Overpaying to Support LGS?

My opinion is that if you are not willing to give everyone the best informaton that you can on your product without pre-judgement on whether they buy or not--then you will not make it in sales work
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This mindset runs counter to the primary mission of a salesman: to close a sale. Closing 0.10% of the time? That doesn't work in an industry that gets maybe 10-12% margins.
 
I'm sure it is--just like a grocery store..or gas station...or jewelry store. But they all have one thing in common--they are businesses that have to offer product based on more than price alone if they want to survive--otherwise everyone will continue to order on-line or from the big boxes.
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"Art" implies limited supplies or often even one of a kind items that aren't available from multiple sources

I haven't seen a Rembrandt at Lowe's, and if you had one, I bet you wouldn't match some internet price ;)
 
Nobody "owes" a retailer anything until the purchase decision has been made. A gun retailer is going to be selling products which are largely undifferentiated from one store--or on-line retailer--to the next. A Glock is a Glock, an AR is an AR--a box of 55 fmj is a box of 55 fmj no matter who you buy them from--just like gasoline--so it is only natural that customers will compare and make a decision based on price alone. The only way that gun store is going to capture the sale based on anything other than price is service--the value added to the in-store experience. And the smart store is the one that realizes, in the long run, it's the long-term relationships that will keep them in business--the margins will take care of themselves.
 
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My opinion is that if you are not willing to give everyone the best informaton that you can on your product without pre-judgement on whether they buy or not--then you will not make it in sales work
This mindset runs counter to the primary mission of a salesman: to close a sale. Closing 0.10% of the time? That doesn't work in an industry that gets maybe 10-12% margins.
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Of course a major objective is to close the sale. But that isn't a good reason alone for the customer to spend their money on what you have if it can be had someplace else for less.
 
I understand that LGS operate on very slim margins. I am willing to pay a bit more to support local guys. I buy magazines locally(unless there is a killer deal online) and odds and ends such as clp, reloading stuff such as powders and primers. Guns in I'm also willing to spend extra on(within reason). If they can come within $50 of what i can find online, or add done sort of benefit for me (throw in some mags or something) I'll buy it from them.

I find it hard to justify certain things like ammo, as the prices are outrageous. A lot of it appears to mainly be stuff they bought at Wal-Mart and just marked it up. Sure, it's only an extra $3, but there's no way in paying $8/box for tula, when i can drive a few blocks and get it for $5.27. It seems insulting to my intelligence. I know you have to make a profit, but come on.
 
I know you have to make a profit, but come on.
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Their profit margin is probably no more than Wal Mart's

The difference is WM will buy a shipping container load at one time. whereas the local store buys from a distributor, who likely also paid more than WM, in increments of a case or two at a time.
 
Although the pickens are slim in my rural area--there are several really small stores (mostly guys set up with FFL transfers so they and their friends can get stuff cheap) some real GS that have actual regular hours--and then a Wal Mart. The bottom end small guys know they can't compete on price--so they tend to keep very little in stock other than what is in demand for the local hunting season. They also are willing to charge a smaller amount for FFL transfers and licenses--so they tend to build a following based on that alone. They tend to be run by one guy who is a vet or ex-LEO.

The next tier up is a larger shop that makes an effort to maintain a large stock of a wide variety of weapons and has several salespeople on staff. They have the largest mark-up of any of the stores around--but they live and breath guns and it's what their passion is. I go there whenever I pass by--and even though I buy something only once in maybe ten to twenty visits--they give me the same special attention and bend over backwards to give me information on whatever I want every time I'm there. In many instances I could save money by going elsewhere--and occasionally have (mostly cause I like to spread the support around or they simply didn't have what I wanted in the first place) but I rarely consider price alone as the most important factor.

Then there is Wal Mart. The one near me is staffed by people who love talking off the top of their heads about stuff they obviously know little about. Furthermore, Walmart has a bizarre policy of stocking only what their regional warehousing authorities deem they should. I don't like that. I do go there though--mostly to buy budget ammo that I burn off for the purposes of harvesting brass. Once in a great while they will have a crazy low price on something just because they want to get it out of stock, so I do watch for that.
 
