"Dickering" on gun prices with sellers.

[Old Fuff]

As a retailer I was a true S.O.B.

As a rule I didn't haggle because all I was doing was waste my time for the sole purpose of losing money. I felt that my prices were fair and competitive, and I saw no reason to lower them just because someone wanted to pay less. I did however offer a flat, no-questions-ask guarantee that if anything was wrong it would be made right, with no charge to the customer.

I remember one potential customer in particular that told me, “I never pay the asking price, so I’ll give you…” I told him, “goodbye …” So he want to a competitor and bought a similar gun from him. However he was soon back because he discovered that his new (used) gun didn’t work and he wanted it fixed. I quoted him a price that dropped his jaw.

However my regular customers did quite well.

 

[RobMoore]

When gun dealers have a pistol priced correctly, I don't haggle. That is a rarity, but my most recent purchase was at a gun store, and the rifle was the right price. I bought it straight away with no fuss, and the dealer said "we'll just go ahead and make that sticker price the out-the-door cost and save you a few bucks".

 

[Speedo66]

It never hurts to ask "Can you do a little better on the price?"

You're not insulting them, you're not low balling them, just asking a question.

I ask it every time I buy anything at a show, antique store, etc. and find it works quite often.

 

[zulu6]

Most gun dealers, small and large, seem to do everything they can possibly do to not not sell guns. Gator Guns here in West Palm Beach is king of that sort of treatment.

 

[JohnBT]

I like to look at the price tag, pull a roll of bills out of my pocket, thumb through it and then say, "Huh, I guess not." Often it draws a price reduction. Something about the sight of greenbacks (or whatever funky color they are these days) going back into my pocket is a motivator.

Most of the time these days I don't mind paying a reasonable asking price, I can finally afford it. I overtip too. I put most of my efforts into making money, but definitely shop hard and deal on big purchases like cars, roofs, heating systems and such.

I can be cheap too; my cell phone doesn't have a camera.

JT

 

[22lr]

I was in my local gun shop with my buddy who is in the Air Guard. He made a comment like I had to qualify on that (about a 92) the dealer looked at the 22lr he was buying ($140 sticker) promptly kicked $20 off and out the door for $120. That speaks volumes as both me and my buddy would have gladly paid $140 for the gun.

Same guy who cuts a price on a $90 dollar scope to $70 so a kid can buy a nicer one on his allowance savings. That was really cool because the kid was just going to buy a cheaper one but he talked him into getting the nicer one for the same price.

 

[larry_minn]

If I see a item I like I will find out price, put it back and thank seller/tell them I will think about it, and move on. (looking at other items on table. If at gun show I will look over other booths then come back. Then ask seller "How much for the gun, those 3 boxes of ammo, 1lb of that powder toal?" Normally its a fair amount less then what I already added up in my head. If they won't give a deal for multiple purchases I can keep looking.

 

[mongo4567]

I almost always ask if they will take less. Sometimes they take less, seldom had anyone get mad.

 

[earlthegoat2]

If you want to haggle and get great deals on gun look no further than Gander Mountain. The local one where I used to live made me more money than my 401k. They had an ANIB Colt Python Royal Blue marked at 750 and I walked out with it for 600 OTD. This was less than 6 months ago. Later on that week I bought an Ithica double barrel 20 gauge that was marked at 365. I got it for 320 OTD. I buy guns I dont even want purely for investment. I am getting wealthy off them and they dont seem to care. And to think they actually turned me down when times were tough and I tried to get a job there. What a joke. They ended up paying me anyway. Go figure they are going to be closing down in a bit I hear.

 

[Wolfebyte]

Horse trading is a gallant art.. Nothing wrong with it.

Especially when everyone feels like they came out ahead..

that's an agreement, not a compromise.

 

[crazy-mp]

I was at a gun show in January where a dealer had 9 boxes of Norinco 7.62 X 25 ammo packed in 60 round boxes. That was one of those jump up and down and shout for joy moments, he had $12.00 a box on it, not a bad price... There was a guy in front of me who picked up a box, I almost yelled at him I wanted it all, but he put it down, thank goodness.

I asked the dealer if it got cheaper if I bought more, he said he would knock fifty cents off a box for every one I bought. I said how about $60 for it all, he almost started jumping up and down, uh...OK!

