The problem with online Ammo stores / websites

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Aim1

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So, I found the cheapest, regularly priced plinking ammo I could for my .357 mag at a big box store. It happened to be Magtech .38 Special ammo for $16.99 at Fleet Farm. Not a great price but not horrible either. I did find similar ammo at Gander Outdoors on sale for $14.54 if you were a club member. I did pick both of those boxes up even though they were different bullet grains. (My dad always said if you find ammo you use on sale buy a few boxes of it and I never understood what he meant until now.)

A poster on here recommended and online store and they had similar ammo for $13.50! What a bargain! I was gonna buy a few boxes of that until I added them to the cart, went to checkout and was a shipping price of $15!

Now I understand shipping is where a lot of companies make their profits and ammo is heavy so may require extra shipping costs, but we are talking about 2 boxes of ammo here, not that heavy.

With the difference in price I'd have to buy a minimum of 4 boxes just to break even at what the big box store sold.

I'd be better off just picking up 4 boxes of regular priced ammo at the big box store, correct?

I'm also assuming if I bought more of the ammo in bulk like 2 small ammo crates the price of shipping would go up even more because of weight?

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The problem with online Ammo stores / websites is their exorbitant shipping costs ruin their lower product cost savings.

Anyone else find this?
 
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Aim1 said:
So, I found the cheapest, regularly priced plinking ammo I could for my .357 mag at a big box store. It happened to be Magtech .38 Special ammo for $16.99 at Fleet Farm. Not a great price but not horrible either. I did find similar ammo at Gander Outdoors on sale for $14.54 if you were a club member. I did pick both of those boxes up even though they were different bullet grains. (My dad always said if you find ammo you use on sale buy a few boxes of it and I never understood what he meant until now.)

A poster on here recommended and online store and they had similar ammo for $13.50! What a bargain! I was gonna buy a few boxes of that until I added them to the cart, went to checkout and was a shipping price of $15!

Now I understand shipping is where a lot of companies make their profits and ammo is heavy so may require extra shipping costs, but we are talking about 2 boxes of ammo here, not that heavy.

With the difference in price I'd have to buy a minimum of 4 boxes just to break even at what the big box store sold.

I'd be better off just picking up 4 boxes of regular priced ammo at the big box store, correct?

I'm also assuming if I bought more of the ammo in bulk like 2 small ammo crates the price of shipping would go up even more because of weight?

View attachment 901912
View attachment 901918



The problem with online Ammo stores / websites is their shipping ruins their lower product cost.

Anyone else find this?
Click to expand...

Yeah I usually wait until I need a bunch of stuff to place an order. Brownells usually has a deal where if you spend $49 or $50 you get free shipping so I wait until I need at least $50 of stuff and then don't have to worry about shipping. As a side bonus it comes straight to my door and I have the freedom to choose businesses which I care to support based on my values and not necessarily on proximity. For my local small shops I'll peruse them regularly and that's where I make most of my gun purchases.

Weird, but I'm probably more likely to buy something that's $25 and free shipping than something that's $20 with $5 shipping.
 
I keep running into the same issue.

I was just online tonight looking for .308 brass and most places were out of it. Found some that I liked at Midsouth Shooters Supply and it was a couple of bucks cheaper than local. Shipping was $13 for a bag of brass! 50% of the cost of the item for shipping was ridiculous.

I did end up buying a couple of boxes of bullets from Midway that were on sale and paid around $5 for shipping. Guaranteed they weighed more than a bag of 50 brass.
 
Aim1 said:
With the difference in price I'd have to buy a minimum of 4 boxes just to break even at what the big box store sold.
Click to expand...
Oh dear! Four boxes!

Selling a handful at a time is what local retail is good at, because they lower cost by moving 100-500 boxes at a time through their supply chain.

You shouldn't expect to beat them on price until you're moving a similar quantity through your own custom, one-off, bespoke supply chain. . . called UPS.
 
Yes, shipping can kill some online deals. However, I'd suggest looking at bigger buys to help dilute the shipping cost as a part of the purchase. I buy by the case because I can't afford to buy by the box, and it's not uncommon to see free shipping over a certain purchase amount or flat shipping up to a certain amount.
 
The same thing with powder. I see guys who think sometimes its a good deal and they never factor in hazmat fees or shipping fees. Unless you buy a lot some place where they wave the hazmat and shipping fees if you buy over a certain $ amount. Gimmick IMO.
 
I work p/t in the online ammo industry.
We don't set the shipping ! UPS and FEDEX does - we just interface with them for the rate structure.
We don't get any of that money and there rebate limits are so high we rarely get check from them. Big deal 10% on 500,000 , might as well be $1,000,000
Call the carriers to complain
 
As you have seen, buying online usually only works in your favor for large purchases, at least as far as ammo and components are concerned. If all you need is a box or two of ammo, or a pound of powder, or a box (not brick) of primers, you will usually do better by supporting your LGS.
 
