this. Regardless of dealer costs and overhead... if you don't like the price... walk away! In the future, prices will do one one of three things... They will either stabilize where they are now, they will go back to where they were before, or we're seeing the first wave of price increases and they'll go up... ain't the free market great?!!
     

    NukeNick

    Active Member
    Jan 27, 2013
    136
    21227
    Just got back from this. Looks like I wont be attending another show for a year or so. Selections were poor at best, even for C&R stuff. Save your $8 today.
     

    Mike G

    Member
    Feb 10, 2013
    19
    There is truth to this. According to economics, price gouging actually helps bring product to area's with limited supply. It is still crappy to take advantage of people, but those willing to pay are not terribly upset... they can at least get a product they want.

    We want everyone to have a gun. More owners = more supporters of 2A.

    Still, I would like to find an upper and not have to mortgage the house...
     

    Mike G

    Member
    Feb 10, 2013
    19
    I don't want to hijack this thread (it's supposed to be about the gun show) but in reference to pricing... It's this how a "free market economy" works? If you feel the price is too high, don't buy! The market will take care of those dealers that have priced themselves out of it. Buyers also have to realize that dealers may not be able to re-stock at pre-Dec2012 prices. However, some dealers obviously can and are getting the bulk of the business. The argument that dealers have to pay to keep the lights on, works to an extent. Profit margins were pretty thin before all of this madness, and I would expect prices to go up to reflect increased demand, but electricity and rent doesn't cost two or three times as much now as it did back before Christmas, yet some dealers have changed their pricing to reflect this. Regardless of dealer costs and overhead... if you don't like the price... walk away! In the future, prices will do one one of three things... They will either stabilize where they are now, they will go back to where they were before, or we're seeing the first wave of price increases and they'll go up... ain't the free market great?!!

    Don't forget - these dealers are facing the loss of their businesses...
     

    rrrrrrkevin

    Its comin right for me!
    Jul 18, 2008
    2,603
    North Beach
    I had a good time. I laughed at the guy with the 375 packs of CCI too. I just picked up a 500 round brick for 49 and they had several bricks still and this guy was telling a guy it was the last .22 ammo he's ever gonna see. This is bs, .22 is popping up again all over.

    I liked the victorinox stand. Amazing selection! I probably bought 4 SAK's. I also got his store address.
     

    kingfish

    Active Member
    Jan 15, 2008
    779
    I just got back from the show myself. Kudos to shooters discount. They were the only ones who were not gouging. Everyone else had astronomical prices on just about everything. Even the ammo can guy jacked his rates up. I bought a 50 cal can from him for $13. But strangely, I overheard someone saying they paid $15 each for the ammo cans. Maybe they bought them from someone else but I did not see anyone else selling cans. I guess those politicians in Annapolis are going to ban ammo cans too? It reminded me very much of the Annapolis show but on a larger scale.
    By the way, I understand completely how supply and demand works. This is a free market and I have absolutely no problem with people setting their own prices. It's a free country. But when you see very desirable firearms sitting and sitting and sitting in a market like this one, you know darn well they are priced Astronomically. A friend of mine bought a Yugo under folder for $900 about two weeks ago at a glen burnie shop. At the show, someone had the exact same for $1500. Another guy wanted $1650 for a Saiga shotgun. It was so ridiculous that people were walking around with their personal hunting rifles over their shoulders looking to sell them. Hahaha
     

    elmerjr128

    Active Member
    Mar 15, 2011
    610
    That guy with the ammo cans in back was a prick. Why is it that all firearm and firearm accessory dealers are the absolute worst salesmen imaginable?
     

    Pinecone

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 4, 2013
    28,175
    Supply and demand.

    Dealers raise prices until people stop buying, the prices start coming back down to where people buy.
     

    jtb81100

    Ultimate Member
    May 28, 2012
    2,234
    Western HoCo
    No point in complaining about the prices. Yes they were high, but they were towards the upper end of what stuff has been selling for online in a market that has been empty. Yesterday was the first time I had seen most of the calibers of ammo in about a month and a half. If you want a deal, head down before they close this afternoon and start making offers on the over priced stuff. As tired as they have to be, I can't imagine they are looking forward to packing stuff back up.
     

    kingfish

    Active Member
    Jan 15, 2008
    779
    No point in complaining about the prices. Yes they were high, but they were towards the upper end of what stuff has been selling for online in a market that has been empty. Yesterday was the first time I had seen most of the calibers of ammo in about a month and a half. If you want a deal, head down before they close this afternoon and start making offers on the over priced stuff. As tired as they have to be, I can't imagine they are looking forward to packing stuff back up.

    No. I was at the York show yesterday and guns and gun accessories were significantly less.
     

    Melnic

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Dec 27, 2012
    15,282
    HoCo
    Basspro never raised the price on the CCI Minimags back when I needed them. The horders kept buying. If they only raised it some, the horders may have bought less and the shooters would have bought something. That being said, people have every right not to buy from anyone. BTW, I saw someone buy 2 boxes of the $65 CCI from that guy. The buyer was happy cause he was ready to shoot.
     

    Name Taken

    Ultimate Member
    Feb 23, 2010
    11,891
    Central
    Then perhaps they need to change their business model. Isn't that part of a free market economy too?

    You want a gun shop to sell something other then guns? That's not changing a model that's going out of business.

    If SB281 passes completely or even with a few more anti amendments it will largely cut into a lot of dealers wallets. Not being able to sell the most diserable firearms will certainly put a hurt on their wallets.
     

    Alphabrew

    Binary male Lesbian
    MDS Supporter
    Jan 27, 2013
    40,749
    Woodbine
    I scored three brand new mil surp 20 round AK mags with pouch and an original box of 9mm Black Talon from the early 1990s. Good times! I hope all the dealers did well.

    I've dealt with the ammo can guy before and he was always cool with me. At any rate I'm sure it was a long, stressful weekend for all the vendors.
     

    Aldwyn

    Not All That Bad, Really.
    Dec 20, 2012
    59
    Columbia, Md
    I was there until the place closed. No one was making any deals that I could see. :(

    Also bought 1 can from the guy in the back. Just as nice as he could be, and in fact, was chatting my ear off as he was packing up his stuff into his trailer.

    Maybe someone pissed him off just before you got there, so he took it out on you?
     

    elmerjr128

    Active Member
    Mar 15, 2011
    610
    Maybe someone pissed him off just before you got there, so he took it out on you?

    I think you're right. Just before I bought my can there was a guy scrutinizing and comparing about 6 boxes, looking them over again and again, trying to decide which was in better condition... only to walk away empty handed.
     
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