MagnumDweeb
Member
My friend's dad needed to sell his Winchester 94AE, FEG BHP clone 9mm, which I gave him four hundred four, the shops he was taking them were only offering $300. Not great guns or guns I particularly wanted but they are pristine and it was too good a deal to pass up, plus i can always sell them over gunbroker if I feel the need, his dad needed the cash right now to make a payment on a three month late mortgage payment.
We took them to a pawnshop where he knew a guy that has an FFL to do a transfer (our thee was five bucks per gun for the transfer and five bucks per background check) (he still got a better price with me than his 'buddy' believe it or not). While we were going through the motions my friend's Dad tells the pawnshop owner all about how I'm an NRA certified Pistol Instructor and whatnot and how I know all about guns and such. Well the guy and I get to talking and it turns out he wants to open a gun shop in the 2nd week of March. Just from talking to the guy, he is very sales motivated, but just plain ignorant when it comes to guns. I'm as a green as a greenhorn comes (been shooting since I was thirteen and learning about guns since) when it comes to being an 'expert' but this guy literally threw out the 'man you're speaking Greek to me'.
He's in contact with Sig directly to be a distributor as he says, he doesn't like the idea of dealing with wholesalers(which is a necessary evil in many regards as I see it), and only wants to sell "High End". Now admittedly he has the okay to set up a little twenty yard two lane range in ship shop (the space is actually rather large from the outside), so I can do the courses no problem so people can apply for their concealed carry permits, and as such he wants to talk business the first week of March (I explained to him how I could get twenty students from my lawschool who'd want to take the class, as they are asking when I can do the course with them).
Well it's great he wants to sell "High End" but not all folks can afford high end (that's another conversation). But not to get too focused on the guns themselves I tried explaining AR and AK kits to him and about getting FFL okay receivers. A lot of folks are looking for kits and to not get screwed on the prices. An AR kit that isn't anything fancy but refinished can be got for $470 after shipping(don't ask how I know), and lower receivers that are reliable quality can be had for $129.99 at a shop(the stag arms lower I just purchased). A shop could sell the two item unassembled for $750 and make a respectable profit, now admittedly that's retail prices so wholesale prices should offer a better profit margin and better potential for cheaper pricing (where right price meets right demand, a lot of money can be made).
Then there is reloading, ammo has gotten expensive and reloading is becoming a favorite new hobby for a lot folks(I'm amongst the guilty late to the scene guys), and while there is a seeming shortage, shops buying in bulk can lock down large supplies, and sell numerous quanitties over gunbroker, not to mention in the shop. If a shop sells reloading supplies and keeps it's prices on materials in slightly better ranges than the local competition, it could make a respectable profit turning on high volume of sales. And let's be real, a shop that gives that "let's stick it to those greedy fat cat price gouging shops" could earn a loyal repetitive customer base under the right conditions. Where right price meets "good" people, you can do a lot with that profit wise. Plus I'm finding reloading not to be that difficult with a recent new buddy of mine's equipment (waiting on mine to arrive). After loading a few thousand rounds that don't blow up in a bad way, if insurance and release waivers should allow, "Reloading Courses" could be taught in a shop to better hedge the sale of reloading components. Better to sell a whole lot of components than only a few boxes of ammo each week.
A shop that sells kits, lowers, reloading equipment and supplies, offers courses that can teach people to reload, offers courses that people can use to get their CWPs, and does it with true competitive pricing, stands to do quite well I would figure.
I don't know if this guy will actually hire me, he seemed impressed by what I knew, and was surprised by my beliefs about doing right by the customer will see in return the customer doing right by you... but if he does, I want to exercise my healthy influence in a way that is both profitable for him and endearing to the local firearms enthusiast community. What else besides guns could the shop offer, that I haven't mentioned? This is a chance to see an upstart do well by not only himself but by us as well.
We took them to a pawnshop where he knew a guy that has an FFL to do a transfer (our thee was five bucks per gun for the transfer and five bucks per background check) (he still got a better price with me than his 'buddy' believe it or not). While we were going through the motions my friend's Dad tells the pawnshop owner all about how I'm an NRA certified Pistol Instructor and whatnot and how I know all about guns and such. Well the guy and I get to talking and it turns out he wants to open a gun shop in the 2nd week of March. Just from talking to the guy, he is very sales motivated, but just plain ignorant when it comes to guns. I'm as a green as a greenhorn comes (been shooting since I was thirteen and learning about guns since) when it comes to being an 'expert' but this guy literally threw out the 'man you're speaking Greek to me'.
He's in contact with Sig directly to be a distributor as he says, he doesn't like the idea of dealing with wholesalers(which is a necessary evil in many regards as I see it), and only wants to sell "High End". Now admittedly he has the okay to set up a little twenty yard two lane range in ship shop (the space is actually rather large from the outside), so I can do the courses no problem so people can apply for their concealed carry permits, and as such he wants to talk business the first week of March (I explained to him how I could get twenty students from my lawschool who'd want to take the class, as they are asking when I can do the course with them).
Well it's great he wants to sell "High End" but not all folks can afford high end (that's another conversation). But not to get too focused on the guns themselves I tried explaining AR and AK kits to him and about getting FFL okay receivers. A lot of folks are looking for kits and to not get screwed on the prices. An AR kit that isn't anything fancy but refinished can be got for $470 after shipping(don't ask how I know), and lower receivers that are reliable quality can be had for $129.99 at a shop(the stag arms lower I just purchased). A shop could sell the two item unassembled for $750 and make a respectable profit, now admittedly that's retail prices so wholesale prices should offer a better profit margin and better potential for cheaper pricing (where right price meets right demand, a lot of money can be made).
Then there is reloading, ammo has gotten expensive and reloading is becoming a favorite new hobby for a lot folks(I'm amongst the guilty late to the scene guys), and while there is a seeming shortage, shops buying in bulk can lock down large supplies, and sell numerous quanitties over gunbroker, not to mention in the shop. If a shop sells reloading supplies and keeps it's prices on materials in slightly better ranges than the local competition, it could make a respectable profit turning on high volume of sales. And let's be real, a shop that gives that "let's stick it to those greedy fat cat price gouging shops" could earn a loyal repetitive customer base under the right conditions. Where right price meets "good" people, you can do a lot with that profit wise. Plus I'm finding reloading not to be that difficult with a recent new buddy of mine's equipment (waiting on mine to arrive). After loading a few thousand rounds that don't blow up in a bad way, if insurance and release waivers should allow, "Reloading Courses" could be taught in a shop to better hedge the sale of reloading components. Better to sell a whole lot of components than only a few boxes of ammo each week.
A shop that sells kits, lowers, reloading equipment and supplies, offers courses that can teach people to reload, offers courses that people can use to get their CWPs, and does it with true competitive pricing, stands to do quite well I would figure.
I don't know if this guy will actually hire me, he seemed impressed by what I knew, and was surprised by my beliefs about doing right by the customer will see in return the customer doing right by you... but if he does, I want to exercise my healthy influence in a way that is both profitable for him and endearing to the local firearms enthusiast community. What else besides guns could the shop offer, that I haven't mentioned? This is a chance to see an upstart do well by not only himself but by us as well.
