What would you do at gun shop...

[Retro Adam]

Yeah, I wouldn't make any offer. That seems over the line. I probably would make a comment about other places to sell for a reasonable amount.

 

[mpmax]

The gun shop is a business there to make as much money as possible. I used to think that the gun "community", you and me had some sort of brotherhood thing going on. Then the Obama scare hit, my brothers were stripping store shelves of ammo and components to resell at a profit, and AR's jumped to over a grand on the classified forums....At least a gunshop has a higher overhead than those of us that were ripping each other off.

 

[Redcap]

Manners go on the backseat when it comes to something like that.

... What's the worst that's going to happen?

1. The man realizes there's somebody willing to pay more.
2. The store asks you to leave.
3. The man says excuse me.. and goes outside and sells you the guns.

That's about the way I see it.

 

[Bhowe]

If it was something I really wanted and it was at a great price, I would've stored my manners and interjected myself into the conversation. It sounded like he was just selling them to anyone and it doesn't sound like he was selling to a buddy at the store.

I would see two problems with doing this.

1. You would not make any friends at the gun shop, and depending on how much you like to shop there, its good to have more friends than enemies.

2. Also, depending on how you interprete the laws, one could read that it is against the law to discuss private party sales inside of a federally licensed dealer.

Unfortunatly it is a fact of life and things like that are always going to happen. Car dealerships do this kind of thing all day long. They will pay someone 1/10 of what they plan on selling a trade in for and actually sleep BETTER that night knowing that they made a good dollar. Its not that they are bad people, it is really the guys fault for not putting in effort to sell them privately. It just sucks that the little guy ends up eating it in the end.

 

[Bhowe]

Also the guy I guess could have said he changed his mind and wanted to consign them, usually at around 15-20% increase. Then he could have just bought them for like $575 or whatever.

 

[Bhowe]

If the gun shop employee would have said "I really don't want to give you cash for them," then it would be okay to ask him to step outside and discuss an offer.

 

[rusobr2]

awesome thread,and yes i do have my own opinions---buuuuuuuuuut, i'm not touchen this one--
steven

 

[9mmMike]

I experienced a similar situatioN at one time in a local shop I frequent regularly. A guy brought in a titanium/alloy s&w .38. I didn't say a word, but it did cross my mind. What I did do, was talk to the owner right after the guy left and bought the gun a week later at a great price (much less than they would normaly ask) and the shop still made a profit of at least 30%.

 

[Will]

About a year ago I was in a local gun shop when a guy walked in wanting to sell a nice S&W 586. The person working the counter offered a truly poor price (about 1/4 of the value). I pointed out the same pistol in not as good condition was in the display case for far more money. I understand the gun stores have to make money but taking advantage of people when they can see they need money is not right. The guy wanting to sell the pistol pushed the oboservation and got more than double than the first offer. I purchased the pistol a few days latter, they had to make certian it was clean before selling it to me. I paid $100 more than the shop paid, still a better price than the worn one in the display case was priced at. I think everyone won on the deal.

 

[swoop]

The guy could have pawned the guns for more than that, and would have had the chance to buy them back. Makes me wonder if those guns were really his or ??? And no I wouldn't stick my nose into a deal in progress between two adults inside or outside of a place of business

 

[Spitpatch]

I think you did what you could. And you deserve credit for NOT injecting yourself into the conversation while inside the store. My hat is off to you.

The only thing I might have done different would have been a straight-up honest cash offer to him while outside. When he heard that, his decision may have been different; realizing the shop was low-balling him big time.

As to the prices paid by shops for used guns, one cannot fault them for paying as little as possible. They are businessmen, and after all, it is all about the bottom line. Yes, it is ridiculous sometimes. Yes, often you have to politely stand and listen while a walk-in seller gets taken to the cleaners.

This "etiquette" (for myself at least) extends to gun shows. I will not inject myself into a business transaction between two others. If the "buyer" declines the asking price (or the seller declines an offer), and signals such by placing the gun back on the table, then that is the signal (to me at least), that I can step forward, pick up the gun, and achieve "the floor", so to speak, as long as no constructive "dealing" language is being used between the two.

I do not pretend to expect my scruples to be held by all, but I can assure you that if you inject yourself into an active transaction conversation that includes me (in any surroundings: shop, show, or otherwise), I will insure that you remember the result of your indiscretion.

 

[ikari2_2000]

Yeah... I don't know what I'm talking about. I feel really horrible about my answer. I was quick to side with the poor old man. You guys are right. It is the store owner's business and I would have no right. It bugged me so much that I had to come back here and say something. I apologize to all I have offended. I have learned a lot through your responses. Thank you all for educating me.

 

[Spitpatch]

Ikari's conciencous self-evaluation prompts me to make a correction as well.

I would not "step forward and pick up the gun", without asking permission of its owner.

