Finders Fee Program Idea For LGS.

[Kruel J]

I think what could be of help is perhaps OP could list hours he works so people know when to not go there. If it's the place I'm thinking of I only go within minutes of opening on the slowest weekdays and the only person there is the young Asian looking guy and (I assume) his dad the owner. That young guy is great to work with (the only reason I go there is my regular ffl doesn't do the 3-5 day transfer). If I went in and ran into the OP I would turn around and leave. I won't risk my personal info being in such hands.

Exactly like I said, running off potential customers. I'm sure the business owners don't appreciate it.

 

[Flopsweat]

Oh man please don't give him any more thread ideas.

 

[Paolung]

From personal experience working with an FFL, I have seen a bunch of guns turned away because the customer wanted too much for them, they were going to be difficult sell, etc.

To have an opportunity to pick up one or more of these firearms, I am going to propose this idea to my favorite FFL and volunteer as a guinea pig to test out the viability of it.

I will give my FFL a certain amount of cash to keep in a safe. I will also give him a short list of firearms, I am looking for and at what price, to keep at the front counter.

If a customer brings in a firearm to sell but the FFL can't make a deal worthy of adding it to his own inventory, he can check the finders fee list and see if it is one I am looking for. If my price allows him to make the purchase then I will buy the firearm from the FFL.

Example.

I give the FFL $250 cash and tell him I am looking for a Glock 19, 23, 26 or 27 any Generation, good condition or better for $200. $50 is the minimum finder's fee (25%).


Customer comes in with Glock 23 Gen 4 in good condition but wants $200 firm and FFL won't pay more than $100 to add it to his inventory. The FFL can let the customer walk or he can use $200 of my cash to buy the pistol and pocket the rest as a finders fee. If he buys it with my cash, then I come in a month later, pay the $10 FFL fee, do the BG check and pick up my Glock 23.

There were a number of the guns the shop wouldn't buy that I would have snapped up in a second. A very old Colt Dectective was one memorable one.

Why not just pay the FFL to keep a list of your wanted guns with your number on it, and if someone wants to sell a gun and the FFL can't agree with them on price, have them contact you directly?

Much faster, less hassle, and you could pay the FFL a monthly fee to maintain the list.

Hell, the FFL could just rent out a bulletin board for people to post lists on with their contact info if they wanted to make it easy, and charge for people to put up lists.

 

[Colt Carbine]

Trying to figure out how your idea is any different than the following.

I used to be a Licensed Contractor. If I bid a job and the customer says my bid is too high. I follow up with, since my bid is too high I have an employee that'll do the job for less but he's not a Licensed Contractor.

Screwing around with somebody else's Licensing shouldn't be taken lightly. I would have fire anybody in a New York Minute that would've put my license or reputation at stake.

What you're suggesting is basically Moonlighting on somebody else's License. Not cool in the slightest. Evidently, you have no clue what is actually entailed with maintaining a License or the Liability somebody is taking by being in business, regardless of the sector is business.

 

[Knobgoblin]

Why not just pay the FFL to keep a list of your wanted guns with your number on it, and if someone wants to sell a gun and the FFL can't agree with them on price, have them contact you directly?

Much faster, less hassle, and you could pay the FFL a monthly fee to maintain the list.

Hell, the FFL could just rent out a bulletin board for people to post lists on with their contact info if they wanted to make it easy, and charge for people to put up lists.

This sort of reminds me of people walking in to my shop and asking how much I would charge to sharpen their knives.

Answer: I'll pay YOU $5 to go away, sir or madam.

 

[Kruel J]

Trying to figure out how your idea is any different than the following.

I used to be a Licensed Contractor. If I bid a job and the customer says my bid is too high. I follow up with, since my bid is too high I have an employee that'll do the job for less but he's not a Licensed Contractor.

Screwing around with somebody else's Licensing shouldn't be taken lightly. I would have fire anybody in a New York Minute that would've put my license or reputation at stake.

What you're suggesting is basically Moonlighting on somebody else's License. Not cool in the slightest. Evidently, you have no clue what is actually entailed with maintaining a License or the Liability somebody is taking by being in business, regardless of the sector is business.

You better consider yourself lucky if your boss reads this and doesn't fire you.

I was a licensed GC for quite a few years......wrote up many bids. Your analogy is excellent.

 

[Paolung]

This sort of reminds me of people walking in to my shop and asking how much I would charge to sharpen their knives.

Answer: I'll pay YOU $5 to go away, sir or madam.

What's your shop address?

 

[Diamondback]

While there is some potential here, it's also a LOT of work on the bookkeeping, particularly since IIRC that "escrow" deposit gets taxed as Unearned Revenue.

If I ran a shop and did this, I'd want to set it up as a "VIP Club" with a monthly or annual membership fee to offset the extra costs and effort.

 

[Kruel J]

That is one way to look at it. I get to participate in most benefits of operating an FFL with none of the risk and hassles.

So your employer takes all the risk while you have fun.............

 

[Nosferatu]

I wonder if the casino would let me setup a poker table outside the front door?

 

[oremike]

Instead of all this, don't you have a wife and some property you should be paying attention to?

 

[arakboss]

The concept I was proposing was properly understood by only a few. Most completely misunderstood the concept as something that required me personally to participate and that is not the case. If a group of gun guys can't understand it, the layman gun shop customers won't. This idea is busted. Back to the drawing board.

 

[Knobgoblin]

 

[TTSX]

Instead of all this, don't you have a wife and some property you should be paying attention to?

And a boatload of debt and empty promises to limit spending?

 

[arakboss]

While there is some potential here, it's also a LOT of work on the bookkeeping, particularly since IIRC that "escrow" deposit gets taxed as Unearned Revenue.

If I ran a shop and did this, I'd want to set it up as a "VIP Club" with a monthly or annual membership fee to offset the extra costs and effort.

I agree that the margins probably wouldn't be worth the effort with extra bookkeeping involved. Thank you for understanding the concept though. It seemed to go over many heads today. Maybe I did a poor job of explaining it.

 

[Nosferatu]

Back to the drawing board.

If there was ever a board more deserving of becoming a target....

 

[Knobgoblin]

You did a fine job of explaining it.
It's simply that you're spinnin tires for no reason.
I'm personally responsible for in excess of $1.5 million in sales annually. I sell perishables in a brick and mortar retail setting. I buy stuff, it sells or it rots .
You sell stuff. It sells or it sits. There's always plenty of stuff.
Unless the owner is paying you commission, just let his stuff sit.

 

[Diamondback]

Again, if it was *my* shop, it'd need to be some kind of Premium Membership program with fees high enough to make it pay for itself and it'd have to be one of several membership perks. Something like Cabela's Club, or an "Amazon Prime for Guns." Maybe Premiums go to the head of the 4473 line...

 

[Kruel J]

I agree that the margins probably wouldn't be worth the effort with extra bookkeeping involved. Thank you for understanding the concept though. It seemed to go over many heads today. Maybe I did a poor job of explaining it.

It didn't go over any heads. Your best bet is to just STOP. You are digging yourself deeper and deeper and costing your employer customers.

 

[arakboss]

You did a fine job of explaining it.
It's simply that you're spinnin tires for no reason.
I'm personally responsible for in excess of $1.5 million in sales annually. I sell perishables in a brick and mortar retail setting. I buy stuff, it sells or it rots .
You sell stuff. It sells or it sits. There's always plenty of stuff.
Unless the owner is paying you commission, just let his stuff sit.

That would be one way to work it. I don't get any commissions and make min wage. I want the company to do well despite all the haters out there. I have invested a lot of time and effort helping them out.