Small gun shops: should be more in sync or out?

[Davandron]

I stopped by a nice, small-business gun shop today while I was out. A bunch of good ole boys sitting at the counter and chatting made it look equal parts bar and store. While there, on the floor I spotted a milk-crate of beat-up, aluminum STANAG magazines. I asked if they were for sale, and if so for how much. I was shocked when the employees decided between $20 and $25 each.

Now, last summer I would have walked by them at a gun show even if they were priced $20 for three. I know the craziness upset prices, but in January I bought brand-new Lancer magazines for $18 each shipped and today the big store that is normally overpriced they had brand-new C-Products for $22 (they can be ordered direct for $12 each).

I didn't want to be rude on my first visit so I just kept my mouth shut. Maybe I'm reading the situation wrong, but I would think that small-business owners would be more up to speed on what the going prices are for things. What's going on here?

 

[Hush]

Employ the delicate art of haggling...its usually quite welcome in some of the smaller shops. Especially the bins and boxes of odds and ends like you see at gunshows, you can usually find a good deal "for a buck"

 

[JohnBT]

"What's going on here?"

If they sold them they'd have to stop what they were doing and find some more to order. For all I know, they'd already sold 3 crates of the things at that price and had their profit in hand.

Who knows, not everybody is all about making money. Sometimes having a shop is about breaking even and having a place to hang out.

JT

 

[searcher451]

The shop I usually deal with is a one-man operation. The owner is surely in business to make money but also is quite adept at taking care of his regular customers and goes out of his way as often as not to help them save a buck if he can do it. He's done exactly that for me many times, in fact. It's the very thing that keeps me coming back.

A second local shop, also locally owned, is operated IMO in just the opposite fashion. I generally avoid them because I find their prices high mosts of the time. But I called them the other day because I was looking for a Browning Buck Mark Hunter .22 pistol and my regular guy didn't have one in stock. This second shop did, but they also wanted $150 to $160 over the normal asking price of the gun ... and about $40 higher than the actual MSRP of the gun. When I pointed that out, asking if they really understood what Buck Mark model I was seeking, the clerk indicated that yeah, he knew full well what I was looking for and also knew full well what he was asking for the gun. "You realize that you want $150 or so more than the usual asking price, right?" I asked. "You know anybody else who's got one?" was the reply.

Well, I found someone else who had one in a nearby city, bought it, and won't anytime soon or go back to or even call Shop No. 2. I'm all for making a profit, but I'm not much for the gouge.

Not all small shops are the same, to be sure.

 

[Davandron]

Yeah Hush, I didn't think about haggling to see how firm they were on the price. Can always go back; I doubt they will sell them anytime soon. And maybe John is right, maybe they can sit on them for a while before dropping the price.

Searcher, what you mention rings pretty true to me. My family is made up of numerous small business owners, and they've always given customers the same advice and prices as our friends. Hence, they have always had a steady stream of business. So it always strikes me as odd that a store would try to really squeeze/gouge a customer.

 

[desidog]

I've found that generally the guys in the small stores tend to be BS artists; however, if you demonstrate knowledge and proficiency, their tune changes quickly.

If you ask a leading question you can get a better read on the situation. "Wow. 20-25 bucks? The last Stanag mags i saw were going for 4 bucks a pop...i didn't know there was such a rush on them. Have you sold any at that price?"