leadcounsel
member
Okay - so I need the insight of others on this topic.
Background: I use an FFL who charges about $20 for a transfer on the first weapon, and $5 on each additional one per order. From my foxhole, that seems like a decent profit for, what amounts to, receiving a shipment and then processing the form/making the call to the local ATF (state bureau), and filing the form. A monkey can do it and it takes minutes worth of work. In fact, if that was your entire business and you did 20 per day, at $20 a piece, I think it would be easy money for little work.
He runs a relatively robust business, but not a big box store. Probably carries 100-200 various long guns and handguns, and 5 isles of overpriced accessories.
I've been shopping there for a couple years. I have purchased guns directly from him (displays and special orders) and I have had things shipped there and paid the transfer. I even buy SOMETHING nearly everytime I'm there to keep the cash register ringing (ammo, mags, sling, tools, etc.). And I recently sent my girlfriend there for her first handgun purchase!
Finally, it turns out we were in the same UNIT in the Army together (he was 2 decades before me)...
I recon he's made at least a few hundred off me, and he frankly charged my girlfriend more than I was comfortable with for her handgun. (I was not there and she wasn't upset about it so I didn't act on it). He charged her $650 out the door for a CZ P01.
But not my battle to fight.
So I found a good deal on a pistol on the internet from a big box store. I called my FFL and he tells me that they've changed their policy and will no longer be taking any FFL transfers!!!
:banghead:
He goes on to explain that he's getting undercut by big box stores, whine whine whine.... I didn't argue with him, I just let him whine about it. I told him thanks for letting me know, and hung up.
Now, I'm pretty T'd off. I also think he's making a mistake by driving customers away. It's a small piece of the FFL transfer $ better than no piece of the pie at all? He doesn't carry CZs at all, so if I want one from him he special orders it and his COST is more than the big box store is offering to sell it for. And then, there's his markup! All said and done the pistol would be a good 10-20% more if I buy from him.
Driving away any business just seems like a bad business model. I mean, let's face it, it's the savy customers that are ordering guns, right? They aren't likely to pay over inflated prices anyway, they'll just order it delivered to a different FFL.
So I'm just going to go with the FFL down the street that charges the same and I'll likely never be back to the first FFL.
I guess I'll tell him why at some point.
Background: I use an FFL who charges about $20 for a transfer on the first weapon, and $5 on each additional one per order. From my foxhole, that seems like a decent profit for, what amounts to, receiving a shipment and then processing the form/making the call to the local ATF (state bureau), and filing the form. A monkey can do it and it takes minutes worth of work. In fact, if that was your entire business and you did 20 per day, at $20 a piece, I think it would be easy money for little work.
He runs a relatively robust business, but not a big box store. Probably carries 100-200 various long guns and handguns, and 5 isles of overpriced accessories.
I've been shopping there for a couple years. I have purchased guns directly from him (displays and special orders) and I have had things shipped there and paid the transfer. I even buy SOMETHING nearly everytime I'm there to keep the cash register ringing (ammo, mags, sling, tools, etc.). And I recently sent my girlfriend there for her first handgun purchase!
Finally, it turns out we were in the same UNIT in the Army together (he was 2 decades before me)...
I recon he's made at least a few hundred off me, and he frankly charged my girlfriend more than I was comfortable with for her handgun. (I was not there and she wasn't upset about it so I didn't act on it). He charged her $650 out the door for a CZ P01.
But not my battle to fight.So I found a good deal on a pistol on the internet from a big box store. I called my FFL and he tells me that they've changed their policy and will no longer be taking any FFL transfers!!!
:banghead:He goes on to explain that he's getting undercut by big box stores, whine whine whine.... I didn't argue with him, I just let him whine about it. I told him thanks for letting me know, and hung up.
Now, I'm pretty T'd off. I also think he's making a mistake by driving customers away. It's a small piece of the FFL transfer $ better than no piece of the pie at all? He doesn't carry CZs at all, so if I want one from him he special orders it and his COST is more than the big box store is offering to sell it for. And then, there's his markup! All said and done the pistol would be a good 10-20% more if I buy from him.
Driving away any business just seems like a bad business model. I mean, let's face it, it's the savy customers that are ordering guns, right? They aren't likely to pay over inflated prices anyway, they'll just order it delivered to a different FFL.
So I'm just going to go with the FFL down the street that charges the same and I'll likely never be back to the first FFL.
I guess I'll tell him why at some point.
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Where did you go to high school? Retake 8th grade math or 9th grade economics. That $20 transfer fee isn't profit, that's sales income. He has to pay for rent, utilities, insurance, taxes before he even begins to see a $ of profit. 
