Do you pay the 3%?

Do you pay the obligatory credit card fee on firearms?

  • Yes; I need my precious now!

    Votes: 21 15.3%

  • No; That's money I can use on ammo!

    Votes: 45 32.8%

  • Sometimes; Depends on who, what, where and how much coffee I had that morning.

    Votes: 71 51.8%
  • Total voters
    137
  • Poll closed .
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Panzercat

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Aug 26, 2010
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971
You finally found that gun you've been searching for. A rifle. You HAVE to have. Come to me, Precious! And for such a low price. You do some some quick calculations. Shipping? Got it. FFL? Yep. That 3% charge for using a card with that website, ie; Bud's or similar websites?

Decisions, decisions.

You can theorize on any number of reasons as to why the firearm industry just doesn't absorb this fee like- oh, I don't know -almost* every other sales industry in the United States, but what do you do? Lick the stamp and keep the post office in business or cough up the add on cash to cut through the red tape?

*did I really have to add that clarification? Yes. Apparently I did.
 
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Panzercat said:
You can theorize on any number of reasons as to why the firearm industry just doesn't absorb this fee like- oh, I don't know -every other sales industry in the United States
Click to expand...

AARCO charges $.10 more per gallon of gasoline for using a credit card.
 
I have one old VISA credit card, and the only time I ever use it is for on-line orders.

I pay it off before the first months statements ink drys.

There are no extra fee's for using it.

IMO: Credit Cards are the Spawn of the Devil if you don't use them wisely, and pay off the balance before the loan shark / mafia interest rates start piling up.

rc
 
No extra fees unless you buy from Bud's or similar places where they post "cash" prices. Many gas stations are doing it as well now - their posted price is cash or their own credit card; otherwise the price per gallon goes anywhere from .05 to .09/gallon

It is simply one way of trying to advertise a lower price than their competitors.

As for"the industry" absorbing these costs- why should they? Why should a cash customer pay more for the same product when he is not adding an extra cost to the retailer?
 
:banghead:

Must be shopping at the wrong LGS(s) and websites, but the main question of topic stands.
 
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just doesn't absorb this fee like- oh, I don't know -every other sales industry in the United States,
Click to expand...

They don't absorb it, you still pay it just built in to the prices as a cost of doing business. Nothing is free in life, if you want the advantages of using a credit card you are paying for the cost of it.
 
I see it as a BS way to advertise a lower price than reality. Online sales, yeah, lets pay cash, I'll just mail it to you. Do you take a check? come on you can trust me.

Tis a reason I don't look at AmazonGuns err, Buds.

I'll pay it if with the 'CC fee' it is still the right price and if it is not sprung on me at the end.
 
Many businesses soak up the cost knowing they would miss some sales if they did not. Some businesses sell invoices to banks for the luxury of having instant cash. Fees are about what CC companies charge.

I have paid the surcharge a couple of times for the peace of mind of knowing I'm protected if things go south. If you search Gunbroker, there are sellers that do not hit you with the surcharge
.
IMO: Credit Cards are the Spawn of the Devil if you don't use them wisely, and pay off the balance before the loan shark / mafia interest rates start piling up.
Click to expand...

Amen, Brother!

I have a CC through my insurance company I use for most purchases. Pay it off when the bill comes and the cash back pays my insurance premium a few times each year.
 
MErl said:
I see it as a BS way to advertise a lower price than reality. Online sales, yeah, lets pay cash, I'll just mail it to you. Do you take a check? come on you can trust me.

Tis a reason I don't look at AmazonGuns err, Buds.

I'll pay it if with the 'CC fee' it is still the right price and if it is not sprung on me at the end.
Click to expand...
Cash is easy to do with online stores. Electronic check (ach). Not immediate like a credit/debit card, but much quicker than mailing a check
 
No way. I always pay with Benjamins and I always ask for the cash or .mil discount. When haggling the sight of folding green caysh money can be a plus.