Shopping around isn't quite the same thing as going to a dealership where you know you won't buy, taking up their time, doing test drives on their cars , etc. and then when you've figured out what you want, buying the car from a dealer who keeps prices low by not allowing test drives, not having a large stock on hand, etc.
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Let's consider the "services" I provide to gun stores:

1. I pay my own gas, wear and tear on my car to make a special trip to a gun store to consider buying product that they have sitting in their cabinets.

2. I take time out of my day and put money in my pocket to consider giving that money to a business that doesn't know me from Adam.

3. If the staff of the gun store was courteous and helpful, or think I was offered a really "fair deal" (not looking for a steal here), I give the store invaluable free testimonials and advertisements on forums like this one.

Looking at a gun behind a glass case is not equivalent to test driving. Even handling the gun, without working the action isn't equivalent to test driving. Now, if the gun shop hands me 10 rounds of ammo and lets me shoot the gun at their range to try it out - that's the equivalent to test driving.

What I'm hearing here is an "expectation", no perhaps some kind of "entitlement" to a customer buying a gun store's product without price shopping. That is the difference, in my opinion, between a lot of gun shops and other successful retail businesses. Does anyone remember Circuit City? Circuit City also thought that, because they offer premium service, that they could charge premium prices. They sold the same stuff as Walmart, Best Buy, and various internet sources. But, their prices were consistently stupid. Stupid prices for stupid people. The problem is, there aren't that many stupid people with discretionary money to spend on any regular basis; and a large number of "stupid people" don't stay stupid forever....they just might be a little slow, but they'll eventually make it to the party.
 
before you buy on line you have to factor in shipping charges and if its a gun transfer fees. often times the money issue isn't at all when you buy locally or buy on-line. plus, if a buy a holster locally that isn't what they claim, you know the one size fits none holsters.... I can return it for another the same day without loosing return shipping fees..... ammo requires special freight when buying on-line.... id rather pay a little more locally right now than considerably more on-line and wait only to be later told that some of the ammo is not in stock and I will receive two or more shipments of my order as the items come in..... of course if you have no competition locally you get some stores with a eff you attitude if you don't like their high prices.

there are pros and cons to each way, just make sure you know what they are.
 
I don't really get good customer service at my local gun stores and there are a couple that the service is so bad , or the prices are so high , that I wonder who is buying there and how they have kept the doors open so long . Gander Mountain didn't last long here and one of my favorite gun stores moved into their building and the parking lot is now full .

I always price shop guns , but the one with the bad customer service , I do not check because I would not buy from him if he was cheaper .

I bought a 870 yesterday . I bought it local from Bass Pro . Walmart was cheaper , but Bass Pro price matched them . Both were cheaper than internet prices for that gun .
 
When a business opens up shop, they should fully expect they're not going to have an ideal day with ideal customers who always buy. If you do you will be sorely disappointed. One has to realize that sometimes people must window shop, and not every person is as decisive as the next. Sometimes it takes me weeks or even months to decide on that gun I want. And it should, Or rather I have the right to - it's hundreds of my hard earned dollars!
 
I don't really get good customer service at my local gun stores and there are a couple that the service is so bad , or the prices are so high , that I wonder who is buying there and how they have kept the doors open so long . Gander Mountain didn't last long here and one of my favorite gun stores moved into their building and the parking lot is now full .

I always price shop guns , but the one with the bad customer service , I do not check because I would not buy from him if he was cheaper .

I bought a 870 yesterday . I bought it local from Bass Pro . Walmart was cheaper , but Bass Pro price matched them . Both were cheaper than internet prices for that gun .
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Greentop is a great shop. They are a little overpriced but almost always have a nice selection of new and used guns. I have to admit I have browsed there more than I have bought. I used to stop in there when I was in the Richmond area.

In the end the LGS does not "deserve" to be propped up. They need to survive in the free marketplace just like everyone else should. I do not understand why we have to have this discussion every 6 months.

