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What is considered cool?
JesseLee
Member Posts: 1,032 ✭✭✭✭
The post "Little "tips" to running a gun store" got me thinking about what would be considered "Cool" selection in the gun market. Now I am not talking about those impossible and hard to get firearms that are Cool- those are a given. I am talking about items that can be ordered from distributors or that is readly avaible in the secondary markets. Those items that you think would bring more customers in for repeat business.
Those that own or work in Gun shops, let me know what is your best movers and have the highest potiential for profit, as well.
Locust Fork wrote:
"There is a BIG difference between someone who says...."find me a particular gun and I will buy it"....and a guy who wants to be called if a lady comes in and sells me her husband's gun collection (because he had passed.) Everyone who buys a gun in the store is making it possible to keep the doors open. If you have a COOL selection of guns...then that leads to more regular customers....they will come in EVERY chance they can just to catch a rare deal".
Those that own or work in Gun shops, let me know what is your best movers and have the highest potiential for profit, as well.
Locust Fork wrote:
"There is a BIG difference between someone who says...."find me a particular gun and I will buy it"....and a guy who wants to be called if a lady comes in and sells me her husband's gun collection (because he had passed.) Everyone who buys a gun in the store is making it possible to keep the doors open. If you have a COOL selection of guns...then that leads to more regular customers....they will come in EVERY chance they can just to catch a rare deal".
Comments
well lit rooms with consignment longguns for the fondling. friendly knowledgable staff. They had everything related to firearms from abercrombie to ZOLI with super prices. the feds gave them a new set of regs for cleaning the air in the range. it was going to cost so much to convert it they just quit. It was like a golf proshop for gun freeks.. and I think if it would have been easier to get to they would have made so much money they would have kept it open
too bad it's gone...It was cool[:D]
Long Tom's
SKS 30 round mags
Belgium Brownings
Anything with a 30" or 32" barrel
Collectors from all over the county come by the shop to see the cool DISPLAY ONLY guns that line the walls and EVERYONE loves to play with the tame squirrels (cat and flying), python, and 7 foot iguana's (The python only comes out of his cage when someone wants to hold him due to the squirrels).
How's that for way cool!
**Ruger #1s (you HAVE to check and get GOOD WOOD stocks)
**AR-15s...both Bushmaster and Oympic do well
**Taurus makes a lot of pretty neat copies of the old 22s (rifles)
**Mossberg shotguns always are coming in so...they are cut down with pistol grips added to make a short little good sellers.
**Smith and Wesson Sigma (SW9VE and the 40cal)
**Glocks, just keep the standard things in 21, 20, 23, 19, 17, 27, etc...
**Snub revolvers both Taurus and Smith in a few models airweight, scandium, stainless, blue, ported,
**Springfield 1911 45acps and XDs
**Browning Hi-powers and a mix of a few higher end 1911 are good to have a few of (like Kimbers, Para Ord, etc.)
**Over and under shotguns, Browning, Beretta, Kahn, any mix you can come up with a deals (just a few)
**Little guns, like the Taurus and Beretta tip ups and the North American mini, and MAYBE a few derringers.
**Single action revolvers in a couple of cals Uberti, Taurus, are easier to get in stock
**Browning hunting rifles in bolt and auto....the lever guns are not big movers, but are good to get every once in a while.
**Remington mdl 7 in a couple of cals is good, but once anyone tries the Steyr they love them...so just keep a mix of hunting guns as you can get deals.
Here's why. What's "cool" can change over time, so having a lot in inventory can leave you with a lot of stuff you might not be able to move if fads change or seasons change (ex. different hunting seasons). In addition, most states (if not all) have an inventory tax; this means you could end up paying taxes on guns you don't sell every year. That could start to eat into your profits or force you to raise your prices, driving your customers away. Also, the more inventory you have, the more attractive your store becomes to burglars.
If you kept a small inventory of only the most popular guns (maybe a couple 1911s and a couple Glocks, a couple Remington 700s, etc.), you'd avoid all the above problems. You could then make your money on interstate transfers. Charge folks who buy off of gunbroker.com or elsewhere $10-20 per gun to receive it and transfer it to them...pure profit with virtually no overhead.
They'd be happy, because they'd be getting the exact gun they wanted at the price they wanted. You're happy because you don't have a lot of money tied up in inventory and you don't have to worry about taxes and burglaries as much.
Keep catalogs on display and order guns as your customers want them. Advertise that you charge a fixed percentage over dealer cost (maybe 10%) and you'll pull lots of people in to buy from you.
