buck460XVR
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Yep........one has nuttin' to lose and everything to gain.
Do you haggle with gun stores?
- Thread starter The Exile
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Yep........one has nuttin' to lose and everything to gain.
Hammer059
Member
I only really like one employee at my LGS right down the street. He doesn't get commission anyway, so I always try and get the best price they can give me. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. Usually if another store has it cheaper, I'll show them the website and they'll match another stores price.
I don't care about putting cash in some decent fellas pocket or any of that nonsense. As mentioned, the employees don't get commission. If they weren't making money off me they wouldn't give it to me for that price. Plus I'm a college student with two jobs; I work harder and need the money more than the owners of the store do.
I don't care about putting cash in some decent fellas pocket or any of that nonsense. As mentioned, the employees don't get commission. If they weren't making money off me they wouldn't give it to me for that price. Plus I'm a college student with two jobs; I work harder and need the money more than the owners of the store do.
Actually before there was Best Buy there were a number of smaller electronic stores that survived for years and years doing cut rate pricing. Every one of those chains decided that a small store was good so a big store must be great. Wrong. Every time they moved into a bigger store it wasn't 6 months before they were out of business. I'm talking places like Circuit City and in a big area around where I live a place called Sun Television and Appliances (they operated in Ohio, Indiana, New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia, Virginia and Kentucky). I bought lots of electronics from both places back in the days before computers when I was into stereo equipment. They weren't the only two that went that route but they were two good examples. Both thrived for years by selling stuff as cheaply as possible. It was only when they had to pay a lot higher overhead that they went bankrupt.
I used to buy quality tape decks for $100 there. Other electronics stores were selling the same stuff for double that price. They sold medium quality stereo stuff compared to what is available today but who wants to pay more for a stereo than they did for their house? They sold Sony, Pioneer, etc.. I bought a Denon receiver from them and a Harmon Kardon. Not exactly bottom of the barrel stuff but not anything you'll find in Stereophile magazine.
Ah... but it seems like you knew what you wanted, and didn't bother the higher cost retailers. Nor did you take up they're time trying to beat down the prices. In some classes of products, a retailer's profit is high enough to allow some cost-cutting, but firearms are not one of them.
All too frequently small gun shops discover that big-box chains - such as Wal-Mart are retailing some guns for less then the little guy can get them from they're distributor.
All too frequently small gun shops discover that big-box chains - such as Wal-Mart are retailing some guns for less then the little guy can get them from they're distributor.
RetiredUSNChief
Member
That's the beauty of haggling.
The seller gains a sale and the buyer gets a deal. If either party isn't happy, then no deal happens.
The people at my LGS will happily tell me if they can do a better price, new or used, when I'm shopping around. If they can't...then they can't. If they can, they'll tell me so because they stand to gain from a sale.
GBExpat
Member
Yes, and always bear in mind:
... which suggests that if you don't haggle, you are less of a man ... unless you are a woman ... in which case ... I don't know what it suggests ...
... which suggests that if you don't haggle, you are less of a man ... unless you are a woman ... in which case ... I don't know what it suggests ...
Thermactor
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The times I've bought from an LGS (once) they were so surly that I honestly thought that if I tried to bargain them down by a penny, I'd get a gun pointed at my face with a round in the chamber and an itchy finger on the trigger.
That's Shooter's Supply and Range. Don't buy a gun from them.
That's Shooter's Supply and Range. Don't buy a gun from them.
Steel Horse Rider
Member
I believe there is a difference between "stones" and "respect". Both can offer an insight on your character but neither can determine your gender........
This, except all of them claim they don't haggle. And I always pay cash too. It's bologna
Oh yes I did. If that had what I wanted and they had it priced too high I tried to get them to come down and fairly often it worked. Heck I was asked to work in a place because of such things once. I was discussing the price of some electronic with turned out to be the owner of a pretty big store when I looked at a laptop computer and told him it wouldn't last very long at that price. It sold about 2 minutes later while we were still there talking. He knew I had a grip on what stuff cost and he wanted my help pricing stuff. That's how they make their living. They have to know what people are willing to pay. I've bought lots of stuff from that store over the years. I still go there when I'm in that town. I didn't take that job offer because I was doing fine on my own selling computers. But I know for a fact that store owner valued someone who knew what something should cost and was willing to haggle over it. He wanted me to haggle for his side is what he wanted. I almost took the job but it was pretty far from my house. I just felt I could do well there if I tried but again, I was doing pretty good on my own.
This is going to have to be my last post on this subject. We have stated our relative positions. There's no sense in haggling over the details.
Your assumption is that the stores that will come down on their prices always have prices that are so high that you would never consider buying there. That is a false assumption, based on my experience.
In my experience, even stores that have very good prices are sometimes willing to drop their prices even more if they are asked politely to do so by a good customer.
