How bad will plug prices be at RISSA this year?

[Mr. Sandman]

I think I may have miscommunicated my thoughts on this topic. (it happens) Like many of you...I have a ton of wood from most builders here and I am happy with everything I have purchased and think their price for the most part is fair. Very recently I purchased a bunch of 3 oz tattoo darters from Surf-casting RI for what I thought was a great price of 15 bucks each, with no tax and no shipping (for orders > than some min)...can't beat that with a stick! I certainly can't make them for that.

My concern is mainly about this auction activity and the possibility that it might eventually bleed over to the retail shops and possibly the direct sellers. When you see some plugs selling for triple digits online and you are selling the same on in your shop for 1/4 that price... I am sure the thought has crossed the minds of the shopkeepers. Moreover, we all know the "feeding frenzy" that is created at shows like RISSA when say someone has a limited number of plugs. (Heck, it has already started! I can feel some of you drooling already over here) I endorse the limits that are placed to a single buyer but with that much demand the business-man in anyone has to see that this will support a higher price. My concern is will this be the show that you see $50+ plugs being sold as a way to chill the hot demand slightly.

Again I am sorry if I POed anyone, I've tinkered around and made a few plugs myself and know the amount effort that goes into a some of these. If I sold a plug I made, and charged my "going rate" to build it....I couldn't afford to buy it and no one would pay that for a plug.

I know you're not making any "big money" building plugs... my fear was that could this auction thing force retailers to change their business model. I had posted this thread after getting upset at some prices paid for some pretty standard plugs on ebay and was wondering if we might see this type of thing follow thru to rissa. I do recall SWE held the line on beachmasters last year but I know there were some guys that probably flipped them within a few days of the show. If this continues to happen the retailer or the builder himself can cut out the easy bucks made from this and cash in himself...you can't blame him for doing it.