Gun buying etiquette

[chadbag]

I've probably been rude to only 1 or 2 customerss who deserved it in 13-14 years. I just explain that the deal they are offering is not in my best interest and if they are nice I try and explain the business a little so they understand where I am coming from. Most back off and buy anyway since they are getting a reasonable deal anyway... Some say thanks and hang up. I am not offended and try to be courteous.

But I have used the line a few times on people asking them what they do for a living and if their employer is in the habit of giving away whatever they produce/sell and if they are willing to take a pay cut to help their employer sell more stuff at discount...

[ToddG]

Just as an example, both of the gun companies I worked for sold their manufactured and/or imported guns at ~50% margin (100% "markup"). One company annually had a net profit of about 10%, and another varied anywhere from a loss to a minor profit.

The expense of running a business is huge compared to what most people realize.

[sigmundsauer]

Buying guns and cars is not the same.

Imagine going into your state liquer store and trying negotiate price on a bottle of vodka.

You can TRY and negotiate price and you might even get somewhere. To me though, it is rude to have never been a customer of that store before and try to get them to shave hundreds of dollars off the price.

My feelings arent' hurt if someone asks for a better price. I will either tell them yes or no. The customer will just get a lot farther if they were FIRST a PAYING customer (FYI).


C4

Although I don't see how liquor stores and gun stores are related in any other way beyond that a license is required to sell them, I will fully concur that developing a mutually-respecting relationship with your local gun store is wise advice, especially before ever asking for special discounts.

In all my years of buying guns from many, many states I can say unequivocally that one can walk into a gun store and assess in a matter of minutes the attitude of the owner.

The retail gun business is tough business by any stretch of the imagination, with very low margins. But if there was ever a year to prosper 2008 and 2009 were it. I am sympathetic to that, but only in so far as acknowledging that ANY business that does not assess the market well enough to stay relevant is doomed to fail. There is no charity for business owners, but the consumer defines the market, not the other way around. GM is a case study in a corporation trying to force new products on an inflated market thinking arrogantly that if they build and advertise new products they will sell - clearly not always the case.

I go out of my way to buy locally when possible. But my investment with a gun retailer is my return business. I simply won't pay full price for darn near anything, that's just being a wise consumer.

Another observation I'll make is that there is a curious tendency for gun stores which charge high retail on their firearms to underbid on trades. I suppose I wouldn't mind paying a little more for a new firearm if the transaction was reciprocated with an equally fair valuation of my trade, fully realizing that he's in the business of SELLING guns, not buying. I know a few FFLs personally and they emphatically state that the used gun market is far more profitable than the new gun market (on a per sale basis) - very similar to the used car market.

Tim

[Nathan_Bell]

NOTE: Most gun store employees are full of shit. Most product is marked up 25-40%.

To hell with etiquette, but be polite. The gun shop is providing a service, that's it. If they were able to match, most wouldn't be shopping online.

You have no clue as to what you are talking about. The mark-up from manufacturer to MSRP is in that range, but most gunshops do not buy from the manufacturer. If they are large enough they are part of a buying group that gets the product at distibutor cost, most shops cannot do this. They have to buy from a distributor, who will tag them for 10-15points, then they have to pay UPS/Fed-Ex to get the stuff from the distributor to the shop. A small shop is now working on 10-25% range. Which is what most of your non-gun retailers consider clearance pricing mark-up.
Yes, most small gunshops are running at a margin that normal retailers sell "we need this shit gone" merchandise at. So if they say they have no room to move, they probably do not.

[Toonces]

Let's back this conversation up a little bit and explain some things about business etiquette and consumer etiquette.

First, the dealer needs to be honest and reputable. They have to be professional and knowledgeable about their business. If they are not, then don't give them any business and let them close down (in hopes that someone else will come into the picture).