If you want a cheaper way to increase the number of guns on display without tying up a lot of your money, offer to do consignments for a percentage of the sale price...say, 15%.
With a decent range, you can charge people to shoot and offer instruction courses ranging from basic newbie courses to CCW courses. If you could get a couple local police departments, an IDPA, an IPSC club, and a bullseye league to shoot in your range, you could have a few guaranteed nights when the range would be booked for practice or matches. Plus, the competitors might be more inclined to practice at your range.
If you have a decent range, you could also have rental guns. This is a great way for folks to test out guns before they decide to buy. In addition, if you're willing to go through the trouble of getting a class 3 FFL, you could have a couple full-autos and charge a premium to rent them.
If you required people using rentals to shoot only factory ammo purchased from you, you'd also make money on increased ammo sales. In addition, this keeps people from blowing up your guns with their reloads.
If you have a range, you could also sweep up the brass people don't pickup and resell it; wouldn't cost you anything but labor.
If you bought a big enough place and the location and number of shooters supports it, you could have a little bar and grill restaurant in the clubhouse. Really, I doubt most places could justify this but it's something to keep in mind down the road if business is booming.
Accessories that actually fit the light rails on modern pistols.
Ruger Blackhawks.
Camo shotguns.
Leupold or (god forbid) Burris scopes at a GOOD price.
Counter people who actually know what they are talking about.
Good selection of ammo or the ability to order what I want.
Sig's (nuf said)
A couple of plain jane 1911's and a race horse for dreamers.
etcetera......
We're talking about SELLING...not...."what is your favorite gun"....selling has a WHOLE different ballgame in mind.
Used traded in SIG (wonderful) purchased and trying to stock a SIG (like trying to sell snowballs in Alaska.)
Lately he wasn't been able to keep the FN Five-Seven in stock, I've seen two being sold just while I was randomly going in for ammo.
Glock is a pretty safe bet and I've seen a lot of people interested in Sigs and HKs too.
As far as long guns, they typically sell more shotguns and bolt-action rifles. In this area its pretty rare to see many AKs, ARs, or other "assault" rifles sold, but occasionally someone is interested. (I've seen one guy buy a -47, -74, and SKS all in the same day)
**A good mix of Steyr hunting rifles
**Ruger #1s (you HAVE to check and get GOOD WOOD stocks)
**AR-15s...both Bushmaster and Oympic do well
**Taurus makes a lot of pretty neat copies of the old 22s (rifles)
**Mossberg shotguns always are coming in so...they are cut down with pistol grips added to make a short little good sellers.
**Smith and Wesson Sigma (SW9VE and the 40cal)
**Glocks, just keep the standard things in 21, 20, 23, 19, 17, 27, etc...
**Snub revolvers both Taurus and Smith in a few models airweight, scandium, stainless, blue, ported,
**Springfield 1911 45acps and XDs
**Browning Hi-powers and a mix of a few higher end 1911 are good to have a few of (like Kimbers, Para Ord, etc.)
**Over and under shotguns, Browning, Beretta, Kahn, any mix you can come up with a deals (just a few)
**Little guns, like the Taurus and Beretta tip ups and the North American mini, and MAYBE a few derringers.
**Single action revolvers in a couple of cals Uberti, Taurus, are easier to get in stock
**Browning hunting rifles in bolt and auto....the lever guns are not big movers, but are good to get every once in a while.
**Remington mdl 7 in a couple of cals is good, but once anyone tries the Steyr they love them...so just keep a mix of hunting guns as you can get deals.
** and a cute little salon in the corner where you can get your hair done.
http://www.billcook.net/cool_test.html
Trinity +++
Just stop by and see me.
I think that what is considered "cool" goes with the territory. My reasoning is this... what good is having a bunch of semi-auto UZIs, Ak47s, AR15s, Mac-11s, etc if the customers in that area aren't interested in those things. So true. In Miami, not being a hunting town, the hi-caps are all you see. That is so un-cool. When out of town on trips, I love to stop at real gun shops and see all the pretty 1911s, hi-rent scatter guns and bolt action big caliber hunting rifles.
You usually don't find much for used guns in a gunshop. Have a selection of used 10/22s, Camp 9's/45s, sks's, 30-30 levers, 12 guages.
You'd be surprised how many people pick up an old 870 or 500 rather than buy the new stuff for about the same price.
"Accessories that actually fit the light rails on modern pistols"
Like a cheap decent light!!!!
Back in the 80's there were handguns on top of the counter....with a small chain holding them down. Not any longer, again....[:(]
The world is getting more and more like "every man, woman and child for himself."