Buying online... whats in it for the dealer?

[WAYNO]

I buy a lot of guns. I would love to be able to buy from a local dealer. Seldom does a local gun shop have the non-millennial stuff that I buy. So I do the shopping, I pay the shipping, it's my money up front to pay for the item, and I should feel guilty for not supporting my local gun shop?

And the local gun shop still gets a cut of the transaction for doing the transfer. The local gun shops should be loving this.

I have also tried just letting the LGS do the legwork, but more times than not they drop the ball, or are just not interested. They'd rather get a $30 transfer fee for doing very little and investing nothing, as opposed to doing a lot of work and receiving a $30 profit.

WAYNO.

 

[mjbskwim]

I buy a lot of guns. I would love to be able to buy from a local dealer. Seldom does a local gun shop have the non-millennial stuff that I buy. So I do the shopping, I pay the shipping, it's my money up front to pay for the item, and I should feel guilty for not supporting my local gun shop?

And the local gun shop still gets a cut of the transaction for doing the transfer. I think the local gun shops are loving this.

WAYNO.

Hey if you you are buying guns that aren't new then you have no choice
No reason to feel guilty

 

[WAYNO]

Hey if you you are buying guns that aren't new then you have no choice
No reason to feel guilty

I'm not necessarily talking used. I could cite the most recent new guns I've bought that no local dealer carried or were interested in ordering. Let me start, for example,,,Ruger American Compact Pistol, Ruger Birdshead Vaquero .45ACP, Ruger Flattop Convertible, 45/45ACP, Mossberg MVP, Browning BPS .410, Ruger GP100 .22LR... And my list could extend into dozens.

I'd bet money that if I went into any local gun shop and asked for most of the above guns, I'd be asked, "what's that?" I miss the gunshops of the old days that had a broader knowledge and selection than black and plastic. And I did support them very well.

WAYNO.

 

[Caveman Jim]

Here in Washington I purchased 3 Wyndham rifles last month boxed in one package from Ohio and Ffl here charged me sales tax on the rifles plus $15.00 for all 3 on the transfer.

Dude, you got screwed...
A half dozen years ago B-4 I594 I bought 5 guns off the internet & an FFL I picked off the net only charged & 25 for each one so it was no big deal. I asked him B-4 I finalized it if he was going to charge me sales tax, he said it's not his job...

 

[Member 5605]

Buying online almost defeats the purpose unless "dealer" has an outlet local.

By the time you buy, pay shipping ($25) then pay for your paperwork to be completed in your state ($25-50) you end up with a lot more than you can think.

Assuming you always factor in the $50+ in the cost... and if it's a good enough deal..

I like to check the GunGenie at www.galleryofguns.com and buy there, ship and everything is laid out cost wise.

 

[Member 3687]

I have bought a number of guns/receivers on line and had sent to my favorite shop. They usually charge 20 to 25 in these parts for the transfer for the first gun on the 4473 and 10 to 15 for each added to the form (negotiable if you do much business with them). We do not have a BGC fee and I have a carry permit so they do not call it in anyway.

I will usually see if they have it in stock first then I will see if they can come close to match the online price (if better) because I do prefer to buy local but money is money. If they can come close say a few bucks then it is no big deal but 30 to 40 plus tax is a chunk of change.

One of my dealers (small shop) makes more on transfers some days than in store sales and like some have said he has no output for inventory that may set on the shelf for a while before it sells.

Just before the election my buddy/dealer was saying he did over 100 transfers in 2 days. At 20 dollars a form that's 2000 in his pocket just for being open and then he sold other stuff as well so he made out.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

A few years ago , my wife bought me as a birthday present, a H&R pardner .20 gauge single shot shotgun online and had it shipped to a local dealer.
While waiting for the BGC to clear , she was also able to buy from the dealer ammo and some cleaning supplies for the shotgun.

I'm sure it wasn't the biggest sale of the day , but when its a small shop , every sale matters.
I would think thats where the local dealer shines.
He can sell you all the extra little items for the gun you ordered online and make a little money along with the transfer fee.
Andy

 

[Alexx1401]

All the LGS is doing is a transfer. You are purchasing it from brownells and they are sending it to you favorite ffl.
All that is in it for the dealer is the transfer fee and if they charge for a check. They are loosing the profit they would have made had they just ordered it for you.
You save a few buck and help the big internet stores put the brick and mortar stores out of business

The guys selling on line need the locals. Without one you can't buy. The media loves to talk about buying guns over the net but they are talking out their a$$ and they know it. The local gets cash just for have the FFL. They can and do charge as much as they would have made in profit if they had that gun in the store. There is not a large mark up on guns in most cases. So rather than having money in inventory, the local is getting cash just to handle the sale. You pay the shipping, BGC, Tax if app, and anything else. As others have mentioned this gets you in the local store too. Many while there are going to look around and buy other stuff too. At least they are looking. Chance for local to show off what they have.

