You cannot unsee what you have seen...

[cookie]

I wouldn't consider most gun shops I have been to your friend.

 

[The Heretic]

Bear in mind that a gun shop takes a risk when taking a firearm in trade.

a) There could be something non-obviously wrong with the firearm that turns up later.

b) It could sit in the shop for sale for a long time.

That said, as mentioned, it is better to give someone a decent deal than to shaft them, as they will then more likely be a repeat customer and won't spread tales of how they got shafted and who shafter them when they later learn the true value.

 

[808hondacrguy]

You never get close to what your stuff is worth when you take it in to a pawn shop, or even a car dealer. If you want to trade in or even sell to one of these places, be prepared to take a big hit on your price. They have to make money off of it, they have overhead( rent, salaries, utilities ) to pay. Plus, who knows how long they will have it before it sells. watch the show Pawn Stars and see how every one wants them to pay how much the item they're trying to sell is worth. If you want market value, sell private party, then go buy what you want.

 

[CHLChris]

Generally, nunya business sounds like a good policy in this sort of situation. Now, remembering the way the shop treated the guy is important. Kind of like Cheaper than Dirt never did me wrong, but watching them screw hundreds or thousands of my brethren let me know to NEVER EVER do business with them again. But I've never gone to any CtD customers to tell them how they were getting screwed.

 

[Nwcid]

That is the thing about businesses that have practices like this. Are they really happy to get that "one" good buy or that "one" good sale?

Basically as soon as a customer finds out they have been given a bad deal (selling or buying) what are the odds they will ever shop there again? So the long term loss is substantial compared to the one time gain. There is a local motorcycle that I had bought probably $500 worth of stuff a year (I know not a big buyer) over 5-10 years. I went to them to buy an ATV, the sale man was a jerk, would not listen to what I had to say, "knew what was best for me", took 11 days to get me a quote (had to order machine in), and then had the highest price. I have not even set foot in there for over 3 years now........

Yes I do know buy/seller beware, but what is the "cost" of a long term customer????????

 

[The Heretic]

I stopped in at a local truck shop yesterday because they treated me well some years ago and helped me get something done I needed done quickly.

But when they quoted a price of $1500 on something that I could get almost anywhere else for less than $1200, I said thank you, no, and left.

I will allow for a little price difference, but not that much. They had their chance.

 

[CHLChris]

How can we assume that both parties in the transaction weren't satisfied?

It's just a conversation about what we might do, observing the interaction. Since the deal was done, we can assume that both parties were satisfied. Some people on the thread suggest that the customer might, in time, become a bit disgruntled. THat's possible, but both parties were happy with the deal. I suspect the shop was VERY satisfied with the deal. ;-)

 

[The Heretic]

Ignorance is bliss

 

[Velzey]

There was a gun shop in downtown Portland called Bawanna Junction. Anyhow when you took a gun in to sell he had a little notepad he wrote down his offer on and slid it across the counter to you, and ask how that sounded.. And if you had a counter offer he gave you the pen to write down your counter offer..

Nothing was ever said out loud until he was counting out the money..

 

[Kruel J]

How can we assume that both parties in the transaction weren't satisfied?

I wouldn't give someone $100 for a Mini-14 and I wouldn't take a Bersa for free. Everyone has differing value systems that fluctuate with their wants and needs.

Good point. Maybe the kid hated the rifle and had his eyes set on the Bersa. It could happen. "One man's junk is another man's treasure".

 

[Sgt Nambu]

As he should have been. That was a pretty 'low' of the guy to even open his mouth inside the store. It's not an auction house. Like my own experience in a pawnshop I 'bit my tongue' and waited until the guy declined the $150 offer for the Commander and was planning on meeting him outside to make a reasonable offer but I missed him leaving.

