Gun Shop Advice Please...

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Go to Gunbrooker.com and get a idea of what the 'buy it now price' is on a few. Take this price, plus $25.00 that you would have to pay for transfer fee. Ask your dealer if he can sell you one for the same price. This does work. He gets a profit with no invintory tie up.
 
For the longest time I shopped in just one shop. I knew what was new and what was gathering dust on the shelves. My best buys were used guns that has been sitting around for a while and the owner wanted to get some money out of it.

Pilgrim
 
The shop I work at has firm prices

Where I work we never lower the price of a gun in order to close a deal. The only person who has such authority is the owner, and I've never heard of him doing it. He MIGHT be inclined to do that on a used gun, I don't know. One time a clerk approached the owner and told him that a customer had seen a certain gun at a competing store for about $10 less than what we were selling it for and was asking if we could match the price. The owner said to tell him that if he found a better price elsewhere he should go and buy it there.

I would say that fewer than 10% of the customers I help ever ask if we can "go any lower" on a price. There are several shops within about 20-40 miles, plus the internet, so I think that many people shop around. Our store may have a firearm that other shops don't have in stock. Or they may be in the mood to buy, come in, see a fair price, and buy themselves a new gun.

I think that a very polite way to ask about price firmness is: "Are you guys firm on your prices?" or "Do you guys match prices?"

When people ask, "Is this a good price?" I tell them that I don't really know as I haven't been anywhere else to price that gun. I tell them honestly that they may be able to find it cheaper somewhere else. Recently, a large sporting goods store had an annual gun sale. During that weekend I informed our customers (the nice ones, anyway) of the ongoing sale and told them that the sale prices were listed in the newspaper. "They've got some great deals. I'd go there."
 
One time a clerk approached the owner and told him that a customer had seen a certain gun at a competing store for about $10 less than what we were selling it for and was asking if we could match the price. The owner said to tell him that if he found a better price elsewhere he should go and buy it there.
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What gunshop is that? Sounds like a good way to lose a customer for life.
 
Quote:
One time a clerk approached the owner and told him that a customer had seen a certain gun at a competing store for about $10 less than what we were selling it for and was asking if we could match the price. The owner said to tell him that if he found a better price elsewhere he should go and buy it there.



"What gunshop is that? Sounds like a good way to lose a customer for life."

This happens all the time at a gunshow. I usually tell the customer to take me to the dealer selling it cheaper. When we get there is another gun all together or they were mistaken on the price. This is a little impractical if it is two different gunshops.

To all you hagglers out there, what exactly do you do for a living and how would negociation effect you? I can see a massive set backs in your life style if it occurred. In thread after thread there seems to be a us against them mentality. Every dealer is an arrogrant thief and every customer is rude and cheap. We are all supporting The Right to Keep and Bare Arms.
 
I usually just ask the saleperson to find out what kind of deal the shop can give me on the firearm of interest. That's all the pressure I'll put on 'em, and the only bargaining that I'll do. From what I've seen, painting the shop into a corner to meet a certain price is rarely a successful tactic. Based upon the dealers response to my simple question, I have the choice to either buy the firearm or to politely smile and thank them for their time and consideration. I will never argue or counter-offer, period.

No firearm purchase is worth trying to push someone to do something they don't want to do, or to try to make them feel poorly for their actions.
 
Youre gonna like buyin from a shop so much more, its gotta personal touch to it! The costumers we have dont shop anywhere else unless we cant supply them, instead of dealing with a staff of people you get to personaly know the guy your dealing with. Just do your research look at the gun and if there is any problems just talk to the guy about them!
 
all the people who are saying "What if you had to haggle for your job". people are always negotiating for thier jobs. thats the point of a union, its the reason for outsourcing and the rise of wal*mart. its capitalism. if you work/own a store and find offense to some one trying to save a few bucks when they are about to spend several hundred need to chill. should you try to haggle the price of a box of ammo? no. you wouldnt haggle the price of a CD at the store. should you try to haggle over the price of a gun? heck ya. you wouldnt go to a car dealership and pay sticker price! both are large investments. im not saying a gunstore has the same mark up to play around with as a car dealer, but you dont need to get your pantys in a bunch.
 
"you wouldnt go to a car dealership and pay sticker price! "

Yet, most people will go into a clothing or furniture store and pay the marked price, which is 100% markup. So, what is it about a gunstore that makes you think you should nickle and dime them to death?
 
I am a Toolmaker. We get hammered on for deal and have to adjust rates all the time to stay competitive. Sure, we get customers that are in a jam because they have a press down and we know that we can pretty much bend them over if we want to. But you know what? If we did that when the big contracts or the gravy jobs came around we wouldn’t get them. We have customers that bring parts in and need a Toolmaker to spend a few minutes on them so they can use them… no charge. And I’m sure our owner is paying me more than a gun shop is paying their gunsmith.

