Handgun Forum banner

negotiating at buying time

6K views 41 replies 17 participants last post by  ruining 
#1 ·
Do you folks try to work the the shop when you make the decision to buy, or do you pay the price asked? When I am buying an appliance or something that costs a few bucks ($400+), I typically try to get a few bucks shaved off of the price. I am relatively new to the handgun market, and I was curious as to how many people are successful getting a discount. If so, where - small shops or larger retailers?


sorry folks - i realize i am in the wrong forum with this...
 
#4 ·
I always try to negotiate with trades or new purchases. If I'm unsuccessful on getting the price down, or taking care of the taxes, I'll come away with some free publications or a hat or some cool stickers! Cash works best for negotiations BTW. If they start stammering about well....., you just say, "I'll be paying cash today-are you sure you can't do me better than that?"
Good luck hunting.
 
#5 ·
My experiences have been that some shops will negotiate and some won't. You just have to find out which ones those are. :)

-Jeff-
+1...my local shop and a competitor (approx. 5 miles apart) will have the same price on a gun. The shop I frequent, I'll haggle with him, and usually I'll get some off. The second shops attitude is the price you see is the price you got. But, even with that, I'm amazed at the people that come in, to the shop I frequent, and pay the sticker price without any hesitation. Good for the owner though...that way he can afford to cut a little deeper for his regulars.:smt023
 
#7 ·
I find the lowest price I can on the Internet, often Bud's Gun Shop, and add shipping costs and FFL fees, and work with that number when buying a new gun. If I think the dealer is about as low as he can go, I'll calculate an 'out the door' price that is just slightly higher than the marked price, and they will usually take it. It saves me some of what I would have paid in taxes, and they are happy, and I'm OK with it, too.

Of course, there are some guys out there that won't budge, even when you know they are way high. I always assume that they are making whatever profit they get off of peripheral items, and don't really even want to do a gun sale to anybody but a sucker.

Your job is to not be that sucker.
 
#8 ·
My local shop is soooo funny.

The posted price is high-to-middle compared to other shops. When I look, they whip out a calculator, do some math, and give me the real price, usually as much as 20% below the "sticker" price...

Why they don't just post the real price??? I guess there's the occasional sucker who just says "I'll take one of those!", and whips out the card...

JW
 
#11 ·
My local shop is soooo funny.

The posted price is high-to-middle compared to other shops. When I look, they whip out a calculator, do some math, and give me the real price, usually as much as 20% below the "sticker" price...

Why they don't just post the real price??? I guess there's the occasional sucker who just says "I'll take one of those!", and whips out the card...

JW
For a lot of shops haggling is just part of the sale. I used to encounter this in music stores when I was still buying a good deal of equipment.

The shops I go to a lot I will haggle on every sale. Usually I can get the "out the door" price a pretty good bit lower especially if a few people willing to play sticker have been in there before me.:mrgreen:
 
#12 ·
There are only 3 actual gun stores in Colorado Springs that I am aware of. The biggest is a locally owned store who refuses to negotiate, was told that by an emp, not the owner himself but the emp said that they don't even get a discount. Then we have an Outdoor Warehouse, not sure if they negotiate or not but they don't sell any of the guns currently on my list. I'm going to visit the 3rd shop today, have never been there before and have no idea what to expect. I do know that the biggest store is about $120 more than Buds on the M$P9c that I am looking at getting next.
 
#15 ·
There are only 3 actual gun stores in Colorado Springs that I am aware of. The biggest is a locally owned store who refuses to negotiate, was told that by an emp, not the owner himself but the emp said that they don't even get a discount. Then we have an Outdoor Warehouse, not sure if they negotiate or not but they don't sell any of the guns currently on my list. I'm going to visit the 3rd shop today, have never been there before and have no idea what to expect. I do know that the biggest store is about $120 more than Buds on the M$P9c that I am looking at getting next.
How are the FFL transfer fees down there in Colorado Springs? Up here in the Fort Collins area, I haven't found a place yet that charges less than $40. There are only two places that are willing to do a transfer on a gun that they can get or already have, and they both charge $40. I haven't checked further than about 20 minutes away yet. Just curious. :smt023

-Jeff-
 
#16 ·
I have a good relation with my LGS owner. Have lent them my truck to move display cases, answer questions for customers and find stock when they are busy. I ask Her for the best price she can give me. Then i pay it. I MAY be able to get it for a few bucks less elswhere, BUT. she is very local, great people, and competitive prices (for this area) to begin with. I know "negotiations" are typical for gun and auto purchases, but in the case of guns, there is less wiggle room (no dealer kcikbacks, not as hi mark up (seen the invoices people) at least around here. I would rather pay a few bucks more and keep her in business, then go save a few at Dick's or deal with a Wally world employee who doesn't know the difference between .357 mag and .357 sig.
If the price is too high after I ask for best price, i don't buy it. But i don't beat her up over it either.
 
#17 ·
I stopped by the other gun store this morning. As with Outdoor Warehouse they do not sell the guns on my list. I guess I am between paying $559 at the lgs or $439 at Buds. I'm pretty sure that I saw on Buds site that that $439 includes s/h so I would just have to pay ffl fee, maybe $40 so that is $479 in my hand. At the lgs I would pay $559 plus tax of $41 for a total of $600. I want to support the local store as much as the next guy but not for a $120 difference. I'll have to call around this weekend and firm up the ffl fees.
 
#24 ·
I finally bit the bullet and bought my long desired M&P9c. I waited too long and Buds took it off sale, but even so they were still cheaper than any of my local shops or any other online store I could find. I asked 2 of my local shops if they could/would match and they declined. I also tried to contact other online sites about lowering their price but nobody would or they did not reply. I even tried to contact Buds but $503 was as low as they would go. In the end I paid $503 for the gun, 3% credit card fee ($15), $6 shipping insurance and found a local FFL for $20. In the end I saved $35 over the cheapest local dealer. Had that dealer had one in stock maybe I would have bought from them anyway but they were not even sure how soon they could get one in, Buds has them in stock.
 
#25 ·
I finally bit the bullet and bought my long desired M&P9c. I waited too long and Buds took it off sale, but even so they were still cheaper than any of my local shops or any other online store I could find. I asked 2 of my local shops if they could/would match and they declined. I also tried to contact other online sites about lowering their price but nobody would or they did not reply. I even tried to contact Buds but $503 was as low as they would go. In the end I paid $503 for the gun, 3% credit card fee ($15), $6 shipping insurance and found a local FFL for $20. In the end I saved $35 over the cheapest local dealer. Had that dealer had one in stock maybe I would have bought from them anyway but they were not even sure how soon they could get one in, Buds has them in stock.
Congrats! Be sure and let us know how you like it when you get it. :smt023

-Jeff-
 
#26 ·
Yea, that's definitely BS. Sales tax is only paid if the gun is purchased in that state. :rolleyes:

-Jeff-
If so, why does it say this on Bud's site?

"You may choose Buds Gun Shop in Paris, KY as your FFL dealer. Buds Gun Shop retail store DOES NOT charge customers for transferring a firearm in the store. However, all in-store pick-ups will be subject to the 6% Kentucky state sales tax."

Just wondering why they would bother putting up a notice if they were referring to guns they sold...

KG
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top