[Panzercat]

You finally found that gun you've been searching for. A rifle. You HAVE to have. Come to me, Precious! And for such a low price. You do some some quick calculations. Shipping? Got it. FFL? Yep. That 3% charge for using a card with that website, ie; Bud's or similar websites?

Decisions, decisions.

You can theorize on any number of reasons as to why the firearm industry just doesn't absorb this fee like- oh, I don't know -almost* every other sales industry in the United States, but what do you do? Lick the stamp and keep the post office in business or cough up the add on cash to cut through the red tape?

*did I really have to add that clarification? Yes. Apparently I did.

[NavyLCDR]

You can theorize on any number of reasons as to why the firearm industry just doesn't absorb this fee like- oh, I don't know -every other sales industry in the United States

AARCO charges $.10 more per gallon of gasoline for using a credit card.

[rcmodel]

I have one old VISA credit card, and the only time I ever use it is for on-line orders.

I pay it off before the first months statements ink drys.

There are no extra fee's for using it.

IMO: Credit Cards are the Spawn of the Devil if you don't use them wisely, and pay off the balance before the loan shark / mafia interest rates start piling up.

rc

[oneounceload]

No extra fees unless you buy from Bud's or similar places where they post "cash" prices. Many gas stations are doing it as well now - their posted price is cash or their own credit card; otherwise the price per gallon goes anywhere from .05 to .09/gallon

It is simply one way of trying to advertise a lower price than their competitors.

As for"the industry" absorbing these costs- why should they? Why should a cash customer pay more for the same product when he is not adding an extra cost to the retailer?

[Panzercat]

:banghead:

Must be shopping at the wrong LGS(s) and websites, but the main question of topic stands.

[oneounceload]

Not my LGS - the price is the same cash or credit - but they are a big store; small guys prefer cash

[browningguy]

just doesn't absorb this fee like- oh, I don't know -every other sales industry in the United States,

They don't absorb it, you still pay it just built in to the prices as a cost of doing business. Nothing is free in life, if you want the advantages of using a credit card you are paying for the cost of it.

[MErl]

I see it as a BS way to advertise a lower price than reality. Online sales, yeah, lets pay cash, I'll just mail it to you. Do you take a check? come on you can trust me.

Tis a reason I don't look at AmazonGuns err, Buds.

I'll pay it if with the 'CC fee' it is still the right price and if it is not sprung on me at the end.

[EddieNFL]

Many businesses soak up the cost knowing they would miss some sales if they did not. Some businesses sell invoices to banks for the luxury of having instant cash. Fees are about what CC companies charge.

I have paid the surcharge a couple of times for the peace of mind of knowing I'm protected if things go south. If you search Gunbroker, there are sellers that do not hit you with the surcharge
.
IMO: Credit Cards are the Spawn of the Devil if you don't use them wisely, and pay off the balance before the loan shark / mafia interest rates start piling up.



Amen, Brother!

I have a CC through my insurance company I use for most purchases. Pay it off when the bill comes and the cash back pays my insurance premium a few times each year.

[TennJed]

I see it as a BS way to advertise a lower price than reality. Online sales, yeah, lets pay cash, I'll just mail it to you. Do you take a check? come on you can trust me.

Tis a reason I don't look at AmazonGuns err, Buds.

I'll pay it if with the 'CC fee' it is still the right price and if it is not sprung on me at the end.
Cash is easy to do with online stores. Electronic check (ach). Not immediate like a credit/debit card, but much quicker than mailing a check

[Fishslayer]

No way. I always pay with Benjamins and I always ask for the cash or .mil discount. When haggling the sight of folding green caysh money can be a plus.

Of course, paying cash is a red flag to the DOJ that you might be a domestic terrorist...:uhoh:

[Panzercat]

Only on truly large amounts.
Worked at Amex in a former life. Your $3000 AR isn't going to raise a red flag :p

[larryh1108]

IMO: Credit Cards are the Spawn of the Devil if you don't use them wisely, and pay off the balance before the loan shark / mafia interest rates start piling up.

You'd be surprised at how many so-called credit cards used today are really debit cards with the Visa or MC logo on it. Your paycheck is available Thursday night/Friday morning at midnight and with your debit card you have instant access to it. There is no interest to pay and you can't spend more than the amount of money you actually have (unless you sign up for overdraft protection). I use it for 95% of my daily spending including gas, McDonalds, groceries, etc. I may spend a total of (actual green cash) $10 a week.

