Gun Price Sensitivity - Very Primal

[Rack Grade]

This is potentially inflammatory - I know.

A guy will very easily give his buddy a couple of free mags to shoot, or buy him a couple of drinks at the bar after a day at the range, or very easily spend an extra twenty or thirty bucks with his family at a restaurant because the t-bones on the menu look so good. Or put and extra $500 into the new car because the electronics package is cool (you'll never get THAT back, eh?).

Why then will a guy spend hours and hours, or days and months, to try to shave 5% - 10% off the price of a gun?

And why is the twenty or fifty dollars saved on a gun purchase worth sooooo much more effort in relation to the money we spend elsewhere, every day?

And why do we all spend so much time dwelling on how much value a $400 gun holds? Whether its worth $375 or $425, and gnash our teeth if we lose $50 ten years later when we sell?

We all dwell on this a lot (I know I do) and it fascinates me.

Why do we do this?

The Dweller

 

[forindooruseonly]

So they can come on the gun forums and brag about what a smokin deal they found.

 

[One-Time]

because I wont pay 600 for a 400 dollar gun

 

[Geno]

Because I refuse to pay "Service Grade" prices for a "Rack Grade" rifle. Ba-ha!

Geno

 

[451 Detonics]

I am the opposite I guess, I am willing to pay the extra 5-10% if I can buy local and support my dealer in my hometown.

 

[A Historian]

Food for thought.

With the examples listed, I'd guess it's a matter of everyday use compared to something that you use only so frequently. So I guess it is a relative thing.

Besides, we try to save that money so we can buy our buddies a beer, or whatever.

 

[wojownik]

I guess to use on of your examples, yes, I did put in a few extra buck for an electronics package in my car. But its my only car, and I sit in it 4-5 hours a day.

OTOH, I do try to get the best price I can for firearms. Because, guns are like potato chips ... you just can't have one...

 

[Omaha-BeenGlockin]

Umm no---I'm cheap about EVERYTHING.

 

[yeti]

Exactly where do you think that extra $500 for the car electronics came from? I buy and sell more firearms in a year than all the cars I'll have in my lifetime.

And it has always been part of the culture, gun trading and horse trading have a lot in common.

 

[pockets]

Exactly where do you think that extra $500 for the car electronics came from?

Yep......what yeti said.
I put somewhat more than $500 into premium electronics and other upgrades for the new car we got last year for my wife....because she freakin' deserves it.
I didn't think twice about the expense, as I save money on other things.....like my gun purchases. Nothing wrong with shopping for a good price, especially if one is not in any hurry. I have plenty of handguns and long guns to tide me over while I keep an eye out for a good price on something I may be wanting.
.

 

[youngda9]

I will support my LGS if their price is within 10%-15% OTD as to what I could buy online. I can come in with a flyer and they will match the price(after shipping + FFL fee included) if they are way out of line on a new item.

Used items are all bought online or at gun shows where you can barter and shop around & wait for a good deal.

It's all part of the game, and it's fun.

If I really want something that is hard to find I will over-pay for it and not blink an eye...I did this on a recent purchase because I wasn't patient enough to keep waiting for one to pop up that I was having trouble finding. One showed up, I hit buy it now at the high price and was happy. I had been out-bid on an identical item a week earlier and was very upset for being so cheap and missing out.

 

[bannockburn]

I suppose that for me it's simply a matter of getting the best price on something; especially if it's something where the price is negotiable. The same thing applies to shopping around for the best deal. Do your homework, know what the price range is for what your looking for, find the item and make your best deal. Enjoy the "thrill of the hunt" and save yourself some money at the same time.

 

[BENBRU]

I'm cheap about everything... Cars? Hah... If I need that extra electronics package I'll get it for 250 instead of 500....

Guns? Hell, those are the closest things to impulse purchases I make.

 

[mgmorden]

It all boils down to getting the most for your money.

If you pay for those drinks at the bar that's something EXTRA on top of something that I'm paying for. If I let a friend shoot some that's something extra. Same with the hypothetical electronics package. I don't mind paying for extra stuff.

HOWEVER, I'm always going to search for the absolute cheapest price on a specific instance of what I'm buying. If I'm buying a Ruger SR9 for example, then (barring defective products) that gun is the same exact thing as any other Ruger SR9. I'm not going to pay anymore than I have to for that product.

Same with other things. I might think nothing of letting a buddy shoot through those few mags - but I can guarantee you that I was bargain shopping for the bullets sitting those those mags .

