Why do people charge so much to ship guns?

[HiTech78]

I have been in many arguments with people about shipping guns. In the Buy,Sell, and trade section some individuals want to charge up to $35 for shipping a handgun. It costs $7.70 to ship a handgun via USPS. Does your local FFL holder charge to ship something? And if so, why so much?

 

[Kenneth Lew]

A nonFFL cannot ship a handgun via USPS.

FexEx & UPS can ship, but via next day. Most FFLs choose those two anyway. I alone spend over $15 in packaging material shipping a handgun.

 

[SIOP]

Not all handguns fit into the USPS flat rate box. Most modern Colts, for example, are too large. USPS insurance is very expensive. Shipping a typical $700 handgun easily runs close to $20 with USPS when you add insurance. Plus, you have to go to the post office to ship it. Your time is worth something, plus fuel, standing in line, etc. Then there's the costs involved with getting and maintaining an FFL in the first place, plus all the associated business expenses. And I almost forgot all the time it takes to log the weapon in, log the weapon out, do the 4473, file everything, and make sure all the other paperwork is correct. But everyone thinks that their local FFL guy should do their shipping and receiving for next to nothing because once upon a time they went in and looked at a gun. Or perhaps even bought a box of ammo.

 

[HiTech78]

Hmmm, so your saying to ship a gun is hard work, and an FFL holder should get paid a premium salary for his hard work? It takes a total of, maybe, 20 min. to package and ship a gun. These people charging $35 are making $27.30 per 20 min. THAT'S $81.90 PER HOUR!!!! The profit margin on shipping/receiving guns should not be more than the profit margin on the gun itself. Even if it does cost $15 in material (stop packing with 24k gold tissue paper) you still make equal to $36.90 per hour for your services. One more thing........what is up with people charging outrageous prices for receiving that, literally, takes 3 minutes!!!! My local FFL charges me $7.70 for shipping and $10.00 for receiving. He is in the business for the love of the sport, the desire to protect the 2nd amendment, and to protect our nation, NOT for the love of money, nor is he absorbed by one's own greed.

 

[Jim Watson]

I think one reason S&H charges are high is because the seller has to advertise a low price with low markup to get your attention in the first place. So he makes it up on the support services.

There aren't many FFLs left like yours who work cheap as a service to the gun culture, most of them are trying to make a living.

 

[45Badger]

Your FFL is a saint, I guess.

FEdex/UPS will run $35 any day. MY FFL (nearly a saint) charges $15 to process ingoing or outgoing. On the outgoing, I keep it simple for him by getting the priority box already to go, and know what exact, actual shipping and insurance will be. Typically (as noted above) that shipping is gonna be $20 with insurance. There's the $35.

OTOH, and long gun can go out for $10-20 in mail.

 

[SIOP]

Hmmm, so your saying to ship a gun is hard work, and an FFL holder should get paid a premium salary for his hard work? It takes a total of, maybe, 20 min. to package and ship a gun. These people charging $35 are making $27.30 per 20 min. THAT'S $81.90 PER HOUR!!!! The profit margin on shipping/receiving guns should not be more than the profit margin on the gun itself. Even if it does cost $15 in material (stop packing with 24k gold tissue paper) you still make equal to $36.90 per hour for your services. One more thing........what is up with people charging outrageous prices for receiving that, literally, takes 3 minutes!!!! My local FFL charges me $7.70 for shipping and $10.00 for receiving. He is in the business for the love of the sport, the desire to protect the 2nd amendment, and to protect our nation, NOT for the love of money, nor is he absorbed by one's own greed.

I don't recall anywhere in my post saying that it was hard work or deserved premium salary. But, you must know, being that you are apparently an expert and have the time it takes to do everything figured out down to the minute, so I stand corrected on everything I said above. If I was making $36.90 per hour shipping and receiving guns, believe me I'd quit my day job. I wonder why your swell FFL guy charges anything to receive a gun for you, seeing as how it costs him nothing and only takes 3 minutes of his time, literally. By the way, that's $200 an hour. I wouldn't do business with him anymore, if I were you.

 

[redneck2]

Standard reply...

My local FFL charges me $7.70 for shipping and $10.00 for receiving. He is in the business for the love of the sport, the desire to protect the 2nd amendment, and to protect our nation, NOT for the love of money, nor is he absorbed by one's own greed.

I guess this is fine if you don't need to money. Unfortunately, around here rent, food, utilities all cost money and you gotta make some to live. If he wants to be a charity, that's his business. Not everybody can operate that way. I love my guns and the 2A, but I'm not gonna work for free

 

[Pilgrim]

I believe that a reason many small businesses fail is that the business owner does not have a grasp on what it costs to perform what some people believe should be charged off to overhead or the "cost of doing business".