Win win, we both went home thinking we got the better deal

 

[moredes]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0HEW5bXqKbU

I'm on a Looooooow budget... so I'll haggle every time; I may not get anywhere with it, but I almost always try. There's only been 3 times I can think of when I didn't--twice I was too afraid of losing the deal--$1800 for a Wilson Combat Classic Supergrade in 2002, and about 4 months later, $1200 for an unfired Ed Brown Kobra Carry. The 3rd time (well, with the Kobra Carry, too) the seller was unemployed and trying to generate funds. I believed 'em and paid the asking price w/o dickering. Ya can't grind someone who's tryin' to buy groceries.

Funny; I think I've only lowered my own prices twice... one time for sure, by less than 10%, and the other time musta happened because I just can't believe I've only done it once.

 

[TexasRedneck]

I enjoy the negotiating process - as others have noted, there is a "right" way to do it. For me, I'll usually ask if that's the best they can do. I don't usually bring up "Blue Book" - unless THEY do. Once they do, I'm prepared to grab a current copy and reference it to 'em - because they're usually lyin' through their teeth. Besides - a perfect example is the Colt Mustang. Look it up in the BB, then try to actually BUY one at that price....

 

[ThrottleJockey]

Dave Ramsey has some good points about haggling. Have green cash in your hand, money talks BS walks. If a salesman knows you have cash in hand, he is likely going to be more flexible, as he knows you are a sale and not just a tire kicker.

 

[Drusagas]

I like asking lower prices but I try to be as nice as I can about it and most of the time it works out. What I can't stand is the people who get angry, like it's been said, all they gotta say is no if they don't wanna sell. If I'm selling something, even if someone lowballs, if I don't want to sell at their price, I don't get mean or anything, I just say, No Thanks, I'm looking to get a little more for *fill in the black*. No need to get angry or say, You must be kidding? They offer, you refuse, you offer, they refuse. Just wish people understood that these days.

 

[SaxonPig]

To follow up on my own post, as many noted of course you want to be polite, both when buying and when selling.

And I think it's very bad form to start pointing out flaws in an item to get the price down. If I say anything about condition it's something like: "Well, given its condition, I can offer..."

Also, once an offer is made, you should be prepared to buy if the seller accepts. I've seen people get a seller down to the offer price and then walk away. That's just bogus.

 

[TexasRedneck]

And I think it's very bad form to start pointing out flaws in an item to get the price down. If I say anything about condition it's something like: "Well, given its condition, I can offer..."

Exactly. The seller already knows the flaws - pointing it out to him is like tellin' your wife she's putting on weight. You might be right, but you still won't get any love later. By the same token, you don't want him thinking you're a total idiot, either. Usually what I'll do is look one over, pause at the flawed areas (may or may not make some minor verbal comment as if to myself) and then proceed to the negotiations.

Also, once an offer is made, you should be prepared to buy if the seller accepts. I've seen people get a seller down to the offer price and then walk away. That's just bogus.

Now, THAT flat ticks me off! I've got a buddy that'll do that - he'll handle everything in sight, ask a million questions - then walk away. When I ask him why, he'll say something like he was "just curious" about it. It's at the point that I no longer stay with him when he starts that. I used to stay w/him because he usually wanted to ask me things about it as well - but after having seen him do it time and again, I simply consider it a waste of time.

 

[Old Fuff]

Now, THAT flat ticks me off! I've got a buddy that'll do that - he'll handle everything in sight, ask a million questions - then walk away. When I ask him why, he'll say something like he was "just curious" about it. It's at the point that I no longer stay with him when he starts that. I used to stay w/him because he usually wanted to ask me things about it as well - but after having seen him do it time and again, I simply consider it a waste of time

And how do you think the dealer feels? :banghead:

Could this sort of experience be part of the reason that some dealers won't bother to waste their time dickering & dealing?

 

[Mr. Bojangles]

Every time I've asked for a discount at Sportsmans Warehouse I've had them either knock 10% off the price or give me a box of ammo for free. Every little bit helps and it keeps me going back there.

 

[rbernie]

To follow up on my own post, as many noted of course you want to be polite, both when buying and when selling. And I think it's very bad form to start pointing out flaws in an item to get the price down.

I strongly concur. A confrontational approach usually begets, well, a confrontation from which nobody walks away satisfied. I usually just ask, "So what can you do for me on this?". If I like the price - I buy. If not, I thank them for the offer and move on.

