At what point would you not buy locally?

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Sorry, didn't see the comment about LGS versus pawn shop handling the transfer.

It wouldn't be any different if you had not yet bought the gun online, the end result is the same. Online pricing is such a strong bargaining point in your favor that local stores can't answer it and stay in business. So they try to discourage internet sales with a policy that they hope will make it tougher for potential customers to undercut them. I think it is an understandable reaction, if a bit shortsighted on their part. It probably costs them otherwise loyal customers.

Internet sales is a tough predicament for any retailer and maybe worse for local gun stores. All they can really do is cut their own throats on pricing and try to offer personalized service and support to customers.

I have to wonder. Given our recent economic troubles, how many gun shops were pushed over the edge and went out of business due to lost sales to places like Bud's?
 
Hard to wait for your local Scheels to get in a Ruger SR-1911 and have my other go to "local gun shop" by my cabin laugh at me for asking if they have one. Bought online and had to pay a higher FFL fee than I did last time.

First thing the guy said at Scheel's was "We checked to see if you were on our waiting list, can we scratch your name off"?

I do try to as long as the product is available and within reason priced.
 
re: union stores:

Places with union employees can often get undercut by competitors using non-union employees. Union workers are often better paid and have better benefits.

Many people choose to patronize businesses with organized labor over non-union competitors. I know people in the grocery industry that refuse to set foot in a Wal-mart for that reason.

What's this got to do with the original question? Not a darn thing. But I generalized the question and this is yet another differentiator people often use to decide where to spend their money. Guess I should have left well enough alone and just answered the question.

It was just a supporting note; nothing to see here, move along. Back to the OP's question. :D
 
Fact of the matter is customers want the best price, local gun shops won't give that, so they lose the business.

I've seen a local gun shop charge 385 for a keltec pf9! Buds has it 259!

Either do what buds does (sell at a great price, even if it means selling online) or just understand you will lose sales.


I've never bought a gun locally simply because the locals want too much. Why should I pay 575 for the regular m&p when I can go yo buds and find it around 475, plus,25 for ffl

*swyped from the evo so excuse any typos*
 
Oh and don't get me started about the service - or lack thereof.

I walk into gun store wearing a button up shirt and slacks, they walk around me and speak to everyone else in the store but me. Then I ask a question, they like I annoy them.

That REALLY makes me want to spend extra to shop with them...

*swyped from the evo so excuse any typos*
 
I hope this doesn't hijack the thread much, but it does seem relevant:

What type of store do you consider to be a "local" store?

A chain such as Scheels/Sportsman's Warehouse?

Or a mom and pop store?

For me, I don't feel bad about not shopping at Scheels, and there aren't any mom and pop gun stores locally. (There are some kitchen table FFLs though, but most seem to be pretty unprofessional, and I won't do any business with them after past experiences.)
 
Depends on the store.

I just recently found out there is a gun store about 10min from where I live... great right? Well I went in to look one day at lunch, asked them about ordering the most basic model 22/45(about $260)... they didn't have it in stock at the store, so the guy told me to go online to their website and see if it's available.

Go home that night and check, it says "contact retailer."

I call them the next day... they basically told me that it's not available and they can't find one anywhere.

Every other 5.5" 22/45 was the same status(both the basic and the removable grip models).

So I drove up to the other range/store about 35min north of me(the one I have gone to on a regular basis since I got into shooting) and put a $200 deposit on a "10140" model number gun, which will be $330 total, $350 after taxes.

Same gun is on Impact Guns for $310, but not in stock. If it were, I would still buy the gun locally. I'd be paying a $20 transfer fee + shipping anyways.

When comparing online price + transfer fee + shipping vs local store + tax I think I'd gladly pay an extra $30 for sub-$500ish stuff, if it gets to higher priced stuff like near $1000, I'll gladly pay an extra $70ish to help out locals. One side benefit is the dealer that I got my Colt and the waiting-for-me Ruger is that if I ever have any problems with those guns and need to go back to the manufacturer, they will take care of the shipping and send it back for me.

I paid $900 total for my 1991 Commander IIRC, it's $800 online easily, but factor in shipping and a transfer fee and it's about a $60 difference.


If the place I go to didn't have great customer service and generally didn't want to go out of their way to help you(like that first place I described), then I would be much more inclined to buy online and strictly use them for a transfer, otherwise avoiding.

