I understand why it exists, because the manufacturer doesn't want to deal with the headache of distribution, but sometimes I do wish 'distribution' was MUCH more regulated by the government. That entire "middleman" system is basically just a license to artificially manipulate markets and rip everyone off and there's nothing they can do. What are you going to do? Start your own distributor? And who is going to give you lumber? The all of three sawmill companies that exist, that are locked into billion dollar contracts, and won't give a fuck as long as the distributor keeps fronting the cash?
Here's an example.
If anyone wants to know - and I can provide literal actual receipts - the cost of an FN-branded M4 carbine is... ready?
$212.
That's literally the dollar figure the government pays for them from FN. And that means FN is pulling a profit on them.
The exact same carbine that doesn't get to a gunshop for civilian sale with a pricetag any lower than 4 figures.
FN makes a gun for $100. Sells it to their middleman distributor like Lipseys for $600. They sell it to a gun shop for $950. Gun shop sells it to you for $1050.
Somehow $900 of 'value' magically appeared throughout that chain for a fucking piece of steel and aluminum that costs FN nothing to build.
but sometimes I do wish 'distribution' was MUCH more regulated by the government.
But it is, in many cases a third party distributor is required by the government. It's actually a pretty convoluted mess that makes market manipulation a reality, all in the name of "preventing a monopoly."
I understand why it exists, because the manufacturer doesn't want to deal with the headache of distribution, but sometimes I do wish 'distribution' was MUCH more regulated by the government. That entire "middleman" system is basically just a license to artificially manipulate markets and rip everyone off and there's nothing they can do. What are you going to do? Start your own distributor? And who is going to give you lumber? The all of three sawmill companies that exist, that are locked into billion dollar contracts, and won't give a fuck as long as the distributor keeps fronting the cash?
Here's an example.
If anyone wants to know - and I can provide literal actual receipts - the cost of an FN-branded M4 carbine is... ready?
$212.
That's literally the dollar figure the government pays for them from FN. And that means FN is pulling a profit on them.
The exact same carbine that doesn't get to a gunshop for civilian sale with a pricetag any lower than 4 figures.
FN makes a gun for $100. Sells it to their middleman distributor like Lipseys for $600. They sell it to a gun shop for $950. Gun shop sells it to you for $1050.
Somehow $900 of 'value' magically appeared throughout that chain for a fucking piece of steel and aluminum that costs FN nothing to build.
But it is, in many cases a third party distributor is required by the government. It's actually a pretty convoluted mess that makes market manipulation a reality, all in the name of "preventing a monopoly."