 

[mjbskwim]

If y'all are getting charged for more than one gun on a transfer on ONE FORM????? then y'all are getting screwed. It's still one call for one form (5 guns)
And,@Alexx1401 ,yeah there ain't much profit margin in your retail shops. They make better if they could get trade ins or good prices on used stuff. But they make more than a transfer .
Thing is you may be saving 50 bucks ,but for me I want that gun shop to stay open

 

[Alexx1401]

If y'all are getting charged for more than one gun on a transfer on ONE FORM????? then y'all are getting screwed. It's still one call for one form (5 guns)
And,@Alexx1401 ,yeah there ain't much profit margin in your retail shops. They make better if they could get trade ins or good prices on used stuff. But they make more than a transfer .
Thing is you may be saving 50 bucks ,but for me I want that gun shop to stay open

I'm not sure where you shop but the ones I shop at I know what they make on a new gun. It's the same as they make me paying them to transfer. Now no doubt some try to get a markup more than that and some may make it. The local guys I use don't. The local guys I use here under cut the large box stores at least from what I have bought. The only time I personally have saved $50 is buy buying from one of the locals rather than the big box. The last pistol Wife bought is a great example. The local shop had to order it in, took 5 days, and sold it too us for $340 + of course the Gov's cut. The nearest big box to me (Cabelas) wants $399.00 for same gun. So I guess we are maybe hurting Cabelas if that's what you mean. I figure if my local guys can beat them that's fine with me.

 

[ATCclears]

I've used Buds Gun Shop (online) for a few purchases and it's been a seamless process. My only comment is that one should have a reasonable level of confidence that they'll pass the background check at their local FFL - if you don't you might end up in a difficult situation where you've paid for the gun, cannot take possession due to a failed background check, and the online vendor won't take the gun back...
Discount Guns for Sale - Buds Gun Shop

I also use Buds to compare prices. I will pay a bit more to support locals, but if there is a huge price difference then I'll probably but it from Buds and continue to give the locals support by buying cleaning supplies from them.

 

[Mikej]

I'm not necessarily talking used. I could cite the most recent new guns I've bought that no local dealer carried or were interested in ordering. Let me start, for example,,,Ruger American Compact Pistol, Ruger Birdshead Vaquero .45ACP, Ruger Flattop Convertible, 45/45ACP, Mossberg MVP, Browning BPS .410, Ruger GP100 .22LR... And my list could extend into dozens.

I'd bet money that if I went into any local gun shop and asked for most of the above guns, I'd be asked, "what's that?" I miss the gunshops of the old days that had a broader knowledge and selection than black and plastic. And I did support them very well.

WAYNO.

Have you tried ordering from Keith's? I find it hard to believe they would not want to sell you a gun. And if they hadn't heard of it, so what? I found your Ruger Birdshead Vacaro in .45acp with a simple search at Tombstone Tactical, so would Kieth's, only from one of their wholesalers. They love getting unusual/obscure guns in for customers. They're always happy as hell to ogle/fondle the new gun when I take possession!

 

[etrain16]

Buying online almost defeats the purpose unless "dealer" has an outlet local.

By the time you buy, pay shipping ($25) then pay for your paperwork to be completed in your state ($25-50) you end up with a lot more than you can think.

Assuming you always factor in the $50+ in the cost... and if it's a good enough deal..

I like to check the GunGenie at www.galleryofguns.com and buy there, ship and everything is laid out cost wise.

Depends on where you buy online and who your local FFL happens to be. I have bought online from Bud's for several years now - every gun I've bought shipped free, so no added cost there. And, their prices often beat about everyone else, so that's a bonus. My local FFL charges $20 for a transfer/BGC and that is the same whether it's one gun, two guns, five guns - $20 total - so I can save even more if I can purchase more than one at a time (which I've managed to do in the past). I've used Grab A Gun a few times too - they have flat rate shipping of $4.95.

I think if you shop around, you can find good deals without losing all that gain in shipping costs and transfer fees. For me, it's been financially advantageous to buy guns online.

My local FFL will also track guns down for you and has told me he should always be able to meet or beat the best price I can find online. I've not used him for that purpose yet, but it's nice to have that option. I tell you, this guy is one of the best FFL's I've ever worked with, and he's only 3 miles from my house

 

[WAYNO]

I have bought many guns from Keith's, but I no longer shop there. So Keith's is not part of my equation. I have tried to get them to order guns for me, and once they've placed their mega-order at the beginning of the year, they haven't wanted to do any special orders. Maybe they've changed their customer service practices since I stopped going there. I would not know.

