Is it ok to sell now, or am I a gouger?

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  • shibumiseeker

    Grandmaster
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    49   0   0
    Nov 11, 2009
    10,707
    113
    near Bedford on a whole lot of land.
    Edited to add: I'm not planning on selling any of my stock, this is a philosophical question/muse.


    Soooo, I'm sitting on many, many hundreds of thousands of primers. All bought when they were cheaper than shortage prices and readily available over the last decade. My buying them did not deprive anyone else of primers.


    With some exceptions where I lucked on a smashing good sale and bought all I could afford at the time, I typically paid the going rate for them, just the going rate when they were plentiful.


    If I were to sell some now for what I paid for them, adjusted for inflation and accounting for shipping and hazmat, I would have to charge a little more than the current listed prices in the major suppliers - all of whom seem to be out of stock.


    In the meantime, had I stuck that money in an interest bearing account, it would have been earning me money, and if I'd put it in something that say, earned 3% interest, I'd have to charge a little more just to break even for my having taken the risk of putting my money in primers, powder, and bullets instead of a safe bank account.


    So say a sleeve of 5k primers costs $158 plus $35 shipping and hazmat from Graf's or the like (though who pays hazmat on only one sleeve?) and I charged $200 for a sleeve of primers for a face to face transaction, which would be about how much they are worth to me given what I paid, inflation, lack of my having use of my money for the last few years, and not earning any interest on it, would I be price gouging? Or if I decided to charge $220 a sleeve so my interest made on my money would be more like 6-7%? Is that fair?


    This is not a thinly veiled ad to sell my stock, I'm genuinely curious what people think. Yes, I do have lots and lots of primers and powder, but the last time we had a major shortage, several long time members here took a lot of heat for trying to recoup some of their investment in material they bought when there was no shortage, thus not depriving anyone of the opportunity to buy commercially. There were people who would sell only to watch someone turn around and sell that same material on some of the national gun sites for 2-5 times what was advertised here.


    In the meantime, I have encouraged people to stock up when it was cheap the last few years and now prices are going up again. Should I risk the angry mob who says I should sell them stuff at a loss to me? Because last time there were an awful lot of gun people who claimed to be all about freedom and free market who were doing just that.
     
    Last edited:

    d.kaufman

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    Mar 9, 2013
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    Hobart
    Keep in mind the shortage doesn't seem to be widespread to me. I just bought 1k small rifle primers at Cabelas a week ago for $35 and Saturday a local gun shop I paid $32 for a 1k small pistol primers. Both were CCI primers which is pretty much all I use other than Federal gold Medal match which I do pay more for

    Now while I'm stocked up and having no issues finding them local to me, others can't, so do what you will
     

    shibumiseeker

    Grandmaster
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    49   0   0
    Nov 11, 2009
    10,707
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    near Bedford on a whole lot of land.
    Put on your thick skin and go for it.

    That's not the point. If I wanted to sell I wouldn't care one whit what anyone else thought about it. What I want to know is where people stand on this subject. Because of the amount of whining last time, I'm only selling (and often giving) now to friends and family.

    At this point I'd only sell to someone I knew was actually going to use them, and who would be happy to have the opportunity to buy, even at "inflated" prices. I get enough of the left telling me I have to give give give, getting it from the right last time was a real eye opener.
     

    shibumiseeker

    Grandmaster
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    49   0   0
    Nov 11, 2009
    10,707
    113
    near Bedford on a whole lot of land.
    Keep in mind the shortage doesn't seem to be widespread to me. I just bought 1k small rifle primers at Cabelas a week ago for $35 and Saturday a local gun shop I paid $32 for a 1k small pistol primers. Both were CCI primers which is pretty much all I use other than Federal gold Medal match which I do pay more for

    Now while I'm stocked up and having no issues finding them local to me, others can't, so do what you will

    Even last time when .22lr was going for $200/box of 500, I still could find it at pre panic prices here and there. Same with other supplies.
     

    Jin

    Marksman
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    30   0   0
    May 20, 2019
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    Salamonie
    Sell at what you think is fair

    I just bought WWB 9mm at 26 cents and kicking myself for not stocking up even more earlier

    You planned ahead and should not be punished for it


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     

    Clay Pigeon

    Shooter
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    6   0   0
    Aug 3, 2016
    2,740
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    Summitville
    I like you bought large after I sold most of my stock with the last primer shortage,, They sold for 325.00 a case of 5,000. I sold mine on Gun Broker, they were selling in hours after I listed them.
    When S&B primers hit the US market at 19.99 retail, I reinvested what I made during the shortage. Some import SS109 sold here last week for 45-50 cents a round.
    Is it time yet, I'm going to bet in two months it will be even a better time.