There is nothing free in running a small business. My ex-PMS owned a advertising news business that failed because she was not realistic in determining just what she needed to charge for advertising to pay all the expenses incurred in running her business.

While it may seem to many that the FFL has nothing better to do than package and ship your firearm, that is time that could be spent on improving his business, looking for bargains to purchase and stock his shelves, computing and paying his taxes, etc. It all boils down to time is money, and if he is spending time in the business he should be earning something to pay for those times he is not earning anything.

A businessman makes decisions daily on what to charge to make a profit, and what things he will not charge for in order to attract customers. Very often what the FFL will charge for essentially being a shipping agent will depend on his assessment of how much money you will spend in his shop for true profit making merchandise and services. If he has never seen you before and expects to never see you again, he will probably charge you 'full boat' to package and ship your firearm. If you are a regular customer, he may make the decision to just charge you for packaging materials and shipping charges.

Pilgrim

 

[c_yeager]

He is in the business for the love of the sport, the desire to protect the 2nd amendment, and to protect our nation, NOT for the love of money, nor is he absorbed by one's own greed.

Ahhh yes, making money, the single most evil thing that an American could ever do.

 

[solareclipse]

None of the above excuse reasons given by sellers.

I've been selling everything and anything and shipping and "handling" charges are a simple fee circumvention as well as extra profit. That's all. Nothing more, nothing less.

95% of all sellers make off shipping.

 

[Atticus]

Afet having just dealt with this...my conclusion is that they are ticked off about people buying guns over the net. Both of the local dealers I've used in the recent past have suddenly decided not to ship or receive for individuals...period. Liability was the main reason given, but they also mentioned irresponsible customers who wouild not pick up the guns without 10 reminder calls.

 

[MNgoldenbear]

Most basic answer to the original question in the thread title:

Because they can.

 

[P0832177]

Simply put blame UPS and Fed Ex for not policing their own employees who are the thiefs that caused the need to higher costs of shipping handguns.

Just cause you, the gun owner, do not see the need for fees, well let us start with business insurance, lights, heat, cooling, phones, building costs, and the other stuff like putting food on the table for his or her family! And, we have not even considered the paper work hoops the FFL holder has to jump through? Let alone if he has to take it down the post office there is additional time and effort and expendables.

You have no gripe at the FFL holder! I bet you gripe about how much it costs to go to the DDS,too!

 

[bofe954]

The shipping price may or may not be a way to add profit on the gun. I would think that most aren't looking to make money off shipping because they run the risk of a FTF sale and losing all profit. I generally don't know exactly what it will cost to ship to someone to I ask for what I think will cover and I guess high. I also want a buck or two for going to the PO packing the stuff up etc.

No one is forced to pay high shipping costs. You do it because you think you are still getting a good deal.

When I buy something on ebay or anywhere else where shipping is a factor I add the shipping cost to the cost of the item and if it's too much I don't buy. I think it's silly when people gripe about shipping, if it's a good deal buy and be happy. If it isn't buy somewhere else.

 

[migoi]

If FFL's are

making such a premium salary then why doesn't the original poster simply become one and join the gravy train?

migoi

 

[cox3497]

I think we might be being a bit too quick to assign the high costs of shipping to the greed of the seller. I know for a fact that UPS will charge you heftily to ship a handgun through them. I recently shipped a Ruger Mark II Competition through them and spent $52 doing so. If I am ordering a handgun, and the shipping to my address is only $35, I would consider that a bargain compared with the shipping rates I have paid in the past. I do realize that an FFL could decide to ship with the USPS, and possibly do so cheaper.

The question I pose to you is this: Is this not a free-market capitalistic society? Do you not have a choice whom to buy your firearms from? The problem with human nature is that we often desire the best of both worlds. We desire an economy wherein any individual can enter the market, profit from his efforts, and increase the good of the marketplace as a whole. We then decry the higher prices we might have to pay due to the higher standard of living we sought in the first place. Myself, I am willing to pay prices that might be a bit higher so that I may support an economy and country I believe in. I think we enter dangerous waters, indeed, when price becomes more important than principle. Your conclusions may vary. Thanks for your time.

cox3497

 

[waterhouse]

If it is a private seller, they can't use USPS to ship a handgun. If it is a business, sure, it is 7.85 for the flat rate box, but unlike UPS and FedEx, the USPS charges are pretty high for insurance. I ship a ton of handguns, and I would say the average cost after insurance is around $15 for USPS.

That's just the cash to ship the gun. For me, the post office is about 12 minutes each way, and I typically stand in line for about 10 minutes. As mentioned, there is also the time of logging your gun in and out of my books. It's not a lot of time, but it's more than 3 minutes. A lot of FFLs charge about 25, which means they are making $10 for over half and hour of work. I don't see that as unfair.

 

[Zundfolge]

This is why we will eventualy be thrown in deathcamps by Socialists.

People just don't understand economics.



