Do all gun stores insult you, or is it just some of mine

[redlevel]

we meet at the local gun shop that has a range, high traffic volume and most people in the parking lot are armed in some fashion so I feel pretty safe doing the transaction there, plus I have someone go with me that's armed as well.

I guess I'm just too much of a trusting soul. I guess I have bought or sold two dozen or more in the last five or six years to people who just came to my house, looked the gun(s) over, paid, and went on their way. At least a couple of folks rode with me in the golf cart to the back yard range and tried out the gun. Usually, we just meet in a parking lot in a fairly public place. I have never, ever had second thoughts about personal safety, or felt uncomfortable during one of these transactions. I have met some very interesting people, too.

 

[forresth]

35% for used doesn't seam bad at all. Nothing he did sounds bad. I am just wondering why your expectations are so high? That guy sounds like a straight shooter and you sounds like someone who expects that nobody else should ever make a profit when you are doing business with them.

 

[gregintenn]

I personally admire the dealer's honesty.

 

[straightshooter1]

nipster:

The only LGS in the Tampa area that does that type of transaction-worth, profit, your offer-is DeerHunter.

If that is the LGS, then they gave you top Blue Book retail and took 35% off of that.

That's not such a bad offer.

I'll swing by Monday and see if they remember the transaction.

Bob

 

[Faulkner]

I understand B&M stores have overhead and it may sit for a while, but honestly, for someone to take blue book, cut it in half, and then take 35% off the top is insulting.

I realize they have to make a profit, but especially for a trade, their profit is already built into their asking price and it makes no sense to make profit twice to me, it's insulting to my intelligence.

Ain't it great living in America . . . if you don't like doing business in a free market society where you perceive you have been lowballed and insulted you are free to leave and do business elsewhere. You are also free to go seek out some uninformed sucker who will pay top dollar for your used wares so as to sooth your bruised ego. Man, that's a win win for everybody right there.

 

[writerinmo]

I guess I'm just too much of a trusting soul. I guess I have bought or sold two dozen or more in the last five or six years to people who just came to my house, looked the gun(s) over, paid, and went on their way. At least a couple of folks rode with me in the golf cart to the back yard range and tried out the gun. Usually, we just meet in a parking lot in a fairly public place. I have never, ever had second thoughts about personal safety, or felt uncomfortable during one of these transactions. I have met some very interesting people, too.

I live ten minutes south of the southern edge of St. Louis, and I read the papers. Cautious to me is mandatory, all it takes is some thug thinking he'll just jack me of my gun and possibly vehicle as well, so I play it like that until such time as I don't need to. Both of my sales this year were just fine, one guy brought his teenage son along that would be the main shooter on the pistol I sold and it was great watching the kid's eyes light up. The other buyer was a school teacher that lived up in the city and the violence was spreading a bit too close to his home for him.

 

[DEG]

IMO I think you were insulted because you worried too much about how he came to his number and it's really irrelevant. Each buying and selling each party places value on the item and either can say yes or no. It's really that simple and nothing to get insulted about. It's not possible for either party to rip-off the other party. His mistake was indulging your inquiries into his business.

 

[bushmaster1313]

The LGS does not have to buy your gun
You do not have to sell it to your LGS
It's called economics

 

[chud333]

I think a lot of it is Pyschological. At least for me it is when trying to trade with some shops or at some dealers at shows, Whatever it is
you happen to be trading-- is the biggest waste of metal ever made. Even if you are trading a New in Box "Registered Mag" some guy will
sure as heck try to bad mouth your trade. And everything he has on his tables or behind his counter is the next best thing since sliced bread.
It's simple after that, just say Thanks and walk out the door.


Chuck

 

[GRIZZLYBEAR]

I don't sell many firearms. When I have a revolver that I want to sell/trade I determine my bottom line price for my firearm and that number is in stone. If the Gun shop can't meet the price we don't do business. I use the same method on the purchase of a firearm. I determine the max I will pay and will walk if that price isn't met.

I walked away from sells because we were off by as little as $5.00.

 

[blujax01]

...

I've got Pawn Stars on the TV behind me , and they have items appraised by their buddy/experts , who will say that, ''in an auction , something could go as high as $4321'' , so now the owner wants $4321.

And quite a shill job they do. A football program from the early days of the NFL surfaced in my hometown and a guy takes it to Vegas. On the air he gets $2750. Two weeks later, it's on Pawn Star's EBay site with an "appraised value" of $10,000 and an opening bid of $7500.

Sorry for the drift. Dem Boyz is crooks ...

 

[nipster]

Don't keep us in suspense. What are you trying to sell!!!!!!!!!!

That K22 outdoorsman I posted about a couple weeks ago.