If you walk into a gun shop for the FIRST TIME (having NEVER bought a single thing from them) and tell the owner that his prices on guns are either too high or try to get him to come down HUNDREDS of dollars on something, you will most likely rub the owner the wrong way and NEVER get anywhere.

Short story: Had a customer come in awhile back (first time) and started asking for discounts on everything because he told me that he could find them "cheaper on the net." His attitude and aggressiveness immediately turned me off and from then on, everything was retail prices + 10%! You just don't come into someones personal store and act like you own the place demanding things. Not gonna fly.

So try building a relationship with the owner FIRST before you start trying to cut hundreds of dollars out of his pocket. Be friendly and try buying small things from them on a regular basis (ammo, cleaning supplies, etc). The owner will start to think of you as a regular and since they have already made money off of you, they might be much more understanding when you ask for them to price match on a firearm.

One final thought about the current state of things (economy). Dealers are REALLY struggling to move guns and I am seeing things sell for dealer cost to BELOW dealer as they are just trying to get out from underneath their inventory and make payroll. So by trying to get your local FFL to match a price on a gun found on the errornet from a dealer that is just dumping their inventory is not fair to your dealer (as they might not be in that same position and have no need to sell inventory at cost).

I don't believe that you would do your job for free so don't ask your local FFL dealer to do it either.



C4

I'm pretty sure you were talking in general, but the situation I described with the irate shop owner when I asked about price was a place I had been frequenting for years. I had been shooting league bullseye there for years and I purchased a lot of primers, poweder, bullets, magazines, cleaning supplies, and a few guns. Up to that point I had paid marked price on everything. However, I was not a gun-of-the-month member. But I was not walking in off the street for the first time and demanding him to match an internet price, I asked in a conversational tone and got a completely unexpected response.

Not many people would do their job for free. On the flip side, many people would leave a job for a similar one if the pay is 10% better.

Have a safe and happy New Year.

[C4IGrant]

I'm pretty sure you were talking in general, but the situation I described with the irate shop owner when I asked about price was a place I had been frequenting for years. I had been shooting league bullseye there for years and I purchased a lot of primers, poweder, bullets, magazines, cleaning supplies, and a few guns. Up to that point I had paid marked price on everything. However, I was not a gun-of-the-month member. But I was not walking in off the street for the first time and demanding him to match an internet price, I asked in a conversational tone and got a completely unexpected response.

Not many people would do their job for free. On the flip side, many people would leave a job for a similar one if the pay is 10% better.

Have a safe and happy New Year.

My comments were in general.

I would view you as a valued/repeat customer and be open to giving you a discount.

In my gun shop, there are no prices on the guns. When a customer asks how much something is, I ask them what they would like to pay. Most people ask for a realistic price and get it.


C4

[Robb Jensen]

My comments were in general.

I would view you as a valued/repeat customer and be open to giving you a discount.

In my gun shop, there are no prices on the guns. When a customer asks how much something is, I ask them what they would like to pay. Most people ask for a realistic price and get it.


C4

That's one hell of a way Grant. I don't think it would really work where I work as most of the other slapdicks don't know much about guns, but at least ask before giving out disinformation. They couldn't keep in their head what we'd paid for something.

[EzGoingKev]

I like keeping my money local and helping the small businesses.

Only if its a good business.

Due to awful service there are some places I hope I am personally helping go out of business by ordering things online.

[sigmundsauer]

Only if its a good business.

Due to awful service there are some places I hope I am personally helping go out of business by ordering things online.

There's a dealer in Western Washington State with "Discount" in its storefront name. Perhaps they used to be discount, i even bought a few guns from him when prices were reasonable, but in the last year or two he's been selling at full MSRP. I couldn't help myself but to write them a note directly and just flat out call them dishonest for marketing their business that way.

If you're committed to providing discounted firearms, especially with the aim of retaining return customers, then don't give in to greed just because you can find a segment of consumers that are willing to pay full price. I told him I'd never do business with them again.

Tim