How to approach Sellers asking Outrageous prices?

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cleetus03

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Wanted some opinion and feedback concerning the following;

How do yall proceed/approach a seller who is asking a ridiculous amount for a gun.

For example, I was browsing in a local pawn shop and they had a;

Used Taurus PT92 for $550
Used Kel-Tec P-11 for $350
Used Wasr10 for $599

I the person I am, smiled and just walked out.....But then I thought about the possibility that these high prices just might be a over optimistic dickering tool to engage.

I have also noticed this trend of asking skyhigh prices on local gun classified's.

Do yall politely tell these kind of sellers that these prices are well over what the guns can be bought for new, give them a equally outrageous counteroffer in hopes that they will deal, or walk away as I did?

Appreciate all the help and info yall can give me!
 
If you don't play, you can't win. If you play nasty like giving an "outrageous counteroffer", you can't play. If you are truly interested, why not just take the high road & give them your best realistic offer.
 
I usually decide what the item is worth to me, and start under that and let him meet me in the middle. I have also simply walked up, placed the amount I'm willing to give on the table next to the item, and let him make the choice.

The key is to be willing to walk away at any time. By trying any method of dickering you MAY not get the item, but by not attempting to dicker you WON'T get the item.

Your call.
 
Some places charge like that to get extra money out of the occasional chump, and are willing to haggle down to something reasonable.

Most of them, however, just price over MSRP, and if you don't like it you can lump it. Those are also the places that get really uppity if you order a gun online and try to transfer it there, at $300 less than their price...
 
Cash does TALK! I went into one years a go and saw a gun I wanted; they wanted 125 for it and I could tell it had been there a while so I walked up and laid 75.00 on the counter and pointed to the gun and I said I want it and I will pay you this right now. They sold me the gun with a smile and we both parted ways happy.

Pawn shops are special places and you need tough skin some times to deal with them.
 
if you have access to a gun blue book, either bring it in, or a copy of the appropriate page, and show the proprietor on what basis you are making your offer - not simply because you like low-balling. For example, that Taurus pt seems overpriced by $200 or so. It would be nice to have the data to prove it. But the shop owner knows someone will buy it at close to their asking in a matter of time. Not all gun shoppers shop from a position of knowledge - impulse buying, etc.
 
As DanPkr mentioned, decide what it's worth to you, and what your top price is, then game on.

An opening line, something like "Is that your rock-bottom best price on that?" is a good way to start. If he says yes, thank him and move on. If not, tell the seller that you're willing to pay cash right now for the piece, as long as the price is right.

This, of course, requires that you be serious and actually have cash. A lot of times, sellers (at least smart ones) will start to work with you once they see cash come out. It's not worth it to haggle with most folks, since all they're doing is kicking tires anyhow.
 
It is best to ignore the price they have decided to hang on the weapon. They certainly lowballed the poor guy who sold it to them. Offer what you are willing to pay for the piece. They will either accept, decline, or make a counter offer. The pawn shops around here attempt to charge more for their used weapons than gun shops charge for identical new models. They do not realistically expect to get these inflated prices but may sometimes get lucky with an uninformed customer.
 
Go prepared to bargain

Like others have said, do your homework, pick a price you willing to pay then reduce that amount accordingly which will give you some bargaining room.

I've bought several guns from pawn shops, some times I've paid more that I wanted to and some times I've done better than I planned.

Right now there's a S&W model 57 at the pawn shop I'd like to have for a reasonable price, which is around $275. It's been rode hard and had less than stellar care. Pawn shop said my price would be $350, hang tag is $480. I said no thanks they wouldn't move and I just look at it whenever I'm in there. I could do that well at the Reno Gunshow for one that's not in tough shape.

4D5
 
lee roder said:
If you don't play, you can't win. If you play nasty like giving an "outrageous counteroffer", you can't play. If you are truly interested, why not just take the high road & give them your best realistic offer.
Click to expand...

