Thread: What is the profit margin with guns?

No. Not at all. Your asking to be treated with respect. To be treated in a professional manor.
Thats why I thought about opening a buisness.
Good customer service is lacking in over 70% of the gun buisness's I walk into.
The very problem you write about happens in all buisness's.

When I was in the motorcycle buisness, if someone came through my door they where there for a reason.
If I did'nt have what they wanted, I'd write it down.
I'd review 'the list'.
If I saw more than one missed sale, I'd investigate further.
I'd also 'follow-up' with a phone call after the sale. Especially if it was something that required installation. (sometimes people would get their purchase home and realize the task of installing their purchase was more work than they wanted (after looking) to attempt).
Always after maintance a phone call to my customer was made.
Its just good buisness to treat people like I care.
Because as a buisness owner I should care.
My customers are the people paying my bills. Keeping the lights on.
They wrote 'the checks', not me.

Sounds like you experienced some really poor customer service. And I'm sure those shops treat the majority of their customers that way. Unfortunately the people at a lot of gun shops have this attitude that they are the greatest thing to happen to planet earth. Not all, but enough of them that everyone has experienced this sort of thing.

I remember walking into a gun store once (before I had an FFL) and asking if they had a particular gun. The shop employee (or owner) said " how hard do you want me to laugh at you, there is no way you are finding one of those". I drove down the street to another store and they had one in stock.

Sometimes, you have to sell something to someone at virtually no profit, knowing that they will come back in the future. For example, I had a guy make me an offer on a gun where I made just about zero dollars. I didn't have anything to lose so I sold him the gun. That was 2 months ago and he has bought several more where I made good profit.

If you can not get it for the customers asking price, just be honest and tell them that you cant do it and be nice about it. That way they will keep coming back.

Ryan

Originally Posted by rodell

People talk a lot about the "local service", and then also bash many of the local shops. I'm one of those people who will pay for good service - that means different things to different people, of course.

High prices and lousy service drive me to on-line purchases of firearms. Since WA tax is a wash either way, it comes down to shipping and a $40 transfer fee. I expect storefront dealers will continue to raise the transfer fee to combat the on-line retailer. They might consider the service aspect of their business.

Example: I wanted a Blaser R8. It is a $4k package. I walked into three shops, told them what I wanted. All said they could "probably get it". No one looked up the price or availability. One tried to tell me I'd be happier with a Savage (that's what they had). When I pushed to get a price, they said they'd call me. Guess how many did?

I ordered from a shop in TX and it was delivered to a dealer 4 days later. How likely am I to go back to those shops for my next custom order?

So what's good service to me? Pay attention to me, answer my questions, follow up if you say you will, and, recognize my repetitive and merciless purchasing habit with a "thank you". Maybe even call me when something comes in you know I like. Oh, yeah, if I'm looking at something I may very well buy it - I'd rather you not act like you have something better to do!

Am I asking too much?

Originally Posted by James1300

I'm out of the 'Fine Jewelry Business'.
I'd need a FFL. I'd want to do this totally separate from any other business.

There are sooo many things to sell at a gun shop.
All the camping gear,hunting,target,tacticool stuff that outdoor gun buyers maybe don't 'need' but happen to see while looking at guns.
Maybe don't go over board on camping,but survivalist directed stuff ?

Guy don't want to admit it,but if it's stuff they like,they don't mind shopping.And if you have goodies to touch and feel and try out,they're gunna buy.
Just like you do when you pick up the gun you been meaning to look at.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

when I had my ffl I charged $20 over total cost on any firearms. It didnt care if it was $3000 gun or a $200 gun.

Ive talked with a few guys.. While the profit margins on guns are not that large.. (Same goes with all sorts of different retailish things)

Look at all the other things you DO have markup and profit on.. Holsters, accessories, supplies, toys, etc, etc..

A gun store is not only just about selling guns, yanno what I mean?

I have thought about it myself. My wife and I are relatively young and not sure what we are doing in life yet.. You've tossed around the idea of trying to open up a gun store.. Probably not in the NW.. But somewhere perhaps where there isn't another gun supply around for a while..

/shrug

Ohh, another thing that is an insta-sale whenever I see it in a caliber I shoot--50rd LE boxes of defensive hollowpoints. They are like $35 for 50 when the regular boxes are like $30 for 20. Wtf is up with that anyway? I never buy the 20rd civilian boxes, I just stock up on the LE boxes whenever I find them.

Also red box 75gr 5.56x45 Hornandy TAP is nice to find. I always buy that when I see it too except sometimes when some dealers mark it up 200% because it's "rare." pfft.

Originally Posted by spengo

Ohh, another thing that is an insta-sale whenever I see it in a caliber I shoot--50rd LE boxes of defensive hollowpoints. They are like $35 for 50 when the regular boxes are like $30 for 20. Wtf is up with that anyway? I never buy the 20rd civilian boxes, I just stock up on the LE boxes whenever I find them.

Also red box 75gr 5.56x45 Hornandy TAP is nice to find. I always buy that when I see it too except sometimes when some dealers mark it up 200% because it's "rare." pfft.

Sounds like your putting in an order before he even opens up his new shop