"Price Gouging" is a communist term

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Originally Posted by DeusExMachina

Capitalism or not, it's a shitty thing to do in this atmosphere because you're playing off people's fear. When you shout from the rooftops "Everything will be illegal next week, get yours here for the low low price of 4x MSRP!" Manufacturers have not raised prices, so it's an effort to artificially raise prices. Take a look at the Tanner Gun Show, it's well known that sellers have been raising prices as a whole so they can reap maximum profits on the unknowing. When 90% of tables have a similar price, buyers will think that's the value and the sellers hope they don't look online or at the one guy selling for fair value. It's called price fixing in capitalism. If third parties join in, all the better for the originators.

Personally I will not be making any purchases until the credit card bills come due for the panicked in January.

Crying "communist!" when you're called on it is deplorable.

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You are obviously quite ignorant regarding the workings of a free market system.

I've seen plenty of sellers list their item for sale for what appear to be inflated prices without hyping the ad with predictions of future doom and gloom. GunBroker is a perfect example. If I list a 10-pack of PMags for a starting price of $199.95 that's $19.95 per magazine. That's not an outrageous price in this climate. MagPul may not have raised prices but that doesn't matter if the product isn't available on the market because MagPul can't meet demand. If someone comes along and sees my listing and bids $199.95, they buy the item...unless someone places a higher bid. If someone bids $225, or $275 or $375, who are you to tell them that isn't right or it's "not fair"? It's none of your damn business what someone wants to pay for an item unless you're involved in the transaction. In this market, both the buyer and seller know, or should know, there's a good chance certain items might not be available at a later date, or if they are, there might be further hoops to jump through or they might not be available in the same configuration.

If I decide to buy/not buy a PMag for $40 today, 4 outcomes are possible:

1. PMag prices decrease because supply increases. I either saved money because I waited or paid relatively more because I bought at today's higher price.
2. PMag prices increase because supply further decreases and I paid a relatively less expensive price by buying today than I would've paid at the later date.
3. Nothing changes from the current price levels and I buy/don't buy at the $40 price later.
4. PMags become unavailable through legislation. I either bought and have some or didn't buy and don't have some.

You may not like how some sellers are handling the current situation and that's your choice. Buying or not buying in this climate is also your choice as is voicing your opinion. But to demonize others for selling what have recently become very hard, if not impossible to get items, for current market value, which is the value someone is WILLING TO PAY, is inappropriate and shows a complete lack of understanding of a lot of variables...political climate, supply and demand, free markets, etc...

And, yes. If you expect some other type of system than what we operate under, some system that might control prices, it's very likely you're talking about some flavor of communism. So, if the hammer and sickle fit...

Your concept of current market value is skewed, because nothing has changed in legislation or production. It's the same as it was two weeks ago. The difference is the doom and gloom sayers and the people buying up all the product so they can flip it, on this forum, on gunbroker, to take advantage. Remember a few years ago when oil speculation caused prices to skyrocket, sending gas well over $4/gallon in some places? That had nothing to do with actual supply or demand, it was investors artificially inflating the market for profit.

It recently came out that LCD retailers did the same thing, but in a more cartel-esque style. They price fixed well above actual cost. If you've bought any kind of electronics in the past 10 years, you were swindled.

Are those two examples fair? Is that a free market when consumers aren't free to pay actual value?

It's funny how some people cried wolf last week, then changed their tune when they listed their $700 AR for $2000, or bought 10 ARs in order to flip them.

I'm sitting back as an observer, because I have no need. I stocked up on PMags when they were $11 each, in bulk. My ARs are all kitted out. I have more than enough handguns, a reloading press, and components to last years. So this isn't whining, just commentary.

And using McCarthyism to shut people up is laughable.

I find it funny you use McCarthy as an example to prove your point. McCarthy was never proven wrong in his overall message about communists in government. As usual his message was drowned out in the hysterics of the left.

I'm not even going to attempt further explanation about how market principles work. You obviously can't, or won't, understand them. Placing blame on "speculators" is laughable, too. We're all speculators in one form or another or at one time or another. I'm participating on a very small scale as a seller. I have a few items I'm moving but not here. I'm using an auction site where people can choose the price they want to pay.

I dearly hope none of the people whining about "gouging" on this site have a single nickel (directly, or through their IRA/mutual funds) in the commodities/futures markets. There isn't an ounce of difference between the commodities market and folks selling pmags for $60+.

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Originally Posted by hatidua

I dearly hope none of the people whining about "gouging" on this site have a single nickel (directly, or through their IRA/mutual funds) in the commodities/futures markets. There isn't an ounce of difference between the commodities market and folks selling pmags for $60+.

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Exactly.

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Originally Posted by hatidua

I dearly hope none of the people whining about "gouging" on this site have a single nickel (directly, or through their IRA/mutual funds) in the commodities/futures markets. There isn't an ounce of difference between the commodities market and folks selling pmags for $60+.

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There is a HUGE different between selling commodities/futures in the Chicago Mercantile Exchange VS listing firearm/ammo/mag online or retail.
In terms of basic S/D that is fixed, maybe, but in terms of elasticity of supply/demand, dQ, dP, etc, there are HUGE difference.

I can draw 20-30 diagram/run reg/theories that can support it.

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Originally Posted by MrPrena

I can draw 20-30 diagram/run reg/theories that can support it.

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OH! Do it! I wanna see!

Screw all this stuff about the free market. It's real simple.

Who's property is it?

What gives anybody the right to dictate the what a property owner has to do with there own property. It's my property. I'll ask anything I want for it. You don't have to pay.

I'm surprised that the people that talk about gougers aren't also bitching about the hoarders that have more than two mags per person. You can't shoot more than on gun at a time so why does anyone have the right to more than two mags? Or one gun? Those extra mags should be mine! You have no right to that second gun until everyone has one. The prices would come down if you stop the Hoarders. This last few (five) sentences were said facetiously.

Let me explain the Perfect Deal.

The Buyer is Satisfied.
The Seller is Satisfied.
Perfect Deal.
All else is irrelevant.