"LOW BALL OFFER" thread got me to thinking

[Door Kicker]

I read through that thread and wanted to reply but my story seemed a bit un-related so I figured I would start a new post.

My STORY about a LGS that I now boycott goes like this.

I purchased two Ruger revolvers from a guy on ARFcom and arranged for transfer to my (at one time go too) LGS. I called to discuss the transfer and was told it would be $35 bucks and I asked about multiple guns.

Was told as long as they are picked up at the same day, I can get as many as five on the same form....
Everything is arranged and I await the guns arrival at the LGS.

Tracking number shows the guns have arrived but It is late and I decided to pick them up the next day. The next day turns into a few days, and I finally make it to the shop to complete the transaction.

I walk in and tell the girl behind the counter that I had a transfer. She knows my face but asks my name and then goes in the back to get them. She comes back and tells me they have not arrived yet.

I tell her I tracked them and that they were delivered several days ago according to the tracking number. Then I get more specific about what they were and give her a description of the TWO guns and tell her that they should have had my name inside of one of the boxes if not both.

She gets this wide eyed look on her face and then says that they are not in and they are too busy to look anymore and that they would call me when they arrive.

I am pissed and ask for the manager and ask her to check one more time. While she (Manager) goes in the back, I look in the front case with the revolvers and see an SP101 and a GP100(the same type of guns that I had just transferred)and I ask to see the SP.

The original girl (Again with a very nervous look on he face)hands me the SP and I ask to see the box and she says "We cant pull out the boxes unless you buy" so I ask her to open the box and let me look in it through the case.

She rolls her eyes and then pulls the box out AND pulls out the GP100 and puts them both on the counter and walks in the back to get the other girl. These were MY F'N guns and they were marked for sale in the display case. AND SHE NEW IT. I NEVER EVEN ASKED FOR THE GP100...

I look through the boxes and discover the paper with my name on it and show it to them and ask how could they have been placed in the display case and what would have happened if they sold them???

They got all pissy and said it could never happen and I said I sure hope not.

I do the paper work and pull out $35 bucks cash and the girl says that will be $70 bucks with a ****ty looking grin on her face. I told her that's not what I was told, and she responded well that's what it will cost, "You are transferring TWO guns" I reminder her they were on the same form but she said it didn't matter.

The manager/owner chick was standing there listening and I looked at her and she shook her head and said $70 bucks. She said something about a visit from the ATF and I wouldn't like it very much, and I reminder her that I don't have an FFL but if I did, I would expect a visit from the ATF every now and then.

By this time I was more than pissed off so I calmly paid my $70 bucks (with CC since I only had $35 cash) They tried to charge me extra for CC fees but I asked to see the sign about a fee charged for CC use and they didn't have one.

When I left, I told the owner chick that I knew that she had lots of business and it wouldn't hurt her one way or the other, but that I would never walk through her door again and would tell everyone that would listen about what happened today.

And I did just that

 

[Rick_A]

Transfer fees are generally per gun, unless you are good friends with someone who's a manager/owner there.

Putting customer transfer guns in the sales case is terrible. Someone was hungover, forgot their coffee, etc. when they checked guns in that day.

 

[Purplehays]

Have had dissimilar experience with my LGS but worried that I could have a similar experience at my LGS. Lucky I guess. They only charge $20.00 for a transfer and have done several at a time for $20. In toto.

 

[MrTrolleyguy]

Caught them red handed! What do they say about one angry customer is worse than 50 happy ones!

BTW what town do you live in?

 

[Door Kicker]

Caught them red handed! What do they say about one angry customer is worse than 50 happy ones!
BTW what town do you live in?

EXACTLY

I am in Mobile

 

[Door Kicker]

I have no problem with a LGS charging whatever the hell they want to charge, just don't change the rules because I caught you doing wrong and it pisses you off.

I always ask what the FFL charges, if they say a price I think is too high, I just answer thank you and don't mention it again.

 

[steamloco76]

Most FFL's do charge per gun on private transfers, though often it is $35 or so for one gun or $25 per gun for two to five.
Some also charge more for new guns bought from an online dealer. My LGS charges $25 for transfers on used guns, $35 on new guns that he doesn't carry and $50 on new guns he stocks.

