One of the factors is limited distributors. If one company gets to control the entire supply of a product for a market the size of the USA, they can sell that product for whatever price the market will allow without any competition. As far as I know, AOA is the single US distributor for FX and Daystate and maybe some other brands. If you want to buy one of those rifles and you are in the US then the rifle is going to pass through AOA's hands and they set the price. Yes you can buy the rifle at other stores here in the US but it will sell for the same price as what AOA sells it for or more. AOA is not only the sole distributor here in the USA but they are a retailer as well so they set the retail price and I would guess anyone else who is selling FX or Daystate airguns in the US have agreed to sell them for not less than what AOA sells them for. If another retailer doesn't follow the rules set by AOA, then AOA simply cuts off the supply of rifles to that retailer as they being the sole distributor here can do.
There are ways around this system and I had read that Joe Brancato of Airtanksforsale.com was looking into bringing new FX guns into the US, circumventing AOA. The problem with this is, what if the gun breaks. If AOA is anything like Nikon USA they aren't going to fix anything under warranty that didn't pass through their hands. AOA may not even fix it at all even with you paying for the repair. So unless Joe is going to fix it, you might need to ship it back to Europe for repairs.
If you search the internet you will find the 2013 price sheet which shows what price FX sold their guns to their distributors for.
http://www.network54.com/Forum/79537/message/1425157371/Michael+Wendt%2C+here+is+your+proof... The amount of markup from the distributor to the end user, at least in the USA, is absurdly shocking, over 100%. This also effects what other companies unrelated to AOA can sell there guns for. If AOA sold a BOSS with a 30% markup instead of a a 127% markup, it would retail at just $1150 or so. Do you think many folks would be paying $1150.00 for a new Air Arms if they could buy what many use in competition shoots? I really don't think so and Air Arms rifles would need to be sold at a much lower price than what they now sell for, because no one would be buying them.
I'm not trying to bash AOA or tell them what they should sell their products for and I've done business with them many times as I live just across town.......... But I will offer this piece of advise to whoever runs that place, HIRE MORE PEOPLE!!!!!! I have never just walked into the place and there was someone available to take my money, I've always had to wait 5 to 15 minutes before someone came out to help me. Never mind if there is a long line ahead of me. And their telephone service is no better, as I've never spoken to a real person without having to wait 10-20 minutes on hold or leaving my number and having someone call me back a few hours later. AOA you got a good racket going here. You sell quality products and your staff has always been nice when I've actually talked to them. (But I've found most people are nice when you're handing them thousands of dollars.) Please, I'm sure you're making a lot of money so invest it in hiring a few more people.