Now, true credit cards have put America in this horrible credit situation. True credit cards are evil but the debit card is a wonderful thing. Those who charge the 3% do it because they wish to be deceptive with advertised prices. If there is no surcharge then it is already figured into the price. Nothing is free.

[zxcvbob]

If it's just a few of dollars, I pay the upcharge for the convenience. If it's more than that, I will mail them a cashiers check.

[coolluke01]

I take CC's from customers all the time. It's illegal to charge extra to cover CC fees. I know many do it, but they are not supposed to. Listing a cash price is also not allowed. They think they are being sneaky and getting around the rules, but it is wrong.

I try and avoid paying for guns at my LGS. I understand that their margins are low and they try and give me the best deal they can.

[xnmw]

Illegal... Or just a violation of the merchant agreement with the CC company? Got to factor in CC cash back... 1-6%, depending on the store. My one, and possibly last, gun from Buds I took the 3% hit to try (in vain) to get the gun promptly.

[jmr40]

Only done so once. I went to a gunshow just to look and pick up some ammo, only had about $200 on me. Ran across a too good to pass up deal on an uncommon rifle still NIB with hangtags on the triggerguard. I'd been on the lookout for one for years. I used a CC and gladly paid the extra $21. It took 2 months to pay off the balance. Even with the extra $21 + 2 months interest on $721 it was still a bargain. The rifle was only made 1994-1996 in limited #'s and the closest thing comparable would have been $1,100+ tax.

I have only ordered one rifle on line. I've always been able to buy locally cheaper after you figure in shipping and transfer charges. Usually pay cash. I'm at the point where I have more guns than I want or need. Been selling off many over the last few years and replacing them with fewer, better guns and putting the rest of the money in the bank.

[Inebriated]

In stores? It's never come up, and it's the same for cash or credit.

At gun shows? No, I bring cash, or argue until they pay it. I'm already paying sales tax, so the 3% can turn into a deal-breaker.

Online? Yes. If I'm ordering online, it's because the gun is cheaper than anywhere local, because I'm not paying sales tax. Usually $500 or more is where I start to look online.

[crazyjennyblack]

I don't buy firearms online, but I think the 3% idea just stinks. At least roll it into the price so we don't have to look at it or think about it!

And where I live, one of the gas stations has the whole "cash price" vs. what is actually on the pump. Funny thing - I don't shop there! It's not that I don't pay with cash, but I don't like businesses that pull a fast one on the customer. The price that is in BIG numbers should be the price everybody pays, no fine print or conditions.

[Warp]

I haven't, but I would.

[OilyPablo]

Guns are the only items that I know of that actually sell with such a fee. Yes I have done it once, never again. It was a used gun from a dealer.

I run an unrelated company and frankly our customers would walk, or at the very least gripe like crazy if we charged an extra fee for the pleasure of using a credit card. We take Paypal as well, same deal. We pay them about the same fee as credit card companies. It's all a bit silly, because of course the costs are reflected in our overall product prices.

I do wonder about the legality of companies charging the 3% and turning around and claiming the merchant account fees as a business expense. That doesn't seem right.

[Anger]

Hells no I do not pay the fee. We all love getting percent back on our cars but the fact of the matter is the fees that retailers pay credit card processing companies is highway robery.

Sent from my DROID4 using Tapatalk 2

[zorro45]

It is very nice to get a doubling of the manufacturer's warranty using Amex, I believe this is good up to 2 years. I have found them to be very consumer friendly on the few occasions when I had a dispute with a merchant. I have never had to use either feature of the card for gun-related issues, only computer stuff.

[303tom]

Nope don`t put firearms or firearm related items on credit card.............

[TennJed]

Nope don`t put firearms or firearm related items on credit card.............

Keep in mind the 3% fee usually applies to debit cards also

[MachIVshooter]

Keep in mind the 3% fee usually applies to debit cards also

Correct. I pay 2.47% + $0.19/transaction, whether it's debit or credit.

I run an auto repair shop. I do not play the 3% fee/cash discount game. Instead, I'll eat the 3% on labor, but all parts are automatically marked up at least enough that I'm not losing money on them if a customer pays with card. I appreciate cash, but the price is the price.

