to be honest guns, cars and houses are still for the most part sold with a little bit of room to move around on the prices. and with the exception of houses they are two of the very few things that you can trade out on a regular basis.
i know what i can get a used gun for and if i am willing to buy a used gun or not. so i know what im willing to pay for a gun before i even go to the shop. if the price on the tag is close, i might try to haggle, but if its outrageous im not even gonna try to talk you down. sometimes the seller will throw in a box of ammo on the deal, but most times not and its not expected. i am buying a gun not a complete package deal.
price means alot to me when buying a gun, to an extent. i have 1 shop that i usually go to, to get my guns and gear (except ammo). i may look at another shop and if i get an uncommonly good deal, i will go for it. if not i take my business to my normal shop. i may pay a little more on this deal or that deal, but overall i am getting better deals on average there than anywhere else. it nice when a dealer will make a deal on a trade with you on the internet, sight unseen, and when you get in store and your trade value isnt quite what he figured on he plays around with the numbers to make it work, even though he wont make much money on that deal. heck, it made me a lifetime repeat customer and he will make more off my subsequent visits than he could have made by increasing his price or rather sticking with his profit margin, and me just stopping by if im in the area.
plus convenience and service has a price (not that i want to have to pay for it, but i am willing to patronize a place because of it)
i completely understand where a gunshop owner is coming from when people try to tell them your price is too high. im an electrician and if you think my price is too high, i dont get the job, pure and simple. i absolutely HATE it when people tell me, "i can get it done somewhere else cheaper", until about a year-year and a half ago i would say, then get them to do it, but i have to move around a bit now on prices. i have always tried to be as fair as i can on prices but a man has to put food on the table and a roof over his head.