Courtesy/Guilt of buying from the local store vs. online

Sure:
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=560043&highlight=Bud%27s+online

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=543188&highlight=Bud%27s+online

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=536987&highlight=Bud%27s+online

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=507062&highlight=Bud%27s+online

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=496423&highlight=Bud%27s+online
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=493406&highlight=Bud%27s+online
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=494723&highlight=Bud%27s+online
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=493535&highlight=Bud%27s+online
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=476115&highlight=Bud%27s+online

That ought to be enough. And that is just the first two pages of search. So yet another thread on "local gunshops rip people off/I buy online to save $10/I pay extra at my local shop because..."

The short answer is no, I don't feel bad about ordering off the internet if the price is substantially lower. I have a local dealer that I have a good relationship with and I'll usually do my homework and then give him a call and see if he can come close to the internet prices. If he get's close, then I just go through him. Usually by the time you add the shipping costs and FFL transfer fees, he's always in the ballpark. If he can't do it, then he'll make a little off the transfer and since he doesn't stock guns, his overhead doesn't take a hit.

The one thing I won't do is go lookie loo at a LGS and waste someone's time. If I just want a quick look at something I can hit one of the big sports retailers.

I have a place I go to, I asked about a gun, they said, wait one, called their disturber, asked, turned to me, said this is my price, I'll give it to you at plus fifty, I countered, ended up at plus 40, and still beat the hell out of MSRP, it was less than I could have bought a used one after paying for transfer and shipping.
OH and I had the pistol in my hand 3 days later...

so yeah, it helps to find a good place.

I think there a difference in supporting a local store that has reasonable prices vs getting ripped off. If the latter is happening you should shop where you feel good about the situation(less ripped off). I know Gander MTN is not a mom and pop but they are here locally and there prices are hard to swallow. Using them as an FFL dealer for transfer they want $75 and if you buy a gun and scope there they charge $30 to put the scope on. I won't do business with them because of those prices.

Bubba613 said:

How many threads has there been on this topic or related?

I frequently beat Bud's prices head to head. The difference comes in a state with 9.25% sales tax and people look at "out the door" prices, without realizing they have to pay a "use" tax on their out of state purchase, which is rarely enforced. So in my mind people here buy from Bud's so they can jack the state out of their sales tax. For that reason I won't do transfers from Bud's and generally won't do it if the sole purpose is to save a couple of dollars.

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Interesting. I hope there are no state "revenuers" lurking, but a great place to start a consumer use tax audit would be at your local FFL/gun shop. There'll be an unbelievable paper trail, and the state auditor wouldn't need to involve out-of-state retailers. Ouch.

Note to self: Pay use tax on firearms purchased by mail from out-of-state.

You obviously haven't done a search as Bud's comes up once a week................but if all you are interested in is the immediate low dollar, keep going on thinking like you do

I live about 70 miles from Bud's, so that's always an option as there is never a transfer fee.

I make every effort to buy locally. I inform my local dealer that I'm gonna buy this particular gun today. I can buy it from him, which would be my preference, or I can drive up to Bud's and buy it there. I let him know that I'm aware that I'm out some gas money and time if I have to drive up there.

My last purchase, a stainless Taurus PT-1911, I bought locally. Bud's had 'em for $606.00 and my local dealer could get me one in a cuppla days for $649.00, so I bought from him.

I don't mind paying a little bit extra to buy locally and support my community businessmen.

If your local shop knows that you have the money in your pocket and are definitely gonna spend it soon, they'll do their best to make a deal with you.

Ammo is different altogether. My local shop can't even buy ammo for what Walmart sells it for. As much as I despise making the trip, I generally buy ammo from Walmart.

Each store is it's own, but the one I work for we do our best. Some things we can beat some we can't. It is all about volume but if you buy a gun from us and it breaks even you shooting too hot of a load through it and the man. warranty is out we take care of you.