I know that running an FFL isn't easy, but customer service is the one thing they can control and should strive to make customers happy/informed. Happy like smiling and saying hello when you walk in, asking how you like that new gun you just bought, etc. I'll give that one shop near me another chance some time, but frankly the 35min drive is worth it on the weekends to me.
 
Don't forget to add the Use Tax to an out of state purchase. In most (all?) states, its the same rate as the sales tax rate.
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Not sure what a "Use Tax" is. My FFL charges me a flat $20 transfer fee. If your FFL is adding other fees, go elsewhere.
I would like to generalize your question. Do you tend to buy American-made products?
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Yes.
Do you support large, national chains at the expense of locally owned shops?
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No.
Big-box stores versus mom-and-pop shops?
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No.
Internet retailers?
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No.
Do you shop at non-union stores when there are alternatives with union employees?
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YES, F'in ABSOLUTELY.
 
I give the LGS the benefit of the sale even if they are a little higher than the cost of the Internet item+FFL transfer fee+shipping.

Actual example:

Transferred
$450+$35+$25 = $510

Bought in Store
$520+$26 tax = $546

So, for the $36 difference, I still went with the LGS. The price was close enough, and I got to see the item close up before committing.

And, the LGS took the time to check over the pistol thoroughly, and even threw in an additional MecGar mag. That pretty much evened out the price right there.

And I still use the LGS for transfers for weird stuff he doesn't normally stock.
 
wojownik said:
I give the LGS the benefit of the sale even if they are a little higher than the cost of the Internet item+FFL transfer fee+shipping.

Actual example:

Transferred
$450+$35+$25 = $510

Bought in Store
$520+$26 tax = $546

So, for the $36 difference, I still went with the LGS. The price was close enough, and I got to see the item close up before committing.

And, the LGS took the time to check over the pistol thoroughly, and even threw in an additional MecGar mag. That pretty much evened out the price right there.

And I still use the LGS for transfers for weird stuff he doesn't normally stock.
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Where are you buying guns from online that charge shipping?

I buy from buds, shipping is free and no tax

*swyped from the evo so excuse any typos*
 
the_hustleman said:
Where are you buying guns from online that charge shipping?
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Gunbroker and other auction sites and I'm sure some other retailers charge shipping
 
A lot of the comments here remind me why I don't do any residential work in my business. (Not a gun related business) The customer is NOT always right, in fact he is most often wrong. We rarely install equipment a customer buys online because of the liability and warranty issues. People easily forget they bought something 5% or 10% cheaper and when it doesn't work they expect you to perform the warranty work when all you charged them for was the installation. Everyone isn't that way but a large enough percentage of you are that it takes the profit out of that $20 pretty quickly. Twenty some years ago I attended a business seminar where the speaker advised us that 25% of our customers would consume 75% of our customer service time and instead of trying to make them happy just get rid of them. (This is considering that you are an honest businessman and are providing quality service)I have found it to be good advice. You should see the looks on some of the faces when I inform them that we will no longer provide service because of their unrealistic expectations, it is priceless. Most of you who are not and have never been in or operated a business will not understand any of what I have posted and will be very critical, which is okay because I understand that ignorance is bliss.
 
I stop buying locally when the price gets too high and the service starts to suck.
I was looking at rifles one day at a local store and asked a guy what that was on the shelf. He sarcastlicaly replied, "That's a gun."
Now I like a little sarcasm but not when I'm looking to spend about $800 and the humor isn't good natured.
Same gun store 1 yr later....I'm looking at handguns and the guy behind the counter is wearing an Army t-shirt. He's old and obviously not in any more but we start talking and he tells a story about a son in the army overseas. I mention that I was in the military years ago and the guy immediately spends the next 10 minutes trashing my former branch.
Both intances caused me to take my money to another store an hour away.

Then again another store had a salesman that spent 45 minutes pulling .22lr rifles off of the shelf and out of the back when I bought a gun for my daughter to learn how to shoot. They got my next 3 gun purchases. Of course the same store ruined it a year later with a surly old man behind the counter that really didn't like customers, "Assault Weapons," or people that liked "Assault Weapons."

I'll pay good money for decent customer service, a good value or a good experience but I'm not rewarding lousy customer service with my money.
 
the_hustleman said:
Oh and don't get me started about the service - or lack thereof.

