Gun store craziness.

[brutus51]

Don't know if this is true everywhere but some of the things I've observed;
One shop in my area has increased their commission on consignment sales from 20% to 25%, doesn't seem like to bright of a move considering their shelves are bare, in addition they have also increased their transfer fee from $50. to $100 which has eliminated me from using them.
Another shop has quit consignments all together opting to buy them outright. Of course they are offering you next to nothing for your gun and once again their shelves are empty.
If I choose to drive 40 miles things seem to be back to normal, must be an urban area phenomenon but I have elected to carry a grudge when this pandemic is over.

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

Good Lord, $100 transfer fee!?!?!

Sounds like they consider transfers a nuisance and really dont want to do them at that price. Ive seen shops like that.

Most place around here charge $20-25.

 

[bigpower491]

Yea for sure

I can't really blame the guys on gunbroker doing the auctions on the primers and people bidding em to the moon, its the jerkingtons with that as a buy it now, I've been taking down the usernames for my personal blacklist

My FFL still charges the same for transfers and consignment, and his shop is bare. None of his prices changed. Ill always do buisness with him

 

[FFGColorado]

A small LGS here doesn't really want to do transfers so charges a lot($50 I think)..a bigger place that sells lotsa other stuff, who has no axe to grind does it for $35...

I think these days, where all the small LGS has are O/U hunting shotguns, they would be happy for any business. Plus, they kinda don't want to do consignments either..not sure what's up with them.

Jax Outdoor in Broomfield, CO..ask for Chris, Bill or Tony..Just did a transfer and it was smooth like silk.

 

[brutus51]

Good Lord, $100 transfer fee!?!?!

Standard price around here is $35. everywhere except the place stated above.
Unfortunately this is the target range closest to home and has been reduced, for me, to that function only. Shame because a lot of nice people work there and I notice their numbers are being reduced as well.

 

[lightman]

Sometimes you wonder at the decisions business owners make.

 

[mmb617]

Good Lord, $100 transfer fee!?!?!

Sounds like they consider transfers a nuisance and really dont want to do them at that price. Ive seen shops like that.

Most place around here charge $20-25.

Before all the craziness my favorite LGS charged $30 if you bought the gun online, the fee was $5 if you bought the gun from him. I asked him if he minded doing the transfers for guns bought online and he said no as that was the bulk of his gun sales now. I'm guessing that in those days his margins were tight enough that he didn't make much more profit selling his own guns than the online transfers. He had to pay a total of $5 for the background checks so he netted $25 for doing the paperwork that took maybe 5 minutes tops.

I don't know that his fees have changed since I'm not in the market for any guns right now, but I doubt it. He made the comment that dealers who gouge their customers now will be remembered when things get back to normal.

 

[marksman13]

Might just be the fact that they are trying to eek out an existence now that inventory is gone and they have nothing available to sell. Gotta do something to make a living when you can’t get product.

 

[jmorris]

I guess that’s the company you keep. Last time I went to pick up firearms transferred to my FFL he gave me one extra.

 

[Hooda Thunkit]

Most place around here charge $20-25.

A small LGS here doesn't really want to do transfers so charges a lot($50 I think)..a bigger place that sells lotsa other stuff, who has no axe to grind does it for $35...

Standard price around here is $35.

Closest LGS to me, about 8 miles away, does $30 transfer.

I can drive another 20 miles each way, and do it for $10, but the extra time and fuel probably makes it a push.

 

[potmetal]

What you describe at your local shop sounds like some shops I have known in the good times, when supplies were good. The shop owners must not care about their business doing that now.
I have a shop near here that welcomes consignments. It helps put inventory on their shelves. You set the price you need and they will add to it whatever they think is fair, usually about $50 to 75. Some shops here will ask up to $50 for transfers if they don't know you. If you're a regular customer $20 is the going price.
It's a tough time for shops right now. Smart ones will survive, others may fail.

 

[SterlingBullet]

I agree that their decision may not be the most viable option. But consider this: Prior to the recent corona/riots/election events, a gun store would sell a certain amount of guns per month with a general profit margin of $75 to $200 per firearm. This profit margin helped to pay for the store’s general overhead costs; rent, utilities, insurance, payroll, payroll taxes, etc.
With the decline in the ability to bring in new firearms for inventory, the gun store has to come up with ways to cover those expenses. There appears right now, a fair amount of online firearms inventory available for buyers to purchase and have sent to their FFL. Some customers are buying without a regard to normal pricing.
Increasing transfer fees and consignment fees may be a way for a gun store to capture lost profits from having no inventory to sell.
Whether this tactic will work and bring them enough profit to stay in business remains to be seen.

