Is ammo price gouging still going on in your area?

eye95 · Nov 18, 2013

WCEarp said:
Though I may regret this, "I'll play along."

Price gouging would be charging an amount that causes a hardship on most customers. This price increase would be brought on by sudden or near sudden factors that are outside of the fair market's control. Example: a tornado devastates a remote town and the local grocery store charging 10x the normal price. The price hike is done to take advantage of a customer's dire need and being the only one with the short-term supply. Price gouging is typically done during natural disasters or times of societal breakdown.

In the instance of the OP, price gouging is used to describe a distaste for the increase in pricing of ammo. This price brought on by a very high demand coupled with a very low supply. IMHO the price equalized at a level equal to a point that most customers were willing to pay for a commodity that they considered a want not a need. The supply has increased and the demand has diminished causing the price to drop. There are still people trying to sell ammo at the higher price and finding that the market will no longer allow ammo to be sold at the higher price.

Eye95- I am sure, as you have previously shown, that you understand the concept of supply and demand. You have stated what your view of the term price gouging is. Why didn't you just state that you felt there was no price gouging on ammo? You started with the quoted question. You have done this enough to know that it would only start the conversation in a negative way. Your constant confrontational posts present a negative image for the forum as a whole. They are not constructive but argumentative. It hurts this forum and presents a bad image to those who are directed to this site in search of information about Open Carry. I am not asking you to refrain from your usual thought out and informative posts. Your strong and unwavering opinions are nice to read from time to time. Your tactics of using sarcasm, requiring people to show quotes of where they or you did or didn't say something, saying that's all your going to say on the subject and your done talking with someone, only to keep posting with them, are all tactics that turn people off and make this forum as a whole worse.

The hardship occurs when folks can't get what they need because prices were held artificially low due an emotional reaction to high prices as a result of low supply relative to demand. Economics 101. Really. Economics 101. It's absolutely free. Take it.

Using terms like "price gouging" feeds the emotional reaction.

High prices as a result of supply not meeting demand (not "price gouging") accomplishes to very important things: It motivates more production and lowers demand. Economics 101. Take it. It's free.

Oh, and as far as your opinion as to what this site looks like when I force people outside of their comfortable boxes: meh. I don't want folks seeing a site where so many posters think there is such a thing as price gouging. Get over it.

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<o>

OC for ME · Nov 19, 2013

South Carolina Code 39-5-145. Price gouging during emergency; definitions; penalty; evidence of knowledge or intent

Current as of: 2009

(A) As used in this section:

(1) "Abnormal disruption of the market" means a change in the market for a commodity in a part of South Carolina, whether actual or imminently threatened, resulting from stress of weather, forces of nature, failure or shortage of electric power or other source of energy, strike, civil disorder, or other cause that constitutes the basis for an out-of-state declaration.

http://www.lawserver.com/law/state/south-carolina/sc-code/south_carolina_code_39-5-145

Check your state's laws. SC enacted a price gouging law after hurricane Hugo. There is no ammo price gouging, thanks to the Interwebs.

OC for ME · Nov 19, 2013

I did not like being a "ax man" then transition into the re-roofing trade. Me and two other buddies re-roofed thirty some odd houses after we cut pine trees out of them. Nope, I pay for those services now.

I was in the barracks during the storm and during the eye we went out to the parking lot in front of the O Club, every car had been floated to the low spot in the lot. Many of the boats down at the marina, past the O Club, were up near Mine Warfare Command.

Bags of ice were going for $20 the first day or two after the storm. All the eateries down on East Bay were selling $50 meals for $10 out on the street. Warm beer and fine dining on East Bay, literally on East Bay.

I may not know what price gouging is, but I know it when I see it.

OC for ME · Nov 19, 2013

An old boomer had just finished being cut up for scrap. MC removed. It broke loose and started banging into the cason of our now flooded dock (intentionally). Two tugs braved the storm, through the eye to get her secured. She ended up across the river in a marsh anyway. The floating barracks ended up on the pier, I mean on the pier. Oddly enough the osprey nest on a scaffolding, that was tied down to the pier, weathered the storm and the birds were there the next morning like nothing happened.

Anyway. Price gouging sucks because folks are no prepared and thus are subject to being gouged. Save you pennies and get a small Honda generator that will run a small-ish chest freezer. Ice and food is available. I wrapped (built) my chest freezer in a insulating Styrofoam to increase the longevity of the frozen food if power is not available for an extended period of time. Ammo, got plenty for me and mine and some ammo for trading purposes. Been stocking up on cheap vodka and whiskey too. I refuse to be gouged.

mikeyb · Nov 20, 2013

OC for ME said:
Check your state's laws. SC enacted a price gouging law after hurricane Hugo. There is no ammo price gouging, thanks to the Interwebs.

Not true.

Example: Popular Bellevue, WA gun range charges $32 for 50-rnd 9mm PMC. Another popular Bellevue, WA gun range sells the same ammo at $16. Online prices closely meet the $16 price point. When required to use the "house" ammo in rentals, that falls into price gouging.

Also: S&W Shields in area shops go from $450 to $600; PSA have them for $399.

The assumption of supply vs. demand based on the local market is ever increasingly a pointless argument in the internet age.

eye95 · Nov 20, 2013

mikeyb said:
Not true.