I only buy American made guns and I would like to buy from my local shops. They might give fair prices on guns that they have a lot of like Glock’s or XD’s that everyone has. But when I wanted the M&P when it first came out or I wanted a S&W stainless 1911, or when I wanted a Kimber TLE, they act like because they have the only one in the area it’s worth a fortune. I paid a local dealer $667 out the door for my .40S&W M&P; because he had one of the first ones he wouldn’t budge on price and laughed that I would suggest it. I won’t buy anything else from him unless I just can’t get it anywhere else.

Sure it’s free enterprise and they can charge what they want. But when they do that I feel no loyalty to them. I don’t have a problem with a dealer making $100 over what I can order it from Bud’s or some of the other on-line places for; but 200-300 is crazy.

The other thing I can’t understand is why do dealers want to rip us on FFL transfers? I can understand it if I’m trying to get a gun they have, but when I’m trying to buy an old S&W revolver from a forum member and they want $50 to handle the transaction; that’s not trying to keep customers. We shouldn’t have to be using a dealer for gun transfers anyway; hopefully someday that will end.

Don’t get me wrong, and don’t take offense if you are one of the dealers that treat your customer’s right, but the good shops are few and far between. In manufacturing we are competing with the Asians, in gun sales you are competing with the Superstores. We may soon both be gone, and then everyone loses.
 
Price is just one aspect of the sale, how about service, convenience, and location. I have used a local dealer who has excellent service, and has on occasion stayed open later or meet me on the weekends to complete a sale. To me this is worth more than the extra 25-50 dollars I could save by haggeling or doing a transfer. Heck I save more in gas by using him rather than driving all over town to check items and pricing, besides I have better things to do with my time than tracking down the best price on the internet :scrutiny:. Just something to think about, after all gun dealers have to work for a living as well they should make a profit for their service.
 
prices/GunsAmerica.com/shops

Before you buy a firearm from a local gun shop/FFL dealer, I'd check out the prices and/or details about it from GunsAmerica.com.

www.GunsAmerica.com is a great way to know how much a weapon sells for and where you can find a lower price. It's free and easy to use too ;) .

Rusty S
 
I bet you do real well With that train of thought I hope they rake you over the coals . Your the type that thinks anything he has is worth MORE than what he paid for it . I would not move an inch on price with a person like you . The educated buyer is a pleasure to deal with , morons are not !!
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Right... :barf:

Educated means you know the marketability of a product. That means understanding it's value beyond a gunshop volunteer wannabe kissass who fantasizes about actually being involved in the business. The realities are that marketability is a global factor versus a localized one. Anyone that knows how to type www.****.com should certainly appreciate that. What do you think an "educated" buyer is? One who just walks in and coughs up whatever is asked??? :scrutiny:
 
My job is not to sell guns. My job is to help customers. If a customer buys a gun, good; if not, good. I still had a nice time trying to understand exactly what the customer was looking for in a handgun and showing him/her various makes and models that meet those criteria. I am friendly. I am not pushy. If you like Berettas I will not attempt to steer you away from them and over to the Glocks.

Nearly all of the customers I deal with look to me as if I am some sort of expert (not just me, but all of my coworkers as well). They place immense value in my opinion, even though I am only an $8/hour employee. If I chose to do so I could dissuade many people from purchasing the firearm of their true liking simply by showing disapproval. They want to know that they have made a good decision and that they are buying a "good gun". I know how it feels to finally get to buy the gun that I've long been dreaming of, and I want every customer to feel that same excitement at each of their purchases. If they want to buy it elsewhere, go right ahead. I just hope that I was able to help them in some way, if only to cheer them on or to offer moral support.
 
The other thing I can’t understand is why do dealers want to rip us on FFL transfers? I can understand it if I’m trying to get a gun they have, but when I’m trying to buy an old S&W revolver from a forum member and they want $50 to handle the transaction; that’s not trying to keep customers. We shouldn’t have to be using a dealer for gun transfers anyway; hopefully someday that will end.
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Perhaps this will help you understand why dealers want to rip you off on FFL transfers. The store I work at charges $75 for FFL transfers. $25 of that is the cost of the DROS (Dealer Record of Sale). So, $50 is what the store keeps. Every time we take possession of your firearm during a transfer, we are accountable and assume responsibility for it and all of its associated paperwork. If we fail to fill out, or fail to make sure that you fill out, a form exactly right (you improperly answer a single question--such as abbreviating the county in which you live), that error could render the form a FAILURE in the eyes of the DOJ. Too many such failures and the store gets shut down or fined. These forms are a record that can bite us, the FFL, long after you've taken possession of your firearm. One Bay Area store was recently shut down due to paperwork inconsistencies that were uncovered during an audit (there is a CA audit AND a Federal audit). In CA, there are numerous forms and, therefore, plenty of opportunities to make mistakes. All the paperwork for every transaction must be accounted for: The 4473 form, the DROS, thumbprint, ID, Handgun Safety Certificate, Proof of Residence, proof of CA approved locking device or Safe Affadavit, form verifying the successful completion of the Hands-on Safety Demonstration. When dealing with a legal resident alien it is even more fun and joy.