I walk into gun store wearing a button up shirt and slacks, they walk around me and speak to everyone else in the store but me. Then I ask a question, they like I annoy them.

That REALLY makes me want to spend extra to shop with them...

*swyped from the evo so excuse any typos*
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Were your church clothes a pinstirped button up and plaid slacks? LOL.. I'm J/K by the way.... :) I dont see how clothes have anything to do with it. (Unless your going for the obvious, look at me, I dress civil, I have money, and am here to spend money look)
Its not how you dress or what you look like, IMO its how you act and your personality. Did you say/ask the gun store clerk, "hey when you get a chance I would like to look at a couple things?"
Im not trying to bad mouth you or your gunshop experiance in anyway, shape or form... Im simply stating that being personable goes a long way. You dont have to kiss their arses or anything like that,NOT AT ALL, but if its a local gunshop, you should get to know them through conversation, even if you believe they know your face, and should know you have spent $$ there in the past, ETC. (not that tyour spending histoory with them should matter either) But I do know its in a lot of people's nature to be quiet and expect service cause you go there and they seen you etc, like I said above....
Im my area I have a couple gun shops I go to all the time, just to say hey. I know the employees and they know me.. And I dont spend too much money there, {well over time I may have...} HE He... !! :) Then there are a couple others that just wont engage in conversation, And well I dont go to those and I tell people i meet or know to not shop there due to the comandos behind the counter.... Ive told some of those Jerks were to go straight to thier faces too. The usual response is "what did you say?" An I procedd to repeat myself and they get very unconfortable really quik.. Amusing to say the least... Thne I say Have a good day, and good luck with your sale or whatever comes to mind at the time....
Again please dont take me wrong.. Im not trying to flame you at all, I just felt like commenting and suggesting taking THE HIGH ROAD> :)
Best of luck.... B.B.
 
Not sure if this was answered yet (as a whole lot of posts were too long for me to read sorry guys), but use tax is the tax you owe your state for purchasing goods online. Sales tax is sales tax, you have to report purchases you make that you do not get charged tax on it is the law (unless you live in a state with no sales tax). Many states are making it law that a ffl must charge you sales tax on a online sale. Cali just joined the ranks and my ffl has to spend big $$$ on new accounting software that lets him charge sales tax w/o a purchase.

To the OP, my local ffl will usually get close enough to buds to not worry about it. He usually beats them, just find yourself a good gunshop. A good indicator is when you walk in and there are a whole bunch of people sitting around telling stories and laughing.:D. That being said it has never come up but if I can get something for 10% cheaper somewhere else I will.
 
As a follow up my local gunshop (with whom I have dealt for over 20 years) sold me a new in the box 20 year old Marlin 883 .22 WMR with a walnut stock for less than $300 because I have been "a good customer". He has a goodly number of prime firearms from his 28 years in business still new in the box sitting in his storeroom because "he might want one and they won't be available" someday. I don't think any box store or online retailer will do that.
 
I'm an impatient buyer, so I am often willing to pay more locally for the instant gratification of walking out the door with a gun, as opposed to waiting days or longer for an internet transaction in order to save the last possible dollar.

Luckily, my favorite LGS is a fairly high volume seller and his prices are not that far off most on-line stuff, when you figure in the extra cost of shipping, etc. In fact, I've picked up more than one screaming deal there, so It's normally not much of a hardship to buy locally for me. I generally only look to the on-line sources for used or hard to find new items.
 