Example: Popular Bellevue, WA gun range charges $32 for 50-rnd 9mm PMC. Another popular Bellevue, WA gun range sells the same ammo at $16. Online prices closely meet the $16 price point. When required to use the "house" ammo in rentals, that falls into price gouging.

Also: S&W Shields in area shops go from $450 to $600; PSA have them for $399.

The assumption of supply vs. demand based on the local market is ever increasingly a pointless argument in the internet age.

So don't shoot there. The range is merely charging what the market will bear among folks who really, really want to shoot there.

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OC for ME · Nov 21, 2013

mikeyb said:
Not true.

Example: Popular Bellevue, WA gun range charges $32 for 50-rnd 9mm PMC. Another popular Bellevue, WA gun range sells the same ammo at $16. Online prices closely meet the $16 price point. When required to use the "house" ammo in rentals, that falls into price gouging.

Also: S&W Shields in area shops go from $450 to $600; PSA have them for $399.

The assumption of supply vs. demand based on the local market is ever increasingly a pointless argument in the internet age.

Nope, you are using their property and thus must abide by their terms and conditions to use their property. Bring your own gun and your own ammo, that you bought for less elsewhere.

JustaShooter · Nov 21, 2013

eye95 said:
So don't shoot there. The range is merely charging what the market will bear among folks who really, really want to shoot there.

This.

There is no such thing as price gouging for ammunition or other non-essentials. Don't like the price? Don't buy it. There is no price gouging when there is availability of the product elsewhere at a more reasonable price. Don't like the price? Go elsewhere to buy it.

To my mind, the only way that anything can be considered gouging is if the product involved is a necessity for life and the supply has been artificially limited by a seller or group of sellers to where the buyer has no other alternatives.

eye95 · Nov 21, 2013

Government limits on prices IS artificial and artificially alters supply and demand, causing people to buy more than they NEED, causing lines, and stopping others from getting what they need. If prices are allowed to adjust based upon supply and demand, when supply can't meet demand, prices rise, and demand will adjust. Folks will buy only what they need, and there will be more supply with others.

Out of a sense of guilt, many held prices down during the shortage. That resulted in folks buying all that they could and hoarding, meaning others couldn't get some when they needed it!

So-called "price gouging" is good. "Price gouging" works.

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mikeyb · Nov 21, 2013

You anti-price gougers are assuming a transaction has to occur for it to be price gouging. It doesn't. The relative price of a good or service that increases outside of normal prices is price gouging. Buyers definitely can refuse purchase, but that doesn't mean the price hasn't been gouged.

When the Mitsubishi Evolution arrived on the US market, there was a huge mark-up above the MSRP, since all the wanna-be video game racers knew that the Evo was the best EVAR in Gran Turismo. Was this price gouging? No. There were hundreds of other options for buyers to choose from. This was localized pricing to accommodate demand. For reference, this itty-bitty $26,000 car had a mark-up in a Bellevue, WA dealership of $50,000. Some toolshed bought it, too.

davidmcbeth · Nov 21, 2013

I buy ammo online ... prices have been going down...

eye95 · Nov 22, 2013

mikeyb said:
You anti-price gougers are assuming a transaction has to occur for it to be price gouging. It doesn't. The relative price of a good or service that increases outside of normal prices is price gouging. Buyers definitely can refuse purchase, but that doesn't mean the price hasn't been gouged.

When the Mitsubishi Evolution arrived on the US market, there was a huge mark-up above the MSRP, since all the wanna-be video game racers knew that the Evo was the best EVAR in Gran Turismo. Was this price gouging? No. There were hundreds of other options for buyers to choose from. This was localized pricing to accommodate demand. For reference, this itty-bitty $26,000 car had a mark-up in a Bellevue, WA dealership of $50,000. Some toolshed bought it, too.

What the hell is a "normal price"??? Who decides that? Who enforces the charging of a "normal price"?

There is no "normal price." There is the market price, to which the seller and the buyer agree at the time of the sale.

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OC for ME · Nov 22, 2013

The place that I buy ammo is a farther drive. The place that is closer sells the ammo I require at a higher price. I asked them if they would match, they said no, I drive farther to get ammo. I love capitalism. The closer vendor is not gouging the price. His business decision and he has a steady flow of customers because his pricing does not outweigh the convenience factor for some folks. Good for him.

davidmcbeth · Nov 22, 2013

gutshot said:
A few months ago I had eye surgery and couldn't shoot for a while, so I decided to sell some of my hoard of ammo. I took several boxes to the gun show and offered it for sale at what I thought was a fair price. A guy came by and inquired on the price and I told him. He was outraged and said that another seller had a table across the room and was selling it for 3 dollars a box less. I suggested he go buy some of the other ammo. He said that he couldn't do that, because the seller didn't have any more. I told him to wait 2 hours and come back to see me and my price would be 4 dollars a box cheaper, but I wouldn't have any, either.

Boy, you know how to get repeat customers ! Sweet talk 'em.

sudden valley gunner · Nov 24, 2013

Nightmare said:
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/nov/22/venezuelas-maduro-moves-limit-profit-margins-quick/

Beat me to it!

Is ammo price gouging still going on in your area?

eye95

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OC for ME

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OC for ME

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OC for ME

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mikeyb

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eye95

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OC for ME

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JustaShooter

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eye95

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mikeyb

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davidmcbeth

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eye95

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OC for ME

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davidmcbeth

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sudden valley gunner

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