I will spend $100 more local as I know who I can talk to, their name is on the receipt, you can't always do that online. I have ordered online too though, but my boss will generally sell any gun for $50 over his cost to get the sell and have you come back.

my regular customers will call and ask me to match a price they see online. Almost always i can match it or get really close. If i can't my gratitude is expressed for giving me the chance to make the sale. Without local ffl's to do transfers there can be no online gun sales and most buyers understand that. There is no guilt if you give your local ffl the chance to match price, and as a bonus he might stay in business to help you again in the future

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+10000000000000000

Nope, don't feel any guilt.

Been around for awhile, have taken one hell of a jacking around from

retailers in the past. If my FFL can't match it or come close, I just ship it to him

and pay the fees, and have done with it.

I recall a lot of my friends buying those cheaper foreign made goods. The funny thing was they also wanted raises, more money, so they could buy even more of those foreign made goods. Today many of them are out of work. The job is no longer in this country. I mostly see foreign made goods in most retail outlets.

This cycle bothers me mostly in products where I depend upon service and information. I rely a lot on my chosen gunsmith. Kinda like my chosen auto mechanic. I depend upon him to fix the problems, trust him to be honest, responsible and reliable, and to also have sound information. I'd like to keep it that way, so I buy from my local gunsmith's shop, even if I can get a better 'Deal' on the net, or at a 'Big gun store'. I prefer to get reliable service from a guy who charges a few bucks more.

I figure I am in the minority, so he will one day go the way of the service station. However I will continue to support him with my business as long as his shop is open.

I have several larger gun stores (Gander Mountain, Academy, Carter's Country) nearby. Gander Mountain's prices are fairly awful, Academy's are good but their selection is generally rather poor and the process of buying a firearm from them is ridiculous (make selection, fill out form, pass NICS, hand over credit card, wait for manager to come do whatever it is they do that takes so much time, and then the employee escorts you out of the store before handing you your purchase). Carter's has a better selection, but their help is not all that helpful - they've got better things to do with their time, so I have better things to do with my money. Plus, Carter's is in trouble with the feds over straw purchases anyway.

And then there's Jim Pruitt's Guns & Ammo. It was a small shop in a run-down shopping center no too far from where I live. Great people, friendly service and people who know what they're talking about. I said "was" because they recently moved to a nicer location.

I know "buy cheap, sell high" is the all-American way, but sometimes the purchase is more than the item itself. "He who buys on price alone gets what he pays for." I'll dicker but I'd rather pay Jim's price and have him be there the next time. Yes, I think Bud's is a great resource and have no problem buying from Bud's when it's something not in stock locally (trying to find a Smith & Wesson revolver that isn't a snubnose, .44 Magnum or .500 is a real pain in Houston) but otherwise I'd rather spend my money with a good businessman who earns it.

I have no obligation to pay more for an item than the best price I can find. People who haggle and shop for the best prices benefit us all, because they force prices down. People who willingly pay more simply encourage overcharging.

I have no obligation to pay more for an item than the best price I can find. People who haggle and shop for the best prices benefit us all, because they force prices down. People who willingly pay more simply encourage overcharging.

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Amen brother.

As to beating my state out of it's sales tax. It's MY MONEY! I EARNED IT! No governmental agency has any right to it if I can keep it legally by purchasing out of state. And of no moral right to it even if they can take it legally given how stupidly the use it on 'my' behalf. However, I usually find that on most items that shipping = sales tax more or less, and it becomes a moot point. Of course that's my state, yours may be different.

Years ago, my brother had a hardware store. His wholesale price was higher than Wal-Mart's retail prices. He finally sold the store because he couldn't compete. Wal-Mart and others can do this by eliminating the middle men (suppliers). Wal-Mart can also negotiate lower prices and better service from manufacturers. All the small hardware stores where I grew up are gone. When was the last time you saw a Western Auto?

..if the price is lower than the maximum the buyer is prepared to pay and higher than the minimum the seller is prepared to accept then a sale will take place..

