Advice on buying a handgun...

[Guest xd9sc]

Not on what gun, but how. I wanted to buy a new gun tonight and was $18 away from buying it when the store was unwilling to barter even a little bit. Can you typically haggle a little bit when buying a new gun?

[Guest TargetShooter84]

depends on the gun store, some will haggle, some won't.

[Parrothead]

i would think you would have a much better chance getting a price cut on a used gun rather than a new weapon. Just my .02 cents

[safeandsecure]

depends on the gun store, some will haggle, some won't.

What TargetShooter84 said. The shop I used to deal with expected some dickering on price. The last two I bought came from two different shops. One "wiggled" a little on price, the other was firm.

(Guess that was no help at all. But it might be worth shopping around ... )

[Erik88]

While $18 may not seem like a lot to you, it might be to them. You have to realize that the profit margin on most new guns is very small. Think about it like gasoline, most gas stations make only .06-.10 on a gallon of gas. They make their real money when you go inside and buy a coke candy.

Same for gun shops, I would imagine they see more profit from accessories or range time. Or maybe ammo, I'm not sure the margin on ammo though. As others have said, some places will come down on price others won't budge. Don't take it too personal.

[Dolomite_supafly]

What kind of gun and what price?

New guns are harder to haggle on while used guns generally can be haggled down a bit. This also depends on the shop as others have said.

Dolomite

[Guest m&pc9]

I would find another gun shop. There are plenty out there.

[Gun Smith]

I wouldn't be so quick to send him to another shop. The OP didn't say anything about the pricing. What if all the other shops have the gun at $500 and this shop has it at $475? I've seen scenarios like this.

There is a little gun shop in Murfreesboro ran by Grady Jones. He prices his guns at an out the door price on the tag: gun, tax, background, you name it. No haggle, none. He has a Ruger .380 lcp for (at least was) $339. I think OnTarget's was like $349 + tax + background.

[edellson]

If price is the biggest concern and it is for me also, this is what I do. I find a local dealer with good customer service find the gun I want with the best price online and have it shipped to them. For instance 2 weeks ago I called the largest gun shop in our area and asked for an out the door price on a pistol I was looking at. Their best price was $40 more than what I could buy it for, ship it there to their shop and then pay them to handle the transaction. Saving me 13%

[Guest m&pc9]

If price is the biggest concern and it is for me also, this is what I do. I find a local dealer with good customer service find the gun I want with the best price online and have it shipped to them. For instance 2 weeks ago I called the largest gun shop in our area and asked for an out the door price on a pistol I was looking at. Their best price was $40 more than what I could buy it for, ship it there to their shop and then pay them to handle the transaction. Saving me 13%

Online can save you money, But you can get stuck with a lemon with no one to help.

My nephew bought a lemon and he had to deal with the warranty with no help from the dealer.

I have bought a used one online when no one in the area had what I wanted. But all the new ones I buy locally.

[gregintenn]

A lot of times, competition is so fierce on selling new guns that the profit margin on them is quite slim. Can you find the gun $18 cheaper at another shop? His price might already be in line. You can usually get further haggling on used gun prices than on the new ones. Especially when a shop advertises a price, it will likely be their rock bottom price.

[bubbadavis]

In my experience, cash is king. If you offer them cash to purchase the gun, you stand a better chance of getting a discount. Using plastic costs the shop some money for processing. Using a check means they have to wait a day or two to access the money.

[edellson]

Online can save you money, But you can get stuck with a lemon with no one to help.

My nephew bought a lemon and he had to deal with the warranty with no help from the dealer.

I have bought a used one online when no one in the area had what I wanted. But all the new ones I buy locally.

You are absolutely correct in the fact that sometimes you will need help with online purchases, if nothing other than getting them to ship and receive for you in the event of a lemon (and it will happen). What I do is go to my local dealer and show him what I am looking for. Offer him first chance to come close to the price, and even close makes the deal. If he can't (most the time it will) he will say ok and we will go from there and have it shipped in. I try hard to pay the money to the face that appreciates it. All that said I would not make a used purchase online, only a new one. Then warranty should not be an issue.

[R1100R]

In my experience, cash is king. If you offer them cash to purchase the gun, you stand a better chance of getting a discount. Using plastic costs the shop some money for processing. Using a check means they have to wait a day or two to access the money.

This is true. Even with most cards they get charged a percentage. When you pull out that Pimp Roll (Cash) with a rubber band around it changes the game at most gun shops to include pawn shops. I have got a few great deals this way.

[Guest mikedwood]

Can you save $18 more dollars?

Most gun dealers that I have gotten new guns from don't stand behind them to much. Once you buy it. It's yours and any problems are yours. I know there are a few out there that will help you out if you get a sucks gun but they are fewer and farther between than the internet will have you believe. If you get a sucks gun best case senerio it's something you did that can be fixed by a cleaning or it goes back to the manu for a few weeks or months.

