Off-roster profiteering?

[madoka]

I guess not :-) But that said, I enjoy my new hobby of perusing the MARKETPLACE searching for a deal and then executing.

Although I say "hobby", but I've made it my full-time job. :-)

1. Welcome. We were all noobs once, so ignore all the jaded jerks in this thread who are complaining because you dared to ask a question they've seen before.

2. The marketplace is addicting. You've been warned!

3. If I had to do it all over again and had zero guns, I'd begin my collection by getting to know a good home-based FFL. Then shop online and transfer your new toys to them. The only advantages to the marketplace are that it doesn't count against your 1 in 30 and you can continue to get non-roster guns.

[Ronin2]

People who gouge others in business probably never donate to charitable causes or do things to try and help others unless there is something in it for them.

Why is that ANY OF YOUR CONCERN??? Sounds to me like your a card carrying democrat/socialist....

[pronstar]

Off-roster profiteering?

Supply and demand is capitalism at its finest.

This is a simple concept. If I want to sell a pencil for $100, you can either buy it or move on. It's my own business, and none of yours.

Should we instead have dictated what we can sell our own things for? Perhaps we need more government intrusion into our lives?

[skosh69]

Here's my take, "something is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it". Just because you ask $1000 for a VP9 or $1100 for a M&P PC Ported, doesn't mean you're gonna get it, unless someone's willing to pay it.

I remember back when there was the Shield shortage and people were listing them for $600+. I tested the waters and listed mine for a certain amount. I got a fair amount of interest, even at the inflated price. I ended up feeling guilty about it and pulled the Shield off the market. Guess I'm not good at price gouging.

[SmellOfCordite]

This thread is exactly why I got into SSE from the inception. You have to know all good things (firearm related) in CA have the possibility to end. We have seen this many times over now, it just boggles my mind that it comes as a surprise to anyone. The free market system is alive and kicking and can be witnessed in the marketplace all over. It is however up to the buyers to determine market price of course.

[rm1911]

I have a couple of guns that are "off roster", guns I've had since long before this s***hole communist utopia even had a roster. Now, I plan never to part with them. However, I'd be willing to if the buyers was more motivated to buy than I was to keep. And I'm extremely fond of the guns. So it'd take a considerable amount of want on a buyers part. Probably far more than"market price". Would I be gouging? Profiteering? Or other assorted epithets? Hardly.

Buyers and sellers operate on a value basis. How much each values the item is subjective and relative. It is also different for everyone. If the seller wants more money and gets it then someone wanted it more than the seller. If the seller doesn't get the price he wants, then obviously he wants the item more than the buyer.

Price is all about want, and who wants the item more. Period.

P.s. You want my west German 228, be ready to empty your 401k!!,

[bighead]

I just wanted to say im impressed someone on calguns reads Thomas Sowell lol.I've tried unsuccessfully to explain supply and demand.I'm not sure why it doesn't sink in.

Is it gouging if I want 900 dollars for a share of AAPL that I paid 50 for?

[ShooterStymie]

Currently, I'm not seeing too guns in the marketplace selling for well above their "all in" prices including SSE, tax, transfer, etc. I think the market if kind of flat right now because many buyers loaded up before SSE went away and many sellers are competing for few buyers.

If the current situation with the roster persists, and it sure seems like it will, then many off-roster guns will no doubt go higher in price the longer it continues. 5 years from now, if no new semi-autos get added to the roster and those on it continue to fall off, I bet people would fight to pay $1000 to buy a Glock Gen4, XDM or Sig P320 (basically guns that cost $600 give or take in free states).

[psssniper]

Free market, get over it

[ambiguous216]

It's a free market. There are no rules or regulations on pricing. You can list for $1 or 10k. If there's a person out there willing to pay asking price or both parties agree on a price so be it. Let's not make a big deal about it. OP do you complain to the gas station owners that charge more per gallon for gas compared to the one across the way?

[uhlan1]

How do you explain all the 800 dollar g42's all over the place? I hate gougers.

Define gouging. I have a couple of high-demand off roster pistols I don't particularly care for. If I do sell, why wouldn't I sell for as much as I can get for them?

If I became disabled and could no longer compete, why shouldn't I sell an STI Edge or my Czechmate for as much as I could? If you were selling your house in this appreciating market wouldn't you try to get as much as you could.

Here is the difference between a "flipper" and a potential "gouger" like me. A "flipper" would be sorely disappointed if the roster disappeared today. He bought the guns for the express purpose of reselling BNIB for a profit. My FFL told me of a guy who with his whole family was buying VP9's every month. Nothing but.

Me? I'd be overjoyed if the roster disappeared today and my collection lost value. I don't buy guns to sell, but if I do, I will assuredly try to get the most out of them

[rolotomassi]

As a tertiary question, I really do wonder how many people went through SSE simply in the hopes of making a tidy profit. But based on the amount of aging threads and BTTs it's not working out for some.

[Stanze]

I bought as much as I could because I knew off-roster handguns would be a lot more in value post 2014. Not because I wanted to profit, but because I didn't want to over pay.

It was a PITA spend my efforts, time and money to make that happen.

After all that hassle, I don't see the motivation to sell at any where near the 2014 price. Not that I'm selling.

[Erichp]

Free market and economics aside, this is a very cyclical thing and consumers being motivated by fear. What I've learned is you have to pay attention to the media circus to forecast the inevitable.

And the more enterprising opportunists are simply wiser at watching.

I blame myself as well for what I would best describe as ignorance.

The worst case is when it happens on a national basis. We learned this in January 2013 when that nutbag in Newton did his thing. $3000 ARs....nuff said.

I was researching some new purchases starting Oct 2012 and was just taking my sweet time. The day after newton the opportunists literally ran...nay...sprinted down to every LGS and snapped up every AR and 308 semi auto they could buy. And 11 days later we saw the marketsplace full of BNIB ARs.

History being the best teacher, I bought all hanguns I was considering for next purchases via SSE's from June thru Dec. Turns out its not as bad, but I didnt want to get with my pants down when Fuhrer Feinstein and her merry crew figure out how to make sure we can even have sling shots.

So if you are late to the game, or sitting on the side line not paying attention. You only have yourself to blame.

[Creampuff]

As a tertiary question, I really do wonder how many people went through SSE simply in the hopes of making a tidy profit. But based on the amount of aging threads and BTTs it's not working out for some.

I wonder that as well. For their sake they better be patient. Those who wanted something bought something last year. It will take a couple of years before people who jump into the market, realize there are items they cannot purchase. If people plan on flipping in 2015, I am going to guess their profit will be small. If they have the patience of Job and if the roster never goes away, a decade from now they can probably get a good return.

For me I purchased with only one intent. I remember the assault rifle ban back in the 90's, and I told myself, I am not going to make that mistake twice. The mistake of "Oh man, I should have bought xxx, now I never can in this state".

I bought SSE's last year with the intent, that I will not regret missing an opportunity to purchase something that I can no longer purchase (after 12/31/14)