Ruger Pistol Customers - LGS employees chime in?

[The_Next_Generation]

Hey everyone,

So, I sell kydex holsters on eBay for some income on the side. Most of my models sell for less than $20. I usually sell one or two a day, and everything goes off without a hitch.

However, I have noticed an interesting trend. Customers who purchase holsters for Ruger's compact pistols (LCP, LC9, LC9s) are more likely to haggle on the price. I accept reasonable offers, but Ruger folks seem to low-ball like none of the other customers. Ruger customers, on average, also tend to message me with more frequency and/or have a problem with my product. I use the same methods for all of my models - they are all triple checked for function, fit, retention, etc. I'm thinking it might be a price-point thing. Ruger pistols are cheaper than competitive options, and perhaps that attracts a different customer-base than others.

So, do any LGS employees/other professionals care to chime in as to their experiences?

Disclaimer: I'm not trying to say all Ruger customers are like this. I own Ruger products myself, and have done so for a long time. I'm just curious to hear if any other folks in the industry have shared my experience.

 

[Panzerschwein]

How many Rugers do you sell over other models?

If you sell a bunch of Rugers, no doubt you'll get more lowballers and problems just due to larger numbers.

 

[The_Next_Generation]

Good point Cooldill. Compared to total sales, I sell almost as many Ruger holsters as anything else. Slight edge to Glock models, but that should be no surprise. I can go through and crunch some numbers so we have real statistics to look at.

 

[CNobbe]

A friend of mine lists guns online for the shop he works at. The amount of low ball offers he gets is ridiculous - doesn't really matter what kind of gun it is, but Colt and Ruger listings seem to draw the most low ball and sob story emails.

 

[il.bill]

I do not sell many compact Ruger Pistols because the online seller and big box sale price competition is simply brutal (I just today received a transfer of a nice LC9s from Cabela's that sold for less than my dealer cost). Perhaps a significant number of your Ruger holster customers got a 'killer' deal on their pistol in the first place and want to continue that price trend with their holster purchase.

 

[tarosean]

Sell anything online and expect to be low balled...

 

[JTQ]

Sell anything online and expect to be low balled...

Possibly. However, I can't imagine folks calling up Blade-Tech, Comp-Tac, etc., and low balling them on the price of a holster, though I suppose they could be.

Their online presentations just seem like "This is what our product costs. We're glad you stopped by, but if you're not willing to pay what we charge, feel free to find another maker."

I'm not complaining about them, because that's how I think business should be run, just pointing it out.

 

[tarosean]

Possibly. However, I can't imagine folks calling up Blade-Tech, Comp-Tac, etc., and low balling them on the price of a holster, though I suppose they could be

I was referring to individuals not necessarily businesses.

 

[DaisyCutter]

I always make it a point to excitedly accept insultingly lowball online offers and then arrange a distant meeting place. Then I don't show.

I think any attempt to negotiate price/value sight-unseen is incredibly rude. The disrespect they receive was bought and paid for by their actions.

 

[chicharrones]

Hey everyone,

So, I sell kydex holsters on eBay for some income on the side. Most of my models sell for less than $20. I usually sell one or two a day, and everything goes off without a hitch.

eBay is also a major factor with the problem.

I sell items on eBay and the way I reduce the low ball messaging is to list an item with a "Buy Now" price and a "Make Offer" price. In the details of the listing set up, I make sure to check the box to automatically decline offers that are lower than the lowest Make Offer price I will accept.

That alone reduces the low ball BS by a huge amount.

 

[CraigC]

Online shopping has had this effect. I've been in gun shops and overheard guys dickering on pricing, saying they can get it cheaper online. I'd hate to be in the business of selling guns and having to deal with that crap every day. Luckily, I've haven't had any of that with my leatherwork. Maybe I'm working too cheap?

 

[Coyote3855]

I always make it a point to excitedly accept insultingly lowball online offers and then arrange a distant meeting place. Then I don't show.

What goes around, comes around.

 

[TimboKhan]

I always make it a point to excitedly accept insultingly lowball online offers and then arrange a distant meeting place. Then I don't show.

That seems extraordinarily rude and wholly unnecessary compared to simply saying "no". Insulting offer or not, all you have to say is no as opposed to immediately defaulting to being mean-spirited about the whole thing.

 

[shootniron]

I buy almost everything online...I don't threaten folks with the "I can buy it cheaper somewhere else"...I just buy it somewhere cheaper. I buy a lot of guns on gunbroker...most of them are bought by making an offer, to the seller. But, if they don't accept...I just make someone else an offer on the same gun...someone is always willing to accept the offer.