Being thrifty allows you to get more stuff for the same money.

 

[matty-vb]

used gun prices are like prices on anything used. there is no MSRP. no set price. it's all open to haggling and negotiation. probably why people will general haggle over anything used or at least look around. just my thoughts anyway...

 

[gatorjames85]

Umm no---I'm cheap about EVERYTHING.

+1. I am the same way about ammo, cars, clothes, food, etc.

 

[Mikee Loxxer]

I know what you mean. I always find it fascinating how folks wring their hands about finding a 91/30 Mosin Nagant marked up $15-20 higher than they think it should be.

 

[JohnBT]

My time has always been more valuable to me than my money. At age 60 I find myself with a lot more money left than time. I can make more money.

 

[MickKennedy29]

I just think it is fun. Half the excitement with almost any purchase of luxury items is the anticipation. Haggling and looking excessively to save a few bucks is a great way to prolong the experience.

 

[ForumSurfer]

I am the opposite I guess, I am willing to pay the extra 5-10% if I can buy local and support my dealer in my hometown.

Me too. Ever since the in house smith gave me a rear detent spring (free, with a chuckle) for my first ar (twice) even though the only thing I bought locally was a magpul mbus and a lower, I've tried my best to spend money with them when I can. Their ammo is too high for me, but their handguns are within 5-15% of bud's so I buy local.

 

[gym]

You use the car more than the gun, unless you are at war someware. And the electronic pakages are more like $1,500-2000, not $500.00. in most cars including GM and Ford, Mercedes and the German guys get $5000. and up, they wanted $2000.00 just for the cell phone adapter for my car, guess what, I didn't get it. As far as food goes, that's how most people reward themselves and their familys for a hard weeks worth of working late holding down 2 jobs so their kids can go to college,etc.
Guns on the other hand are a hobby, more of a hobby to some of us, and a profession to a few, but extra guns still come under the heading of hobby, or things you really don't use all the time and are mainly for you pleasure. But spending 20% more than something should cost would bother most people no matter what it was. It could be a mattress, that happens a lot, one store has the same one for $1000 more than the other. And I am not exagerating. I work too hard to give some guy an unreasonable amount over what the "going rate is". My bud spent $7,200 on a matress, it vibrates, moves up down sideways has heat, etc. I think it's nuts since he dosen't have a lot of money, but he says it's the best money he ever spent. So things like cars beds and food, are a little more important than having 34 pistols, meaning that you can be more selective as to their worth to you. It may be a large part of your life, but no one likes to look foolish. And no one likes to be ripped off either. It can deflate a mans ego quicklly to find his friend bought the same gun for 25% less. And he will never hear the end of it either. I hope I helped in putting this in perspective, lol

 

[Dulvarian]

I don't worry about the money. I worry more about the time.

My personal favorite is the person that will buy the absolute cheapest ()*& they can find, over and over, because they refuse to spend money for a quality product.

Second would the one who spends a fortune on a label and then feeds it junk ammo/fails to adequately maintain it/perform required maintenance on it and complains about how it shoots/runs/sounds/performs. Seriously?

It's money. Technically, it was little electrons that went from one magnet to another. It wasn't really money? The rifle is real. The scope is real. The rings however, are still electrons...

 

[JoeMal]

That's actually a good question

I dig around for prices because I know better ones can be found. For example, I'm in the market for a SA Loaded. Called my LGS, they want $930 for the one I want, but Buds sells it for $780 (when it's in stock). That's a $150 difference. Now maybe you rich folks don't care about 150, but that's a good chunk of change for me, enough to buy some ammo to get me shooting. I would rather spend a few hours shopping around online to get the best deal I can

 

[ColtPythonElite]

I'm cheap on everything and always shop for the best deal. Saving a buck here or there throughout my whole life has paid off and put me in a pretty good financial position.

 

[psyshack]

I haggle over price because I buy what I want and will keep it to my death now days. I don't buy something to trade it or sell it off. I know what I want. Heck I don't even sell or trade in my used cars. Chances are when I'm done with a car it's not worth much more than scrap. Or I will give the car to somebody that is in need for of basic transport. Said firearm will not leave my possession even for basic warranty work unless it's real bad. Most basic issues I can fix myself even if it means I have to buy a part. I'm the person that would rather opt out of Smith & Wesson's life time warranty for a cheaper price if they would let me. Or buy your warranty level. If you want a freaking lifetime warranty don't make me pay for it you socialist.