So you could be buying from a store with good prices AND still be paying more than you had to simply because you refused to ask if they can make a better deal. That would hurt you since you're paying more than you need to.
I'm talking about the situation where Guy A has a rifle for sale for $700 and Guy B has the same rifle for $650 but is willing to let you walk out the door for $640, taxes included and will throw in a box of ammo, if he's asked nicely about his best price.
But you don't ask, so you buy the rifle from Guy B, the guy with the best marked price--for $650 plus tax--let's say $702--when you could have saved $62 and had a free box of ammo to boot.
GBExpat
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CZ9shooter
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Some of my LGSs have some pretty obnoxious owners and sales staff. A couple of these even have pretty dang good prices. However, I generally only buy from the couple of guns shops around that have decent, personable people running the place. And in that case I don't mind giving them some money to keep the place in business. So no, most of the time I am happy to pay their asking price.
I recently purchased a used Redhawk for 700 bucks. Yeah, I could have probably found a better deal, but I like the place, and the dude that owns the place is top notch. I do not mind helping out his business.
At a place like Gander Mountain, I will only even consider a purchase if it is on some sort of "sale". Even then, I can usually find it, at that same price, elsewhere without the "sale". In which case I'd rather give my money to the guy with the everyday low price.
I recently purchased a used Redhawk for 700 bucks. Yeah, I could have probably found a better deal, but I like the place, and the dude that owns the place is top notch. I do not mind helping out his business.
At a place like Gander Mountain, I will only even consider a purchase if it is on some sort of "sale". Even then, I can usually find it, at that same price, elsewhere without the "sale". In which case I'd rather give my money to the guy with the everyday low price.
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rswartsell
Member
Yes.
Steel Horse Rider
Member
There is neither the space nor the ability to explain the difference if it isn't evident. Just ignore that which doesn't fit your understanding as I may be crazy or you may be crazy, neither of which can be changed.
ranger56528
Member
I know I can get rifles and pistols cheaper online or in big cities on occasion but I like to keep my money in small town LGS although I do buy ammo 80% of the time online because they can't match it when I buy bulk but will buy 3-5 boxes from my LGS once in a while then there are items I only buy online period.
Totally understand it cost money to open/unlock the doors of a business every day,I managed a business were it cost 5K to unlock the doors and turn the lights on,anything over that was profit as long as things went well.
Totally understand it cost money to open/unlock the doors of a business every day,I managed a business were it cost 5K to unlock the doors and turn the lights on,anything over that was profit as long as things went well.
DeepSouth
Random Guy
My point is, why not just put $640 on it and sell to everyone AND get a rep as a dealer with good prices? Which would no doubt bring in more business.
Just stop and think about how free market competition works.
Also
I think their should be distinction made in asking once for a better price and haggling/negotiating.
Simple. They wouldn't make as much money. That's how free market capitalism works. Buy low, sell high. Make the best profit you can. If a regular customer gets a better deal you know you will get it back because he keeps coming to you. A person that shows up once for a box of ammo isn't going to give you a lot of profit. Even if a person buys one gun it's not the same as the guy who buys 3 or 4 guns a year and safe and scopes and lots of ammo etc. etc.. Those are the people that keep the doors open at a business. Some companies do low ball everything at least for a while. Then they will start sneaking in high prices when they figure people won't notice. Look at how Buds operates. For a long time you couldn't beat their price on anything. Now you can. They sell a lot of stuff but I go to a LGS that matches prices with Buds and gives me great service far and beyond what Buds will do. They do that because I've bought a lot of guns there and a safe and scopes etc. etc.. I've been buying from them since 1992 when I got my SKS. They remember who helps feed their kids. They can afford to give me a better deal than some guy who wanders in and won't ever come back. They gave me a great deal on a safe for example. They know I have money to spend and making some money from me is better than making no money from me.
DeepSouth
Random Guy
Thats a good idea, let's look at buds. When they first started out you couldn't beat their prices. And they didn't negotiate, they had a low price with an add to cart button. Then they exploded, got more business and became a huge success. It worked great didn't it.
And like you said, now you can beat their prices and therefore you are going to your LGS more often.
Let's think now, has anything changed at buds..... Yes, yes it has, they now have that "make an offer" button.
hummmmm, wonder why their prices went up, and caused you to do more business with your LGS.
I think your example of Buds isn't the best.
And like you said, now you can beat their prices and therefore you are going to your LGS more often.
Let's think now, has anything changed at buds..... Yes, yes it has, they now have that "make an offer" button.
hummmmm, wonder why their prices went up, and caused you to do more business with your LGS.
I think your example of Buds isn't the best.
I've never bought anything from Buds. Never will. I buy from my local gun shop because they give me great deals and "service". I told you they matched Buds prices. Why would I buy from Buds?
