Was I wrong?

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Beentown71

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I sit here questioning myself after my visit to the gun store today. I was looking at a few options for a new carry gun when an older gentleman asked a clerk how much he could get on trade for his handgun.

He pulls out a 6" Colt Anaconda in really good shape. The tacticool guru took the gun to his boss. I was intigued to hear how much they were going to give him. Well the trade they were willing to give him was $225 :eek:

When he was looking at other merchandise I gave him one of my business cards and told him I would give him at least $600 for it. We will see what happens...

I have a tinge of guilt for trying to "take" their business, in their place of business but they were trying to take advantage of an uninformed customer IMHO.

Was I wrong?

Beentown
 
If you take something like that in to trade... you know they will always try to get it cheap... that way they make more profit... happens all the time... and some people actually go thru with it and give the guns away for half its worth.
 
Hey, if you feel you got a decent deal on the gun for 600$, and the guy was happy with the 600$...

But try to be sympathetic to the store's point of view. "Buy low, sell high" is how
you make a profit.

OTOH, 200$ for the gun in question does seem a little unethically low-ball...
 
If they would have offered something along the lines of $500 I wouldn't had said a word but $225! I understand needing to make a profit since I am self-employed but that gun was minty. I am trying to talk myself out of the guilt :o

Beentown
 
No need to feel guilty... I have done it several times here... I visit two of the pawnshops here...nearly everyday.. and I have done the same thing... when they walk outside...I give them my card fast and tell them I will give them more than what they were offered...I have gotten a couple of guns..and two bows that way.
 
We had the ethics thread one time, one mans personal ethics, is another mans lost opportunity.

You men need to learn how to trade. If an old widow lady offers me a 90% $1000+ firearm for $400. I say "No mam, I can't do that, but I'll give you $350." :D
 
Business is business. As mentioned, they buy low, sell high, but that seems really low. I'm sure there was wiggle room in there too from the buyers stand point and of course the seller was free to walk at any time.

With that said, if he wasn't comfortable with their offer, I wouldn't have a problem suggesting my own counter offer. It's a free market.
 
Yeah don't get me started on pawn shops. Asking new, quality gun prices for

junk I wouldn't even consider in my worst nightmare.

650$ for a USED Taurus 92? PUH-LEEZE !:rolleyes:
 
In my opinion, it's all in the timing. I do not hi-jack a deal while it is still in progress. However, if he walks away then I get involved. I have seen this more than once. I also would not let anyone interrupt a deal while I'm negociating. That being said, I've had folks ask me if what they have, is worth or if they are asking a fair price. I have seen too many dealers practically steal an item and I just keep quiet. It's up to the seller to do some homework and as well as come up with a price. .... :)



Be Safe !!!
 
You did the right thing and feel guilty? That's odd. It's not right to interfere with business if the business is fair, but if the business is clearly trying to take advantage of it's customers it's wrong not to help people make sure they aren't getting ripped off.
 
IMightBeWrong might be right. It's one thing to haggle, but ripping somebody off is reprehensible. However, I'm not sure I understand completely. Beentown 71 - are you buying to resell or for personal collection? Either way, $225 sounds like a rip the old man off.

An honest dealer should have no problem telling someone what they think a handgun will sell for and subsequently how much they are willing to pay for it. I would think $400 for a used gun that would retail for $600 is fair. If you want money up front, the dealer has to have a greater margin.

The better way is to negotiate a percentage broker fee. The original owner gets more value and the dealer has less risk and no money tied up in the gun. Sometimes people forget the time value of money (i.e. a dollar today is worth more than a dollar tomorrow) and that more risk requires more potential return on investment.
 
I'
ll tell you where you went wrong

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

You should have offered him $325.
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And asked if he had any ammo to sweeten the "deal". :p
 
Let me get his straight, you guys feel justified in ripping off his business because you think his prices are too high/low?

This is called capitalism my friends, and if you really want to feel rightious, you can go get licensed yourself, rent your retail space, get yer own dang insurance, advertise the business for yourself and then see if you can still stay in business by buying guns for 600 dollars each.

You are free to think his price is not acceptable, you are free to go in business and pay higher prices, but make no mistake about it...you people who infringe on his business are just as big of thieves as you perceive him to be.

The OP felt a twinge of guilt because he has a conscience and know dang well he did wrong. This is a good sign. Not sure about some of you others.
 
Wonder if Edward would make the same comment as above...if he were on the other end of the transaction...and it were his gun that he was trying to get a reasonable price for.
 
Edward, on ethical grounds I have to disagree. As the proprietor of a business that deals regularly in guns, the older gentleman had a right to expect a decently honest price quote for his Anaconda, a premium-grade firearm.

A doctor's office is a business. If mine charges me $1,000 for a check-up, that is unethical, even if the doctor has the right to charge me that much in a capitalist system.

Nothing about being a customer in a capitalist system muzzles the observer of flagrant and ethically troubling dishonesty. The original poster, in my eyes, was beyond reproach.
 
This is called capitalism
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Exactly edward, thats why btown did nothing wrong. I work as an accountant for one of the largest home service companies in my area, our growth in the last five years has been nothing short of astounding. Wanna know how we did it? We poached the best techs in the state by offering them more money and better benifits. Is there anything wrong with that? Of course not.
 
Let me get his straight, you guys feel justified in ripping off his business because you think his prices are too high/low?
Click to expand...
No, an offer of $350 would be too low. An offer of $225 is a complete insult. This shop owner's just looking to make far more on this old man's gun than he does on any new ones.


The OP felt a twinge of guilt because he has a conscience and know dang well he did wrong. This is a good sign. Not sure about some of you others.
Click to expand...
He did nothing wrong. It appears to me the old man didn't take the deal, good for him, and the poster then approached him, and might be able to get himself a good gun for a price acceptable to both him and the seller. This is capitalism at it's finest.

Beentown, don't feel bad at all!
 
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