I think this is the most ridiculous case of Obamania PRICING I've seen yet.

I can't stand when people call this gauging. Its the most fundamental laws of supply and demand at work.
 
I can't stand when people call this gauging. Its the most fundamental laws of supply and demand at work.

I actually called it "gouging", not "gauging".

In any event, the typical definition of price gouging is the jacking of prices in anticipation of or during a civil emergency. So, it's not totally preposterous to call it price gouging, at least if I go off the general opinion of this board.

Besides, I posted mostly because I thought $95 for an M14 mag was pretty funny.
 
I think of gouging as a result of supplier collusion. There's no evidence this is happening.

Well, I also think of it as "unnatural market forces" though too- or I should say, forces you don't see in a regular free market. A lot of the prices we're seeing are because of speculation/gouging, not because of genuine lack of supply.... Like those gas stations down south, where the price of the gas goes up by a buck a gallon when a hurricane is coming, but it hasn't even landed yet....

The good thing is even these unnatural forces are not sustainable- nobody will buy guns and parts from a**h***s once they find someone with reasonable pricing, and the speculators will probably get donkey punched in the long run when the supplies become too abundant for them to manipulate, unless they turn over their overpriced merchandise before the false bottom falls out of the market.

-Mike
 
You're "unnatural" forces, are actually "natural" forces. In the case of gas stations, petroleum refiners believe that a shortage is inevitable due to weather abnormalities. The run on guns? Two fold: 1. Possible supply side issue caused by government regulation or prohibition of certain classes of firearms/ammo, 2. Increase in property/violent crime due to worsening economic conditions, demand surges.
 
Well at least some semblance of common sense prevailed on this auction... "# of bids 0" [party]

As far as I'm concerned there might as well be a ban in place right now. I can't find a decent AR anywhere and what parts I find are through the roof as if they were 'super rare preban' or some sh1t.
 
I can't stand when people call this gauging. Its the most fundamental laws of supply and demand at work.

In the OP's example this most certainly is gouging- Even in these times, $95 is not the market rate, or anywhere close to it, for an M14 mag... period.

This isn't any different than one gas station selling gas for $5 a gallon when every other station in town is selling it for $3.50

Now, on the other hand, if most gun stores were selling those mags for $85-95, then you couldn't really call it gouging, at that point, since the market has likely set that price more legitimately.

-Mike
 
You're "unnatural" forces, are actually "natural" forces. In the case of gas stations, petroleum refiners believe that a shortage is inevitable due to weather abnormalities.

It is unnatural when you could usually drive another 5-10 miles away and find reasonable prices. Sometimes it would be as simple as driving down the street. Some stations gouged, others did not.

The run on guns? Two fold: 1. Possible supply side issue caused by government regulation or prohibition of certain classes of firearms/ammo, 2. Increase in property/violent crime due to worsening economic conditions, demand surges.

Some of these increases are due to genuine supply/demand issues. Others, as shown above, are pure opportunistic bullshit. [laugh]

-Mike
 
Yes. And your station that's selling gas at $5/gallon when the market rate is $1.83/gallon will be quickly selected out if he doesn't change is "ask".

If that magazine's true market price is $50 and he's asking for $95, nobody is going to bid.
 
and the speculators will probably get donkey punched in the long run when the supplies become too abundant for them to manipulate

-Mike

Exactly. This is why the bailout for mortgage banks and irresponsible consumers is such a bad idea. -the property was never worth what people were paying. Now they are stuck with property that isn't worth what they paid/loaned for it. -And they want to be rescued on the taxpayer's dime.

You can make a lot of money speculating, but you can also lose you're ass. I don't have much sympathy for someone crying in their beer how their scheme to make a fast buck went awry.
 
I actually called it "gouging", not "gauging".

Woops, typo!

In any event, the typical definition of price gouging is the jacking of prices in anticipation of or during a civil emergency. So, it's not totally preposterous to call it price gouging, at least if I go off the general opinion of this board.

It isn't price gouging because, at least in my opinion, that only applies to necessary goods. This magazine isn't one of them. After Katrina, if stores jacked up the price of bread and milk by 200%, then that's price gouging. This magazine is a luxury good.

Besides, I posted mostly because I thought $95 for an M14 mag was pretty funny.

Agreed.

In the OP's example this most certainly is gouging- Even in these times, $95 is not the market rate, or anywhere close to it, for an M14 mag... period.

Then buy a magazine somewhere else. Unless that seller is the only seller (and even then) this isn't price gouging. Its just an exorbitantly high price. You can find one for much lower very easy. Just don't buy it. Gouging is when you charge a ridiculous price for something when there are extremely limited substitutes or other places to buy.

This isn't any different than one gas station selling gas for $5 a gallon when every other station in town is selling it for $3.50

And that isn't gouging either, its just incredibly stupid pricing. Unless that gas station is the only seller for tens of miles and a storm just hit and he jacks up his prices as a result.
 
I have to disagree, I'm not seeing the "gouging". Demand is up, regardless of what is causing that demand. And supply is low, just look at any site selling usgi m14 magazines, they're all out. Obviously production or surplus isn't keeping up with demand. I have 5 m14 mags on backorder myself... starting to wonder if i'll ever see them. Not sure I see the problem here. [thinking]
 
This magazine is a luxury good.

What if you have an M1A and you need a magazine for it? Then is it
still a luxury good? [laugh]

This is the WRONG place to try to pawn off the argument that a gun, magazine, or ammunition is a "luxury good". [laugh]


Then buy a magazine somewhere else. Unless that seller is the only seller (and even then) this isn't price gouging. Its just an exorbitantly high price. You can find one for much lower very easy. Just don't buy it. Gouging is when you charge a ridiculous price for something when there are extremely limited substitutes or other places to buy.

...

And that isn't gouging either, its just incredibly stupid pricing. Unless that gas station is the only seller for tens of miles and a storm just hit and he jacks up his prices as a result.

I guess it's a matter of semantics- to me (and likely others) Gouging is still
pricing with the intent to try to take a few people for a ride.

FWIW keep in mind I'm not suggesting we should let anything but the market
or the buyers regulate the gougers, but that doesn't stop them from being
price gouging a**h***s.


-Mike
 
What if you have an M1A and you need a magazine for it? Then is it
still a luxury good?

This is the WRONG place to try to pawn off the argument that a gun, magazine, or ammunition is a "luxury good".

You're very right about that [laugh], but I'd love to hear if some of the very intelligent users here have found a way to eat bullets and stamped steel [laugh]
 
Price gouging is a pejorative term for a seller pricing much higher than is considered reasonable or fair. In precise, legal usage, it is the name of a felony that applies in some of the United States only during civil emergencies. In less precise usage, it can refer either to prices obtained by practices inconsistent with a competitive free market, or to windfall profits. Non-pejorative uses are generally in reaction to what the writer believes is an unjustified restraint on the market.

You can ask any price you want, but if prices elsewhere are lower, you ain't gonna get what you want unless you find a stupid person, and if you find a stupid person, well so be it. It's called capitalism.
 
I edited the OP to satisfy those who love to argue semantics.[rolleyes]

Now post some other examples for entertainment value.
 
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