Look you think my example is bad. You're the one out of step with the rest of the world friend. Turn on your tv. Turn to any reality show that isn't about killing stuff. Watch what they do. They haggle. It's the national pastime. How much proof do you need? Pawn Stars, American Digger, Dukes Of Haggle, Hardscrabble Life, Storage Wars, American Picker, Hardcore Pawn, etc.. They're all about haggling to a one extent or another. Some are about haggling and nothing else. Heck there's one show that's named after haggling or there was. I don't watch the stuff. I don't know if it's still on. I just saw commercials for it. I think it was "Down East Dickering" I believe. Dickering is haggling. Haggling is big business. If you don't know that and why it's true I can't help you.
DeepSouth
Random Guy
Cee Zee
I can't argue with what your saying, I'm fully aware their is a large portion of the population that wants to haggle, and God blessm them, haggle away. All I'm saying is that their is another side of the coin.
Their is also a large portion of the population that doesn't haggle, they simply find the lowest price possible. And if your willing to negotiate a lower price chances are someone out there is already advertising a lower price, the one they can negotiate down to. But since some people don't want the hassle of haggle they simply go to the other guy.
BTW:
I take "out of step with the rest of the world" as a compliment. Thank you
I can't argue with what your saying, I'm fully aware their is a large portion of the population that wants to haggle, and God blessm them, haggle away. All I'm saying is that their is another side of the coin.
Their is also a large portion of the population that doesn't haggle, they simply find the lowest price possible. And if your willing to negotiate a lower price chances are someone out there is already advertising a lower price, the one they can negotiate down to. But since some people don't want the hassle of haggle they simply go to the other guy.
BTW:
I take "out of step with the rest of the world" as a compliment. Thank you
I haggle on all guns new or used. My local shop knows I will buy and am not just a customer who paws over the guns and hands them back never to buy so I usually get a fair offer lots of times. Sometimes they will start with a fair price, sometimes not. Sometimes I will make an offer and they take it right off the bat. I usually get good deals on anything used. On new guns usually I get a few dollars off or they eat the taxes on it. Main thing, don't be a jackass when you haggle if the price is not right, politely decline and walk.
When I worked in a gunshop the owner hated haggling and refused to do it.
I finally convinced him that some guys find haggling an essential part of the purchase and would rather pay $750 for a gun they haggled down from $800 than pay $700 straight up. So he allowed us 10% negotiating room, which I was happy to give as long as the buyer did 2 things:
1) made a reasonable offer. If it's listed at $700, I'm not going to take $350.
2) was a good sport and polite about it.
I finally convinced him that some guys find haggling an essential part of the purchase and would rather pay $750 for a gun they haggled down from $800 than pay $700 straight up. So he allowed us 10% negotiating room, which I was happy to give as long as the buyer did 2 things:
1) made a reasonable offer. If it's listed at $700, I'm not going to take $350.
2) was a good sport and polite about it.
Lycidas Janwor
Member
Yep. If I think a gun is over priced, like a rifle, I'll ask them to throw a scope on it (can be used) or something like that. If it's a pistol, I'll say "can you throw in an extra mag?" or something along those lines. Most if the time, I get a yes. If not, I have no problem walking away.
So instead of just asking the guy in in the store where' you're at you go on a long search for an advertised price that won't be any better in the long run? Doesn't sound like an economical way to do things IMO.
People don't haggle because they hate each other. It's a game to a lot of people. They sometimes buy stuff just so they can haggle. I see that at flea markets all the time. The same gun will move around from table to table and eventually end up back where it started. It's a social thing to haggle for those people.
If you don't like it fine, but that's you and not the majority of people. Again turn on your tv. Haggling has become a national pastime. Doesn't that tell you something? Those people don't watch that stuff because they hate haggling. And it isn't always about beating someone down. I've seen Pawn Stars actually give people more than they asked for an item because it was more valuable than the person thought. Yes there are certainly people who won't do that. I'm not one of them. My wife bought an autographed baseball from a old woman who came in to where she works. Actually she bought 2 of them. One has autographs of 13 HOF baseball players including Mickey Mantle, Carl Yastrzemski, Whitey Ford, Tony Perez, Juan Marichal, Brooks Robinson etc.. The ball is worth a fortune. My wife paid $150 for it and another ball that had a bunch of Cincinnati Reds autographs from the 1960's and from the Big Red Machine. I told my wife she needed to take the balls back to the woman because she was selling them way too cheap. And yes they are legit. The woman wouldn't take them back. She tried to sell my wife even more stuff instead. You can see photos of that ball on the net. Here's one but keep in mind it's a big photo because I was getting info about the ball so I posted big images. The point is thought that not all haggling is about taking advantage of people. I don't do that if I can help it. Yes I did beat Gander Mtn. down on Marlin 795 but it was because they lied to me about it over and over and the salesman actually left the store when I sent my son to pick it up. Anyway here's where you can see one of those photos of the ball.
http://www.a-framevideo.com/bball6.JPG
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