The above advice is exactly what I do. As long as you are prepared to walk and not start a haggling session it is realistic.

It has worked for me maybe 40% of the time, using cash. No checks or CC.
 
well they do have to sell at a higher price then what they bought them at, because they do have to make money in order to live well. Maybe their tactic is to price it super high to get people to haggle the price down to what they think is reasonable even though the gun is probably used and they only haggled it down to retail price. For example, the pawn shop clerk bought something like a used CZ 75B for about $400, put it up for sale at $550 (about retail), and let people haggle prices down to about $450-$500. (Prices may vary).

this gives them money, while you may have not gotten the best deal. That is why I don't shop at many pawn shops.
 
Most of those places they price stuff high like that, they don't care what the blue book says, and if you offered a "fair" offer they would laugh.
I know a pawnshop right across the street from one of the largest gun dealers in town. The pawn shop often has well-used examples of popular pistols for the same price the gunstore has brand new models. And they don't care to haggle. Their inventory always changes, so SOMEBODY is buying them.
 
I was looking for a Kimber a while back, and decided I could part with my Taurus 1911 stainless and my Beretta 92fs Inox. Both were in 98%+ condition. I had the Taurus about 6 months and it had about 100 rounds through it and I had the Beretta about a year, and it had a few less than a thousand. I went to my local gun guy and asked what I could get for trade, he brought out his blue book, showed me values, and he offered me $1,000 cash or trade, $450 for the Beretta, and $550 for the 1911 (of course offering a little less so he could profit), but since he isn't a Kimber dealer, he wouldn't order me one. I went to Scheel's to see what I could get because they had the Kimber I wanted. They looked at what I had, the salesman went into the back and came out about 15 minutes later after consulting the "book value" and said they'd give me 600 cash, or 670 trade. I told them I couldn't do it for that low, especially after the quote I got from my local gun dealer. I ended up keeping the Beretta and trading the Taurus for an EAA elite Match .45. It's just ridiculous what some people try to get for firearms. But unlike a pawn shop which will usually negotiate, Scheel's prices are firm.
 
I'm a cheap, haggling sort, so I'll always try to get a few bucks off. Still, if the place is overpriced it's probably because the seller is out of touch with the market rather than actively trying to rook people. Asking for $200 off a gun marked at $500 will usually get you nowhere. Also, a question like "what's the lowest you'll take" is irritating because it's tantamount to a complete stranger asking for a favor. Make an offer consisting of actual numbers.

But the best thing for your sanity is to avoid sellers with an inflated sense of how much their stock is worth in the first place.
 
I don't negotiate. Unless it is a one-of-a-kind item, I can probably find a better price somewhere.

In shops where I'm known, I'll ask "What's my price on this?" and if the price is acceptable, I take it.

In a new shop, I say "Would you take 'X' dollars?". If the answer is yes, I take it home. If the answer is 'No' then I walk.

Everything can be had for a better price somewhere, somewhen--don't get attached to a specific one.
 
Do you guys haggle at the gun store? I mean regular local shops/big box for new guns, not pawn shops or gun show (always haggle there).
 
My first rule for buying used guns is that ALL prices are inflated. If a guy is asking 200 the gun is probably worth 170-180. This is especially true at gun shows or pawn shops. I refuse to pay sticker at these places even if the only deal I get is that they eat the price of the NICS check. At my local gun shop I have gotten a LOT of free handle time and free advice from them so I am less likely to haggle on a price with them but I will toss an offer at say 10% less just for the hell of it.
 
Do you guys haggle at the gun store? I mean regular local shops/big box for new guns
Click to expand...

Always try. At some of the big box stores I've bought display items for real good deals that way. Not often, and never actually a gun, but a nice TV once, and some other electronics.
 
At a gunshow, I just say "Wow, never saw a xxxx with internals that were made of gold before making it so valuable". Then I shake my head and walk away.

Basically I am getting tired of wildly overpriced guns sold by those trying to rape the public on price.
 
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