As for putting your paid for guns in the sales display- that is really unprofessional! They would have a bit of a mess had someone sold the guns to another party.

 

[tcc1953]

The lifeblood of ANY business is repeat customers. You are never well established enough to not continue to build your customer base. This type of conduct will cost them, probably sooner than later.

 

[old&slow]

After I retired I worked part time in a large LGS for quite a few years.

Usually FFL transfer fees were per firearm. Lots of PIA records & paper work to deal with.
And there were quite a few times I had some knothead salesman tell a customer something that was wrong, cost, product in stock, etc. etc. Most of the time over the phone, then I would have a irate customer come in the store to deal with.

From what you said I would have been upset too.. But, I wouldn't tell 50 people the story ,, I tell 100 +..

 

[fyimo]

I have a sort of similar story in my town when I received two Sig P6's on the same day and he charged me $80 for the two transfers and when I questioned the dealer (owner) he starting yelling at me and made crappy comments loud enough for other customers to hear.

Needless to say that was the last time I entered his store for anything other then one year me and a friend entered a Bass fishing tournament and we had to sign up there.

I now have a dealer in the next town over who charges me $10 bucks for a transfer and will do two for that price if the arrive the same day.

 

[b_san]

Transfer fees are generally per gun, unless you are good friends with someone who's a manager/owner there.

Not where I transfer, it's per 4473 and up to 5 guns per (also fee waved if you buy a gun from them at the time too). It's free money for the store and gets a potential customer in the shop to buy other items, whether it be ammo/accessories or another gun. There's just no good reason to rape someone on a transfer fee and act like you've been disrespected by the customer. The good shops understand business and customer relations.

 

[old&slow]

I don't work at the LGS ( anymore), so I really don't have a dog in the fight.

But, to transfer a firearm. Dealer A & Dealer B have to exchange / fax FFL license. When the firearm arrives the recieving guy has to log the firearm into the books. Then he has to call the customer. Then when the customer comes in a salesman has to get the 4473 form filled out and call it in.

I know from the salesman point of view it take at least 30 mins , to get the form filled out and called in and get the customer to the cashier. Then the form has to be filled and stored for ever and ever.

Plus the cost of keeping the lights on ,, the doors open ,, the FFL license,, employee payroll & insurance ,, the ATF auditors going over your records to make sure ALL the ' i's ' are dotted, etc, etc, etc,

Yep,, I can see why the LGS should want do this for Nothing,, Heck,, it didn't cost him anything.

 

[jjbrewst1]

I don't work at the LGS ( anymore), so I really don't have a dog in the fight.

But, to transfer a firearm. Dealer A & Dealer B have to exchange / fax FFL license. When the firearm arrives the recieving guy has to log the firearm into the books. Then he has to call the customer. Then when the customer comes in a salesman has to get the 4473 form filled out and call it in.

I know from the salesman point of view it take at least 30 mins , to get the form filled out and called in and get the customer to the cashier. Then the form has to be filled and stored for ever and ever.

Plus the cost of keeping the lights on ,, the doors open ,, the FFL license,, employee payroll & insurance ,, the ATF auditors going over your records to make sure ALL the ' i's ' are dotted, etc, etc, etc,

Yep,, I can see why the LGS should want do this for Nothing,, Heck,, it didn't cost him anything.

I disagree Wholeheartedly...and if anything...The Gun shop should have ate the 70 bucks for trying to sell the guys guns...The first RULE in customer service and ANY business is to make your customers happy...As soon as business' realize this..they are usually successfull...I would never return to that LGS and I would tell every person the story of there crooked ways...

I agree a business can charge anything they want, but Customer Service is first and foremost...My FFL charges only the Call in Fee which is 10 bucks..and it takes a total of 5 minutes to complete the transaction...The great thing about America is we can pick and choose where we shop etc etc etc...I would very quickly choose to shop elsewhere....

Just my .02 cents anyways

 

[S&W45Colt]

I disagree Wholeheartedly...and if anything...The Gun shop should have ate the 70 bucks for trying to sell the guys guns...The first RULE in customer service and ANY business is to make your customers happy...As soon as business' realize this..they are usually successfull...I would never return to that LGS and I would tell every person the story of there crooked ways...

