Ever had a dealer refuse to accept a transfer Buds?
- Thread starter Redlg155
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I'm firmly against the federal government being involved in determining transfer fees. The great part of being a business owner in America is you can largely run your business as you see fit. You can aim to have a high volume of sales, or you can focus on providing that personal touch other shops lack,, or anything in between. The thing is, its your CHOICE. Why should transfers be any different? Why do we need price controls on them? Why not just allow the gov to set the price of the actual firearms while you're at it? Giving the feds MORE power to regulate anything gun-related can only hurt us in the long run, and I'm wholly against it. We have a free market system, and if you don't like someone's rate, you are free to go elsewhere. Giving more power to regulate guns to a fed .gov that has shown itself to be hostile towards the 2nd Amendment as a whole seems disingenuous to me on so many levels.
Ever heard the saying history tends to repeat itself, especially when we ignore the lessons learned in the past? I think we should ALL care what happens in the past, because if we refuse to learn, its inevitable it will happen again.
Ever heard the saying history tends to repeat itself, especially when we ignore the lessons learned in the past? I think we should ALL care what happens in the past, because if we refuse to learn, its inevitable it will happen again.
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Whether than bickering about transfer fees and "price fixing" why don't we work towards fixing the root cause; the 68 GCA? Amending or scrapping that steaming pile of a law would also fix the nonsensical "sporting" import requirement.
RBid
Member
Please explain.
The way it works for me:
1. Customer orders gun from Bud's, selects Hart Sports as his transfer dealer.
2. Bud's ships gun to me (and sticks an invoice on the outside of the box with their FFL#, customer name and phone# and firearm info)
3. On arrival, I contact customer for pickup.
It ain't rocket science and I fail to see any opportunity for Bud's to be "...a pain to deal with".
Who are you to me that you feel entitled to elaboration?
why are you so defensive? Why would anyone arbitrarily single out one online dealer, when a byproduct would be losing fees and accessory sales, AND sending people to competitors? It would probably require a good reason, right?Which is probably most likely why he asked....it didn't match his experience, and he was wondering what the experience of other's may have been to trigger such a reaction. Asking for clarification is hardly being combative.
I too would be curious if someone else had a horrible experience with someone I've done business with over the long term and not had any issues with.RBid
Member
Which is probably most likely why he asked....it didn't match his experience, and he was wondering what the experience of other's may have been to trigger such a reaction. Asking for clarification is hardly being combative.
In my experience, when somebody is in "I call BS"/"scrutiny" mode, they have invested pride in their position, and their interest in opposing views or experiences is solely connected to attacking them. While it is possible that he may have unintentionally included aggressive flags, I am not interested in having a stranger on the internet try to tell me that something I experienced didn't happen.
Bubbles
Member
Transfers from BGS are among the easiest that we handle, so I'm also interested in hearing more about the problem. I'm not saying that there wasn't one considering that we're human and sometimes stuff just happens, but I am surprised given that my experience is 100% the opposite.
mgkdrgn
Member
The ONLY way they could match Buds is because there is no sales tax in your state. Anywhere there is sales tax there is no way to match a Buds price and break even, much less make any profit.
mgkdrgn
Member
Mmmm, actually it applies to just about ANY retail business.
I'm guessing there are individual situations that ticked off LGS owners. Let's all pretend to be HUMAN for a second. I can see how it would be tough to make an investment in "X", just to see "X" come through the store from Bud's at a price that the LGS cannot compete. Rather than find a way to compete, the LGS says "no more".
BTW, you can go to MANY other industries to see the EXACT SAME ARGUMENTS. From bicycle shops to SCUBA shops, these same arguments have been making the rounds for the better part of 20 years. And I treat them all the same way:
When I go into a store, I am willing to pay 10-15% more for an item in stock that I walk out with TODAY. I am not willing to pay 50% more (especially for large purchases). I am not willing to have the shop "order it for me" at HIS markup when I could mail order it myself for LESS. I purchase as much stuff locally as I do from the internet. If you want my local purchases, you have to get me into your shop. If you want my local purchases, you have to accept: that the internet exists, that businesses on the internet may have cheaper prices, and that YOU (the local LGS) may have to both cooperate (FFL sales) and compete with those sources. You have to offer me something (besides price) that I can't get on the internet. Some gun shops are doing it successfully.
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What was your experience with Buds? I know you said they are a pain to deal with. Any specifics?
On An Island
Member
Like others have posted, I check with my LGS on availability through them. If they don't handle the firearm, or can't come reasonably close the price from Bud's I ask if they mind if I purchase and transfer. They've had zero problems with me doing it that way.
dogtown tom
Member
Who I am has nothing to do with you explaining your post. You made a claim that "Bud's was simply a pain to deal with".......and I asked you to elaborate.