I do not understand why people think that paying for convenience or perceived value is over paying. If you "value" convenience over $$$ you are not overpaying IMHO. You are paying part of your $$ for the product and part for convenience. Calling it overpaying is inaccurate.
 
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Skans, i agree with 100% of what you said. And to the person that mentioned a car dealer not letting you test drive? I have never ran across that in my life, they all seem to be eager to swarm you as soon as you enter the lot and all but open the door to the new car for you. These places dont exist, because no one would buy there if they couldnt test drive.
 
I have a great shop near me. I just bought my first handgun from them. (Overpriced for sure ) Most of my guns have been bought online or from private party.
I do buy almost all my reloading supplies from them. Couple holsters and some cleaning supplies. Things like that.
 
This thread was just chit chat. I doubt it changed any minds. I prefer the LGS to a big box store everytime and will pay a little extra at the LGS if I consider their asking price "fair". It is as simple as that. They don't need to use their expert sales tactics on me or twist my arm for something I have little interest in, their product sells itself.

I don't really need to ask a lot of simple questions any more on the stuff I am interested in. I look at a gun, see the asking price and if I am interested ask them if that is the best they can do if I buy right now, and go from there. This is with used guns. I treat new guns as pretty much asking price = selling price although there may be a little wiggle room.

I seldom buy ammunition any more at LGS simply because I just don't really look at it anymore since prices went up. If I need a box of whatever and thier price is within reason, I buy it. But I seldom really need any ammunition unless I just bought a gun in a new caliber to me.

Life goes on. I visit gun shops less, but I visit gun shops and usually buy from the LGS when something catches my interest.
 
If a local gun store doesn't provide a benefit, then why would someone visit one before purchasing a gun online?
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You broke the code! :D
Looking at a gun behind a glass case is not equivalent to test driving.
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And to the person that mentioned a car dealer not letting you test drive? I have never ran across that in my life...
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It was an analogy; a hypothetical example designed to make a point. The point being that a dealership that provides those services would obviously have to charge higher prices than one that doesn't. Just as an LGS has to charge higher prices as a result of the services they provide that an online dealer doesn't/can't.
What I'm hearing here is an "expectation", no perhaps some kind of "entitlement" to a customer buying a gun store's product without price shopping.
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Absolutely not. There's nothing wrong with price shopping as long as you are comparing apples to apples. This is about using services from business X where one isn't going to buy in order to facilitate a purchase from business Y that keeps its prices low by not offering the services that the shopper felt he/she needed to take advantage of at business X.

This is really simple in spite of all the rationalization and strawment posited in at attempt to muddy the water.

If you don't use or want the services that LGS's provide then it doesn't make sense to pay their prices.

If you DO use/want the services that LGS's provide then it makes sense to pay LGS prices.

That doesn't mean blindly paying any price any LGS asks, but it does mean comparing apples to apples--comparing LGS prices to other LGS prices, not comparing LGS prices to prices charged by businesses that don't provide the services that LGS's do.
 
Their profit margin is probably no more than Wal Mart's

The difference is WM will buy a shipping container load at one time. whereas the local store buys from a distributor, who likely also paid more than WM, in increments of a case or two at a time.
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I believe this particular LGS literally was buying ammo from Wal-Mart and marking it up. I give them a pass because it was during the panic.
 
I have always been one to try to support local business, but we have a shop near here that only gets my business when I can't find it elsewhere. It's the only shop within 40 miles or so of here and they have a very large stock of firearms, assessories, safes, ammo, etc..
The problems with our local shop is there is not a smiling face in the building and every gun is probably at least 100.00 over normal retail. It's a family business with a few employees, but geeze its like dealing with zombies in there. You try to joke with them or discuss things and they just stare at you with the same deadpan expression. They want you to buy something and get out.
They have a large stock of bullets and powders, but the prices are a shocker to me. I get a lb. of powder when I can't find it elsewhere but I'm biting my lip as I hand over the money. Powder around here runs in the 25-27 range and they charge 35.00 + tax.
I would love to support my local shop, but I also want to shop where I feel welcome and I'm treated fairly. It's not just me either, they are famous around he area for this type of business.
 
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