That said, the mark-up on new guns is minimal, especially for some of the discount retailers. Think ~10%, maybe less for those guys. If you were only making $50 on a $500 item to begin with, would you want to pay $15 or $20 in card fees?

[offroaddiver]

I have only paid the extra at one gun store. It was too good a deal to pass up. They charged me the 3% which was less than the gas it would have taken me to drive to the nearest ATM of my bank and pull the cash needed. Most places that do the 3% are mom and pop places that don't do very much traffic with debit or credit cards. I have even been in some recently that do not take anything but cash and they will test it with marker and the black light. Most of the time I don't care unless I'm in a pinch to buy something needed or traveling.

[Warp]

Keep in mind the 3% fee usually applies to debit cards also

Some people are worried about the government coming to get him if the government knows they buy guns or ammo.

As if paying in cash...and then telling us all about on THR...will do change anything.

[AZ]

Never use CC, don't like what they can lead to. The 3% for me would just be extra incentive not to do so.

[WoodchuckAssassin]

I always go cash. It gives you that extra barganing chip when trying to get the best price. Usually when I go into shops and ask if there's any room on the price of a gun, they ask - usually quite bluntly - "Well, how'r you paying?" Cash makes a difference, and given the choice between plastic or paper, most dealers wanna take the money and run.

Also, the "Just put it on the card" mentality is a slippery slope.

[Walkalong]

On occasion.

[carbine85]

I factor in all costs to determine the final price I will be paying for a firearm. This includes the tax, shipping, and any other charges.
I see a lot of guys on gunbroker paying top dollar for a gun, $35 shipping, FFL and sometimes tax. It's hard to make an investment out of something when you don't consider all cost.

[cfullgraf]

I use a credit card as opposed to a debit card. I get to use their money for a while. If a mail/internet order goes south, I have not laid out any of my cash yet. Although I may have a fight with the credit card company.

The credit card companies do not like me as I pay off the bill each month.

The credit card fees are part of doing business and as others have said, they are there whether advertised or not. When the states figure out how to collect sales tax on everything, my view will probably change on the credit card fees.

[mdauben]

I see it as a BS way to advertise a lower price than reality.
This. You pay it either way, this is just a more annoying way to do it. I'm acutally supprised that the CC companies let them get away with it, I was under the impression that most of them forbid such surcharges in their contracts with retailers.

In any case, the alternative is usually a USPS money order, which costs you extra money, too, plus the delay in the mailing time. So, I just pay the darn surcharge.

[csa77]

Iv never once bought a gun on credit, every gun I own I paid cash for.
I only use my credit card a few times a year, its just too easy for me to get carried away with my spending using credit.

[Sheepdog1968]

If there is a firearm that I have been wanting for a long time and it is hard to come by (for whatever reason), then I pay the 3% fee. In the long run I will forget what I paid for it fee or no fee. I will just be happy to own it. I have a few that I know I greatly overpaid for (or spend as much modifying it as it cost to buy it) but don't mind if it's what I really wanted.

[gfanikf]

I try and avoid places with the 3% fee and I think I only did it once with Southern Ohio Gun. Generally there are more than enough places that take debit or credit without feeling a need to squeeze a few more bucks out me.

[mgkdrgn]

why the firearm industry just doesn't absorb this fee

And how do you think they "absorb this fee"?

Why, just like everyone else does, by raising their prices. It don't come out of Obamas' stash.

Many firearms dealers (like me!) operate on razor thin margins as it is. I'm lucky to get a 10% markup on a sale ... gross. Take away 3% of that and I'm down to 7%, gross. Take away the taxes I pay on that and I'm down to 3.5% or so. We haven't even talked about paying any operating expenses yet.

That is just about the "Pizza Delivery" rate. That is, anything less than that and I'd make better money on my time working for Domino's delivering Pizza.

I don't take CC's yet ... but I'm in the process of getting that set up. And guess what ... IT AIN'T FREE. There are monthly fees, equipment fees, insurance fee ... and we haven't even talked about the actual transaction fees yet.

Now, do you think it's "better" (how ever you choose to define that) for me to raise my prices to EVERYONE to cover those fees, or have them covered by the folks that want to use a credit card? Gotta be one or the other, there isn't any 3rd choice.

