Do you bargin with local high priced dealers

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I'd ask something like - "Is that your best price?". If they say yes, I thank them and move onto something else. Sometimes I ask to take a better look at it. If it's really what I want and the price isn't too far from what I can get online, I buy it from the brick & mortar store.

If the firearm is priced way out of the park in the first place as compared to online, I don't bother insulting the merchant. :)

Victor1Echo
Do you bargin with local high priced dealers
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I have used Davidson's sight many times in the past, what's nice about them is that if you ever have a problem with a gun you purchased through them, no matter what the manufacturer's warranty is, they will replace your gun if you ever have a problem. I have a friend who owns a local shop up the road from me and he always does his best to at least match Davidson's, and sometimes he beats their price, so I give him as much of my business as possible. He makes a good portion of his sales on GunBroker.com which is a site similar to GunsAmerica, which seems to get highly promoted on these pages.
 
I try not to patronize the high priced dealers. I understand that the local brick & mortar has higher overhead than the internet guys, but not all B&As are equal. Some are reasonably priced, and some price gouge. There is one funshop that is exactly .6 miles from me (I MapQuested it). You would think that I'm there every day. I'm not, for the simple fact that this guy is price gouges. Now I know that the owner is in business to make money, but that doesn't mean I have to pay his greater than MSRP prices. I take my business to a guy that's a bit further away because he has better prices. His stuff is actually pretty comparable to what you find on the internet once you figure in shipping costs and transfer fees. That's the guy I want to support, not the one who follows P.T. Barnum's old philosophy.
 
I stay away from the one shop in town that is consistently higher than everyone else; I'm just not interested in dealing, or trying to deal, with someone who knowingly jacks his prices up past everyone else's, for whatever reason. I do negotiate prices with my favorite dealer, however; I'll let him know of prices seen, prices reported, prices known. I've also made offers on guns that he has had in stock: Sometimes he says yes, and sometimes he says no, and neither one of us are offended by the offer, the acceptance, or the rejection. He's a good guy to deal with, which keeps me coming back. I'd wager that most folks could say the same about their favorite FFL dealer.
 
One high priced dealer put a sign up that said they would match anyone's price online or in-store. I showed them Bud's Gun shop's prices which was 271 dollars cheaper than their marked price and they replied "well you have to factor in shipping" I told them Bud's prices includes shipping. He then relied "you have to factor in FFL fees" I said that was like 20 bucks and I walked out. I think the problem with high prices is middlemen like Davidson's I wish gun shops got their new gun inventory from the manufacturer instead of a distributor that would help keep costs down for everyone if they just cut out the middleman.
 
I always ask "can you do a little better?".

If they can, great. If not, at least I tried.

If I've bought guns there recently I'll mention that too, can't hurt to be a repeat customer.
 
I think the problem with high prices is middlemen like Davidson's I wish gun shops got their new gun inventory from the manufacturer instead of a distributor that would help keep costs down for everyone if they just cut out the middleman.
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Except that manufacturers do not want to hassle with dealing with thousands of onesy-twosy orders instead of a few very large ones
 
I tried to go local (Louisville) and found the price for the LCR was $70 more. I told them I could drive to Bud's and back for $18 worth of gas and asked them to split the $50 difference. They said they couldn't and they also can't figure out how Bud's can get them so cheap. Then I remembered how high they jacked up their prices after the election and decided to take a drive and bought ammo with the savings. The local place is a pretty decent size shop. I figured they should get pretty close to the same wholesale cost as Bud's and thought they would take a little less profit but I guess they will sell it for their asking price to those who don't take the time to compare. I've bought there before and they know I'm a repeat customer. Kind of surprised me.
 
Except that manufacturers do not want to hassle with dealing with thousands of onesy-twosy orders instead of a few very large ones
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I hear you but maybe they should not buy those guns unless they have a buyer lined up. Or just let you order the item you want yourself. I really hate stores that claim to be a factory stocking dealer and come and find out they are ordering through Davidson's. It doesn't take a genius if you are store owner and you are paying too much to the middle man stop, don't pass the cost on to your "loyal customers". I find more new gun shops popping up in town that don't care about their customer base just that one quick sale. Out of about the 14 gun shops in the Albuquerque area only 2 care about repeat customers.
 