Prices are NOT set by the cost of materials, the cost of labor, the cost of shipping etc (certainly those do effect prices, but they don't determine the final price).


Prices are set by the free market. The free market is nothing more than the sum total of all decisions made by private individuals who engage in commerce (thats you and me and the guy who runs the 7-11 at the corner, etc).

In other words it costs "so much" to ship a gun because thats what people are willing to pay.


If you think the price is too high for shipping than don't ship the gun ... get in your car and drive to the buyer, pick up the gun and drive it back home (if you cross state lines drive it to your local FFL).


Certainly UPS, FedEx and USPS complicate things by making stupid rules (no handgun shipping for non FFLs with USPS, and overnight shipping only with UPS and FedEx ... who also require you to come down to their office to ship ... can't have one of their drivers pick it up or *gasp* drop it in one of their drop boxes). But if those three set the price so high that nobody is willing to pay than they either lower their prices or someone else will come along and do it cheaper.

 

[Rotty]

Well lets first of all state I am a FFL.
second, i charge only EXACT shipping charges.
Now i also will only ship with insurance and delivery confirmation, to ensure no shipping problems or questions, that right there will up the price a little, but I dont make anything off it. Handguns go overnight with delivery confirmation and insurance. Try it sometime and see what kind of prices you get.
I do everything I can to make sure the transaction goes through smooth, and that includes doing the shipping RIGHT! I have never had a gun lost in the mail or misdeliverd, to me that is worth the cost, never had one damaged either.
And i do that with NO profit on the shipping.

Pistols usually run $35.00 or so.

 

[Majic]

My local FFL charges me $7.70 for shipping and $10.00 for receiving. He is in the business for the love of the sport, the desire to protect the 2nd amendment, and to protect our nation, NOT for the love of money, nor is he absorbed by one's own greed.

If your dealer is not in it to make money then why does he charge more for receiving a firearm vs shipping one?

 

[HiTech78]

Zundfolge, you make sense when you say " they charge so much because people are willing to pay". I'm just trying to convince others that when they pay someone $35 to ship a gun they are donating their hard earned money.

I see in this thread FFL holders trying to justify why they charge so much, and other arguing directly to me about what I have said. FYI, I am in the process of getting an FFL. As for some of the arguments I have read: An FFL shouldn't have to try to pay the bills, or put food on the family's table just by individuals buying, selling or trading. Processing ingoing and outgoing consists of writing a serial number down-- that's worth $15. As for a couple of you saying some charge low prices for guns and add a little on shipping to make up the difference, that is something that discourages me and I will not buy from them. I know a "good deal" is when final price is a deal BUT all of you have to realize when an FFL charges more for shipping he is using a loophole to avoid paing taxes as well !!!! See, they don't pay taxes on shipping because it is a "service". As for the last comment by Majic: he charges $10 because he has to call in for transfer when receiving, shipping he does nothing except write down the serial number.

 

[Rotty]

HiTech78.....
Since you didint specify anyone in particular.....you have insulted me, are you trying to say I am a liar, or i am using unscrupulous business practices...how do you know that, do you know what i do?
KMA!
I dont have a single customer that feels cheated.
"in the process of" doesnt mean you know what the He!! is going on.
I have never had a problem with anything i have shipped and its becasue of how i ship, and agian I make NO MONEY on shipping. I charge only ACTUAL shipping prices.
If you have a beef with certain people fine..dont insult me or others that you dont know.

 

[71Commander]

I pay my FFL 40.00 to ship a handgun and do so gladly. I'm getting a bargin. UPS charges 52.00.

 

[Matthew748]

Bingo Zundfolge, you hit the nail on the head. That is why I always look at the big picture and the end result. 5 + 10 + 10 = 25 just like 15 + 10 = 25. If a person wants to reduce costs on tangible items as presented on an invoice and jack up service related fees such as shipping and “handling,” that is A OK with me. If I don’t like the end result, I am free to walk away.

The equation and mind-set is the same on the consumer’s side only reversed. As consumers, we try to maximize the purchasing power of our dollars. The thing that gets my goat from time to time on these boards is that individuals loyal to a specific gun shop and owners of gun shops seem to remember and celebrate the seller side of the equation and forget the consumer side.

I was at a gun shop about 3 weeks ago looking at Marlin rifles in .30-.30. They were selling a used Marlin 336 beater gun for $ 300.00. I was at Walmart earlier in the day just kind of browsing around took note that they were selling new Marlin 336s for $ 292.00. Economics dictate that I buy the gun at Walmart. Doing so, however, invites comments ranging from “good deal, but you really should support your local shops,” to “good job buddy, you just sold America out and helped to kill the small businessman.” Economics is a double edged sword.

By the way, I skipped the rifle altogether and bought a Springfield XD from a small businessman at an area gun show for a reasonable price.