Perhaps this is a subject for a new thread: "Gun Show Etiquette".

Personally, I always ask permission before I handle a gun at a gun show. It seems this small gesture of respect for others' property is almost gone. Most exhibitors seem somewhat surprised when I ask, then, almost all heartily thank me for this tiny consideration not performed by so many others.

 

[ltwtcmdr]

My Kimber SLE was only worth $450 in perfect condition, I never even showed the Colt-
did not need the insult. I have not been back in that popular east county shop since.

 

[Artpro]

Gunnfixx has it right. The dealer is at fault for allowing you to listen in on his business.
I'd BUTT OUT, bite my lip and check my wallet, and then, if the seller doesn't strike a deal with the dealer, I'd follow him out to make my offer outside. On the other hand, if I was the shop keeper and you stepped in to my transaction, I'd recommend that you to leave and never return. Now I ask, would you have offered the seller $50 or $75 more and would that amount have made you a better person than the dealer?
Now, if you want an "IN" on those great deals, I suggest that you open a gun shop and keep it open until someone comes in and gives you the opportunity to be generous because the seller needs cash.
Best wishes,
Art

 

[Artpro]

The law relating 25+ guns in offered for sale in any one place is an Oregon State law, and has nothing to do with Federal Firearms laws or rules.
Art

 

[nonsense]

Ever watched that show 'Pawn Stars' on History Channel? This is what generally happens. Customer brings in some object, if the shop doesn't know it's value they have an expert come in, verify it's real and tell them the value. Something like this:

Expert: This thing is real and could fetch up to $12,000 at an auction
Pawn shop: How much do you want for it
Customer: well, he said it was worth $12,000, so I'd take $10,000
P: no, I'll give you $3000
C: no way, what about $6000
P: nope, $3000
c: $5000?
P: $4000 take it or leave it
C: ok deal

At first I was amazed and shocked that anyone would be some dumb, but then it dawned on me. The shop has to make a profit. They have to pay rent, utilities, employees, etc. The customer is there because he needs money, now. It's a deal between shop and customer. Sure the customer might be able to get a better deal, but he needs money NOW. This is how these transactions work, for better or for worse.

So lets say you didn't witness this deal go down, and you came in and saw those rifles. You wheeled and dealed on them and got them for a great price of $500 each. You would feel like you got a deal right? So what if they shop payed 1/2 that, or if they payed $450 each and only made $100 on the deal? Would it matter in the end? What about all of the other used guns that you don't know what they payed for? Will you not shop there because of it? Do you not go to a restaurant because they payed $4 for all the ingredients in your $20 meal? Now I'm just rambling...

 

[tionico]

from the OP:

Then he pulls out the two rifles. One is NIB Rossi 1873 45LC and the other is a Pedersoli 45/70 with a nice lyman ladder sight that is like new. They tell him they these don't move very fast so they would rather consign them then cash out. Then he says he needs cash today and would they take $500. The employee says "for each one?". The guy says "no, for both of them". Of course they say yes.

seems to me the gent who brought in the rifles quoted the price he was ready to take for the pair, AFTER the shop said they didn't realy want to buy them as they "move slow". Owner quotes number, shop says OK.

What's wrong with that? If owner had said "yes, for each one", and shop said "no deal", it would have been radically different, no? Owner quotes price, shop says OK.

I had a stranger email me some time back, got my addy from someone who knows I mess about with old Mercedes.. theirs had died up north of Seattle, making amazing banging noises, they were certain the engine was ready to spit a conrod out the side the block. Would I be interested in the car, and can I go and get it soon before the owner of the parking lot has it towed? How much do you want for it, as is, where is, you send me title? NOTHING.

Fine. I got it, got it home all it needed was a driveling... centre bearing shot, banging about in the tunnel. Pulled one out of a wreck I had here, installed it, tended a few more details, and resold that car for $2700.

Did I rip the new buyer? Did I rip the "seller"? No, not in either case. I served both well, and, oh, by the way, the two and a half G profit came in very handy for me.

Business is business. Only patrons who have not taken the time to educate themselves, or those who allow themselves to get into a tight situation, get short shrift...... but only if they are willing. Or willfully ignorant, or careless.

When party A proposes the terms of a transaction, Party B has three options: accept, reject, counter. Unless Party A holds a gun to your head, in that case it is not a free arms-length transaction.


NOW.. had my buyer for that Benz known what I had paid for it, all in, and made me an offer of, say, a thousand, I'd have the decision: a thousand now, staring me in the face and wanting to leap into my pocket, or say no, in the hopes I'd find another buyer for more. Or counter......

now, if I had lied to him about the current market value of that car, or its mechanical condition, it WOULD have been a fraudulent transaction. I didn't, he drive that car six years I know of and only spent $400 on repairs in addition to tyres, which he simply wore out by driving it.