Did I mention that the FFL may also face felony charges should he or she fail an audit? This means, of course, that the FFL holder, if convicted, will never again be able to even own a firearm. There is no "malpractice insurance" for the FFL holder--at least not in California.

That is why you are ripped off for $50+/-.
 
I own a small business (not a gunshop), and we never negotiate with customers. The profit margin is not big enough with all the overhead: insurance, energy costs, etc, etc, etc. Negotiating really hurts a small businesses ability to stay in business.

I buy most of my guns at the local Gander Mountain. Their service is much, much better than Wal-mart, they've got a good gunsmith, they special order stuff for me without complaining, and most of the staff know me by name. Too many of the small shops have a hurry-up and buy attitude and are slow to special order stuff. Gander Mountain is very price competitive also.

So for me Gander Mountain is the best of both worlds, knowledge and service that is better than the small shops, great selection, prices within $20 of Wal-mart, and a good gunsmith. Yesterday, the gunsmith even fixed a small problem with my 870 for free.

Michael Courtney
 
My job is not to sell guns. My job is to help customers. If a customer buys a gun, good; if not, good. I still had a nice time trying to understand exactly what the customer was looking for in a handgun and showing him/her various makes and models that meet those criteria. I am friendly. I am not pushy. If you like Berettas I will not attempt to steer you away from them and over to the Glocks.

Nearly all of the customers I deal with look to me as if I am some sort of expert (not just me, but all of my coworkers as well). They place immense value in my opinion, even though I am only an $8/hour employee. If I chose to do so I could dissuade many people from purchasing the firearm of their true liking simply by showing disapproval. They want to know that they have made a good decision and that they are buying a "good gun". I know how it feels to finally get to buy the gun that I've long been dreaming of, and I want every customer to feel that same excitement at each of their purchases. If they want to buy it elsewhere, go right ahead. I just hope that I was able to help them in some way, if only to cheer them on or to offer moral support.
__________________

While I have no problems helping customers you might think about what your job description really is. Perhaps, if you took selling your employer's guns more seriously, you might be making more the $8.00 per hour and he might be in business longer.
 
"Before you buy a firearm from a local gun shop/FFL dealer, I'd check out the prices and/or details about it from GunsAmerica.com.

www.GunsAmerica.com is a great way to know how much a weapon sells for and where you can find a lower price. It's free and easy to use too " .

This method doen't take many thing into consideration, like overhead. It is much easier to sell a firearm at near cost when you don't have to pay for a shop, utilities, employees or other associated cost. You save a few dollars over what the local dealer might have the same firearm for. The dealer adds a tarriff, much like out government does when cheap Chinese good come into our country. The greatest savings come from not having to pay sales tax. In most states there are laws saying you must pay a use tax on items purchased over the internet. How many of you have actually complied with this law?
 
Perhaps this will help you understand why dealers want to rip you off on FFL transfers. The store I work at charges $75 for FFL transfers. $25 of that is the cost of the DROS (Dealer Record of Sale). So, $50 is what the store keeps. Every time we take possession of your firearm during a transfer, we are accountable and assume responsibility for it and all of its associated paperwork.

If we fail to fill out, or fail to make sure that you fill out, a form exactly right (you improperly answer a single question--such as abbreviating the county in which you live), that error could render the form a FAILURE in the eyes of the DOJ.

Too many such failures and the store gets shut down or fined.

These forms are a record that can bite us, the FFL, long after you've taken possession of your firearm.

One Bay Area store was recently shut down due to paperwork inconsistencies that were uncovered during an audit (there is a CA audit AND a Federal audit).

In CA, there are numerous forms and, therefore, plenty of opportunities to make mistakes. All the paperwork for every transaction must be accounted for: The 4473 form, the DROS, thumbprint, ID, Handgun Safety Certificate, Proof of Residence, proof of CA approved locking device or Safe Affadavit, form verifying the successful completion of the Hands-on Safety Demonstration. When dealing with a legal resident alien it is even more fun and joy.

Did I mention that the FFL may also face felony charges should he or she fail an audit? This means, of course, that the FFL holder, if convicted, will never again be able to even own a firearm. There is no "malpractice insurance" for the FFL holder--at least not in California.

That is why you are ripped off for $50+/-.
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Wow…. You are really running a high risk out there in California; I wouldn’t do any transfers if they were going to put me in jail for a felony. Back here the only way you can be charged with a felony is if you are suspected of being a criminal.