[Derek Zeanah]

I think the issue is this: you are much less likely to regret a purchase if you purchase with cash. You've got the money to spare, and you spent it on something you wanted.

Too many people (myself included) have made reasonable purchases on credit cards and not paid it off immediately. Long-term, life is better if you minimize the use of debt (especially debt with credit-card style rates. The 3% you pay on your house is different.)

I'd say the same thing about financing a car though. Better the older, less fancy car you can afford to buy with cash than a newer car you need to finance.

[TennJed]

I think the issue is this: you are much less likely to regret a purchase if you purchase with cash. You've got the money to spare, and you spent it on something you wanted.

Too many people (myself included) have made reasonable purchases on credit cards and not paid it off immediately. Long-term, life is better if you minimize the use of debt (especially debt with credit-card style rates. The 3% you pay on your house is different.)

I'd say the same thing about financing a car though. Better the older, less fancy car you can afford to buy with cash than a newer car you need to finance.

What you say us valid and true, but has been mentioned a few times already the 3% applied to debit cards as well. You can still pay the 3% without using credit

[mgmorden]

Now, do you think it's "better" (how ever you choose to define that) for me to raise my prices to EVERYONE to cover those fees, or have them covered by the folks that want to use a credit card? Gotta be one or the other, there isn't any 3rd choice.

Here's what I'll guarantee you - 3% different in price isn't that much to most people - they don't really mind paying that much more in most cases. What will irk them, though, is when they hear *WHY*.

Realistically, everyone I know under the age of 40 uses a debit card. At any given time I can I have less than $5 cash on me and if I ever have more than that I'm on my way to the bank to get it deposited. My paycheck goes directly into my bank account (not even an option where I work - you provide an account for direct deposit or you don't get paid - we don't issue checks). Cash is just a terribly annoying liability - it can be lost, stolen, destroyed, etc. Banked money is more secure (and for all the SHTF folks - if you store up cash instead of bank deposits then if the system ever collapses all you have is a bunch of worthless paper).

So, you have whole generations of shoppers who generally WILL NOT deal in cash - and then when they go to make a purchase you're going to tell them you're charging them extra for using the defacto standard payment method? Doesn't jive well.

Basically, as a businessman, you don't ask whats fair to this customer or that - you want to ask "What is the way that my business will make the most money?". I can pretty much guarantee you that a 3% hike in overall prices will turn away less customers than a big sign saying you're going to charge 3% extra for credit card orders. This is beside the fact that Visa nor Mastercard allow such surcharges, so as soon as one of your customers gets irritated enough to file a formal complain you risk having your ability to take cards revoked altogether.

Take a lesson from the big boys and just make sure your margins are high enough to cover the fees. I can guarantee you that a significant portion of your sales will be paid using a card, and that portion percentage-wise will only increase.

I'll admit that I occasionally pay the 3% hike on online purchases if the price is really that much better, but if it's anything local, I flat out will not shop anywhere that advertises such a fee or a minimum purchase.

[ny32182]

Guns and gas seem to be the two products I buy most often that have the 3% optionally broken down and directly advertized as such.

It is truly a case of a "cash discount". I don't see why anyone would dislike this. It should be the standard everywhere. As someone who uses a debit card all the time, since I choose to do so I should be the one paying the fees to do so, not people who elect not to use them.

In every business that does NOT advertize a separate price, YOU ARE paying the extra 3% with NO choice regardless of whether your payment method incurs the fee.

Why anyone would prefer to have fewer options with no cash discount available just to have a "feel good" lack of 3% line item on the bill is completely beyond me.

[mister_murphy]

a good number of the public will complain about a surcharge, and if you raise your margin to cover the cost of the fees associated with credit/debit cards, the ones who know you have raised your rates just for that reason will complain, or be another stores customer.

Personally, I try to pay with cash because its generally cheaper for the store, and easier for me, unless its something like mail order, or say I find a good deal and have the cash in the bank instead of my wallet, and pay with a debit card in that case.

What I have learned from growing up in a family business (that lasted over 50 years), and in the past, starting and running my own business for a few years myself is that customers usually have a short term memory, and even if the service/product you provide is better, generally the customers will want it for the price as elsewhere with bad service/product. So if your in business, set your margins properly, and let it ride, thats all you can do.