XxBulletBendeRXx said:
Were your church clothes a pinstirped button up and plaid slacks? LOL.. I'm J/K by the way.... :) I dont see how clothes have anything to do with it. (Unless your going for the obvious, look at me, I dress civil, I have money, and am here to spend money look)
Its not how you dress or what you look like, IMO its how you act and your personality. Did you say/ask the gun store clerk, "hey when you get a chance I would like to look at a couple things?"
Im not trying to bad mouth you or your gunshop experiance in anyway, shape or form... Im simply stating that being personable goes a long way. You dont have to kiss their arses or anything like that,NOT AT ALL, but if its a local gunshop, you should get to know them through conversation, even if you believe they know your face, and should know you have spent $$ there in the past, ETC. (not that tyour spending histoory with them should matter either) But I do know its in a lot of people's nature to be quiet and expect service cause you go there and they seen you etc, like I said above....
Im my area I have a couple gun shops I go to all the time, just to say hey. I know the employees and they know me.. And I dont spend too much money there, {well over time I may have...} HE He... !! :) Then there are a couple others that just wont engage in conversation, And well I dont go to those and I tell people i meet or know to not shop there due to the comandos behind the counter.... Ive told some of those Jerks were to go straight to thier faces too. The usual response is "what did you say?" An I procedd to repeat myself and they get very unconfortable really quik.. Amusing to say the least... Thne I say Have a good day, and good luck with your sale or whatever comes to mind at the time....
Again please dont take me wrong.. Im not trying to flame you at all, I just felt like commenting and suggesting taking THE HIGH ROAD> :)
Best of luck.... B.B.
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Well not saying this is the reason they treated me like that, but I'm a black man in the south. There is a lot of bigotry in some of these good ol boy gun shops. If I come in dressed like an average young black man, (which I don't dress like anyway, except for baggy pants, more baggy, not saggy lol for comfort with a belt) they'd think I looked like a thug, then the prejudging starts with completely ignoring me.

I just came in, smiling, asked a gentleman for help, he said he was busy, he will get with me when he finishes with his customer, which is fine, they were there first!

Problem is the person didn't buy anything. They weren't even showing him anything, just sitting around talking about a dear he bagged and some fishing trip.

I waited for 15 minutes trying to be cordial, eventually I got tired of waiting and looking around for myself and left.

Every single white person that came in, he smiled and greeted. Another black guy came in, no response, just cut his eyes at him.

A customer expects customer service, ESPECIALLY when buying something that costs a few hundred bucks!


*swyped from the evo so excuse any typos*
 
A customer expects customer service, ESPECIALLY when buying something that costs a few hundred bucks!
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Not saying that in this case you are not right about the reason for your experience at the store, but I'm a middle aged white guy looking at times to spend more than "a few" hundred dollars, and I've gotten the same treatment in some stores. If you're not a "regular" or one of the owners "buddies" they act like they don't want your money. :mad:
 
I typically will shop local; if the shop provides good service, has what I want in stock and is priced with in range of the gun online (gun+shipping+transfer vs gun+tax) then I'll buy it and the extra cost will be a "bring it home right now" tax. "With in range" varies depending on the gun, it's rarity, etc but let's say anywhere between $25-100.

I go online typically because local price is retarded, putting it nicely. Example: the $2900 RFB. Or I can save >$100 online, Or because no one has what I want and it can't be ordered or is not available in my dealer's supply chain, Or supply is such that I can locate the gun (say on gun broker) and buy it before it becomes available in my dealer's supply chain.

The Wal-marts and Academys have their place. They will have the best price on basic guns because of the shear volume of sales they do. That's a win for the customer who wants a basic 10/22, 870 or 700 etc. We have several LGS too. They have done something called "adapt." For instance: several offer basic gunsmithing, one has an in door range, several do gun shows, one is even pretty high volume matching Academy on handguns most times and beating them on EBRs, several offer ARs, AKs, mil-surps and other EBRs the big box stores don't, couple are sporting goods (fishing and hunting) stores, several offer transfers (vary from $35-25), all will order whatever you want for 10% above their cost in a heart beat, some even offer payment plans. That doesn't include kitchen table or smaller FFLs who prefer you order what you want online and they transfer.
 
It all depends on how much money, time and hassle. I will pay more for a local source, if said source has it on hand, or there isn't any more delay than buying it online, and if they treat me with courtesy and respect. About the same as a tip at a restaurant, I guess.

I've also bought stuff at gunshows, which are usually people from the region you are living in.

I usually buy my ammo on line, as the prices at gunstores (small, large, big box) are generally just stupid high or the quality is questionable. Gunshows aren't much better.
 
@ Steel Horse Rider: Exactly. In my previous career, I had the pleasure of making some customers aware of their unreasonable expectations. Some folks, no matter how educated or wealthy or whatever, simply do not understand everything, and their egotism gets in the way of their intellectual clarity.

People will continue to be people, so I fully expect this to be a recurring issue until I go to Jesus.
 
Back to topic before the lock

Depending on what it is.... the general price range of the item... what I perceive to be related transport...taxes.... etc etc


In the in the range of 10%-20% more unless there is a compelling reason.
 
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