Haggling over the price of a new gun

[Lord Soth]

How much can one expect to get off the price of a new gun if one haggles? Is haggling over the price of a gun just like haggling over the price of say a car?

 

[Bob Locke]

I'd say it very much depends on the shop, and, more importantly, the owner. Will also likely depend upon your relationship.

Never hurts to ask, though. The worse that can happen is a "no" response.

 

[Baba Louie]

Depends.

If its from a shop where you are a regular and you have cash in hand sometimes up to 10%.

I usually ask "whattya gotta have?" If they stick to the price on the tag, I bring out the cash and make my offer. Sometimes it actually works.

If they've got 20 of the same gun in stock, and they've been there for awhile, thats one thing. If they're moving fast, or if they've only got one or two... thats another.

I usually get ammo and a couple of other items at the same time tho'.

I usually buy from one shop and they know me there, so, I guess you gotta factor in a lot of things. Overhead still has to be made, some profit would be nice as I'd like to see the shop stay in business.

MSRP is one thing, reality is another.

Adios

 

[telewinz]

More often than not the gun's haggled price has been included in the price tag. They hope some "dumb bunny" or novice will pay list and in a worse case situation they let themselves be haggled down to the price they wanted anyhow. Always remember, they have more experience at it than most customers. If you get a "great deal" from a vendor on a premium piece like a Colt SP1, start to worry.

 

[larry_minn]

What has worked for me is find gun you like then go to another dealer and find out his best price. Go back to first dealer and ask best CASH price TODAY. Then pile on some accessories you want/need and give a batch price for works. (You already know what the extras would cost so you can figure out 10-15% less then that added to gun price he quoted.
Then take gun home.

 

[Kahr carrier]

Yep it Never hurts to ask .On used guns its fun to haggle over price. Sometimes I wont by a gun if i cant get a few bucks of it .But you would be surprised most prices on new guns are negotiable if you have cash unless they are very popular.

 

[Standing Wolf]

You don't always get what you ask for, but you never get what you don't ask for.

 

[AR-10]

I tried the haggling thing once. The shop owner made me feel sorta dirty.

I don't like haggling anyway. I shop for cars and guns like I would for any other item. I go in, look at the goods. If I like what I see on the price tag I get it. If it is too high I move on. Car dealers get one chance. I am not going to sit there and back and forth with them while they "go check with their manager".

I'm self employed. Had a guy haggle with me over his bill after the work was done last year. First time in twenty years this has happened to me. I gave him a discount. I will never work for him again.

 

[COHIBA]

play this game

tell him you'll buy it if he answers three questions correct.
who was first... andrew jackson or thomas jefferson
longest to build... great wall or great pyramid
way to make money... sell a bit lower or watch me walk out

 

[firestar]

I tried the haggling thing once. The shop owner made me feel sorta dirty.

That dirty feeling tells you that your on the right track.

If you walk out and the dealer wants to name his first born son after you then I think you got had.

 

[No4Mk1*]

Just know what the product is worth. If you are at the store with the cheapest price in the state then let them have their profit margin without giving them a headache. If they are undersold and you still want to support their business, let them know where and for how much the other shop is selling X for and maybe they will match or beat the price. I would hate operating a business if all of my customers treated me like I was ripping them off. Especially if my prices were low to start with.

 

[10-Ring]

I figure haggling is apart of the entire purchase experience so I do some everytime I buy. I may get $$ off, some ammo, an extra mag or something, but it's always worth the effort.

 

[F4GIB]

I always ask. I'm often surprised [actually very often] when they lower the price (since I generally know, or think I know, the wholesale price). I figure they are big boys and know how to say "no."

Just asking works surprisingly well. However, it is true that I buy a lot from these guys.

 

[scottgun]

Anywhere from 10-20% off is a fair price to offer for big ticket items at retail. It offsets sales tax plus saves a couple of bucks. Or rounding down to an even $x00 seems to work too.

I can never work it well enough. I get in a shop and the I'll-take-it takes over.

 

[Wildalaska]

Haggling just aint possible if the price is right in the first place..

Wild Alaska

 

[joeislove]

At my local gun shop, they do the haggling for me. I look at the gun, we talk about it for a while, he figures I'm interested, and says, "I could actually do that for X", which is less than what is marked on the tag. Occasionally there's a free box of ammo or maybe a deal on night sight installation or something along those lines. The last gun I bought there was on their annual "Customer Appreciation Day," where they sell all their guns for dealer cost (or maybe a couple bucks over, not sure).

I just figure these guys like to sell guns. They sell a lot of guns. I've certainly never felt cheated. They don't seem to be hurting for sales, as the shop is always busy. They don't seem to be hurting for money, since this store has been in town for many years.

 

[joeislove]

At my local gun shop, they do the haggling for me. I look at the gun, we talk about it for a while, he figures I'm interested, and says, "I could actually do that for X", which is less than what is marked on the tag. Occasionally there's a free box of ammo or maybe a deal on night sight installation or something along those lines. The last gun I bought there was on their annual "Customer Appreciation Day," where they sell all their guns for dealer cost (or maybe a couple bucks over, not sure).

I just figure these guys like to sell guns. They sell a lot of guns. I've certainly never felt cheated. They don't seem to be hurting for sales, as the shop is always busy. They don't seem to be hurting for money, since this store has been in town for many years.

 

[ajacobs]

Hmm, It must be a different world where you guys are from. Sure we can haggle a little on used guns but on new guns there is no way. I have never been to a shop up here that you could, and I have certainly hung out at many of them. My dealer hear just throws the wholesale catalogs out and charges you 10% over cost plus shipping not to exceed 60 bucks (with shipping) and he is the largest stocking dealer in the state. Not much room for haggling in that circumstance.

 

[LiquidTension]

I check out prices on the internet before going to buy anything. Add on shipping and transfer fees to get total price. I go into a shop and say "I can get this gun for this much. I'm willing to give you a little more since I try to support my local dealers. What can you do?" I've bought several of my guns this way. Now all the shops that I've bought from know the deal and work with me, because they know that I won't hesitate to walk out if they want too much money.

I'm willing to pay a little more ($20-25) to buy from the local guys. At that price, they're still making at least $50 most of the time, and I pay in cash always. They know that I give them lots of business and know everyone at all the shops in town, so they're willing to work with me. Sometimes they just can't give me the price I want, and I can deal with that. It's just business.

There is one shop here in town that has ridiculous prices ($700 for a new Pro Carry???) that I just stopped going to. Even after telling them that I can drive across town and get the same thing for much less from another shop, they won't budge on the price. I'm always nice about it, it's just not worth getting worked up over. I honestly don't know how that place stays in business.

Perhaps the best way to get a deal on stuff is to get to know the guys at the shop. If they like you and know that you know your stuff, they're more willing to work with you. It's worked for me, anyway.