Do you haggle with gun stores?

Make an offer. What's the worst thing they can do? Say no?

Every. Single. Time.


They may hate me for it. But they get a lotta business from me.

I always ask for a discount for cash. I rarely am buying new so the price listed is just a suggestion. I don't really haggle though. If they give me a reasonable price back, I buy it. If not, I move on.

I have watched guys haggle down the price just to haggle and then walk away and swore I would never do that.

We expect people to haggle. We vary our prices on it. But if your a Richard about it than forget it. Our most loyal customers get the best price. Most LGS know who they are.

I don't. If they have a price I don't want to pay, I'll usually go somewhere else.

Too many gun shops around carrying new guns for me to waste my time on the stores that advertise higher prices so they can be haggled down. I don't need the aggravation of dealing with them.

Absolutely.

Every time, every place.

I have passed on a gun due to dealers turning down my offer only to have them accept the same offer three months later.

New Guns - I don't haggle I just look for the best price ahead of time.

Used Guns - Every. Single. Time.

If the price is right, I buy it. I don't just haggle for the heck of it, I haggle with a purpose .

Just my .02,
LeonCarr

Years ago, yes. Now, no. In fact, with very few exceptions, I don't bother with LGS at all these days. Buy online for the market rate, transfer it through a kitchen table FFL, done.

I have, but not as much as I should.

Most people do, and its OK.

Just be advised that most LGS's don't sell at MSRP, and that the mark-up on guns is not the 50-100% that most people seem to believe it is.

Good things to ask for :

-Ammo specials with firearm purchase
-Fee waivers for LE/Military(active and retired)/ Fire-rescue
-Safety course discounts
-Gun cleaning and function check after first time out


Immediately offering 70% of the posted price is a mighty crappy way to start a negotiation- and usually gets you about as far as you'd expect it to.

"well buds guns has it for $xx less"

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Is usually immediately met with "Then buy it from them, and ship it in." Transfers aren't free, and we don't have to keep the inventory on hand.

LeonCarr said:

New Guns - I don't haggle I just look for the best price ahead of time.

Used Guns - Every. Single. Time.

If the price is right, I buy it. I don't just haggle for the heck of it, I haggle with a purpose .

Just my .02,
LeonCarr

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I should Add that I very rarely will but a new gun from an LGS, In fact I rarely buy brand new guns at all.

I tried to haggle with a local gunstore over a Winchester model 12. They wouldn't even consider it. The gun has been sitting in the rack for 5 or 6 years.

On new guns no, on used guns we know what we paid, we know how long it has been hanging around, and cash on the counter usually works out for both of us.

I have "never" bought a gun where I didn't haggle over the price. It's unAmerican.

I will haggle for used gun purchases. Usually my haggling will be something like, "Can you get me out the door for what's on the sticker?"

Usually they can on a used gun.

Also its worth noting that if they just got the used gun they may not be inclined to come off the price very much. On the other hand if it has sat in the store for 6 months they need to move it and may be willing to take less and make room for something they can make money on.

I always try. As soon as the words "Gun Broker" slip from my mouth, they go into defense mode. But it is what it is. When I walk into my LGS with something in mind, I already know what it would cost OTD (out the door) from GB. If they can't touch it, then a seller on Gun broker, UPS, and my local FFL all get a piece of the pie instead.

LGS haggling was successful only occasionally pre- Dec '13. Ever since then, they won't even budge from the sticker price and I've bought almost exclusively on Gun Broker ever since.

Always.

"Can you work with me a little on the price?"

If it's a hot ticket item, they usually say no. I've had a couple people come down 20 bucks or so. I don't buy a lot of used guns from LGS, so I don't know about that.

I do know that in almost every case, the used guns are tagged at basically higher prices than a new one would cost.

Negotiation is an art and when done right makes everyone involved happy.
Conducted in a civilized manner, with some humor, it's fun for all.
Considering all the "tire kickers" that come and go in a gun store, the seller should know it's a serious offer and not just wind blowing.
Fake claims and insults don't help.
Cash or a credit card on the counter does.
There's no reason to ever make anyone mad in the process.
And every attempt is different.
If the store can't meet your price on one, maybe they can on something else.
While it's a hobby and fun and games for most of us, for the folks working in the store it's their living.
Why, some of my best friends.........

One advantage of a good rapport with a gun store, and having them call you good customers, is being in the position of being able to ask, "Is this your best price" and have a reasonable expectation of getting a better price. On more than one occasion, wife and I both have done that and gotten a lower price. But that's a two way street of sorts, mostly you have to pay their price. And we believe that's not a bad situation to be in.

There is intangible value in a good reputation on both side. The lowest price on anything is seldom the best value. But the same can also be said for the highest price. We seldom look for the lowest price; what we look for is highest value ... most bang for the buck. And sometimes, all things considered, that's a gun store's full price.

I always do, and with any store unless I'm get a discount to start with.

It usually saves me some money, plus it gives me a chance to see the attitude of the store I'm dealing with.

The absolute worse that can happen is to say NO, and ask me to leave.

BTW, I worked on that side of the counter most of my life, and the last 20 some years of working it was with my own business.

I wouldn't say "haggle."

I've been going to the same shop regularly for about 20 years -- they've made a ton off my purchases and trades.

Now, on used stuff, I ask "What's the best you can do on this?", and they look up in the book how much they paid the seller, add a little bit of profit, and quote me a figure (always less than the price on the tag -- usually 10-20% less)

On new guns, they usually waive sales taxes for me; sometimes they do a little better than that by a percentage point or so.

it's tough -- I want the shop to stay in business, I want the guys to earn a good living. Plus, it's less hassle than bidding online, cutting a check, paying for shipping, and the transfer fee -- for what? To save $30 or $50? I'd rather put it in some good guy's pocket and build good will.

But if it were a matter of a $75 or $100 or so I'd talk to them about price.