Should I be mad?

[wow6599]

I recently switched FFLs because the guy I have used for years started getting "whiny" about me always ordering from the internet instead of him, but he is always, at minimum, $50 higher (usually more) than I can find on the net - plus no sales tax. My new FFL does transfers for $15 ($25 with my old guy) but acts like he is doing me a favor. A couple of weeks ago I had a BHP shipped to him and he had it a few days before I got it from him, he even stood me up last time and didn't even care to apologize - I used my lunch break and he wasn't home.

He is listed on every dealers site I have used, and he is listed as a business with Monday through Saturday hours of 9-5 and Sunday by appointment.
Fast forward to right now.......I know for a fact he has my "item", but he hasn't contacted me. We talked about the fact that it would be delivered to him by 10:00 am this morning. I won't call for a few days, just to see what takes place.

To me this is an example of somebody who pretends to have a business so he can have a FFL..........this is the last transfer this moron gets. I will go back to using my old FFL until I figure out a way to get my own.

Thoughts?

 

[Old Fuff]

I will go back to using my old FFL until I figure out a way to get my own.

Be careful what you wish for, 'cuz you might get it. Hint: An FFL is not as easy to get as you might think, and if you do you become raw meat for the BATF&E. They don't issue them to someone who isn't "in the business," and wants a license to buy personal firearms.

Both of your local dealers are in a rough business, and trying to make money while compeating with the big-box stores and the Internet. Before you get too mad consider where you might be if both local retailers went into some other line of work, and you were told to go pound sand when you tried to get your own license.

 

[THE DARK KNIGHT]

Honestly if the guy is only $50 more than internet I'd just buy from him. By the time you add in shipping and transfer fees, the difference in price is likely very minuscule and not worth the hassle. That's probably why he's pissed at you. I can see if you lived where I do and the shops are $100-200 more than the internet. But it's pretty lame to make a local business take a hit so you can save like $12. Especially when the big box stores are killing them badly enough as is.

 

[wow6599]

They don't issue them to someone who isn't "in the business,"

That's my point..........doesn't return email, phone calls, business hours are nothing but BS, etc.

For the record, I want a FFL to help me start a business.

 

[wow6599]

Honestly if the guy is only $50 more than internet I'd just buy from him. By the time you add in shipping and transfer fees, compared to sales tax, the difference in price is likely very minuscule and not worth the hassle. That's probably why he's pissed at you. I can see if you lived where I do and the shops are $100-200 more than the internet. But it's pretty lame to make a local business take a hit so you can save like $12. Especially when the big box stores are killing them badly enough as is.

I said at minimum $50 more. Most guns I buy are over $600, so take the minimum $50 over (and it is usually more) and add sales tax of 7.675%, and you are not talking about $12.

I guess I'm just going to be in the minority here........someone offers a service, I pay them for said service, and I should be treated how?

 

[kingpin008]

If he's open for business from 9-5 and you know he got your gun in at around 10:00, why didn't you call him?

I get where you're coming from, but if you know the guy is a crank, why not make plans to collect your gear from him as early as possible and be done with him until the next time?

 

[crm7290]

Couldn't the op start a business that runs out of his home that only deals with online transfers as his business? That way he can get all the guns he wants and do a service to the ones around him.

Sure it might undercut the other gun shops but if he had a large safe and an LLC or something like that he could most likely do it.

 

[Davek1977]

That depends on a variety of things.....zoning regulations being only but one of them. The BATFE made a concerted effort to cut down the number of "kitchen table" FFLs years ago, and now, without clearly being in the business of buying and selling guns, while being in an area appropriately zoned for such business, an ffl isn't nearly so easy to acquire. The days of every "gun nut" who wants to get his firearms just a bit cheaper going the FFl route are largely over, and more stringent requirements need to be met

 

[Frank Ettin]

....My new FFL does transfers for $15 ($25 with my old guy) but acts like he is doing me a favor....

Sounds sort of like he is doing you a favor. He's getting $15 ($10 less than the other guy) for the paperwork and record keeping that goes with receiving a gun and doing a transfer in accordance with federal law. You're barely contributing to his overhead, if at all, let alone allowing him some profit for his time and effort.