But always say 'thank you' - that's what you'd want if you were on the other side of the table.

Also, once an offer is made, you should be prepared to buy if the seller accepts. I've seen people get a seller down to the offer price and then walk away. That's just bogus.

Agreed again - that's just good manners.

But real enthusiasts are on a first name basis, not only with all the pawnbrokers, but with their friends and family. Haggling over old guns is a weekly hobby event.

And this speaks to an unwritten rule of haggling - try to get a good deal, but never try to rip somebody off. If you stay interested in firearms long enough, chances are that you'll wind up buying and selling within the community to the point where you *will* become 'known'. You do not want to be known as someone who cannot be trusted or who will take advantage of their peers.

 

[TexasRedneck]

Y'know, that's the thing - most folks in the US has forgotten the "Art of the Deal", in which both claim that their mother will starve b/c of the impending deal, their children will leave home....and both depart as winners.
Now, don't get me wrong - I'm fully capable of verbally floggin' a seller - but I've learned that it's usually counter-productive. If he's a total jerk, I'll usually just mosey on down the aisle after thanking him for his time. Maybe the guy ahead of me was a total jerk w/him, maybe others things in his life aren't working well - whatever it is, there's nothing to be gained (usually) by adding to it.
Now, not that I'm known or anything, but there are usually a coupla dealers at the show(s) who know what I collect, and a quiet word to 'em will usually tell me if someone has what I'm looking for, if they're reasonable, and even helpful hints for dealing with them - so, yeah - if folks like you and trust you, it'll pay huge dividends down the road.

 

[Bookworm]

I had no idea I could haggle at all.

I was looking at a S+W 642 at Cabella's in Hamburg Pa, but it was something like $575. I've seen the same gun on budsgunshop online only with CT grips for $611. I didn't say anything then, just walked away without making the purchase. Would it have been proper to haggle in that case?

 

[Duke of Doubt]

Don't ask, don't get.

Everything is negotiable.

But as pointed out by a couple comments above, you sometimes run across a fellow who just doesn't enjoy haggling, won't do it, and will hold your attempt against you.

I once got a job offer at a time when I was out of work and running out of cash. They offered salary x, I countered with x+5k, they came back with x+4k. I had no leverage at all; so what? Don't ask, don't get, right? So I got some extra money. BUT, unknown to me at the time, that employer quietly resented that I had somehow squeezed extra money out of them. Ridiculous, but that was how they felt. I eventually left; they never got over how some kid from out of town had squeezed extra money out of them. Stupid, ignorant, petty, but that was how they felt.

 

[MachIVshooter]

New guns are generally not negotiable.

Depends. Yes, the profit margins are generally pretty small on new firearms, but that doesn't mean you always have to pay full price. Know what the average price is (not internet, but actual store shelf), and go from there. When I bought my AR-50, the original quoted price was $2,900. I knew of 2other shops selling them for $2,650, but both of those shops were a damn long way from me. Nonetheless, that told me that he likely had a great deal of room on the gun. So I told the dealer if he could go $2,750, I'd buy from him, but any more than that and I'd drive the 280 mile round trip to the other shop that had one. He agreed, and I bought it from him. Also, if you're buying multiple guns or a bunch of accessories at the same time, I don't think it's unreasonable to ask for a discount even if you know the prices to be perfectly fair.

Now, as far as haggling in general. there are right and wrong ways to do it. You have to be polite, and you have to have a number in mind. If someone wants to get a better deal from me, and thinks that saying "your price is way to high" will get him anywhere, he's wrong. As well, asking what my best price is will not get you anywhere. Make an offer, and we'll either find something we can both live with, or I'll keep my item. For instance, I had for sale a dirtbike that is a few years old, but in nearly new condition. I had a guy contact me and the very first thing he said was "KBB trade-in value is XXXX dollars", which was less than half of my asking price. I told him that, one) trade in value is very different from private party value, two) this bike is in much better condition with far lower hours than most it's year and three) I set my price in about the 70th percentile of average for the year and model. I told him I would negotiate, but he had to be reasonable. I just won't deal with people who are rude in the way they haggle.

 

[Old Fuff]

Everything is negotiable.

Lets say that someone goes to an attorney, and the lawyer says, “this initial conference will cost (whatever).” So the potential client says, “Oh no, that’s much too much, instead I’ll pay you something less.”

Is the attorney likely to dicker and deal, or throw the individual out of the office?