 

[nipster]

I guess I'm just too much of a trusting soul. I guess I have bought or sold two dozen or more in the last five or six years to people who just came to my house, looked the gun(s) over, paid, and went on their way. At least a couple of folks rode with me in the golf cart to the back yard range and tried out the gun. Usually, we just meet in a parking lot in a fairly public place. I have never, ever had second thoughts about personal safety, or felt uncomfortable during one of these transactions. I have met some very interesting people, too.

I have gone to people's homes on occasion, but I would never sell something F2F at my own home., too many things could go wrong.

 

[nipster]

nipster:

The only LGS in the Tampa area that does that type of transaction-worth, profit, your offer-is DeerHunter.

If that is the LGS, then they gave you top Blue Book retail and took 35% off of that.

That's not such a bad offer.

It was Deerhunter actually. I'm not entirely sure he actually looked it up correctly in the blue book, he thought it was something else, even though I pointed it out in the SCSW for him. The guy wasnt rude or anything, but the whole process turned me off.

They were busy as hell for a Friday afternoon, and have several overpriced guns in there, including a pre-model 19 that is borderline shooter grade marked for over a grand. I just dont have much sympathy for someone offering me $250 and then throwing an $800 price tag on it like I know he will based on the prices of his other stuff.

 

[Gaffer]

I worked part time in a local gun store and their policy on used guns was establish the Blue Book value that the gun could be put on sale for and then give the seller 66% of that. In other words the mark up on used guns is 33%. That is what most gun stores do in my region. Even then they get burned by hidden problems that show up after sale.

I would not be offended by such offers but would opt to do a FTF sale if I could.

 

[SixGunHunter]

j,
not picking on you, but this always amuses me.

Tables at Tulsa are $150 each (I have FIVE), and at smaller shows they start around $75-80 and often go to $120.
So far, I haven't been able to find free gas or motels either. For a large, distant show like Tulsa, it is easy to spend over $1500, not counting meals. But then, gun dealers don't have to eat.
Oh- also, at Tulsa I have to pay in advance to keep the same tables. So, March 31 I had to pay the $750 for the Nov 10 show. Dead money for over 7 months.

Very well said.
Jeesum Guys, I would Never Ever set up at a gun show thinking that I am going to give deals all day just because I am not a full time dealer. I am there to make money and notheing else. I will try and undercut a dealer next door by $10.00 bucks to keep people at my table, but that is it.

To the OP, I thought your post was about customer service not the price of a used firearm.
I have been selling, trading and buying for more years than I wish to admit. I have lost my shirt and bought a wardrobe for nothing.
Your Local Gun store needs money to stay in business. The same store you go to get your ammo and cleaning supplies. They all have different pricing and you have to find the one that works for you when you do trade and it might be a different store that you buy at. It is for me. I currently have 5 stores I deal with. 3 in NH and 2 in Maine. Maine has a tax, but 1 of the stores ship across the border. All things you need to research ahead of time. You may even have to drive 1 hr. to get that price and again is it worth it.

If that still does not work for you then research shipping and perhaps Paypal, although I have heard that Paypal does not like firearms. Again research. Call Everyone that ships, even the same LGS. You never know.
Don't give up, you'll get your price.

 

[keith44spl]

Don't keep us in suspense. What are you trying to sell!!!!!!!!!!

Yeah, whatcha tryin to sell?

If it's a RM or anything pre-war N frame, well I'm intrested...But, no plastic please.


Su Amigo,
Dave

 

[Nwmarc]

I wanted to trade a Taurus 605 in 357 for a Shield and went to two gun shops where they both were very low in there trade in price, said no thanks. Stopped at another place here that deals in not only firearms but in all kinds of sporting goods. They offered me 50.00 more than the other two so I said OK. Yea, I took a big loss even at that but was happy to get the Shield.
The first guy I took it to was a little rude about it but I just took it as just his personality. To me it's like anything else you buy then want to either trade in or get a dealer to buy it, they need to make a profit to keep the doors open.

 

[DEG]

And quite a shill job they do. A football program from the early days of the NFL surfaced in my hometown and a guy takes it to Vegas. On the air he gets $2750. Two weeks later, it's on Pawn Star's EBay site with an "appraised value" of $10,000 and an opening bid of $7500.

Sorry for the drift. Dem Boyz is crooks ...

But $2750 was an acceptable return for the original seller or they could have walked out, paid for an appraisal and put it up for auction themselves.

 

[straightshooter1]

You're right, Nipster, he probably didn't look it up correctly.

I assume it was Chuck, rather than his dad, Dan? Sometimes Chuck needs a little help on priceing.

Not that you will necessarily go back, but, if you do, and have something to sell, look it up in their Bluebook first so you know the page and place where it is.

They always do this: closest percent retail (i.e. 95%) less 35% equals what they pay for anything, trade or cash.

We have another member here that buys lots of guns from them, almost all pretty rare Smiths, and does quite well on the prices. I have bought many guns there and sold a few and can't complain about the way they've treated me.

Bob