 

[Zahn]

I didn't know how good we had it here, I guess. Just about every place in town charges $20 for a transfer. There is an FFL less than a mile from my house who charges $15.

 

[Lennyjoe]

Good Lord, $100 transfer fee!?!?!

Sounds like they consider transfers a nuisance and really dont want to do them at that price. Ive seen shops like that.

Most place around here charge $20-25.

LGS here does them for $5

 

[cdahl383]

$25-35 in Michigan near me for a transfer. $50-100 seems like a rip.

 

[drobs]

Standard price around here is $35. everywhere except the place stated above.
Unfortunately this is the target range closest to home and has been reduced, for me, to that function only. Shame because a lot of nice people work there and I notice their numbers are being reduced as well.

Where's here?

 

[bigpower491]

One thing is for sure....its a sellers market.
Whatever one has in a collection thats been hanging around and gone thru the personal stay/go debate, one could certainly fetch the top of its value. My guy does consignment 10%, about what I'd consider a standard number. An individual looking to do a little downsizing could infact pull himself a nice stack of that green grease with the shop owner making out fairly good too.
The crazy time we are living in

 

[CarJunkieLS1]

Going price for FFL transfers around me here in North Alabama is $30 or $35. No way in the world I would pay $50 or $100 for a transfer.

 

[BigAlShooter]

I guess I'm lucky, I've got a local place here, only a few miles from me, they do transfers for free. They don't even have any guns in their store, as they specialize in acquiring special or hard to find firearms for customers. I've done 2 transfers from internet sales with them. I even offered to pay something and they were like nope we do it for free to help people out. And they are really friendly. There are still some places out there that aren't always trying to nickel and dime you.

 

[grammontS]

I pay $30 for a transfer , if it was a $100 I definitely would find elsewhere!

 

[buck460XVR]

About the only thing out there right now is overpriced and thus, for the most part, folks buying have deep pockets. The extra 5% tacked on to the price of a used gun or $100 to transfer a gun bought elsewhere for less monies, is not going to deter them. The rest of us will just wait and hope.

 

[jeff-10]

In heavier metro areas, like the Miami area, the stores do transfers for really cheap. I think it is $15 at Nexus Shooting in Davie, FL. It is so streamlined that Buds or CDNN have the stores listed as preferred sellers and it is a very seamless process. They want you to use their shooting ranges, by other guns, ammunition and accessories. They however refuse to sell any used guns or take trades.

I am starting see AR-15's of all things available again. The issue now is ammo and the more popular striker fired pistols like Glocks, Walthers and the Sig 320's. Prices aren't high on guns just ammo but there are no deals, all full retail. Also, it seems like revolvers are pretty much all gone which isn't surprising because there are quite a few non-gun people who are more comfortable with wheel guns. So when they do feel the need to be a gun owner, they buy revolvers.

 

[George P]

LGS here does transfers for $20 = $5 for the phone call so $25 total. Since it is a part time thing for him and he is only open on the weekends, transfers and CC classes make most of his revenue.

 

[gifbohane]

Good Lord, $100 transfer fee!?!?!

Sounds like they consider transfers a nuisance and really dont want to do them at that price. Ive seen shops like that.

Most place around here charge $20-25.

Nope my LGS increased their transfer fees from $40 last January to $90 in October 2020. I believe that since they have no ammo, no guns or rifles, no consignments and no components to sell, this is the only way that they earn any income. They are staying open hoping to sell jackets, hats and gloves for hunting.

They have to go out of business soon as this will not sustain them. Sad because with the state laws as they are, there are very few of them to start anyway.

 

[PapaG]

Don't know if this is true everywhere but some of the things I've observed;
One shop in my area has increased their commission on consignment sales from 20% to 25%, doesn't seem like to bright of a move considering their shelves are bare, in addition they have also increased their transfer fee from $50. to $100 which has eliminated me from using them.
Another shop has quit consignments all together opting to buy them outright. Of course they are offering you next to nothing for your gun and once again their shelves are empty.
If I choose to drive 40 miles things seem to be back to normal, must be an urban area phenomenon but I have elected to carry a grudge when this pandemic is over.

The shop I worked at from '08 til a couple years ago got bought by a kid with a loaded dad and no sense. Wouldn't restock when he still could, upped the consignment fee (with empty shelves), and raised prices way out of line with common sense or decency. I cut my ties when he wouldn't lower the fees when I offered him enough guns to fill the cases. Used 870 Express for example $569. Wingmaster, used, 90% $750. Generic 9mm $39.95/50. Supply and demand, I guess but an old friend at another shop yesterday had his stuff at regular prices. 2 bags of wads and 1000 shotgun primers for $50.