 

[Tirod]

Mean spirited is based on perspective. Low ball offers aren't uplifting social discourse, they are seen as insulting and combative in many cases. I've dealt with it selling cars on Craigslist and get lowballers at retail checking out frequently. "What kind of deal can you make on this?" "Will you take $X/2 for it?" It's as if the seller is a complete moron and the buyer is justified in making horrible offers. That's not how this works. Certainly NOT in retail.

If the intent is to plumb the character of the seller just for a laugh at their expense, then why not excitedly agree and make a preposterous offer to consummate the sale at some ridiculous time and place? It's as genuine as the offer. What they were saying is they estimated you, the seller, to be either too uninformed and an easy mark for their offer, or so desperate due to circumstances they are happy to add salt to wounds you are suffering because you need to sell. In either case it's certainly not due to any respect toward you.

Turn the situation around and you then get their respect when they realize you played them equally well, if not better. Low ball offers are a game of who is more stupid or uninformed. Selling at one third the going rate proves who it is.

I'd like to hear from those who were parked behind a box store at 2AM waiting to make the deal how often they did that. I don't think it happens that much - the exchange of information already occurred when both laughed and walked away the day before. They made a preposterous and insulting offer, you replied in kind. Do unto others, etc.

 

[Cannibul]

Online shopping has had this effect. I've been in gun shops and overheard guys dickering on pricing, saying they can get it cheaper online. I'd hate to be in the business of selling guns and having to deal with that crap every day. Luckily, I've haven't had any of that with my leatherwork. Maybe I'm working too cheap?

Way before the Internet there were these things called catalogs.

I was selling hunting and fishing stuff during this time. Guys would come in with the Bass Pro catalog and want me to match the price on lures.

I'd gladly match the price. While ringing them up I made sure to include the shipping and handling charge, then I'd bag them up, toss them on the shelf behind me and tell the guy he could come in and pick them up in 10 days or so. Perfect match to the Bass Pro catalog!

I never had someone ask me to "match" twice.

 

[ritepath]

I just flatly tell people no and stick to it. I had a guy drive 5 miles once for a jeep I sold him after loading it he asked for a transfer case I wanted 150 bucks for but was throwing in with the jeep if he paid my asking price. I shipped it to Alabama a few weeks later.

No matter what I may sell, I set my bottom price and stick to it. I've got the "my kids got cancer" story a couple of times this year already on silly little stuff. I always just assume the "I don't get paid until friday" to mean no. I've also found cheap fishermen are the worst.

If I'm meeting someone I make sure they're aware this is the bottom price...period.
. I hate dealing with people with a passion but I have a lot of quality items to sale during the normal year. It may be a Vehicle all the way down to individual fishing lures and everything in between. I don't make any money from these sales because I just buy something else, and the last thing I want is to deal with a poosniff who wants to stick it to me if I'll allow it. (same goes for when I'm buying)

 

[Taurus 617 CCW]

I was an employee of a gun store for a short stint so I can offer my take. Some people are just cheap. It doesn't matter what gun model they choose. The gun store was also a high end gun range and we would frequently get people in asking if the price was the price or could we do something about how much is charged to shoot. We especially got hagglers on the used guns and holsters. Not sure whey they thought those were any different. I never noticed a difference in owners of Ruger guns over others. Most of the Ruger owners were fantastic people.

As others have pointed out it looks like a numbers game. You are selling more Ruger holsters. Ruger is going after the concealed carry market full force so you are going to have more holsters for their guns. I suggest you start drafting up some policies on price, exchanges, etc. and stick to it. You are going to step on a few toes along the way, that's life. I have an email I received from another holster maker about such things. I can send it to you if you PM me. It may give you some insight.

 

[The_Next_Generation]

I must have misspoke, when I said I sell as many Ruger holsters as any thing else, I meant that for every 1x Ruger holster that sells there is ~1.5x Glock, 1x S&W, etc.

I sell more Glock holsters than any other model, and I have only ever received one request for a return (my fault, I sent a right-handed model instead of a lefty) which I fulfilled.

RE: Lowballers - Yep, I certainly expect lowballs. But, the reason I brought it up in my original post is because somehow I get more of them (by a landslide) for Ruger pistols compared to the more popular Glock holsters.

My experience is likely explained best by the following:

Some people are just cheap. It doesn't matter what gun model they choose.

The Ruger is a more economical pistol, and therefore is more likely to attract buyers looking for the best financial deal - hence their use of eBay, hence their interest in my cheaper-than-most holsters, hence their frequent low offers

 

[stchman]

Yes there are lowballers, but what about people that try to sell used guns for MORE than a new one?

What is it with people taking it personally when someone offers then less than what they think their gun is worth? I have sold a few guns and gotten low ball offers, I simply say "$X is my bottom line, take it or leave it". I don't get upset and vent. It's nothing personal, it's just dollars and cents.

What about the "make offer" people? You make an offer and then they say it's not for sale. ***???!!!

I could go on and on, just that sellers paint themselves to be victims.