Of course, paying cash is a red flag to the DOJ that you might be a domestic terrorist...:uhoh:
 
Only on truly large amounts.
Worked at Amex in a former life. Your $3000 AR isn't going to raise a red flag :p
 
IMO: Credit Cards are the Spawn of the Devil if you don't use them wisely, and pay off the balance before the loan shark / mafia interest rates start piling up.
Click to expand...

You'd be surprised at how many so-called credit cards used today are really debit cards with the Visa or MC logo on it. Your paycheck is available Thursday night/Friday morning at midnight and with your debit card you have instant access to it. There is no interest to pay and you can't spend more than the amount of money you actually have (unless you sign up for overdraft protection). I use it for 95% of my daily spending including gas, McDonalds, groceries, etc. I may spend a total of (actual green cash) $10 a week.

Now, true credit cards have put America in this horrible credit situation. True credit cards are evil but the debit card is a wonderful thing. Those who charge the 3% do it because they wish to be deceptive with advertised prices. If there is no surcharge then it is already figured into the price. Nothing is free.
 
If it's just a few of dollars, I pay the upcharge for the convenience. If it's more than that, I will mail them a cashiers check.
 
I take CC's from customers all the time. It's illegal to charge extra to cover CC fees. I know many do it, but they are not supposed to. Listing a cash price is also not allowed. They think they are being sneaky and getting around the rules, but it is wrong.

I try and avoid paying for guns at my LGS. I understand that their margins are low and they try and give me the best deal they can.
 
Illegal... Or just a violation of the merchant agreement with the CC company? Got to factor in CC cash back... 1-6%, depending on the store. My one, and possibly last, gun from Buds I took the 3% hit to try (in vain) to get the gun promptly.
 
Only done so once. I went to a gunshow just to look and pick up some ammo, only had about $200 on me. Ran across a too good to pass up deal on an uncommon rifle still NIB with hangtags on the triggerguard. I'd been on the lookout for one for years. I used a CC and gladly paid the extra $21. It took 2 months to pay off the balance. Even with the extra $21 + 2 months interest on $721 it was still a bargain. The rifle was only made 1994-1996 in limited #'s and the closest thing comparable would have been $1,100+ tax.

I have only ordered one rifle on line. I've always been able to buy locally cheaper after you figure in shipping and transfer charges. Usually pay cash. I'm at the point where I have more guns than I want or need. Been selling off many over the last few years and replacing them with fewer, better guns and putting the rest of the money in the bank.
 
In stores? It's never come up, and it's the same for cash or credit.

At gun shows? No, I bring cash, or argue until they pay it. I'm already paying sales tax, so the 3% can turn into a deal-breaker.

Online? Yes. If I'm ordering online, it's because the gun is cheaper than anywhere local, because I'm not paying sales tax. Usually $500 or more is where I start to look online.
 
I don't buy firearms online, but I think the 3% idea just stinks. At least roll it into the price so we don't have to look at it or think about it!

And where I live, one of the gas stations has the whole "cash price" vs. what is actually on the pump. Funny thing - I don't shop there! It's not that I don't pay with cash, but I don't like businesses that pull a fast one on the customer. The price that is in BIG numbers should be the price everybody pays, no fine print or conditions.
 
Guns are the only items that I know of that actually sell with such a fee. Yes I have done it once, never again. It was a used gun from a dealer.

I run an unrelated company and frankly our customers would walk, or at the very least gripe like crazy if we charged an extra fee for the pleasure of using a credit card. We take Paypal as well, same deal. We pay them about the same fee as credit card companies. It's all a bit silly, because of course the costs are reflected in our overall product prices.

I do wonder about the legality of companies charging the 3% and turning around and claiming the merchant account fees as a business expense. That doesn't seem right.
 
Hells no I do not pay the fee. We all love getting percent back on our cars but the fact of the matter is the fees that retailers pay credit card processing companies is highway robery.

Sent from my DROID4 using Tapatalk 2
 
Credit cards

It is very nice to get a doubling of the manufacturer's warranty using Amex, I believe this is good up to 2 years. I have found them to be very consumer friendly on the few occasions when I had a dispute with a merchant. I have never had to use either feature of the card for gun-related issues, only computer stuff.
 
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