Online Gun Prices?

[DLS]

I don't understand this animosity, but I've seen it myself. The reality of the marketplace is that a brick and mortar store will not be able to beat the price on many items, especially low margin big ticket items like firearms.

But, if I had a store, I'd still do the transfer. I'll make some profit from the transfer and have the chance to earn more on add-on and follow on sales of items where I can compete. Holsters, magazines, accessories, clothing … the list goes on that I could sell, but not if I send the buyer to another competitor.

So in my mind it's foolhardy to not do the transfer … unless there is some other underlying issue that I'm not aware of.

 

[Jonnyuma]

But, if I had a store, I'd still do the transfer. I'll make some profit from the transfer and have the chance to earn more on add-on and follow on sales of items where I can compete. Holsters, magazines, accessories, clothing … the list goes on that I could sell, but not if I send the buyer to another competitor.

I agree with this sentiment.
There are some stores that will do the transfer but decided to make it so expensive that only a fool would bother.
I don't go into those places for transfers... or anything else, as it turns out.

Price it any way you want, your business, your decision. Just don't expect everyone to play along.

 

[DLS]

Agreed. I've been a business owner most of my life. As an owner I don't have a right to customers, I don't have a right to a competition free environment, and I don't have the right to expect the world to do business as I see it.

I have to EARN customers, BEST the competition (with a different product mix, different levels of service etc.) by providing more value and I have to ADAPT to the trends of the marketplace unless I'm an Amazon or Walmart sized company, then I can have some influence on how the marketplace interacts with me … but even those giants still need to do the first two or they will die.

 

[Aero Denezol]

I find my local gun shops are very competitive with online prices, to where it's not worth the hassle $$ over 1. shipping, 2. cc fees, and 3. transfer fees.

The only stuff I still consistently hunt for online are milsurps, for obvious reasons.

 

[ozmosis]

Here is my take on after doing a few online/instore transfers.
Support your local store or it will be replaced by a big box store in your area which probably not do transfers at all.
After all the fees, shipping and waiting I would just spend the extra $50-100 difference.
My local store has great customer service and very fair trades for used items.

 

[K7ZS]

Nothing like having the item 'in your hand'. Our family was in retail for many years. Pre-Internet, Pre-Mall, Pre Urban Sprawl. Each 'territory' had a need for the goods and services offered, running all over town to shop was not the model!
One of the largest costs for a 'stocking retailer' is inventory cost, 'markdowns', selling a gun for at or under cost ... and of course staff, rent, lights, insurance, item theft etc. You just can't 'match price' because you will lose money, perhaps not 'wholesale price' to 'selling price', but on the books you sold at a loss.

AND, with few exceptions, the firearm websites are JUST SHELL STOREFRONTS on the web. They all pull from big regional warehouses, which drop ship to your FFL. So, a few clicks, they get their 'cut', there is no exposure to slow selling items, or inventory risk. Pure profit for a website and a credit card charge. Pretty easy to see how why these prices are so much lower than a stocking retailer.

The real shame, is we all go to Sportsmans, Cabelas etc. etc. to SEE and HANDLE the firearm of choice, and if we like it we go order it.

Guess why my family is no longer in retail!

BUT ... going through the hoops if there is a problem with a firearm purchased online ... NO RETURNS, please contact Manufacturer directly ... and you even get to pay freight to ship it to them!

Support your LGS, in this time of need spend a few extra dollars, feel good and buy that gun they just let you handle and you want ... and when 'service after the sale' is needed, guess who will be there for you. You got it, your LGS

Cheers!

 

[P7M13]

I buy from gunshops or FTF. For "run of the mill" stuff, I use places like Buds to find out what the bottom price might be.
As far as the LGS saying, "go ahead and order it," they probably learned from experience, that if someone is chiseling, there is a good possibility that they won't be a good customer.
I have witnessed it at retail, at service places and at the charity I volunteer for : some people have this sense of entitlement. Thankfully, it's a very small percentage. Still, it's those ones you want address and say, "kindly go pound sand." But you don't. Smile and wave.....

 

[TTSX]

My tendency is to have my favorite LGS order it for me as I like that business a whole bunch and am totally willing to pay the extra just because of the bar-none best customer service I've ever had. Something to be said about establishing first name basis status.

 

[wewaits]

I used to only go to my LGS and then they went out of business, I haven't been able to find a local I like since The Gun Broker went under. So now I stick to Sportsman's, Coastal, Fisherman's or online sales. It's not worth it to me to have to go into a local shop and have to build a relationship with the guy behind the counter in order to get service. The few exceptions are pawn shops but mostly for transfers, Money Market in Powell always has a decent inventory of neat stuff and 99 Pawn and Guns is always friendly though inventory has been sparse.

 

[gmerkt]

just get the $25 (or so) fee they charge to process the transfer

If you can find a dealer who will do a handgun transfer for that. We have one around here, people patronize him from all over, counties away. Other dealers charge more, up to $100 even.

If the shop is efficient about their process, they can make a lot of money on transfers.

This. Pawn shops seem to be best at it.