I don't think a gun dealer is offended if you try to bargain a little on a firearm purchase. I would suggest you make reasonable offers however and actually buy the firearm after you successfully bargain rather than "bargaining" by saying you can buy that gun at Buds for $100 less and so forth.
 
I doubt they will drop $100 off. More than likely you'll get a sob story on how internet dealers can sell for lower profit margins as they don't have a storefront to deal with. Waaaaaah boohoo
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Most of the bigger online gun dealers are also storefronts too. If one place can sell a gun online....so can another.

I say offer a reasonable price...in cash. Cash always helps. They don't have to pay a fee to a credit card company that way so they might be a little more willing to deal. I wouldn't lowball them or anything. I think it's actually a good thing to give them the chance to get your business before you take it elsewhere for a better price.

I went into a local shop and he had a M&P 9 there marked $699.99. At the time, I could get one for around $479.99 somewhere else. I didn't tell him that though. I said "is that the best price you can do on that M&P?",....and he replied "If you can't afford it, we take credit cards". What a really stupid thing to say. That was the last time I bothered to stop in there. It never hurts to ask I guess.
 
I really hate stores that claim to be a factory stocking dealer and come and find out they are ordering through Davidson's
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Typically, a "Master" dealer or similar name means they carry a lot, if not most, of the models - because they have to buy them all to get a decent price or any at all. That includes buying dogs that don't move. If you want to wank about high costs, don't forget the 11% VAT on sporting goods - just another tax. Folks like Davidson's make it possible for your LGS to carry inventory without having to carry an entire line - that is the same for ANY product line in similar scenarios.
 
I say offer a reasonable price...in cash. Cash always helps.
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Yeah I use cash also but I believe that a lot of guns bought, especially recently are on credit and if the charge isn’t paid off in time it don't matter how good a deal it was.
 
Do your homework before you go in. Know what they are selling for locally. If he has more then a $100 mark up on a gun in that price range then he will probably come down some. I have a local dealer that I like & try to do my dealings there but I'm not going to pay more then a few dollars that I don't have to. I know about what his mark up is because he lets me use his computer to look up guns & it is usually logged in under his account. I always give him first refusal if I can get it somewhere else cheaper. Sometimes he matches sometimes I get it else where. If it is only $20 cheaper then I don't try but I do let him know that I am giving him the business over the other guy. I bought 5 guns in the last 6 months & 2 of them where from him & he is happy with me as a costumer. Wally World got the other sales.
 
A better price is like a ... um date, if you don't ask you certainly won't get it. If you do, you MIGHT. I always ask ;)
 
I have haggled on some guns before but mostly only used ones. Usually, the gun prices at my favorite store are below MSRP by a substantial amount to begin with - which is why I buy them there.
One time they had a Russian Baikal Makarov there for $125. I told the manager (my friend) that he should add another $100 to the price, figuring that maybe they didn't know how much it was worth.
He replied "I know".
Next time I went in, the Makarov was still there at $125. So I bought it (eventhough I didn't need it). I carried it a bit then sold it to help finance an SP-101.
 
I can not deal with the 3 in my town. Not really worried if they go out. They are usually 3-400 above on EBRs than a store 40 miles away so I go there. I buy enough that they give me deals without asking for them. Occasionally I will buy online if it is a very cheap price or something I can not obtain locally. I have no loyalty at all to the 3 local stores. Won't even go in if I need an accessory. Will either wait and go to the shop in the big city or order online.
 
If their prices suck, I go elsewhere.
If their transfer fees are high, I go elsewhere. If their ammo markup is ridiculous, (i.e, .44 special cowboy loads for $49 per box) I go elsewhere.
They'll get the point eventually.
 
Since I like to support local small businesses I feel I owe it to them to try to bargain with them. One local gun shop will usually match the price if I can find it cheaper somewhere else. The other shop will not.

We all need to do what we can to stop price gouging.
 
I will usually deal with one or two local stores as they will treat me really well. Sometimes the deals on the internet are say $100 lower than local prices or not available locally. Then I will buy from away and transfer in to the local dealer. When paying the sales tax (as you should always do if you are required) on pickup they will be reminded that their price was probably too high. This doesn't happen often any more.:) One dealer said he likes to see my deals and buys from the same sources after the fact sometimes. Said my purchase was below his cost once. He's the FFL not me.:confused:
 
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