That'd be an interesting pole. How many people buy with the goal of resale profit?
I buy firearms like I would a stock or real estate. The out on the other end is important. Well, I haven't purchased a firearm in the last 30 plus year without considering what the possible resale value will be if I have to part with my purchase. It isn't so much a thought of, "can I make money" so much of, "will I get hurt by losing the money". I won't purchase a firearm that I don't think I can recover my original purchase price plus a bit more. I'm not looking to flip it and make a buck. I just don't want to go backwards with my purchase.
BTW...The last shotgun I purchased, which was a few weeks ago, was a nice Belgian guild gun in 12 gauge to add to the three 12 gauge SxS in the safe.
If I ran a company building a small number of side by sides for the US market I too would concentrate on small bore lighter guns. I think the average person purchasing a side by side in the United States is buying an upland gun. I figure Im an average guy. When it comes to upland guns I want something less than 6 1/2 lbs. to pack around. That is much easier to accomplish in small bore guns.