In the good old days of being able to handle it and walk out with it the same day never made me even look at the prices as I would typically impulse buy.

Yes, this has had a stifling effect on both dealer purchases and especially gun shows. That is until the Virus Panic came along; first time buyers don't seem to be deterred.

One of the largest costs for a 'stocking retailer' is inventory cost,

There are retail gun shops around here that will advertise online their full line of products available. They have long lists of stuff. Then you go to the shop and find about 15 or 20 guns. Come to find out, the rest of the stuff they advertise is "in their warehouse." Well, it's not in "their" warehouse, it's in the warehouses of various distributors. And it doesn't belong to the dealer until the sale is made and he pays the distributor. So in this sense, there is no fondling or examining before purchase.

 

[Sporting Systems]

Larger online shops buy direct, same prices as distributors pay, so their margins start at that level. They don't inspect or handle the firearms directly and some of them still have them direct shipped from the vendor to the local FFL. They have better credit card fee structures because they are 100% credit card processing. No sales staff to employ, no health insurance to pay for, no insurance to buy. No displays to buy and maintain. No prices tags to print out. Computers automate the entire order, few people involved at all. My retail insurance policy costs me over $1500 a month. Health insurance $1700 a month. Retail rents versus warehouse rent, 4-5 times the rate. Printing 4473s and pistol transfer applications, $700 per month in paper and printer supplies. Calling transfer dealers to get paperwork/receipt/etc, another 10-12 hours a month when they don't send the paperwork. B&O tax, tax paid on total revenue (not on profit)...that's there too. Then you start me unemployment, sick leave, mandatory paid family leave. Then the big one in the room, we have $2M of inventory paid for, sitting here...and someone wants to look at 14 guns, burn 2 hours of staff time and then tell me they found it at Buds for $40 less and want me to price match. Its a tough equation. But the local shops are gone...everyone will look around and ask why.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

Excellent posting ( #31 ) @Sporting Systems .
Andy

 

[bbbass]

When I managed front counter sales of computers and 2way radios, customers would complain about pricing diff between us and internet. Yes, internet companies priced their items for less than I could get mine into the store!

But customers would come in and pick my brains, then go and buy off the internet... it's hard to stay in biz that way. Finally, the owner ordered me to not spend more than 3 minutes with somebody like that.

Customers also bought items off the internet, then would come in and ask how to use it or how to set it up questions, ask for warranty repair, etc, all things for which we didn't get paid.

Freeloaders that don't support their local business will have no service available locally when they need it...

That's the reason why 2 out of 3 LGS don't process internet transfers. The money they make is not worth their time. Processing BGC takes a lot of time and paperwork and is a PITA.

My LGS used to charge $25 but has slowly raised the fee to $45 to cover the time spent.

 

[OldBroad44]

With the rush in interest in guns, the LGS can expect to get full price on their existing inventory. If you dont buy it at full price today, someone else probably will tomorrow. Furthermore, the LGS may not be able to replace the inventory. Under such circumstances it makes no sense for the LGS to accept less than their asking price.

I figure its worth at least $100 to me to be able to handle a gun I think I might want. Usually, turns out, I dont. Its worth even more to see and handle various guns and discover one I didnt know I wanted.

 

[SUPER X]

Depending on where someone lives LGS and pawn are very very limited almost neel. There are no big box stores or chain stores like bimart. We recently just had a couple arrive. Now wallys quit selling handgun ammo .One of them had guys behind the counter that know nothing about firearms outside of recent popular production 223 or 9mm . And never heard of the caliber I needed .one store the ammo was very spendy like 10 bucks higher per box .but If I was to drive to portland and hope they have what Im looking to buy still in stock when i get there it would cost more and might spend 70 bucks on gas to end up empty handed. . I have most of what I need and pick a few things up on occasion from folks on NWFA .

 

[SUPER X]

When I managed front counter sales of computers and 2way radios, customers would complain about pricing diff between us and internet. Yes, internet companies priced their items for less than I could get mine into the store!

But customers would come in and pick my brains, then go and buy off the internet... it's hard to stay in biz that way. Finally, the owner ordered me to not spend more than 3 minutes with somebody like that.

Customers also bought items off the internet, then would come in and ask how to use it or how to set it up questions, ask for warranty repair, etc, all things for which we didn't get paid.

Freeloaders that don't support their local business will have no service available locally when they need it...

That's the reason why 2 out of 3 LGS don't process internet transfers. The money they make is not worth their time. Processing BGC takes a lot of time and paperwork and is a PITA.

My LGS used to charge $25 but has slowly raised the fee to $45 to cover the time spent.

Mine charged 30 per firearm so if i bought 3 milsurps it was 90 . Plus bgc
I dont care much for most modern firearms so when i go to a gun or pawn shop im window shopping for something different with the possibility of impulse buying .Ticklickers in salem .Is the best Ive been in ,in some time.

 

[Ops]

what gun you looking for?

