I don't know if any of you have noticed, Ellwood Epps has jacked up their prices of items already in stock and previously listed at a lower price. This is very noticeable with their stock of Glock Pistols which have jumped in price $30-$40 more per pistol. Why do dealers do this? It certainly doesn't endear them with their customers.
Pricing
- Thread starter kidcom
- Start date
Yes, I've been watching the price of Glock 17 on the Epps and other sites as well. it seems that the less that Epps has in stock the higher the price...I also noticed other supplier selling out of that same pistol. I guess this is supply and demand issue. I should just pull the trigger and buy the darn thing.
Except the Epps inventory system allows for each individual item in stock to have its own price. Therefore, a dollar value change does not have to affect existing stock. In fact, it would be more effort to go back and update prices on inventory.
The sagging dollar may still be why the prices on inventory changed, but the motive for that change, well...
Mukinfutch
Regular
- Location
- Durham Region, Ontario
Sounds logical, but it is not. I don't know about you, but when our dollar went from 60 cents to par, I did not notice firearms or anything else for that matter go down 40%. The slumping dollar is just another excuse to screw the Canadian consumer. That excuse just doesn't fly.
Harrier .45
Regular
- Location
- Ontario, north of Toronto
The majority of Canadian distributors in the firearms industry use what is called Minimum Advertised Pricing (MAP) for their products. In order for retailers to carry that line of goods, they must agree to retail those products no lower than the MAP. This includes all products in that line, whether new or old stock.
The same holds true with gasoline prices. When oil prices rise, so too do prices at the pump, regardless of whether the gasoline being sold was already in the ground tanks or not.
With regard to the fluctuation of prices when the Canadian Dollar is stronger, this is also reflected in the MAP pricing when available. Smith & Wesson M&P pistols, for example, weer $699.00, but were reduced to $650.00 when the Dollar rose to near-par with the US greenback. But as the Canadian Dollar falters, and as import costs, duties and taxes increase accordingly, distributors cannot be expected to absorb those fees, and must pass those costs on to the end consumer if they are to continue to carry those products for distribution. Unfortunately, this means that the end retail price must increase, which brings the vicious circle full-cycle back to the consumer's wallet.
Believe me when I tell you that we here at Epps are not pleased with any pricing increases we are forced to apply to our inventory. We, like yourselves, are gun owners and gun buyers, and we, too, loathe the days when we are forced to hand out more money for a product that was less expensive only 24 hours ago.
Please keep in mind, however, that Ellwood Epps does maintain a price-matching policy. If a competing retailer does carry the exact same model IN STOCK at a lower price, we will match that price upon confirmation with that retailer.
In the mean time, let's hope the Canadian Dollar regains some of its strength, and our distributors' prices begin to come down once more.
Harrier .45
Regular
- Location
- Ontario, north of Toronto
Well there they go again. Epps has once more jacked up their prices on existing stock. A new Glock Gen4 that cost $736 is now a whooping $804. That's one hell of an increase in less than 2 months.
It's called a "market increase", Kidcom. Prices fluctuate with the value of the dollar and the cost to bring products to market. Do you launch a thread every time Wal-Mart raises the price on diapers they already have in stock? Or when gasoline prices rise, despite the fact that gasoline is already in the station's tanks?
We live in a market economy. That means the stock holders dictate the prices on consumable items we buy and sell. This is not a new concept, nor is it limited to Ellwood Epps only.
Best get used to it, my friend.
In the mean time, if you take a few moments to shop around, you will likely find that most retailers have also raised their prices according to new distribution costs, not just Epps. But as always, if you are able to find the exact same item in stock at another retailer, and if we can verify availability on that product at a lower price, we will match that competitor's pricing.
But by all means, please continue to point out our price levels on our inventory. We will gladly defend those prices, since they are, for the most part at least, the same as or better than the majority of our competitors.