Aim1 said:
The problem with online Ammo stores / websites is their exorbitant shipping costs ruin their lower product cost savings.

Anyone else find this?
Click to expand...
You're not looking at the right stores. Before SG closed temporarily to catch up, shipping for 1000 rds. of 9mm was $16, shipping for 2000 was $24. It's not worth it to buy very low quantities of ammo from an online retailer, that's true, but once you get over 250-1000 rds. it quickly becomes lots more worthwhile. I can't remember the last time I bought less than 250 rds at one time anyway.
 
Once you have an awareness of your all-in cost, you do the math for the per unit cost (box, round) and continue to shop. Shipping is part of the all-in cost to the retail customer and should not be an emotional deal breaker - it is just part of the cost number. Your first quote is usually the cost of the product and then you have to pay to move it (the fine print). Just revise your shopping mindset to the all-in cost and your disappointment will go away when you price your ammo.
 
Nope usually wait for a free shipping offer and in good times there are plenty of them with 49 purchase which doesn't take long to reach.
 
Yup..I always compare online plus shipping to local plus tax..and buy whichever. A PLUS,for local(if they have it), you have it right then. Even in best of times, it 'may' take 7-10 days to get your ammo.

I like Cabela's, local, cuz they also have a 5% military discount..essentially no tax. If they have it..not these days tho..
PLUS, online, over $50(I think) free ship.
 
As others have said, I think it all comes down to quantity -- and availability. If you don’t live near a big box store (or if they are out of stock) then online sellers are a good option.

if I’m picking up a box or two, then my LGS is fine...I don’t mind him making a little extra. But when the local price is $4/box (or more) higher than online and I’m buying 1,000 rounds — well, my charity doesn’t necessarily extend to a $90 mark up. So even with $20 in shipping, it’s still a significant savings.

In the end, it all comes down to the math and how much you are willing to pay per round for the convenience of having it delivered to you.
 
Jack B. said:
The same thing with powder. I see guys who think sometimes its a good deal and they never factor in hazmat fees or shipping fees. Unless you buy a lot some place where they wave the hazmat and shipping fees if you buy over a certain $ amount. Gimmick IMO.
Click to expand...
I see that all the time on muzzleloading forums and groups where guys are whining about hazmat fees when they order black powder. In the case of black powder, it isn’t something very many shops carry anymore. Some places lower the hazmat price as the amount purchased goes up until it is free for a case of twenty-five pounds or more. Some places make you buy a minimum amount and factor the hazmat into the price. Some places just charge a flat hazmat no matter how much you buy. But, most folks are going to have to drive at least fifty miles round trip and the vast majority of them will be looking at two to four times that. When you figure your time, gas, and miles added to the vehicle, $25 hazmat to have it brought right to your door is downright cheap.
On the subject, I bought my first ever ammo on line last night, buying 1000 rounds of .223. I was surprised at the low shipping of under ten bucks and no hazmat fee.
 
Many online sellers offer the same shipping if you spend over a certain amount, up to a limit. Often you get bulk discounts also. It’s marketing. IMO they are trying to cater to larger orders. So you might be able to pay the same shipping for 500 rounds as for 100, but get a better price per bullet.

You also have to account for taxes if you buy locally. I load my own practice ammo, but when I want a few hundred rounds of defense hollow points I buy online.

If you’re buying a box or two at a time and not large quantities, you personally might be better off buying from a local store.
 
Well checking the email just now I find I probably shouldn’t post anything until I’ve had at least two cups of coffee.
Shipping was $20.64. I still think that’s pretty good for the weight and having powder and primers involved. Business was Outdoorlimited .com
 
Definitely reloading is a great way to shoot more for the same money (you never really save money just shoot more for the same). But whether its ammo or reloading supplies If you going to order online you got to be willing to buy in volume. If you buying one or two boxes than shipping is going to kill you. Buy it buy the case then between product volume discounts and shear volume the shipping costs become a very small percentage and it makes financial sense. Get a bunch of friends together and buy a couple of cases and you can come out way ahead.
 
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Also to be figured into the equation is sales tax. Some online retailers charge it, some do not, but every brick and mortar does. Don't forget also that there is a "sweet spot" in the shipping curve. If I order one case of .22, the shipping cost is $x.xx. If I go to 2 cases, the cost is NOT 2x $x.xx. Similarly, the third case goes up, but maybe by a larger portion. You need to weigh the cost of that much more ammo vs need, certainly, but I have been known to order 2 cases from an online retailer I use, then order 2 more because I'll shoot it up and 2 different orders of two cases each ships more cheaply than one 4 case order.
 
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