Ditto on that. Two guys came in to a LGS with an AMT .380 and wanted $150 for it. After the store owner turned them down I excused my self and followed them out the door. Bought the pistol w/2 magazines and the box and original papers. Since I had given the GS owner first crack at the deal he was fine with it and did an excellent trigger job on my .45. Now that was years ago and that AMT is NEVER going to be pretty, but it is reliable as a rock.
I guess that I fall into the "Buyer Beware" group. If you don't know what you are doing at least know how to do research!

 

[40calruler]

I got some magich beans one time.. but that's another story.
There's lots of stories, especially about folk converting guns for cash. coulda whipped out yer wallet

I have seen this happen to women, men, kids, and I always try to be discreet and let them know they are getting ripped off. A woman was selling her ex husbands mint condition Sig p230sl made in west Germany and the shop offered her 200. She was going to take it and the manager walked away to check the serial number. I told her she was being ripped off big time and that I did not have much cash on me but would give her 350 and a bill of sale. After she looked up on her phone if a private sale was legal I walked away with a lnib Sig that is a excellent little gun...Better than the PPK as far as I am concerned.

 

[RVTECH]

I wouldn't give someone $100 for a Mini-14

I would - just to turn it for a quick profit. But that would be my only reason for buying a mini.

 

[hermiston]

I saw a similar thing happen at The Gun Room. The seller was being offered maybe 50% of what his gun was worth. Another bystander/customer offered the seller a more reasonable price, and was immediately invited to leave and never come back. That was the last time I was in The Gun Room.

People still shop at the gun room?? Glock hating nazis

 

[PDXcollector]

People still shop at the gun room?? Glock hating nazis

That place is amazing. I was there when someone offered the owner slightly less than his outrageous asking price, you know the answer. Can you say, 'overstocked'? The guy needs to get a clue...

 

[thorborg]

This thread is amazing, not intending to rub salt in anyones eyes but not likely to find many here that does not have the deal of the decade story or is still hoping. Shame on the dealer if he promoted the Bersa as something other than it was but if the seller asked for the trade, then grin all the way to the bank. After all, the guy is a "salesman" not a pastor. Reasonable people should expect unreasonable things from unreasonable people especially when its their job.

 

[RVTECH]

If the kid walked into the shop with a pristine 1873 Winchester and was told it was obsolete, or not worth anything AND gave the kid a Bersa and $100 for it THEN the shop would be guilty of outright 'thievery' or violation some moral responsibility but it was nothing more than a common mini-14, not rare and not particularly in the catagory of 'high dollar' rifles. SO did the kid take a loss maybe more than you or I would have? Maybe. Did the dealer come out a little more ahead on this than maybe his average deals? Probably. Is anybody crying in their beer about it? Only those who have read this thread and wish they had traded a Bersa for a Mini!

 

[PDXcollector]

This thread is amazing, not intending to rub salt in anyones eyes but not likely to find many here that does not have the deal of the decade story or is still hoping. Shame on the dealer if he promoted the Bersa as something other than it was but if the seller asked for the trade, then grin all the way to the bank. After all, the guy is a "salesman" not a pastor. Reasonable people should expect unreasonable things from unreasonable people especially when its their job.

I guess it's a question of what the salesman's job actually is, short term profit or long term gain.

I've seen far too many businesses make short-sighted, penny-wise and pound-foolish decisions by alienating their long term and/or potential long-term customers.

 

[thorborg]

I've seen far too many businesses make short-sighted, penny-wise and pound-foolish decisions by alienating their long term and/or potential long-term customers.

This is true! But hopfully will continue to be their right to suceed or fail accordingly. When I pay to get water from my spigot I expect it to be potable, but when I go to the river to drink I'll pick out the sticks and maybe even boil the water but won't blame the trees or elk that pissed up stream if I get sick.
I guess I don't have enough to do today!

 

[Sgt Nambu]

People still shop at the gun room?? Glock hating nazis

Hey! The rest of us Glock hating Nazis don't appreciate being equated with The Gun Room!