When I get guns now I just get them used and fix them myself if anything is wrong. Plus I have learned to stay away from certain brands of guns that are more typical of having problems.

[Guest xd9sc]

This is true. Even with most cards they get charged a percentage. When you pull out that Pimp Roll (Cash) with a rubber band around it changes the game at most gun shops to include pawn shops. I have got a few great deals this way.

Yea I should have let them know I was paying cash, getting rid of a 3% cc fee would have saved them $15.00 anyways... I was just suprised that they were'nt willing to budge on price at all. I like to haggle so that interaction made me want to take my business elsewhere.

[VERO1]

If I really wanted a certain gun, I don't think an $18 price difference would keep me from getting it. I figure my time and travel expenses traveling from shop to shop. or hassle of online shopping, wait time, transfer,etc, is worth at least that much money.

[SonnyCrockett]

18 bucks? maybe you need to get a night job.........

[tnhawk]

After a few trips to the range, $18 will not be remembered.

[Rightwinger]

The OP fails to mention that the said gun was already discounted 50 dollars on the everyday price so no, there was no more wiggle room. All Springfield pistols and rifles are on sale. The shop was D & T Arms in Rivergate. I'm sorry we couldn't reach a deal but as stated, there is not a ton of profit built into guns or ammo. We have a limit to where we can go with a gun sale and still make enough to cover overhead and then buy that next gun for the next customer.

With gas the price it is, if you go out once more on a price run, you'll probably get close to eating up the 18 dollars that you wanted to seal the deal with.

We're open Friday at 9 am if you still want it (and it's still there). We want your business but we also must generate the revenue needed to run the shop.

Thanks for coming by.

[dralarms]

No 18 bucks won't make or break a deal for me. And I'm self employed so I understand having to make a profit (even a small one). If it's a gun you like and want I say buy it.

Support your local gun stores when you can for if they all close up shop where would we be?

[Guest xd9sc]

If I really wanted a certain gun, I don't think an $18 price difference would keep me from getting it. I figure my time and travel expenses traveling from shop to shop. or hassle of online shopping, wait time, transfer,etc, is worth at least that much money.

I have several friends that shop that way and they are always amazed at the deals I get on anything from houses, to cars or boats, to guns. I decide how much I want to spend, which is always less than the going rate, and I look for a deal. I don't need to buy anything as bad as people or business generally need to sell it and I always pay cash. I have saved countless thousands of dollars doing this and it entertains me... some people don't have the stomach for it, but thats up to you...

[Guest xd9sc]

The OP fails to mention that the said gun was already discounted 50 dollars on the everyday price so no, there was no more wiggle room. All Springfield pistols and rifles are on sale. The shop was D & T Arms in Rivergate. I'm sorry we couldn't reach a deal but as stated, there is not a ton of profit built into guns or ammo. We have a limit to where we can go with a gun sale and still make enough to cover overhead and then buy that next gun for the next customer.

With gas the price it is, if you go out once more on a price run, you'll probably get close to eating up the 18 dollars that you wanted to seal the deal with.

We're open Friday at 9 am if you still want it (and it's still there). We want your business but we also must generate the revenue needed to run the shop.

Thanks for coming by.

Was'nt going to mention what shop as to not bother anyone that likes your shop or give anyone the idea its not a nice store. It is. But if it's regular price is $30 more than your main competitor and you mark it down $50 thats not a super sale. Since I was standing there ready to buy imo it makes since to take a smaller profit and turn the gun so that you can put that money into another one. Just my opion and had you been willing to barter at all I would have gone home with the gun. The simple "No, I'm not marking it down any(more)." encouraged me to look elsewhere.

[R1100R]

Wow, a free market economy. Who would guess.

Years ago I work for a car dealer. Price haggling is the norm. My owner would get tired and mark the car down $2000.00 below true invoice and state they had to take the car now. The customer would always state they had to look further or I can get it cheaper elsewhere and leave. Then within two hours they would come screeching into the parking lot because some dealer showed them invoice. He would tell them the deal was for that moment when he made it. I saw this five or six times with not one customer taking the deal when it was offered at that moment. I learned allot about human nature from Mr Williams. This was in the 80's at a Honda store and they were selling them as soon as the truck pulled in the parking lot.

You can get it cheaper elsewhere. But time and travel is worth money also.

[Oh Shoot]

I wouldn't cross the street on the chance of saving $20 on a heater I wanted that was right in front of me.

Oh, that online thing vs. gun shop: bought a gun from Academy; they are very upfront about no help from them after the sale.

And you're not going to get any help from out of town vendors at gun shows either, ya know.

- OS

Edited November 26, 2010 by OhShoot