 

[OldBroad44]

My proclivity to want to handle a specific gun before buying is why I keep ending up with revolvers. I go there thinking its time to get a high-capacity modern gee-gaw. But when I get to the store or gun show and pick it up, it feels flimsy, the sights aren't big enough for my old eyes, and part of my brain is going "Wimpy #!@$ 9mm, just a glorified .22." Meanwhile, there's this used Ruger Super Redhawk .44 with a 9.5-inch barrel that I cant help noticing. I had never considered a Super Redhawk. In photos I thought they were ugly. Certainly had never considered a .44 with such a long barrel. But now that I see it, it looks just right. And that looks like just the right barrel length for the gun, too.

I amble off to take a break, let someone else buy the temptation. What will be will be. Check and find I can buy locally new for $950. Gun show dealer is asking $700. No warranty, no box/papers, and no scope rings. No damage on sight or any other screws. No signs of use except marks on scope ring slots. I'd want scope rings, meaning real cost would be about $750. Not a great price. Not horrible either. I amble back to the right counter. Ask to handle. I check cylinder, then point gun at ceiling. (Crowded room. No other safe direction.) !!!!! Wow!!! Feels great. Huge sights. Like aiming a rifle. Would be hard to miss. SA nice, crisp, zero creep. DA smooth and uniform. Lockup is tight, all cylinder holes. As I handle I'm thinking, "I wouldnt even need to load this thing. I could take someone out by just backhanding them with the front sight."

"That's why I'm called "Thumper", the gun said.
"Hello, Thumper. I'm Old Broad44."
"I know. I've been expecting you."

I figure the value as $700 asking price plus $50 to buy rings minus $150 gratuity to the seller for introducing Thumper and me-- being willing to buy and display a gun like this until the right person comes along--a serious service. Thats $600, a bargain. I hand over the $700 asking price and my chl without haggling. Fifteen minutes later I tuck Thumper into Tamrac camera bag backpack. He snuggles between the layers of heavy padding, invisible, apparently weightless, content.

A great gun. A great price. A great day.

 

[arakboss]

In today's age every store can be an online retailer. Many LGSs choose not to but that is their choice. There are lots of people selling online that don't even carry the actual inventory. If a shop charges $50 for a transfer they won't earn my business and I doubt they will care.

Edit: charging $40 fee on top of BG fee is adding insult to injury. We shouldn't have to pay any fees to do a private transfer but thanks to antigun legislators we do. Adding on $40 to that private transfer cost seems rediculous. Tigard Pawn and other shops are able to do it for $15 to $20 and make money while operating retail store front.

 

[Hueco]

My proclivity to want to handle a specific gun before buying is why I keep ending up with revolvers. I go there thinking its time to get a high-capacity modern gee-gaw. But when I get to the store or gun show and pick it up, it feels flimsy, the sights aren't big enough for my old eyes, and part of my brain is going "Wimpy #!@$ 9mm, just a glorified .22." Meanwhile, there's this used Ruger Super Redhawk .44 with a 9.5-inch barrel that I cant help noticing. I had never considered a Super Redhawk. In photos I thought they were ugly. Certainly had never considered a .44 with such a long barrel. But now that I see it, it looks just right. And that looks like just the right barrel length for the gun, too.

I amble off to take a break, let someone else buy the temptation. What will be will be. Check and find I can buy locally new for $950. Gun show dealer is asking $700. No warranty, no box/papers, and no scope rings. No damage on sight or any other screws. No signs of use except marks on scope ring slots. I'd want scope rings, meaning real cost would be about $750. Not a great price. Not horrible either. I amble back to the right counter. Ask to handle. I check cylinder, then point gun at ceiling. (Crowded room. No other safe direction.) !!!!! Wow!!! Feels great. Huge sights. Like aiming a rifle. Would be hard to miss. SA nice, crisp, zero creep. DA smooth and uniform. Lockup is tight, all cylinder holes. As I handle I'm thinking, "I wouldnt even need to load this thing. I could take someone out by just backhanding them with the front sight."

"That's why I'm called "Thumper", the gun said.
"Hello, Thumper. I'm Old Broad44."
"I know. I've been expecting you."

I figure the value as $700 asking price plus $50 to buy rings minus $150 gratuity to the seller for introducing Thumper and me-- being willing to buy and display a gun like this until the right person comes along--a serious service. Thats $600, a bargain. I hand over the $700 asking price and my chl without haggling. Fifteen minutes later I tuck Thumper into Tamrac camera bag backpack. He snuggles between the layers of heavy padding, invisible, apparently weightless, content.

A great gun. A great price. A great day.

Not to thread hijack but, if you do a good bit of traveling with your camera and gun, consider getting a not-camera camera bag. For example, I picked up a Gregory Graph messenger bag awhile ago - just your average, run of the mill messenger. It could hold a laptop sure, or just some books, papers, etc. It also fits a solid amount of camera gear and doesn't scream, "look at me I have lots of gear!" The last thing you want is to be targeted by a thief looking to make a quick snatch and grab for your camera gear also getting your gun. For the same reason, change out the neck strap that comes with the body for a generic, especially if you shoot Canon. Why, oh why, they print the model on the neck strap is beyond me - it's an advertisement to any would-be thief. Those padded velcro dividers can be purchased on their own and easily sewn into any bag.