I agree a business can charge anything they want, but Customer Service is first and foremost...My FFL charges only the Call in Fee which is 10 bucks..and it takes a total of 5 minutes to complete the transaction...The great thing about America is we can pick and choose where we shop etc etc etc...I would very quickly choose to shop elsewhere....

Just my .02 cents anyways

I agree, not to mention the fact CCW's make 70% of the steps he listed antiquated.

If the LGS needs to make a profit on transfers, they won't be around long. My LGS's willingness to do transfers and reasonable fees is why they get 90% of my gun business.

 

[old&slow]

The Gun shop should have ate the 70 bucks for trying to sell the guys guns...The first RULE in customer service and ANY business is to make your customers happy...As soon as business' realize this..they are usually successfull...I would never return to that LGS and I would tell every person the story of there crooked ways...

I agree a business can charge anything they want, but Customer Service is first and foremost...My FFL charges only the Call in Fee which is 10 bucks..and it takes a total of 5 minutes to complete the transaction...The great thing about America is we can pick and choose where we shop etc etc etc...I would very quickly choose to shop elsewhere....

Just my .02 cents anyways

If you note my post #9 ,, you will see I agree with the OP.. his LGS did him Wrong ,, I would have been upset also.. I wouldn't do business with them again.

However, other posters where saying the LGS should transfer the firearm for nothing ,, just because. I was just trying to point out the amount of time and work involved with a transfer.
I don't work for nothing. I don't figure you do either.

 

[old&slow]

I agree, not to mention the fact CCW's make 70% of the steps he listed antiquated.

Not in Ohio it doesn't. Same procedure with or without a CCW.

 

[S&W45Colt]

Not in Ohio it doesn't. Same procedure with or without a CCW.

Then Ohio's an exception.

There are LGS's in Ohio doing reasonably priced transfers as a customer service apparently......

Mid Ohio Firearms - Concealed Carry CCW CHL Training - Ohio & Utah - Firearm Transfers - Mid Ohio Firearms - Concealed Carry CCW CHL Training - Ohio & Utah, Custom Holster Making, DuraCoat Certified Firearm Finisher, Glock Armorer & Gunsmithing, FFL

I'm not disagreeing a store needs to make a profit, but trying to do it off of transfers is a bad business model IMO.

 

[wproct]

The scenario described by the Original Poster sounded like a train wreck, a total disaster, and I don't blame him at all for being upset and done doing business with the LGS involved.

However, having said that, I don't think an LGS doing transfers at $25-$35 per gun is out of line. It is a lot of paperwork and responsibility. I have a close friend who owns a pawnshop/gun store and he has a simple policy as far as transfers, he doesn't do them, period, and I respect that.

 

[Door Kicker]

well thanks for all the comments guys. I am pissed because they didn't tell me it would cost per gun to begin with especially since I think they only did a per gun charge because they were pissed that I caught their screw up. Instead of trying to fix their screw up, they decided to just screw me even more.
I forgot to mention that I had picked out two gun rugs that I was ready to purchase for more than I could get the same ones from Academy Sports, but when all the shenanigans started I left them on the counter.

Again, an FFL can charge what they want. Just don't say one thing and do another.

And I have told hundreds of people about the story. For whatever reason, I am one of those guys that everyone asks about their gun purchases. I cant tell you how many people that I had sent to this one gun shop in the past, I don't do that anymore, and I'll even tell them my story to help them make up their mind to agree...

 

[rwsmith]

If they treat......

If they treat other customers the same way they will be shooting themselves in the foot.

 

[bigshep85]

KARMA

If they did it to you then they would do it to others. That is straight up theft and it will come back to bite them.

 

[ElToro]

thats not cool.

in CA you can only put 1 handgun per 4473. at 35 per if your buying from them or PPT. if your tranferring in most LGS charge $75 for their fee plus $35 per.

 

[Protected One]

They are lucky it was you instead of me because the state atty general and consumer protection division would be ALL OVER their _ _ _!