    What are they selling for on GB?
     

    shibumiseeker

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 100%
    49   0   0
    Nov 11, 2009
    10,707
    113
    near Bedford on a whole lot of land.
    I like you bought large after I sold most of my stock with the last primer shortage,, They sold for 325.00 a case of 5,000. I sold mine on Gun Broker, they were selling in hours after I listed them.
    When S&B primers hit the US market at 19.99 retail, I reinvested what I made during the shortage. Some import SS109 sold here last week for 45-50 cents a round.
    Is it time yet, I'm going to bet in two months it will be even a better time.

    What are they selling for on GB?

    Ha, I hadn't even checked. Right now a 1k box is selling for $90-100. Of course, the seller is only charging $10 for shipping which suggests to me that he is not shipping hazmat and is risking trouble.
    The only way I would ship, not being a hazmat shipper, is if it were as primed brass.
     

    BiscuitsandGravy

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    10   0   0
    Nov 8, 2016
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    At the Ranch.
    I like you bought large after I sold most of my stock with the last primer shortage,, They sold for 325.00 a case of 5,000. I sold mine on Gun Broker, they were selling in hours after I listed them.
    When S&B primers hit the US market at 19.99 retail, I reinvested what I made during the shortage. Some import SS109 sold here last week for 45-50 cents a round.
    Is it time yet, I'm going to bet in two months it will be even a better time.

    What are they selling for on GB?

    S&B for $19.99 a brick... Ahh, the good ol' days... "Well sonny let me tell you a story about your pappy that bought primers for $20 a brick"... We walked both ways- up hill... I feel old now... :ingo:
     

    Clay Pigeon

    Shooter
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    6   0   0
    Aug 3, 2016
    2,740
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    Summitville
    Ha, I hadn't even checked. Right now a 1k box is selling for $90-100. Of course, the seller is only charging $10 for shipping which suggests to me that he is not shipping hazmat and is risking trouble.
    The only way I would ship, not being a hazmat shipper, is if it were as primed brass.

    When I sold I shipped UPS ground and kept my mouth shut. LOL, my driver is at the shop almost everyday, and hes a rockfish fan when I go back and fourth to MD.
    But I did put a ORM-D sticker on each box...

    At 90-100, now I am going to start paying attention... It will not be long my friend.
     

    DoggyDaddy

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    Aug 18, 2011
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    Southside Indy
    Generally speaking, especially with ammo and components, I don't think there's anything wrong with selling them for current market value, but let me qualify that. By current market value, I'm not talking about the guys wanting hyper-inflated prices at gun shows or even here or on GB. I'm talking about what the retailers would be selling them for if they were in stock (and by retailers, I'm not talking about Cheaper Than Dirt ;)). I don't generally take shipping into account - I'll eat that. I've never bought primers or powder online, so I've never paid Hazmat. I don't think I've ever sold components (primers), but I think I've done an even-up trade once of one type for another type.
     

    shibumiseeker

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 100%
    49   0   0
    Nov 11, 2009
    10,707
    113
    near Bedford on a whole lot of land.
    S&B for $19.99 a brick... Ahh, the good ol' days... "Well sonny let me tell you a story about your pappy that bought primers for $20 a brick"... We walked both ways- up hill... I feel old now... :ingo:

    I managed to get one lot of CCI SRP for $16/k about ten years ago. I bought 50k then split the shipment for cost with another ingo member. And back when I started shooting I was paying $10-12/k per one k box at the LGS. Adjusted for inflation that's about $20.80 (1989 to today).
     

    shibumiseeker

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 100%
    49   0   0
    Nov 11, 2009
    10,707
    113
    near Bedford on a whole lot of land.
    Generally speaking, especially with ammo and components, I don't think there's anything wrong with selling them for current market value, but let me qualify that. By current market value, I'm not talking about the guys wanting hyper-inflated prices at gun shows or even here or on GB. I'm talking about what the retailers would be selling them for if they were in stock .

    I get that. I don't think anyone would have a problem if I sold some of my stock at what Graf's or the like are selling them for. My point with that is that I would be taking a loss at that point because If I sold them like that it would cost me money compared to if I'd just stuck that money in an account somewhere. Frankly I'd be stupid to sell at that price because I'm essentially giving someone else the benefit of my planning at my expense.
     
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