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Gunshops and Shotguns News Magazine...

leeblackmanleeblackman Member Posts: 5,303 ✭✭
edited April 2002 in General Discussion
I learned a good lesson today, never walk into a gunshop with a shotgun news magazine and ask the guy behind the counter to match the price.... hehehe

I went clowning around town today, hit some pawn shops, and some of the gunshops I don't like.

Visit me http://www.geocities.com/gunsmithlee
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    faldumfaldum Member Posts: 1,202 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Gee, sounds like fun! Are you suggesting your comparative marketing research was not ammenable to the shop keepers? Perhaps you would like to share some of the responses...
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    RembrandtRembrandt Member Posts: 4,486 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    ...I'd call that "applied pot stirring"....Dano would be proud of you...

    In all fairness though, retail shops have overhead costs that the mail order businesses do not...I've never been able to "handle" a gun in Shotgun News without buying it first....
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    azgunnut2@yahoo.comazgunnut2@yahoo.com Member Posts: 305 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I live , I do the same thing sometimes,just for kicks...But...when
    a "customer" walks into our shop with a shotgun news or gun lists -
    we offer to order any firearm for the standard fee ($20.00) over cost.
    and we have copys of these sitting on a table in our shop (old issues
    free to customers)...instead of "running off" these customers we try
    to "serve" them...sometimes a little difficult,but we try !!!!!!!!!!!
    sometihing (CUSTOMER SERVICE) that a BUNCH of "shops" should learn!!!
    azgunnut2@yahoo.com
    d.a. stearns
    gunsmith-owner
    gallery sales
    sweetwater , tn
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    dheffleydheffley Member Posts: 25,000 ✭
    edited November -1
    One of our local Pawn Shops basis his prices on Shotgun News. He'll match the price if he has the gun, or order it for $10. Good deal!

    Save, research, then buy the best.Join the NRA, NOW!Teach them young, teach them safe, teach them forever, but most of all, teach them to VOTE!
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    instrumentofwarinstrumentofwar Member Posts: 1,545 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    LBM- I asked in an earlier thread, but you said that you were from a Jefferson County? Would that be the same Jeff Co with Ft Drum and Watertown, NY?

    Some people just shouldn't be allowed to breed
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    thunderboltthunderbolt Member Posts: 6,038 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Lee: why don't you get an FFL and give away guns for free? That'll show all us pesky dealers how it should be done. Seriously, though, don't you realize that many prices in the Shotgun News are exactly what the dealer pays for the items they sell? Who stays in business selling at cost? No one! If I sell 2000 guns a year at a $10 profit, I've made $20,000 right? No way!!! Storefront, yellow page ads, business licenses, etc all eat away at that number. And please
    don't give me that bull about bringing all your business to the dealer who "does right by you." Even if you buy 10 guns a year from me, $10 profit each won't keep my doors open. Most guys like you won't even buy the ammo for the gun from me, preferring to go to WalMart instead! When I first opened up shop, I did many repairs for free or for parts cost because I felt sorry for the crybabies who "couldn't afford" to get their guns fixed. These same guys have plenty of money when they go to WalMart and buy their cheap guns and ammo! By the way, Lee, what line of work do you do? I'd like to know if you work for free like you assume gun dealers should.
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    offerorofferor Member Posts: 8,625 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    That's true, with one exception. Sometimes you get a sob story from a dealer that he's only making $50 a gun as it is. This is one way to either show him where he can get better wholesale prices -- or just show him you know better than to swallow that.

    There are dealers claiming the guys at the gun shows must be selling at loss leader prices. I may be wrong, but those dealers at the shows seem a hair too smart to be doing that, and if they were they wouldn't be around long enough to keep turning up show after show. Then there is the "overhead" argument. Yet discount stores thrive in almost every community for every other kind of product. I do find it odd that wholesalers advertise wholesale prices in a newsstand magazine, but hey, at least I'm an informed buyer.

    I have one dealer that always says, "Why didn't you come to me first?" whenever he hears I bought a gun somewhere else. When I started coming to him first, guess what? No great deals.

    I have had dealers lately who are frank enough to admit that they simply can't compete with CheaperThanDirt prices, and won't even try. I appreciate their sincerity. That, I can work with. I may not always buy from them, but at least I'm not getting a ration...
    I've decided to buy from local dealers -- when I know their mark-up is not excessive. I will not fault a guy for making $50 on a gun. (Wink, wink)
    The 2nd Amendment is about security, not hunting. Long live the gun shows, and reasonable access to FFLs. Join the NRA -- I'm a Life Member.
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    offerorofferor Member Posts: 8,625 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    On a different note, I have to say that taking a Shotgun News into your dealer is not always a bad idea. Sometimes it's the only way to show him something you want to special order. If you can make a deal based on the wholesale price, you'll probably do better than an auction and you'll both be happy.
    The 2nd Amendment is about security, not hunting. Long live the gun shows, and reasonable access to FFLs. Join the NRA -- I'm a Life Member.
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    idsman75idsman75 Member Posts: 13,398 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I've been to a few places that deserve some feather-ruffling and bringing in an issue of SGN would be a great way to do it. There are some places that have treated my downright rudely. I'd never do that to a respectable place of business but I've been in to many places that have yet to earn any respect from their customers. I have no idea how they keep their doors open.

    When I was stationed at Fort Drum I picked a dealer who had a small family-owned gun store and had him handle my GB transfers for me. In return, I purchased ALL firearms and hunting-related goodies that I needed (if he stocked it) at his store even though Wally-World was cheaper. We had an understanding and he took care of me.

    SSG idsman75, U.S. ARMY
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    sodbustersodbuster Member Posts: 2,305 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    As near as I could tell my local gun dealer sold me my new
    Varminter for about $100.00 over his cost. I was glad to pay
    it. I want him to stay in business. There is no way that a
    Wal-Mart or mail catalog can give me the personal service that
    he can. One of his favorite stories is a fellow came in and said
    that he heard that this gun dealer would sight in a rifle free of
    charge. The owner responded yes he did if the person purchased the
    rifle from his shop. The customer had just purchased this new rifle
    from Cabelas. After some whining from the customer, the shop owner
    agreed to sight in the rifle for free. The customer handed the Cabelas rifle to the shop owner and said "I'll be right back, I have
    to run out to Wal-Mart to get you some ammo for it!!!!!!"

    It's not the number of your stars that count,,it's the size of your moon.
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    idsman75idsman75 Member Posts: 13,398 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Can we just say "idiot" and be done with it?

    SSG idsman75, U.S. ARMY
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    RembrandtRembrandt Member Posts: 4,486 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    ...wouldn't bringing a copy of Shotgun News to your local gun shop be akin to taking a menu from another restraurant and asking them match the menu and price?....naw, couldn't be that offensive..
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    offerorofferor Member Posts: 8,625 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Not unless they both got their food from the same chef....
    The 2nd Amendment is about security, not hunting. Long live the gun shows, and reasonable access to FFLs. Join the NRA -- I'm a Life Member.
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    He DogHe Dog Member Posts: 50,964 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I have transfer guns sent to an FFL who charges me $10 for the transfer and says he will special order for cost + 10%. I called him on a browing pistol and asked for a quote. He said it would cost too much from him, just get the best price I could on an auction and he would do the transfer.

    Another shop gave me a quote at cost + 15% and got my order. I have found it pays to get on the phone, tell them exactly what I want (off the manufactureres website or catalog and get quotes. The prices on this Buckmark varied $85!
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