 

[Protected One]

well thanks for all the comments guys. I am pissed because they didn't tell me it would cost per gun to begin with especially since I think they only did a per gun charge because they were pissed that I caught their screw up. Instead of trying to fix their screw up, they decided to just screw me even more.
I forgot to mention that I had picked out two gun rugs that I was ready to purchase for more than I could get the same ones from Academy Sports, but when all the shenanigans started I left them on the counter.

Again, an FFL can charge what they want. Just don't say one thing and do another.

And I have told hundreds of people about the story. For whatever reason, I am one of those guys that everyone asks about their gun purchases. I cant tell you how many people that I had sent to this one gun shop in the past, I don't do that anymore, and I'll even tell them my story to help them make up their mind to agree...

I would write a letter to the store owner, along with a copy of this post, and an estimate of the number of people I have directed AWAY from their store. If she has any brains at all she will offer me "something" ; 400 rounds of ammo perhaps (to change your mind). Take the offer without commiting. Then you can decide if you want to stop telling people or not.

 

[Old Corp]

I work in a very busy LGS/Range. I cannot imagine how a transfer gun ends up in a showcase. That is totally inexcusable. They must hire only the most incompetent.

We do ALOT of transfers. One of the biggest challenges is that in today's techno-world, people seem glued to tracking info. That's fine - but many don't realize that the gun MUST be logged in before they can gleefully run in and grab same.
Most shops have a bookkeeper, or someone whose main job is entries and log - outs. If they have not gotten to the item, or it comes after she (owner's D.I.L.in our case) has left for the day the gun can't be transferred.
The other challenge is guns that come in on transfer with ABSOLUTELY no name for a buyer or any contact info. Evidently the assumption is we must have a crystal ball and must just KNOW who it's going to.

There is a bit more to it than just being a hub that online guns come to - it soaks up time and resources, but we do it as a service to customers.

 

[Arik]

Not in Ohio it doesn't. Same procedure with or without a CCW.

Same in Pa. Your CCW allows you to carry ...only. ..not to buy.

As for selling the 2 guns, that's just messed up. I don't even understand how they can get it screwed up. Just going off of my LGS ......they don't buy used guns from somewhere. Only used guns that are available are those that walked in the door for a trade in. Another thing is how can they get the packaging mixed up? I'm sure my packaging as a private seller will be different from that of the manufacturer. Also. When they receive a shipment it's always on the same day and in one huge UPS truck. Guns don't just show up a few here and there over the course of a week.

My LGS won't even open the box until you get there. They ask that you tell the seller to put CARE OF on the box or and envelope with info taped to it. They will only open it in front of you.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

 

[jimmyj]

Hi:
In the past when I was purchasing firearms, my regular gun shop charged me $25.00 per firearm transfer.
Then one day a week later I went to pick up a firearm, the transfer price was $50.00 (I was not told this a week prior). I paid the $50.00 fee and found another FFL to deal with.
I was a regular customer for years with this gun shop, but I took my business elsewhere.

 

[41 fan]

Many comments have been made about "all the paperwork" involved in a transfer. The gun would be logged into the bound book and logged out to the customer. The senders ffl would be filed. About 10-15 minutes.
Someone stated that in Ca, you could only put one gun on a 4473. Unless the form has been changed, as I recall, more that 1 item could be listed on a 4473. I wouldn't think that a state would have control of a federal requirement. Dean

 

[Laddy Smith]

Shop Owner

She said something about a visit from the ATF and I wouldn't like it very much

In hindsight, it would have been a good idea to suggest we should "call the ATF to alert them."

A gun store receiving/selling/losing/logging weapons improperly would be very interesting to them.

Lad

 

[rburg]

I envy you guys who live in such rich places that you have multiple FFLs to deal with. We only had one around here, and after a very unhappy experience with them, I boycotted them. I'm weak, and after about 10 full years I went back, just to see what they had. To me, everything seems way too high and stock levels abysmally low. But they're still in business. Clearly a function them being about the only show in town.

I'm so far along in my dislike I really don't care if I never buy another gun from a dealer with paperwork. Around here it nearly takes an act of God to get someone to receive a gun as a transfer. I have a shop downstate that will do it, but its 74 miles from my driveway. It seems to me that the laws and regulations are having the intended consequence. Makes it difficult to impossible.