I'm not the one with massive butthurt. I simply asked you to elaborate on your claim. You unwillingness or inability to explain that claim is telling to say the least.
Well, yeah.............and that was why I asked.
All I asked was for you to elaborate on why Bud's was a pain to deal with.
NeuseRvrRat
Member
you haven't even told us what you experienced
Potatohead
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Are you supposed to ask your LGS if they will accept a transfer or do you just fire away-they all do it? Ive never done it before.
More on topic: I cant imagine I'd be happy to sell others' guns if I was an LGS, no matter who it was.
More on topic: I cant imagine I'd be happy to sell others' guns if I was an LGS, no matter who it was.
Potatohead
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Why dont you ask yours? Im kind of curious myself.
They should all do it if they want to be in the business. It's impossible to stock every brand and style of gun unless you have 2 million in cash laying around. Many manufacturers have 15 or twenty pistols of one type, like Glock or M&p, and you cannot afford to stock every caliber color and size, "full size, compact and subcompact", in every color combination. Thus you need to be able to get the pistol, or allow the client to buy the pistol from someone else and pay you a fee for transferring it to you.
If you don't do this, you will lose the customer to a store that does.
Some company's have minimum orders in order to become a distributer, like Kimber. You "may" need to put in a twenty to fifty thousand dollar order just to get shipped at a decent price point.The more you buy the more incentives you get, like free guns. really big dealer can get 5-30 free guns on a large order. These guys with 4 or 5 stores buy huge amounts of guns, making it hard for small stores to even get a few guns shipped.
Now just multiply that by the thousands of rifles and pistols and shotguns that people request, and you will understand why you need to allow transfers in your store. You just cannot carry everything that people are going to ask you for.
If you don't do this, you will lose the customer to a store that does.
Some company's have minimum orders in order to become a distributer, like Kimber. You "may" need to put in a twenty to fifty thousand dollar order just to get shipped at a decent price point.The more you buy the more incentives you get, like free guns. really big dealer can get 5-30 free guns on a large order. These guys with 4 or 5 stores buy huge amounts of guns, making it hard for small stores to even get a few guns shipped.
Now just multiply that by the thousands of rifles and pistols and shotguns that people request, and you will understand why you need to allow transfers in your store. You just cannot carry everything that people are going to ask you for.
Erik M
Member
Differs on a case to case basis. Most will work with you. A few won't even do transfers.
dogtown tom
Member
Nice theory, but what other business does that?
Not WalMart. Every try to have WalMart order adidas or Nike shoes? What about Clarks, Cole Haan or other brands?
How about calling ahead for steak at McDonalds?
Can you have your local Toyota dealer order you a new Honda?
It's not the same thing, and you know it. The best way to lose the customer for ever is to not perform a service that another store who is down the road will gladly do. In the gun business if you don't do transfers you are going to alienate a lot of potential customers who would have come back and purchased something else.
If someone came to my club, I would gladly accommodate them with a complimentary workout, with the hope that they would tell their friends and perhaps consider joining when they moved here or when their membership expired where they were. It's just good business.
Instead of telling someone if you don't buy from me, I won't help you, after all you are being paid to do it, it's not free in this case. It costs you exactly what to spend 3 minutes of your time to accommodate a future client?
And actually you can have your car delivered to an other dealer now, if they are part of certain networks, for the same reason.
If someone came to my club, I would gladly accommodate them with a complimentary workout, with the hope that they would tell their friends and perhaps consider joining when they moved here or when their membership expired where they were. It's just good business.
Instead of telling someone if you don't buy from me, I won't help you, after all you are being paid to do it, it's not free in this case. It costs you exactly what to spend 3 minutes of your time to accommodate a future client?
And actually you can have your car delivered to an other dealer now, if they are part of certain networks, for the same reason.
I'd love for some of these retail experts to open up a shop near me. They'd pay their employees $50-$60 an hour with full benefits, have guns priced cheaper than Buds everyday, cover the sales tax and throw in free ammo, all because they are making huge cash on $25 transfer fees. They wouldn't stay open long, but I'd be a happy customer.
DammitBoy
Member
I'd love for some of these retail experts to open up a shop near me. They'd pay their employees $50-$60 an hour with full benefits, have guns priced cheaper than Buds everyday, cover the sales tax and throw in free ammo, all because they are making huge cash on $25 transfer fees. They wouldn't stay open long, but I'd be a happy customer.
Except no one in this thread has suggested such nonsense.
DammitBoy
Member
Yes, you ask if they will accept transfers and from whom.
Most LGS's do accept them as a service to their customers.
Bubbles
Member
With the sole exception of Bud's "Preferred Dealer" program, where the dealer has already indicated (and it's obvious) that Bud's can just ship out the gun, a heads-up is appreciated.
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