And my reference to sales folks remaining ignorant of "other" guns, if I've gotta do their shopping for them, I may as well do it for myself from home, and then only decide which LGS I prefer to give my transfer fee business.

Even Northwest Armory...I've bought many guns from them too. I've tried to get them to order guns, sometimes successfully, sometimes not. Once I educate them about the gun I want, and they cannot find it, because they do not deal with a certain distributor, then again I've gotta go elsewhere. May as well do it for myself. I can find the guns the dealers don't want to spend time on. There are a lot of distributor exclusives, and unless my local gun shop has a relationship with that particular distributor, I'm spinning my wheels. It gets old, knowing I can only get some guns from this dealer, and another gun from another dealer. It's easier to do it all myself.

I did not intend my post to be a bash-fest. My point was and is, I would surely enjoy buying from a stocking dealer that stocks the things I normally buy, but I can't.

WAYNO.

 

[Mikej]

Well if you don't like going places to get what you need then, there ya' are!

 

[Belial]

If y'all are getting charged for more than one gun on a transfer on ONE FORM????? then y'all are getting screwed. It's still one call for one form (5 guns)
And,@Alexx1401.....

It isn't the call for the BGC that takes the only time if your dealers transfer.
-Your dealer could get guns from 5 different places which takes 5 times as long to open and log
-Your dealer may have to file different and or extra forms for a handgun/s
-If there are multiple handguns there is another form dealer gets to fill out for you
-You may not have a Carry Permit so you get to visit him twice after the waiting period
-Your seller may not send the appropriate information with the shipments
Everything takes time and time is money...

 

[Alexx1401]

It isn't the call for the BGC that takes the only time if your dealers transfer.
-Your dealer could get guns from 5 different places which takes 5 times as long to open and log
-Your dealer may have to file different and or extra forms for a handgun/s
-If there are multiple handguns there is another form dealer gets to fill out for you
-You may not have a Carry Permit so you get to visit him twice after the waiting period
-Your seller may not send the appropriate information with the shipments
Everything takes time and time is money...

This is one of those market things. I have not recently bought multiple guns in one sitting so not sure what My favorite would do. I'm confident they would do right in my opinion judging from what I have seen in the past. I know they do charge more for a transfer if you are not what they consider a "customer". I did not know this until a co worker called them to ask. Told me price he was quoted was $20 higher than what I pay. I guess they give me a better price since I have given then a little business over the years since they opened. It's still market. They can do as they please. They make me happy, I keep coming back. That is what make success. I first used them long ago when they had just opened. I wanted a KT S2K. One shop claimed they could get the one I wanted for $280. Then tried to screw around, then tired to blame KT until I called them on the BS. The place I called next wanted $20 more but they had it there. I bought it. When I wanted another I went back to them. They also gave me a what I call fair price on a used gun a while back. I was wanting another and they said if I sold them my unwanted they would take the sales tax off on my new purchase. This is of course since they figure they will sell it at enough to pay but I was happy, so both of us walked away happy. If I wanted something that was going to take up more time for them I would fully expect to pay for that. They are after all trying to make money which is fine with me.

 

[mjbskwim]

I have logged guns into the books. It is worth a price of 25 bucks but I'm already in the book and got my knife out to open packages. Maybe 5 buck for extras but 25 is exorbitant.
Besides it's easier to do all the guns at once rather than do 5 guns on 5 different days.
We would tell the guys that bought a few a week to get them all in one day it would be cheaper and easier.
I'll stick to what I said before,if you are getting charged $25 for the first one and then any others you pick up on the first day you are getting ripped off by your favorite LGS

 

[PDXSparky]

Depends upon the dealer. Our local friendly knowledgeable Class 3 Dealer charges quite a fee for NFA transfers. His normal FFL transfer fee is a small percentage of the total firearm cost. Varies.

My class 3 dealer charges $50 for a title II transfer and $20 for a title I transfer.

 

[Flopsweat]

Two gun stores near me have very large selections online. If you have the gun shipped to their store, they waive the shipping and the transfer fee. Their prices are pretty good too. I haven't been able to beat their deal by enough to make a difference in several years. Since I'm very happy with both shops, I bring friends by every now and then. I've spent $1000+ more than once in each shop on guns that were in inventory - not online - and had friends spend money there too. So I guess it's working for them. Some of us are people you really do want to draw in with low transfer fees and friendly, no bs service.