[xwing]

If they have those fees, I dust off my checkboox. I can always wait a week or two...

[Panzercat]

Many firearms dealers (like me!) operate on razor thin margins as it is. I'm lucky to get a 10% markup on a sale ... gross. Take away 3% of that and I'm down to 7%, gross. Take away the taxes I pay on that and I'm down to 3.5% or so. We haven't even talked about paying any operating expenses yet.

That is just about the "Pizza Delivery" rate. That is, anything less than that and I'd make better money on my time working for Domino's delivering Pizza.
And yet you somehow remain in business with such thin crust margins... Hmmm.
Argue your point, but nobody's going to be impressed with the theatrics.

[bergmen]

You need a "Don't have or use a credit card" option.

I haven't had a credit card for over 15 years. I only use debit cards (when I use cards at all) preferring to manage assets rather than debts.

Dan

[bergmen]

AARCO charges $.10 more per gallon of gasoline for using a credit card.

Which is why I never buy gas at Arco. The convenience of using a debit card at stations that appreciate my card business trumps the lower Arco prices. Arco hates card related transactions.

Dan

[Revoliver]

I gladly pay it.

Why? Because if I'm in a situation that has that added fee tacked on to it, it means I've already exhausted my other options (no one has it locally, other sites that do not charge don't have it, the price locally is so high that it is not an issue).

[oneounceload]

Which is why I never buy gas at Arco. The convenience of using a debit card at stations that appreciate my card business trumps the lower Arco prices. Arco hates card related transactions.

Dan

Then you missed the whole point - your DEBIT card is equal to cash and accepted at ARCO. ARCO doesn't take credit cards at where I lived - even if you were willing to pay more

[bergmen]

Then you missed the whole point - your DEBIT card is equal to cash and accepted at ARCO. ARCO doesn't take credit cards at where I lived - even if you were willing to pay more

Actually I should have been more clear. At any place I buy gas, other than Arco, it is pay-at-the-pump convenient. Arco makes card buyers go to a kiosk and enter in several bits of info before authorizing purchase, sometimes having to stand in line. I just find it easier and more convenient to handle the whole thing at the pump I'm parked next to.

But it used to be even worse a few years ago. Nothing at the pump or pump aisles, everyone had to go in and present either cash or jump through the card hoops. It was easy to see that they really, really did not want to deal with plastic at all so I made it easier for them.

Dan

[GBExpat]

Do you pay the 3%?
The important thing to me is that it is disclosed, up-front. I simply include it in my decision-making process, not a Biggie.

There was, however, a situation that I almost stumbled into on a Gunbroker auction. I forget most of the details, but during some back&forth emails regarding further details on a listed rifle, the Seller eventually mentioned that the winning Bidder would also have to pay a 3%(?) credit card fee (the only listed payment type was by CC).

I pointed out that nowhere had he listed THAT tidbit in the auction details and he shrugged it off as something that everyone should already know about.

I told him that if I had won that auction and he tried to sandbag me with such a hidden fee that that would be a valid basis for me to cancel the transaction ... and I moved on.

[WNC Seabee]

.

The credit card companies do not like me as I pay off the bill each month.

actually, they love customers like you. You don't default and they collect their fees from the merchant with practically 0 risk.

[jackblack86]

cash is king give me my 3%

[Sheepdog1968]

And how do you think they "absorb this fee"?

Why, just like everyone else does, by raising their prices. It don't come out of Obamas' stash.

Many firearms dealers (like me!) operate on razor thin margins as it is. I'm lucky to get a 10% markup on a sale ... gross. Take away 3% of that and I'm down to 7%, gross. Take away the taxes I pay on that and I'm down to 3.5% or so. We haven't even talked about paying any operating expenses yet.

That is just about the "Pizza Delivery" rate. That is, anything less than that and I'd make better money on my time working for Domino's delivering Pizza.

I don't take CC's yet ... but I'm in the process of getting that set up. And guess what ... IT AIN'T FREE. There are monthly fees, equipment fees, insurance fee ... and we haven't even talked about the actual transaction fees yet.

Now, do you think it's "better" (how ever you choose to define that) for me to raise my prices to EVERYONE to cover those fees, or have them covered by the folks that want to use a credit card? Gotta be one or the other, there isn't any 3rd choice.
My brother managed a shop and a good friend of ours ran a different shop. They both mirrored what you said about the razor thin margins. Both are out of the industry as they found better paying jobs working for someone else in a different field.

