6 replies to this topic

[NerfBeginner16]

I am the only one who has notcied that nerf guns and ammo alike has gone up in price? I have noticed on amazon that prices are double and even worse are not being sold by prime, But by third party sellers who over charge. Example: Amazon use to sometimes give sales like making the nerf rival zeus 36 dollars instead of 50. But even worse now its more than 50 its like around 60 dollars. What is happening this isnt just with this gun its with a lot of them. Can someone please tell me how long this will last? Or if you have noticed this to? Or if you know when this nightmare will end? From my perspective this rising in prices on amazon mostly started happening after christmas ended. During the beggining of 2017. If anyone knows of a website that is better than amazon that sells nerf guns that is not ripping me off and not constantly going out of stock please let me know. Thank You

[Draconis]

Well there's your problem.  If the seller is not Amazon themselves, but on Amazon, then they are not obligated to sell at MSRP.  Better sites really depend on what you are after.  The Zeus should be available at Target, K-Mart, or Walmart, and should be on all of their sites as well.

[joeybootz]

not sure if you are in the NJ area but Kmart is offering 30% off the entire store at certain locations as they are closing shop. I picked up 2 hyperfire, 3 stryfe,2 crossbolt, 1 modulus ecs and a retaliator for 170.... that's INSANE... plus every Friday the % goes up until they close shop in March. My parents live in Wildwood, NJ and they call me every Friday with the sales prices lol.

[ToadBrews]

This is due to the holidays. The way Amazon works is that many different sellers sell products there, and they all have different prices. All of the blasters that were under MSRP got sold first to be given as Christmas gifts. Then the blasters at around MSRP got bought up by people with gift cards they got for Christmas. Now all that's left is a bunch of overpriced blasters. But this isn't a case of prices being raised, those blasters were always for sale at that price. The reason you're seeing them now is because now they're the cheapest available. As the lower-priced vendors get their inventory replenished, prices will settle back to where they were, and in a few weeks or months you will see things like $35 dollar Tri-Strikes and Zeus's again as reputable vendors once again compete for sales.

 

My recommendation to you is, instead of buying from Amazon, go to physical retailers and check for clearance items. I scored a $35 Mastodon from Wal-Mart, and while that's better than expected, it's indicative of just how good deals can be if you can find time to do footwork. You should also check thrift stores, as little kids who got blasters for Christmas will soon start losing magazines, misunderstanding trigger locks, and running out of ammo which sends the blasters straight to Goodwill. Good luck and happy bargain hunting.

[ComradeSch]

I remember back when I first started in Nerf, you could get a Maverick or a Nite Finder for $8- Currently the price of a Jolt without taking inflation into account. Currently, similar-tier sidearms like the Strongarm, Hammershot and Firestrike  cost about twice as much. I blame inflation for part of why the prices are generally getting more expensive. And sure enough, $8 in 2006 is about $10 in 2016 money- But also, the cost of plastic is rising, meaning production is more expensive. With global crude oil reserves running low being likely to occur by 2050, I predict plastics will be more and more made out of PLA to compensate. And PLA can be more flexible than ABS.

Edited by ComradeSch, 21 January 2017 - 03:36 PM.

[Maniacal Coyote]

Also, with the current political climate in 'Murica, tariffs on imports from China are probably going to ramp up harder than Super Mario: The Lost Levels.

[Draconis]

But also, the cost of plastic is rising, meaning production is more expensive. With global crude oil reserves running low being likely to occur by 2050, I predict plastics will be more and more made out of PLA to compensate. And PLA can be more flexible than ABS.

 

Literally none of this is true currently, nor likely occur.  Unexpectedly, we just keep finding more oil.  It is possible that we will run out at some point, but current industry reports estimate quite a bit longer than 2050.  More like 2100.  It is more likely that oil will finally become more costly to extract than the energy consumed to acquire and refine it.

 

PLA is an excellent replacement for polypropylene or styrene, and great for things like 3D printing and items commonly treated as disposable, but has a relatively low glass transition temperature, making it unsuitable for anything high temperature, or even long-term use.  PLA also tends to be weaker and more brittle than ABS, especially if it has not been annealed.