New FFL in Tennessee ( Question on FFL Xfer Fees )

[glock281]

Quick Question

I'm getting my FFL and wanted to find out what the going price is for xfers as a whole (Not just locally)

What is an acceptable price to charge to do xfers?

Also would anyone think this is a good idea or???

$100 year membership (gets you)
Free Xfers for the year (+ $10 per TICS)
NIB Glock Drawing (Every year in Dec, only for members)
Stocking Dealer Drawing (free stuff I get from glock,ruger,sig,etc... for being a dealer)
Email Specials (Dealer Price when I get specials)


Anything else you can think of to add in?
How is the price?
Anyone else you know do anything like this?

Thanks for any help

 

[CraigC]

I'm halfway between Memphis and Nashville and my local dealer charges $25 for transfers.

 

[leadcounsel]

I live in Clarksville and there is a shortage of inexpensive transfer locations. The one I used to use says he no longer does transfers. He used to charge around $20 for the first gun, and like $5 or $10 for each subsequent gun.

I personally would consider an annual deal like that; $100 for free transfers for a year would be sweet. But I think that it would hurt your business.

I think $20 for the first, and $5 or $10 for subsequent in the same transaction is a reasonable fee for online transfers.

The way I view it is that you want the foot traffic, make a small 100% profit, and build relationships. While the folks are there, standing around waiting for the BG check, they browse holsters, ammo, other guns, etc.

If you gouge folks, they won't come in. But you have to make some profit.

 

[Coolbreeze8804]

I'm in Eugene Oregon, and the folks I go through charge us $35.00, but there is always good coffee in the pot and friendly knowledgable folks behind the counter, so that makes it okay...

 

[glock281]

Thank you

I"m mainly wanting to handle xfers for people (and carry limited inventory)
There are a shortage of FFLS that do xfers locally as well so I wanted to try and fix that problem.
(One place charges $50, one 10% of what they sell the weapon for and yet another that is $35 + $10 for TICS)

So I'm mainly wanting to provide a service. now I will carry some ammo and holsters and if I get a Great Deal weapons (Glock has a kick ass dealer program for your first order so I can't pass them up either)

 

[taliv]

it's probably been 10 years since I paid for a transfer though i've done dozens of them in that time, including about ten NFA $200 stamp, because i build a relationship with a couple dealers and do plenty of business with them.

but anything under $25 is fair.

 

[nalioth]

"Free transfer with in-store purchase"
"Free transfer for each transfer customer referred [referred customer charged regular transfer fee and must name the person that referred them]"

Sorry, wishful thinking on my part.

I know I've referred a pot load of transfer business towards a local dealer and don't have such a nice kickback

I've also gone out of my way to make purchases there (they are a hardware store here in Houston).

 

[CoRoMo]

I"m mainly wanting to handle xfers for people...
There are a shortage of FFLS that do xfers locally...

There are a number of licensees here. One of them here in particular, acquired his license for the exact same reason you describe; because no other local licensee offered a reasonable transfer fee. He's done exceptionally well being the least expensive in his area. Good luck.

Regarding the $100/year fee, a guy would have to buy a good load of weapons every year to make that worth while. Most all of my transfers cost me $10 a pop, and I've never bought more than maybe four guns in a year's time, so I personally, would pass on an offer like that, if I was paying $10-$20 per transfer.

 

[glock281]

That is one thing I plan on doing. for refers giving the referer a free xfer (after I get to know them and they know me)
I would love to be on a first name basis with my clients.

 

[Mxracer239y]

My local guy (similar to the type of business you seem to want to run) is $10. I dont even pay attention to most gun stores- IIRC, they start at $25 and go up.

 

[kingpin008]

Regarding the $100/year fee, a guy would have to buy a good load of weapons every year to make that worth while.

Took the words outta my mouth.

Personally, I'd be looking for a FFL who is at least competitive (if not cheaper than) other FFLs in the area when it comes to transfers, and who is willing to order pretty much anything I want. Very few FFLs in my area are willing to order items for customers, which I find very off-putting.

Do those two things, and I have a feeling you'll be able to compete very easily with the established FFLs in your area.

 

[glock281]

Thanks for the words.

I don't understand why they wouldn't order a weapon you want? Isn't that what they are in the business for?

As far as the $100 per year I know I ordered 17 weapons last year and at $30 a pop that added up pretty quick so I was trying to come up with something to save guys like me some money and make new friends in the process.

 

[VinnAY]

Undercut the locals and then publicize it, $25 seem's average, I'd go with $15 and see what you get. $20 is to close to $25 to lure atleast the loyals away from their current FFL. Advertise the heck out of it. I'd say that the $100/yr thing, that's a lot of guns to break even on. I like the stocking freebies idea, toss one of those at folks every so often.

I think that there's actually someone in my region, not close enough to be local to me, but he does free xfers.

 

[leadcounsel]

They carry inventory and want you to buy their inventory.

However I think that you could really run a low overhead business with low cost transfers and undercut all the others. But the likely result would be the others would lower their costs too and take your business.

 

[razorback2003]

I know a couple of FFL dealers in Memphis charge forty bucks for transfers of title one firearms. You then have then 10 dollar TICS check on top of the forty. One charges a hundred for title II firearms transfer.