It's tough to make a living at it.

[mio]

if i cant pay cash i cant afford it. if i need to order a gun i order it from my lgs.

[mgmorden]

if i cant pay cash i cant afford it

As many people have already stated, lots of people paying with Visa or Mastercard aren't paying with credit. Debit cards are handled the same way and are pulling money from your checking account. It has nothing to do with affording it. As I said earlier in the thread I typically have less than $5 in cash in my hands. In the last 5-6 years I don't think I've even held more than $200 in cash in my hands at one time.

The reality is money is digital these days. Paper bills and coinage are relics. Most people have gotten used to that. Most businesses have gotten used to that. Gun shops often just tend to be owned/staffed by people a little disconnected from the times.

[dragon813gt]

Simply put, No. Any company that does that will not get my business for a lot of reasons.


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[wally]

Anytime I buy on line. Removes pretty much all the risk. When I buy on-line the price + transfer fee + 3% is better than I can find at gun shows so it doesn't really hurt.

Locally its cash only!

[silicosys4]

I won't pay 3% to save 3 days. CC's are not the protection people think they are, ESPECIALLY if you are purchasing through an auction and the seller does not have an online checkout. NEVER call in with your CC numbers, or send them in an email.
A very popular gun brokering (ahem) auction site has a nasty reputation for allowing all sorts of billing shenanigans from its vendors. My experience with calling in a CC # for a purchase was with a vendor on that site, for a $1000 colt 6920 that I was notified was "out of stock" after I paid via calling in my CC number. The guy kept a 20% "restocking fee" for having to cancel my order because it was "unavailable"....and my CC company had to ASK him for the refund minus the restocking fee. Thats $200, a tidy sum for a neat little scam that the auction site was indifferent to. Unless you purchase from an online store with online checkouts that show a record for what was purchased, how much it was advertised for, and how much was billed, CC's offer a bare minimum of protection over money orders, and USPS money orders are the exact same as any other money order as far as protection, no "federal investigation" posse's are going to be called out.

Buying used guns online through auctions is a gamble, no matter how you cut it.....checking feedback is extremely important.

[MachIVshooter]

The reality is money is digital these days. Paper bills and coinage are relics. Most people have gotten used to that. Most businesses have gotten used to that. Gun shops often just tend to be owned/staffed by people a little disconnected from the times.

Just because we've (business owners) become accustomed to card transactons being the norm doesn't mean we like it. I may not bump my prices 3% for card customers, but I also won't give little breaks on the total bill. If the repair is $617.58 and you pay with a card, it's $617.58. If you pay with cash, I may well knock it down to $600.00 even. MANY small businesses operate this way; It's not limited to gun shops.

And try buying something off Craigslist with a card.........

(yeah, yeah, I know; CL is the devil incarnate because they don't allow guns. What they do facilitate is a small business owner like me being able to get my big money equipment used at a low enough cost that I owe NOTHING on any of it)

[Sergei Mosin]

I have never needed a gun so badly that I couldn't wait the few days it takes for a check or money order to reach a dealer. The extra 3% on a $500 gun is $15; that's a box of ammo.

[TennJed]

Just because we've (business owners) become accustomed to card transactons being the norm doesn't mean we like it. I may not bump my prices 3% for card customers, but I also won't give little breaks on the total bill. If the repair is $617.58 and you pay with a card, it's $617.58. If you pay with cash, I may well knock it down to $600.00 even. MANY small businesses operate this way; It's not limited to gun shops.

And try buying something off Craigslist with a card.........

(yeah, yeah, I know; CL is the devil incarnate because they don't allow guns. What they do facilitate is a small business owner like me being able to get my big money equipment used at a low enough cost that I owe NOTHING on any of it)
A lot of craigslist transactions can be done with paypal (or similar 3rd party if you are against paypal). I think the main point of his post is cash is starting to become a thing of the past. Right or wrong, like it or not he is right.