 

[Gato Montés]

Well, he's not really doing him a special favor. It's not up to the OP what he charges for the service, whether it be too little or too much.

Anyway to the OP, my situation around here is very much the same. Now I do have a good transfer guy who is prompt and an all round nice dude, but for everything else like shooting ranges and some such I have to play ball with the cretins. I'm a nice guy who is very personable with everyone I deal with, but some personalities are beyond ridiculous. Sometimes I feel like I'm dealing with a drug dealer or a prostitute with some of these transactions. You just have to suck it up and factor it in to the overall cost of what your buying.

 

[12131]

If I have proof (by tracking #) of the gun already delivered, I just go directly to my FFL during business hours and get it.
I don't know why you are sitting and waiting a few days before calling him, and complaining (while you're waiting), when you could just go get the gun and be done with it. I just don't get it.

 

[fallout mike]

There really isn't that much involved to getting an FFL. You do have to have a name for your business, you go down to the PD and talk to the chief, I happened to personally know mine so no biggie, you then get a sign put in your yard saying that your property is being considered for conditional use involving firearms so that your neighbours can complain if they so choose, no one did for me. The sign stays a couple weeks. You are pretty much home free after that. You are only required to sell at least 3 guns a year to maintain your license.

 

[Lex Luthier]

Being cheap at everything gets you nowhere.

I have always been amazed at my friends who are willing to tolerate an inordinate amount of bs to save a few shekels, when they could be relaxing a bit, developing a friendship with someone who not only shares their hobby interest, but is in the perfect position to them with it. This type of self-imposed aggravation is not worth it in the long run. Just my .02.

 

[kwelz]

but acts like he is doing me a favor.

He is doing you a favor.

 

[wow6599]

If he's open for business from 9-5 and you know he got your gun in at around 10:00, why didn't you call him?

I said in post #4 that the advertised hours were nothing but BS.......the guy has a "9-5" job in a completely different industry.

Sounds sort of like he is doing you a favor. He's getting $15 ($10 less than the other guy) for the paperwork and record keeping that goes with receiving a gun and doing a transfer in accordance with federal law. You're barely contributing to his overhead, if at all, let alone allowing him some profit for his time and effort.

I didn't ask for any favors, just him to do what he advertises and I will pay him what he charges.

If I have proof (by tracking #) of the gun already delivered, I just go directly to my FFL during business hours and get it.
I don't know why you are sitting and waiting a few days before calling him, and complaining (while you're waiting), when you could just go get the gun and be done with it. I just don't get it.

Again, he is not there.........he is at work, and by work I mean his real job.

Being cheap at everything gets you nowhere.

Saving a hundred or more dollars is being cheap? Wish I had your money Lex.

He is doing you a favor.

How? If he cuts my lawn and I give him $15, because that's what he charges, is he doing me a favor or a job for me? The amount of $ is irrelevant, he set his price and I pay it.

 

[BikerRN]

I shop via the internet often.

With that said I used to use one local dealer and would offer them the chance to meet the selling price of what I found online. If they could do that I'd pay the tax on what I bought. I've found that paying shipping and transfer fees comes close to what the taxes would be.

Since that dealer is no longer in business, due to unrelated issues, I have yet to find a dealer local dealer I like well enough to pay more than what shipping and transfer fees would cost me and have returned to internet purchasing of both new and used firearms. I've found a dealer that is very reasonable on their transfer fee and that's all I use them for.

As for being mad, I can't determine that for you. It is up to you to decide if you want to allow someone else to have that much power over you.

BikerRN

 

[kwelz]

Many FFLs won't do transfers. Especially if it is an item that they carry or can easily order.

I agree that the often large disparity between local shop and internet shop can be an issue, you have to understand that they are in business to make money. My closest dealer (which I used to work at) Is obscenely high on some things. 650+ for an M&P9 that should be $475 or so, etc.

Because of this I am very careful on what I purchase in there. I sometimes get transfers in but usually try to find another FFL that can order what I need.

