Was in Bruno's today...

[lancetkenyon]

I don't want to get bashed, but what is considered price gouging? Below are my OPINIONS.

In retail, I would say 90% of all products are marked up 50-250% over cost from the manufacturer. (I buy products and resell to my customers at a profit, and my wife works for Macy's...you would not believe the markup on clothes)
There are various price points or tier pricing that varies greatly to retail sellers.
A huge company that buys 5000# or more per year is going to get much better pricing than a small shop that buys 1000# per year.
If Bruno's is buying stock from other dealers at $24/lb. and shipping it to Phx. to resell at $34/lb., I would say they might only be making $8/lb.? That is still only a 33% markup and after paying for their time to order, inventory, stock or ship, that barely pays for the overhead and wages.

I was in Bruno's yesterday to pick up some items. Powder, I admit is overpriced compared to other retailers in the area, WHEN THEY ACTUALLY HAVE ANY IN STOCK! Bullets are cheaper by $3-8 per 100. Primers are comparable. Brass is about average as well. But....Bruno's has a lot more stock available than anywhere else I have seen, locally or online.

I do not hoard powder/bullets/primers like many, and I do not shoot nearly as much as some of you do. About 1-2K rounds/year. So I do not go through an 8# keg of powder at a time. When I buy powder, it is usually 3-4# at a time of various stuff. When I want it, I go buy it. If I pay $10 more per lb. for powder, that still beats hazmat and shipping from an online dealer. So for me, it is worth it.

Again, all of this is my opinion. Do I wish Bruno's would lower their price on powder? Of course. Do I hold it against a small shop for charging more than a huge chain? Nope. Am I happy I can still get powder fairly regularly when I need it? Heck yes! If people would stop stockpiling 20-50# of powder in this "crisis", maybe others would be able to buy it more regularly, and suppliers would lower their prices.

I blame the current POTUS for the pricing.....and a-holes who shoot up innocent victims. Those are the real culprits in this shortage.

 

[Alpine 338]

Alpine, you started this thread with what many of us perceived as a gripe about Bruno. Since then you have done an about face and are now adamantly defending them, while many others are expressing their dislike of Bruno's prices and policies. Of all the online retailers Bruno's BY FAR has the highest prices. I call that gouging.

One thing is clear; you will run out of money before I do, by your continuous donations to Bruno's. I hope the service you receive is well worth the investment you are making.

Look guys, I was just reporting an observation, and had no motive to bash or praise Bruno's with my original post. I'm a realist, and deal with things the way they are. I buy from Bruno's, if I need powder and primers from them, and the price is reasonable, then I buy it. If it's higher than I want to pay, I walk away, simple as that. To make a blanket statement that Bruno's price gouges is a false statement in my opinion as they currently have some of the best prices you can find on Burger bullets and Lapua brass. Now if everything they sold was overpriced more than their competition, then I may agree that they are price gougers. Think about it, if they were price gougers, why would they be selling Berger bullets and Lapua brass at the prices they advertise? makes no sense at all does it?

Today I called and spoke to Milo 2.0, and he said he had to apologize to me for his statement earlier in this thread. I told him no need to as he has his reasons not to deal with Bruno's, just as I have my reasons not to deal with Cabelas anymore.

The response posted above by Lance puts things in perspective. Very well said Lance.

 

[Fullsac]

Thank you Milo.... at least we know now not to use gunsmiths below the mason Dixon line...

 

[Doc68]

I know Cjeaper Than Dirt is a gouger. But last week I got 178gr AMAX for 25.90 per 100. Not too bad so I got 1000 of them.

Here's an idea for people in the same area everyone order from one place online that way you all share the shipping and hazmat fees. We do that my way and only spend like $5 per order for shipping and hazmat fees.