I'm a believer in capitalism. It's your money, but personally i try to find the cheapest price for the best product I can.

Local store FFL's make good money in New Jersey on transfers.
I do not buy new guns and the local stores do not have a wide selection of used guns at reasonable prices.

Local store FFL's make good money in New Jersey on transfers.

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Exactly. I figure the $25-30 a local store charges for a transfer to be giving them enough of my money for doing a bit of paperwork and signing for a UPS package.

Exactly. I figure the $25-30 a local store charges for a transfer to be giving them enough of my money for doing a bit of paperwork and signing for a UPS package.

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Oh were it so easy.
I figure it actually takes about an hour to do a transfer, between faxing the FFL, accepting the delivery (and waiting at the post office if you missed the mail that day), unwrapping it, logging it, calling the customer, doing the 4473, taking out the several pounds of mummy wrapping, and logging the gun out. Of course if you screwed up on any of that your license is forfeit, not to mention the liability of having the gun in the store while the customer finds time to come get it (i've waited 3 weeks in some cases).
Figure that an average store will have minimally an overhead of about $1500/month. That's just to open the door every morning. So at $25 a transfer he'll have to do 60 a month just to break even on his overhead.
With those numbers I'd say screw it and find something else to do.

I have a local store I buy most of my guns from. They tend to have the best prices in the area. I don't feel any guilt asking them for a transfer of a used item. But if it's new, something they can order, I have to admit I go to a differrent shop so I don't offend the owner. Maybe I shouldn't feel that way, but I do. If their price is close, I'll go with them, however.

CDNN was having a weekend sale on Walther P99c's a week ago. $450! I placed my order and had it shipped to a shop where I would never buy anything new because of his high prices. He also doesn't have a problem doing transfers because it's slow and he'll take what business he can get. Heck I even bought a box of his overpriced 9mm at $16.00.

Interesting that he asked me if the Walther P99c was used. When I told him no he asked how I could buy a new gun for $50 less than he could! Apparently his cost on a new P99c is $500.

As an independent FFL, I -know- I can't compete with someplace like Buds on any NEW gun under $500 or so, if for no other reason than I have to charge 7% sales tax. That alone puts me over their price, even if I sell at my cost. (see how long you stay in business doing that!)

Hence ... I don't do that many "new" guns ... only on special order. Then my price is my cost +10%. Still, not a great income source once you factor in the fixed cost and taxes (ya, that 10% becomes 5% real quick!), but I do it to satisfy my client base when they want something new.

I'm never going to be in a position to order 100 Glocks at a time like Buds, or order a trailer load of Remington 870 Express like a WalMart. Hence, I have to find some other niche to compete in besides price ... and that is "service".

I'm a "service" company. I take your calls/emails all hours of the day and night. I do searches for a particular gun you are looking for, or sell those "safe queens" you no longer want. I get your handguns shipped back to the factory for service via the USPS so it's cheaper for you, and handle your inbound transfers. I'll give you a call when something "interesting" comes in on consignment.

I'd like to think that there will be a place for me in the market. Time will tell.

The guy looking for the lowest possible price all the time will never be my customer. It's simply not possible for me to match that.

But once I'm gone ... lets see him get a transfer done at WalMart.

mgkdrgn, I think you are doing it the smart way vs. trying to keep up an inventory of new guns.

I tried to buy local recently, but I was getting charged 20%+ wholesale. I'm happy to support at 10%, but 20 just felt like a kick to the nuts. This was $1500 rifle, so 20% is a lot at that price range.

To make it worse, he wanted to charge $60 for his transfer fee since I would basically "be screwing him and slapping him in the face" by buying it online when he could get it for me.

I bought it online and paid someone else $20 for the transfer fee.

I'm always wanting/willing to support local businesses and I operate one myself (woodworking), but I also would like to be met halfway. Don't push my hand, because I'll easily go elsewhere.

I'm a proponent of supporting the local businesses, gun or any other. Having said that, I won't pay much more than 5-10% more on a $300 or higher item.