Do you haggle with gun stores?

On new guns, not really. Some LGS will jack the price up because they expect to be haggled, and I'll ask them if they can do any better. I either pay it, or hand it back to them.

Used, or consignment, maybe. If it seems high, I make an offer. If its fair, I don't bother with an offer, and pay the marked price.

When I'm selling, I expect hagglers, and automatically add $50 to the price I want. They usually offer $50 less, or ask if I can do better, and I quote $50 less.

I don't do the back and forth game either. I ask for a best price or offer what I'm willing to pay, then I either pay or walk away.

DeepSouth, that is better than I could sum it up. I'm understanding how different people feel about this subject.

I will now view those that feel differently as not being confrontational, just different, and I bet it will go better. The worst I can do is say "No". It will be easier, but still uncomfortable for me, 'cause I don't like haggling.

I try to leave a little room in the price of new guns for negotiations, although I don't have much wiggle room. Used guns..........lets argue a while and se where we end up I love to dicker.

I really only hit 2 local shops now. One I actually go out of my way to try and buy from because I like the guy who runs it...old school cat who likes to talk...and the other because they have much lower prices. Both know me well and there's not much dickering about price. I don't have to ask, if I ask to see something they go ahead and shoot me a number below what's on the tag. I send people to both shops a lot, and they keep ending up with my business card in their shop with their address and phone number on the back. The cheaper shop I buy new, the other shop is where the used guns typically are of slightly better quality as he also does consignment.

I try, but given past results, I'm not very good at it....

At the two local gun stores I have bought all but one firearm new. I check my phone to make sure I am not getting reamed then make an on the spot decision to buy or not. The one used one I bought was an at the time hard to find Ruger Redhawk. I paid what they were asking and still got a good deal.

I once was looking for a S&W Sigma. My local range had a .40 in their rentals and a used .40 in their used selection. I had called asking for a price on a new 9mm earlier in the day. I was told $350 & was told that the used one was $400. Clerk on the phone said oh that was a pricing mistake. No big deal. I went in shot the .40 in the range and decided I would prefer the 9mm. I go to the store portion of the range and ask if they could order a 9mm. The gruffy manager said he had a .40 in the case and said it was $400. I said the retail is $350 and I want a 9mm. He said "oh, I can do $350 on the used .40." Did I some word written on my forehead that said I'm a fool? I don't like the let's start the price negotiations from the moon.

I went elsewhere and bought my XD9. Never have I ever bought a gun there. He ran that store into trouble with the ATF to the point that they had to sell. Even with new owners I still don't have any intention of giving them my business.

Cee Zee and you ended up with the Sig P220 a IMHO better choice in a defense handgun.

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Yes I know. I didn't know a thing about Sig handguns at that time. This has been quite a while back. The LGS owner talked me into buying the Sig and I am glad he did. That's one fine pistol.

Steelhorse, do groceries sit on a shelf for years?

I always ask if they'll take something less, not necessarily a huge difference but enough to sweeten the deal from my perspective. Typically I will say "how about X amount, out the door, already figuring in the tax. Sometimes they take it, sometimes they come back with another price. I believe it never hurts to ask.

New guns? Not really. I shop for the best market deal. The closest I'll come to haggling on a new gun is at the neighborhood LGS where I'll go in and discuss what I'm looking for, what I've found so far, and will ask what they can do for me. Most times they've been able to make me a better offer. A couple times they couldn't. We respect each other enough to handle such potential business transactions in a forthright manner.

Used guns? Used guns are ALWAYS negotiable, whether the seller thinks so or not. If the seller can't/won't make a deal that I'm happy with, then I just pass and let him offer his wares to others. No harm, no foul, just business. I'm only privy to what he tells me, so maybe he can't make me a happy offer without taking a loss. No biggie.

First I shop. Then I check the facts; and, finally, I'll haggle but usually only with the larger dealers. (Doesn't always work; but I have made some nice gun purchases by doing things this way.)

Only on used guns.

My LGS told me with the first gun their prices are competitive and firm. I purchase most of my guns from them and the owner rewards me by ordering guns so I can handle them prior to taking any cash. He has also taken magazines out of NIB guns to make extras available to me, later re-ordering to complete the gun package.

That type of service comes at a price.