I guess any business can be closed if they are too incompetent to fill paper work out properly. Other than the form the customer fills out I have never seen the rest of the paperwork; is it real hard to learn?
 
Worked at a "Store" for awhile

The gun shop where I worked for a bit has a good rep out for pricing so eveything was priced "low" to start out with. That being said... no deals on new guns, barely any on used ones. A LOT of people asked for discounts, and I told them the boss said no deals. That was usually that. No harm, no foul. So ask for a discount if you want, anyone selling you a gun should have thick enough skin to handle that :) (and should help you fill out the 4473 so no mistakes happen, people like to go fast when they want a new piece)

p.s. california sounds like hell, sorry, but it does...
 
I buy all my guns through private FFL dealer's and avoid retail gun stores like the plague. I've spent too much time at gun stores listening to the staff lying thru their teeth just to tell prospective gun buyers exactly what they want to hear. I'll buy cleaing supplies, some ammo, and some shooting accessories at gun stores, but not guns.
 
All the paperwork for every transaction must be accounted for: The 4473 form, the DROS, thumbprint, ID, Handgun Safety Certificate, Proof of Residence, proof of CA approved locking device or Safe Affadavit, form verifying the successful completion of the Hands-on Safety Demonstration. When dealing with a legal resident alien it is even more fun and joy.

Did I mention that the FFL may also face felony charges should he or she fail an audit? This means, of course, that the FFL holder, if convicted, will never again be able to even own a firearm. There is no "malpractice insurance" for the FFL holder--at least not in California.
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Dang, I just went through that yesterday on a new purchase here in San Diego. Wondered why the clerk was so anal about the paperwork. He made me do my thumb print three times before he was satisfied.

Guess I'll be more sympathetic next time.
 
Other than the form the customer fills out I have never seen the rest of the paperwork; is it real hard to learn?
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The paperwork isn't that hard to learn. If done frequently enough it becomes a routine just like anything else. But therein lies another problem. If you become distracted by other customers interrupting you or by the customer currently being waiting on asking you excessive questions you can "lose your place" in the routine and assume you completed something that you did not. I have forgotten to obtain photocopies of ID, HSC, and POR (proof of residence). I bought a gun there about a month ago and forgot to answer the question about my current state of residence. Fortunately, there are others who proofread the paperwork for errors and correct them by either calling the customer back in or waiting for them to return to pick up their gun (depending on the severity of error).

While I have no problems helping customers you might think about what your job description really is. Perhaps, if you took selling your employer's guns more seriously, you might be making more the $8.00 per hour and he might be in business longer.
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And just how would you recommend that I do that? Before you attempt to explain, perhaps you should know that the store at which I work has an indoor range. As my boss has said many, many times, "We are in the business of selling ammunition." We rent lanes, guns, ears and eyes; and sell ammunition and targets. We make WAY more money renting guns and range time than we do selling guns. I work there because I enjoy working there. The tiny bit of extra income helps to subsidize my shooting habit. I might never make more than $8/hr. I don't care. The most he pays is $10/hr, and this is to the managers. I am a supervisor elsewhere and have no desire to subject myself to a second stressful job for a portion of the pay. Besides, if you read my first post on this thread you would know that my employer, the owner of the store, isn't really interested in selling guns. He is not great at customer service and is probably best kept far, far away from the customers. No matter where the customer buys a gun, he will most likely be back to do business with us (to shoot his gun at our range). We have a pretty good selection of handguns, BTW. Also, since we don't get commission, none of us are greedy about our sales. If a coworker knows more about a certain firearm, or owns that same firearm, I will ask him to come over and assist the customer. For instance, if a customer is interested in a Beretta, I will have a coworker (who absolutely loves Berettas) come over and extoll its many virtues.

I work there only two days a week for a total of 10-12 hours, yet manage to sell several guns weekly. People are generally quite appreciative of my help and attitude. I am very attentive. I have forged many little friendships while working there. Why should I rush someone to buy a gun? The decision making process is half the fun of purchasing one. The build-up, the anticipation.

Truthfully, some people need to spend more time thinking about the type of gun they want. Many people have no idea what features they are looking for. After showing them five or six models, they should spend some time thinking and researching the frontrunners before making a final decision. I often write out on a little piece of paper: www.thehighroad.org and recommend they spend some time here.

Often, someone will say, "Hi, I want to buy this gun right here."

"Okay, do you have your HSC card and your Proof of Residence? What do you have for your Proof of Residence?"

Then, I sell them their gun. I am not a car salesman. Nor do I care if anyone likes the guns that I like (though I am happy when they do). I love guns. I want to help people find the gun they want so that they will be bitten by the gun-bug and forever enjoy the wonderful world of firearms. How do you find fault with this?
 
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