WOW I've even got Mr. Noob_ on my case in defense of Ellwood Epps and the gang up north. First of all, Wally Mart isn't in the habit of raising prices, they're always LOWERING their prices. I think it's called a "Market Decrease". It's interesting to note that these "Market Increases" are limited only to certain firearms. I've noted that some high end firearms, such as H&Ks that have been up for sale for over two years, haven't increased in price at all. Then you take your very popular cheaper items such as Gaston Glock's stuff.... well it has gone through the roof. It amazing to me how these "Market Increases" seem to be limited in their application. Caveat Emptor ........
- Location
- The Badlands
It is a private for profit business , prices go up and down in all for profit businesses........it is just supply and demand . The greater the demand of a low supply item , the higher the price.....the free enterprise system at work.....Businesses are free to charge any price they want to make max. profit , and consumers are free to shop around and get the best price possiable.....
Harrier .45
Regular
- Location
- Ontario, north of Toronto
Well then you've got all the answers right there!
Of course there is the possibility (and I'm just spit-balling here, right?) that the distributors raise those prices, forcing us to do the same. If you read my previous response on this matter, you will learn about a thing called Minimum Advertised Pricing (MAP). This is the lowest price at which an item is permitted to be sold by a retailer once they enter into a licensed agreement to carry that product from a given distributor.
When Winchester raises their prices on ammunition, guess what, our prices go up as well. That's ALL Winchester ammunition, whether in stock at the time of the price increase or otherwise. The same holds true for Mr Glock's pistols, for H&K firearms, for SIG Sauer, Beretta, Colt, CZ, and every other product we carry in our store. If the distributor does not increase the price, why would we do so? To use your example, H&K firearms have not seen a significant price increase in 18+ months, thus their prices have remained stable. SIG Sauer, on the other hand, changed distributors in mid-2012, with the new distributor providing a lower base price, thus allowing us to drop the price on a P.226 pistol from $1,175.00 at this time last year to $1,046.27 this year.
Funny how nobody ever starts a thread to complain when prices drop. . . .
Like Gunexpert007 says, you are always welcome to shop around for a better deal if you don't like the prices we have on our products, but I think you will find (and I believe I have already stated this as well), that our prices are usually as good as or better than most of our competitors.
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And not to put too fine a point on this whole conversation, but Wal-Mart does indeed increase their prices from time to time as the market fluctuates. Windshield wipers for the Ford Edge increased this year over last year's price by more than $2.00 per unit. Rougemont apple juice was rolled back to $1.98 about 4 weeks ago, only to rise back up to $2.47 when I bought a bottle yesterday afternoon. 2% milk was $4.29, then reduced to $3.99 before returning to $4.19. Currently it is back to $3.99 again.
This is the law of a market economy. Call it Increase or Decrease as you see fit, but the rule still applies. Demand drives price, and retailers are caught at the short end of the pointy stick when it comes to playing the front line role before customers.
Personally I prefer buying there where they have the lowest price advertised instead of going to a retailer that price matches to get it for the same price. That way you reward the business that is willing to put the lowest price out there. My 0.02 ct.
Harrier .45
Regular
- Location
- Ontario, north of Toronto
And you are well within your right to do so. However many customers prefer to deal with stores and staff with which they already have established retailer/customer relations. As well, some stores work on a "lost leader" platform where they are willing to take a loss on a large ticket item so that they can make up the difference with additional smaller ticket items tacked onto the sale (ie: magazines, ammunition, holsters, etc).
We try to keep our prices as low as we are able, and as stable as possible, barring any unforeseen increases from our distributors, as already discussed. However we cannot always guarantee that Company X has not found a better bargain on a given product thereby allowing them to list that item at a better price than we have managed, and for that reason we keep the option of price-matching available wherever possible.
In the end, though, it is the buyer's decision where to spend their money. If a better deal is to be had elsewhere, you have every right to seek it out and take advantage of that deal whenever possible. But you might want to consider what sort of deal we can put together for a similar purchase before making any final decision one way or the other.
That's why they call it "shopping"!