Another dealer I saw in Memphis charges twenty five for used I believe and forty for new then add on the ten dollars to the state.

I'd hope that you charge enough to make it worthwhile. If you charge too little you won't be able to keep the lights on.

Good luck with your new business.

 

[Bubba613]

I think five dollars is a fair price. Maybe make a "10th gun is free" deal as well.

 

[TNboy]

I live in East Tennessee, don't know where you are. Can't say that I've ever paid a transfer fee but I think the going rate here is $20-25.

 

[CoRoMo]

I assume you would be doing this out of your home. If so, you can really kill the LGS's in regards to transfer prices. Most won't even bother competing.

 

[glock281]

No I will be using an office for it all. (My wife runs a photography business)
that is why the limited inventory.

 

[kingpin008]

Thanks for the words.

Yer welcome.

I don't understand why they wouldn't order a weapon you want? Isn't that what they are in the business for?

You'd think that, wouldn't you? But Leadcounsel pretty much nailed it - they want you to buy what they have, and are too foolish or lazy to understand that that attitude will cost them business. *shrug* What can ya do. :banghead:

As far as the $100 per year I know I ordered 17 weapons last year and at $30 a pop that added up pretty quick so I was trying to come up with something to save guys like me some money and make new friends in the process

Lemme start off by saying, I envy guys like you! I WISH I had the kind of money to have that many toys. Alas, I sold off all my guns (1911, P22, SKS, 10/22, Hi-Point 995) to pay bills a few years back, and haven't been able to buy a single one to replace 'em since. That's getting ready to change soon, but yeah - for those of us who can't afford/don't want a ton of guns, that $100 deal wouldn't matter much.

That said, you could always offer it to customers who you noticed coming in for lots of transfers - kind of a "discount club" for high-volume buyers. And for those of us who only need a gun here n' there, the (hopefully) already low transfer price and (hopefully) awesome customer service would suffice.

 

[hawkeye10]

A pawn shop in Smyrna Tn. charges $15+$10 and a pawn shop in Murfreesboro charges $20+$10. One gun shop I think charges $50 or $60. Let me know when you get started. If your fees are good I will do business with you. Don

 

[mgkdrgn]

make a small 100% profit

Only if your time, now, and for the next 20 years as you look after that paperwork, is worth -nothing-. And your filing space is free, and the room/building filing space is stored in is free, and you can heat/air condition that space for free ... yadda yadda yadda.

There is "income", and there is "profit". They are two entirely different things. You only know what your "profit" is after you add up all your income, and subtract all your expenses, over a period of time.

Try making a living doing nothing but "100% profit" transfers. You won't be able to do them fast enough to keep from starving. The amount of time and paperwork that YOU NEVER SEE is considerable.

 

[mgkdrgn]

Quick Question

I'm getting my FFL and wanted to find out what the going price is for xfers as a whole (Not just locally)

What is an acceptable price to charge to do xfers?

Also would anyone think this is a good idea or???

$100 year membership (gets you)
Free Xfers for the year (+ $10 per TICS)
NIB Glock Drawing (Every year in Dec, only for members)
Stocking Dealer Drawing (free stuff I get from glock,ruger,sig,etc... for being a dealer)
Email Specials (Dealer Price when I get specials)


Anything else you can think of to add in?
How is the price?
Anyone else you know do anything like this?

Thanks for any help

All that sounds fine to me. I charge $20 here for a transfer myself in SC, working out of my home.

The "Transfer Club" would for sure entice the "big spenders" ... on the internet at least. The trick then is to turn them in to "big spenders" at YOUR place of business!

The only thing that -might- be an issue is that "members only" Glock drawing. You'll want to check your local laws on sweepstakes and the like ... they can get pretty tricky.

 

[mgkdrgn]

Thank you

I"m mainly wanting to handle xfers for people (and carry limited inventory)
There are a shortage of FFLS that do xfers locally as well so I wanted to try and fix that problem.
(One place charges $50, one 10% of what they sell the weapon for and yet another that is $35 + $10 for TICS)

So I'm mainly wanting to provide a service. now I will carry some ammo and holsters and if I get a Great Deal weapons (Glock has a kick ass dealer program for your first order so I can't pass them up either)

Ahhhh, going to try and make a living off of transfers. You are going to be really surprised at how long the -whole process- takes. I know I was.

And remember, TAKE YOUR TIME, and get the forms -perfect-. Both the 4473, your bound book, AND any 3310's you might end up doing.

If you don't, and you screw them up just "_" much, the helpful folks at BATFE might just take your FFL, stick you with a healthy fine, and if they are in a really pissy mood that day arrange for an extended vacation at Club Fed.

 

[Bubbles]

Transfer fees are all over the map depending on your cost of doing business, location, how many other dealers are in the area, etc. As you pointed out, some FFL's charge a percentage of the gun's value (and I've seen some SOT's do this, IMO not cool to charge 10% fee on a machine gun transfer), while others are a flat fee that ranges from free to almost $150 for the one FFL in Washington, DC who does transfers.

We charge $5 for a Title I transfer and $25 for a Title II transfer, not because we're making money at that price, but as a "loss leader" to get people to come and see the other services we provide. I'd say one in ten folks who uses us for a transfer returns for either gunsmithing work or a custom build.