The firearms industry is fighting tooth and nail against modern sales. It is one of the few major industries that still uses a 3 tiered distribution system. And many dealers are stuck working with distributors instead of the manufactures directly. So you often get double or even triple markups before the gun gets to you.

 

[crracer_712]

Well, IMHO, if the guy wants to offer to do online transfers, no matter how he sets he pay scale, he should do it, and do it in a friendly business manner. If he doesn't like people buying from the internet and using him as a FFL, then he needs to stop offering that service.

I live in a relatively small town and found 4 FFL's, there are no gun shops here, I was surprised to find these people in this town. One is a bank owner, hard to get ahold of and I am sure he has it for his own personal gain and that of his employees. Another has a pawn shop and is only there 2 days a week. The other two are doing it out of their house, one of which is an elderly couple and didn't give me the impression they'd be too up on things. The last one is a gunsmith of some sorts, doesn't stock guns and told me over the phone he doesn't care if people buy from him or online. He said online is generally cheaper especially if you have patience and he charges 20 bucks for the transfer.

I'm not looking for a new best friend, but I do want to feel as though I'm being treated as a human being. I'm not looking for favors, just looking for someone that does what they say they will do.

 

[crracer_712]

Having said that, I have yet to do an online buy, gunshows are nearly a weekly event around here (within a two hour drive in any direction), and that is where I've been buying my guns because the selection and prices have been awesome.

 

[joed]

Last year I learned a valuable lesson on doing business with licensed FFL's. Before you worry about price pick one that actually has a store front. Cheap isn't always a bargain.

I sold a S&W Model 24-3 to someone on the internet. Unfortunately the buyer wanted a 40 year old revolver that just left the factory and kept trying to beat me down on price. So it came down to him returning the gun. At this time the FFL holder went into the hospital for an operation. It took me 4 weeks to get that gun from him.

 

[JoeMal]

Sounds like an FFL in my area. Advertises his ours are from 9-5 but he won't answer his phone til around 11...and sometimes that's even pushing it.

 

[kingpin008]

I said in post #4 that the advertised hours were nothing but BS.......the guy has a "9-5" job in a completely different industry.

So, you know he's already got a FT job. Having a FT job probably means he's pretty busy. Which means that he probably doesn't have a whole lot of time to sit by the phone and call customers the instant their gun arrives at his door.

Which leads me again to wonder why you didn't anticipate this (since you know his FFL is a on-the-side thing) and take steps to work out a pickup that suits you ahead of time. And, as others have mentioned, he's cutting you a $10 break over your other guy. Sometimes saving a little money costs you a little time. Them's the breaks.

Bottom line, you asked us if we thought that you should be mad. The answer seems to be "no".

 

[Usmc-1]

The key is price , if the local ffl is within 50 bucks , hell , buy from him , your gonna pay shipping and transfer fees anyway that may amount to more than 50 bucks , and yes FFL are in business , I had one years the atf will scrutinize even if you have one sale, you think they cant come into your home at 3 am to check your records? Trust they have the power and the inspectors (who arent law enforcement are jerks) and will do it , it happened to me, and I was a cop at the time, they didnt care and I hadnt sold a gun in 3 months ,I never sold to anyone who wasnt leo!

these guys are in business and if he's a guy in his house its still a business , you might find something cheap online , but for the sake of good business let him buy you something , you might find he can get it cheaper and you wont pay the extra fees , plus this guy wont ever spurn you again! It does get annoying im sure when all you get is transfer fees , your records still show sales on that item

 

[Justin]

He is doing you a favor.

Not if he's taking my money.

 

[wow6599]

So, you know he's already got a FT job. Having a FT job probably means he's pretty busy. Which means that he probably doesn't have a whole lot of time to sit by the phone and call customers the instant their gun arrives at his door.

Then he shouldn't advertise this "firearm business" like it's a local shop, which he does. Why not advertise your business as "by appointment only"?
He could have me come by and get the gun at ANY time he chooses, just give me the courtesy of a phone call.........and don't hide from me.

Once this is over with, I will post a link to his site and you can all judge for yourselves. Nothing but a facade to make side money, which is fine by me if you tell me going in to it that you will most likely be jerking me around, not returning calls, ignoring emails and being just an arrogant..............