A buyers market occurs when there is an excess of supply over demand and buyers have many alternative sources of supply for goods and/or services. Supply-demand imbalances occur for a variety of reasons, including economic downturn, technological development and the introduction of free trade, any or all of which can cause markets to become a buyers’ markets, at least in the short term. In the longer term, suppliers faced with dwindling margins exit the market and a balance between supply and demand is restored.