zeebill
Member
I had read earlier this month about a fellow complaining about the promoter of the York Gun show and it hit a familiar and little known fact about gun shows and promoters. I have sold stuff at shows and traded for many years and I have noted something over the last 10 years or so that many of you as buyers should note and act accordingly. First off note when you go to a show how many gun sellers there are and then note down the list all the other specialty dealers of different things there are. If there are a bunch of each class then prices will be competitive you would think right? Wrong most dealers run around Friday night or early Saturday morning and make sure their prices are in line with others, another words if one guy is high they are all most times high too.
We have a particular thing going on in the market of AR's and pistols and also ammo right now with there being a glut in the market so to sell things certain dealers are not going to certain shows because they don't want to do a bunch of volume but make more on each and every item they sell. The shows these dealers are boycotting are shows were certain dealers have made the cut to the prices to the point where they sell a lot to make their money. One promoter has banned certain dealers from her shows around here because of other dealers threatening to boycott her shows. The upcoming Morgantown show will have many dealers missing because the promoter has stood her ground and refuses to ban a certain dealer because his prices are way lower than these other dealers wish to go. Do yourself a favor and remember who these missing dealers are and avoid buying from them. The shows where this dealer is not at are shows that one promoter has banned him from.
There was a post on the York show where a dealer made a comment about being banned by the promoter and this promoter has been known for doing that among dealers for many years. He also refuses to spend money for advertisement as does the local Promoter who banned another dealer from her shows. All the promoter has to do is lie quickly and easily about why the dealer was banned and their butt is covered so nothing legally can be done but sooner or later it should become apparent to us as buyers and sellers to what is coming down.
There is politics in everything especially where money is concerned it seems. What can be done about it is very little I am afraid. The bad part is we as buyers go to shows and pay more and more to get in and park and for food. Me as a seller pay more and more for table rent and food too. What is happening is people are buying less and less at shows because it costs more and more just to go. Me I am raising my prices to just pay the bills and break even which is happening less and less all the time. I obviously don't do this to earn a living or I would have gone under years ago. I do it to add pieces to my personal collection and enjoy my hobby and learn things about what I collect.
I know all of us have seen a more Flea Market scene at most "Gun Shows" these days and as dealers we sure don't like it but promoters will take money from anyone to fill the halls these days. With the prices being as high as they are I think most promoters are in the black just from the rental of the tables before the first person comes in the door these days. Cronyism is no doubt being practiced widely to these days and has been as long as I have gone to gun shows. There are certain shows that I will no longer go to that a relative of the promoter has the first table by the door and nothing of interest makes it past him for another dealer to buy. Many promoters have given out reduced table rents to certain dealers for years because of their relentless support of their shows.
If you look at certain promoters sale notices they are even saying they don't control prices at their shows now. All this crap is totally eroding the quality of the shows now and making a good thing die a certain death I am afraid. I will now retreat from my soap box and let all of you consider closely what I have written and who knows where it will go. More than likely I am afraid nothing will happen but time will show us I guess. You will note I mentioned no names because although I make no money at what I do I do enjoy it and want no retribution if I can help it. Bill
We have a particular thing going on in the market of AR's and pistols and also ammo right now with there being a glut in the market so to sell things certain dealers are not going to certain shows because they don't want to do a bunch of volume but make more on each and every item they sell. The shows these dealers are boycotting are shows were certain dealers have made the cut to the prices to the point where they sell a lot to make their money. One promoter has banned certain dealers from her shows around here because of other dealers threatening to boycott her shows. The upcoming Morgantown show will have many dealers missing because the promoter has stood her ground and refuses to ban a certain dealer because his prices are way lower than these other dealers wish to go. Do yourself a favor and remember who these missing dealers are and avoid buying from them. The shows where this dealer is not at are shows that one promoter has banned him from.
There was a post on the York show where a dealer made a comment about being banned by the promoter and this promoter has been known for doing that among dealers for many years. He also refuses to spend money for advertisement as does the local Promoter who banned another dealer from her shows. All the promoter has to do is lie quickly and easily about why the dealer was banned and their butt is covered so nothing legally can be done but sooner or later it should become apparent to us as buyers and sellers to what is coming down.
There is politics in everything especially where money is concerned it seems. What can be done about it is very little I am afraid. The bad part is we as buyers go to shows and pay more and more to get in and park and for food. Me as a seller pay more and more for table rent and food too. What is happening is people are buying less and less at shows because it costs more and more just to go. Me I am raising my prices to just pay the bills and break even which is happening less and less all the time. I obviously don't do this to earn a living or I would have gone under years ago. I do it to add pieces to my personal collection and enjoy my hobby and learn things about what I collect.
I know all of us have seen a more Flea Market scene at most "Gun Shows" these days and as dealers we sure don't like it but promoters will take money from anyone to fill the halls these days. With the prices being as high as they are I think most promoters are in the black just from the rental of the tables before the first person comes in the door these days. Cronyism is no doubt being practiced widely to these days and has been as long as I have gone to gun shows. There are certain shows that I will no longer go to that a relative of the promoter has the first table by the door and nothing of interest makes it past him for another dealer to buy. Many promoters have given out reduced table rents to certain dealers for years because of their relentless support of their shows.
If you look at certain promoters sale notices they are even saying they don't control prices at their shows now. All this crap is totally eroding the quality of the shows now and making a good thing die a certain death I am afraid. I will now retreat from my soap box and let all of you consider closely what I have written and who knows where it will go. More than likely I am afraid nothing will happen but time will show us I guess. You will note I mentioned no names because although I make no money at what I do I do enjoy it and want no retribution if I can help it. Bill