No. Haggling is a practice I absolutely despise. I mean really loathe above all other things. The prices being listed exactly is a primary reason i prefer buying guns online.

SwiftAK: The fact that something has a short shelf life should make the price more negotiable. I don't think hardware has a "sell by" date stamped on them. Good thing because I think most of my guns would be expired.

The Exile said:

Do you haggle with gun stores?

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NIB guns, no ... used, I will usually spend, at least, a little bit of effort to see if I can get the price down if I am interested in an item and I think that the asking price is on the high side.

Any time I spend "my money" I always try to negotiate. Doesn`t always work but if you don`t try you could be leaving money on the table.

Some folks don`t have the stones to "haggle." Just the way it is.....

Personally, I hate to haggle.

Personally, I hate to haggle.

At big box stores it's moot,,,
The prices are set and they don't negotiate.

At any locally owned gun store,,,
I'll often ask if this is the best price they can offer.

If they can come down I will consider buying the gun,,,
But I don't counter the offer to find the middle.

Asking for their best price is as far as I will go.

The Evil Pawn Shop Guy and I have a good working agreement,,,
When I see something on the rack that interests me,,,
I just ask "What's your best out-the-door price?".

He always lowers it somewhat because I am a steady customer,,,
If his offer is still higher than I want to pay for it,,,
I thank him for the offer and politely decline.

I know haggling is the way to go,,,
But I hate doing it even on the leather goods I make.

People look at my holsters and always make me a lowball offer,,,
I simply smile and reply that my prices are firmly set.

I might give them something free as a deal sweetener,,,
But I never (absolutely never) lower my prices.

Lower your price one time and people will expect it every time,,,
I don't exaggerate my prices to allow "haggling" room.

I was at a small gun show recently,,,
One dealer had extremely high prices on his handguns.

He saw me looking at a clean Model 19,,,
The price tag was way higher than what I would pay.

When he saw me look at it and put it down,,,
He said "Make me an offer on that gun."

My reply caught him off guard I guess,,,
I smiled and politely (I hope) asked him for his best price.

He kept saying "make an offer.",,,
In 5 minutes of conversation I never got him to state his best price.

I realize it's the way of the world,,,
But I truly dislike the back and forth of haggling.

Just name your best price,,,
If I am comfy with it,,,
I'll buy the gun.

Aarond

.

Some pawn shops I can haggle (and do) with. Others have such bonzo prices it's pointless to even try.

Deaf

No. Haggling is a practice I absolutely despise. I mean really loathe above all other things. The prices being listed exactly is a primary reason i prefer buying guns online.

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I don’t particularly like haggling either but I’ll do it. What I've been doing is going to the local dealers and offering them the price I can get it on line which includes shipping and FFL fees. If they can’t come down to near it I leave. I've always supported local businesses but not to the point where I’ll pay $50 or more for an item which is easily bought on line for that much less. I do try to avoid used on line because often the deal isn't as sweet as it seemed unless it’s an old beater I intend on restoring for my own use. I will admit I've gotten some great used deals online but some of the others weren't so sweet. At least in a gun shop you pretty much know what you've got in your hand when handling a used firearm.

I tried haggling once. Drooling all over the gun was a dead giveaway that I was not going to walk away without the gun.

Woody

Yes and no. If the price is one I'm willing to pay for what I want, I don't generally spend much time trying to haggle. I might ask if that is their best price, sometimes it saves me a few bucks and sometimes it doesn't.

The only place I always try to haggle a bit is at a pawnshop. I'm sure that haggling is built right into their business model......

Lol, today, I haggle my LGS into giving me 2 bricks of .22 instead of one... So i haggled them into letting me spend more money.

Rarely. My brother and friends have worked in the industry. The margins are very slim on firearms. The places I frequent will do things such as install the new scope on the new rifle for free. Other times they've let me use the attached range for free. Used and consignment firearms have better margins and they might have a bit more wiggle room there.

Different cultures have different attitudes toward haggling.
Some abhor it and some couldn't live without it.
Either way, it shouldn't be a cause for animosity or even lost business.
It's just another way to buy and sell.
It's kind of funny that folks will complain about the prices of things, but rarely about services.
We'll get all bent out of shape if the gun store or car dealer won't come down in price, but rarely, if ever, if the gunsmith or auto repair doesn't.