[dubya450]

I typically will because i can find the gun im looking for ALOT easier than local stores and they're usually significantly cheaper. For example, i just bought a Kimber Montana in 338 fed off of gunsamerica for $1025 NIB when cabelas is $1349 for the same rifle and even more at gander. And that rifle is hard enough to find in any caliber let alone in 338 federal. Both cabelas and gander told me it'd be 8-12 months just to get the rifle in, so yeah i had no problem paying the extra 3% ($33) for using a card. In the end after shipping and 3% card fee i saved $250 plus whatever tax would be (almost $100) AND i only waited 6 days instead of 8-12 months! Im happier than a deer in a bean field! Oh and my FFL only charges $10 so thats nice too.

[orionengnr]

if i cant pay cash i cant afford it

In general, I agree with this philosophy. Been living that way since, well...pretty much forever.

I did not own a credit card until I was about 28 y.o. I still only own just one, and I try hard to pay it off in total every month.

If I go to a gun show without any plans to buy something (and a bare minimum of cash in me pockets) and something appears, I may grudgingly pull out that card..

I was if i cant pay cash i cant afford it

[oldbear]

I have one credit card with AMX. It is only used for on-line purchases and travel expenses. The account is paid in full the day statement appears on-line.

As I do business with two different banks I have a total of four (4) debit cards, one for each checking account, and one for each savings account. I only use these cards at MY banks ATM's. Even though 99% of the population are honest folks, I refuse to give a total stranger access to my bank account.

Most of the Internet businesses I do business with DO NOT add any extra C/C fees. As others have suggested they just consider C/C fees as a cost of doing business.
I would have to want something really bad before I would be wiling to pay an additional 3%. Firearms are expensive enough as is + shipping, insurance, and FFL fees, and a 3% sir charge it all adds up. All of us work or have worked to hard for our money not to use it wisely.

[Remllez]

I learned many years ago not to let 3% or a few bucks get in the way of a gun I want! It's a mere pittance when you balance the enjoyment you get from your purchase.
That little extra goes away the first time I pull the trigger.

I don't suffer buyers remorse on my purchases, I know what I want and am familiar with the fair price of most of my purchases. I always have cash to cover what I buy or I don't buy it, simple economics learned during my upbringing.

You work hard for your money!! Let your money bring enjoyment in your life. If a person stresses about spending their money, what's the point in having it? I'm not advocating spending money you don't have or spending money foolishly. A little discipline goes a long way.

[dubya450]

Well spoken Remllez!

[Furncliff]

I'm retired, I've got plenty of time to go to town (25 miles) pick up a copy of paperwork from my FFL, go up the street, visit with the folks on line at the PO and buy a money order and a stamp and mail the whole mess to the seller. I like my cc and I buy a lot on line because I live in the boonies, but it chaps my a** to get charged an addition 3% because...they can.

[tarosean]

Never... Nor any PayPal 3% uplift.

[oneounceload]

but it chaps my a** to get charged an addition 3% because...they can.

They are passing through their cost to them from the CC companies. You would rather them to just bury it in their price? With too many people thinking Bud's is the lowest price out there and comparing everyone else to them, each seller is looking for a way to make his price appear to be the best - and in your case of going and getting a MO from the PO, you are saving that 3%. On a $100 gun, it is nothing - on a $1000 gun - that savings just paid for the FFL fee or the shipping

[larryh1108]

I learned many years ago not to let 3% or a few bucks get in the way of a gun I want! It's a mere pittance when you balance the enjoyment you get from your purchase.
That little extra goes away the first time I pull the trigger.

Very well put.
If you pay 3% of $1000, that's $30. Yes, it's a box or 2 of ammo or a transfer fee. However, you plan on keeping it for 30 or 50 years and put 10,000 or more rounds thru it. That could be $2000-$4000 in ammo alone. Is it worth getting a gun you want for $1 a year more that would be eaten up in ammo cost anyways? Really?

Some people won't buy something unless they "steal" it. They find haggling fun and part of the buying process. They'll walk away from a good deal just because the guy won't take another $10 off or throw something in free. I do get trying to save a buck but I don't get being a jerk about it. Don't they realize that the seller will get what he wants from someone else if it's priced properly and is in good shape for the price? I've worked many gun shows and some guys walk up and offer you a ridiculous price for a gun and then become jerks when you say no and hopes you get stuck with it and take his offer later. I'd rather take it home then sell it to the jerk. Some guys do it just because, not because they are short on cash. If the 3% is gonna break you, then pass on it. If it's principle then you may lose out on a good gun at a good price.