Are Online Retailers Killing Local Gun Stores? Should We Care?

Wraith · Feb 18, 2019

GOPerfect said:
On-line stores are not the evil ones in this...

Local Gun Stores are the enemy , they are the ones who are destroying themselves.

Their horrible customer service. Their very limited selection of guns. Their overpriced ammunition. Their overpriced firearms.

Hell, they can all close down, I could not care less.

The biggest issue for LGSs are they’re brick and mortar that have overhead, pay taxes and often can’t drop ship.

I frequently ask my LGS to match an online price or be within their transfer fee in difference. It’s how I got my 590A1. Sometimes they can, sometimes they can’t.

I also typically let give them a list of very good condition or better pre-owned guns I’m interested in and around what price I’ll consider. I’ve been fortunate this way and have gotten calls about a gun I want having walked in the door and if I was interested. This gives the LGS some leverage when dealing with a consignment to potentially make a quick buck. It’s how I picked up my P320c RX.

I always try to offer my LGS every opportunity to take my mone. I’m no push over but I also want to support local 2A.

Podmonkey · Feb 18, 2019

GOPerfect said:
On-line stores are not the evil ones in this...

Local Gun Stores are the enemy , they are the ones who are destroying themselves.

Their horrible customer service. Their very limited selection of guns. Their overpriced ammunition. Their overpriced firearms.

Hell, they can all close down, I could not care less.

Now now, not all gun shops are like Buffalo Gun Center. Frankly however I am not aware of any really good LGS in your area.

GOPerfect · Feb 18, 2019

It's not just local gun stores.

I find myself buying more and more from online stores for most of my needs and wants.

Never having to deal with employees is never a bad thing.

Darth · Feb 18, 2019

Fuck 'Em!

Many LGSs treat their customers as if they are lucky to shop there.

seezur · Feb 18, 2019

Online is definitely the way to go. 95% of my purchases are online. I know it hurts the local gun stores, but I just can’t afford to pay hundreds more. It seems like new gun owners are a decent percentage of people who buy in stores. Just had a friend buy his first gun. They sold him a used 500 Tactical for $300. The previous owner had taken off whatever sight was on the front and replaced it with picatinny rail, so his shotgun has no sights, and he’ll never be able to get a proper cheek weld cause he’s going to have to install an optic or BUIS. He could have got a NIB 590A1 for like a hundred more tops online.

Also there’s a decent chance of getting that salesman who knows EVERYTHING about every gun and is a super operator in their spare time. I once listened to a kid (the “salesman”) who couldn’t have been over 20 tell me how 5.56 was superior to .308 out to 1,000 yards and how he was studying bullet coefficients for his “shooting competitions”. Eventually I segued into how the military doesn’t equip soldiers with tricked out sub MOA ARs to which he responded that it was the soldiers, not the rifles, and he could easily group that with any AR. This was all because he didn’t like the Ruger Scout I was considering buying.

If I can save a couple hundred bucks and avoid dealing with occasional LARPing idiots, I will.

Wraith · Feb 18, 2019

People are fast to say fuck LGSs here, but who does your transfers?

Podmonkey · Feb 18, 2019

Wraith said:
People are fast to say fuck LGSs here, but who does your transfers?

Well in Niagara and Erie counties LGSs are kinda thin so I can see why the sentiment might prevail among the locals.
The most prominent shop is Buffalo Gun Center and they have (had post unSAFE?) A decent selection available at ass rape prices. They wanted $800 for a fuckin' Yugo SKS back in 2014 for example and I have had numerous bad experiences there so fuck those guys. Some like the place however. Besides them the only other LGS I knew of was Johnson's and their selection is very thin, mostly pistols. The place was jam packed full of all kinds of outdoors stuff and firearms back when I was a kid but the big box places have kicked the shit out of em unfortunately. And that's all that's left in the area, big box stores with big box service. Gander had a ton of guns, at beyond MSRP retail markup and fairly recently there is Cablela's, again with full retail and beyond prices and staff that don't know their ass from a hole in the ground. I don't know how the reopened Gander Outdoors is though, not in Tonowanda, I like the one by me in Johnstown though.

Podmonkey · Feb 18, 2019

livingston said:
When my father passed away I nor anyone in my family had a permit to keep his S&W Outdoorsman .I did not have a clue as to what I needed to do .. Read some things online ... Said could get pretty banged up if the police took custody or worse being told it was lost....(right into a LEO'S gun collection )... Said let the local gun shop keep it during the time it would take me to get permit. I thought they would have to do a transfer between the estate and myself. ... I explained what was going on and the said it was not worth their time and money to do a transfer between two private parties .. Now over the years I had dropped over a grand with that store ....I realize not a lot but a lot for me at the time ...
I felt they told me to go pound salt. My business was not worth their time ... ... Another thread just came up where someone was looking to do a transfer with a friend and their lgs would not do one ... ...
I am never walking into that store again.... .... Not worth their time ... Guy needs to get a real world job... we all do things not worth our time but in the name of customer service we do it ... ....I drove over a half an hour to the firing pin to do my last few transfers. Takes about 15 minutes of their time and they make $25.00....... My math says it is around $100/hr ... Once in a while one can drop in there and use their range.... get ammo from them while shooting. at times ....
They offer a lot more services for my time ...
This is my feeling... I get a good deal on a gun from Buds gun shop... Get ammo at a discount price from an online store ... I feel good about that and pay for more range time at the firing pin using their range ... Even bring some friends ... In the long run they make out ... everyone is happy ... EXCEPT ....for that dam LGS 5 miles from me ... Never stepping in that place again.

If I want to get to a decent store that isn't Gander I have to drive either 71 or 125 miles.
By decent I mean having an abundance of stuff I'd actually want to buy.

1075tech · Feb 18, 2019

Wraith said:
5.56 for 0.25? Try 0.24 or cheaper.

Federal XM193 NATO Ammunition - 5.56mm 55gr FMJ - 1000/ct | Natchez

Use the 10%+Free Shipping.

Wraith said:
I bought 3K of 9mmfor .14 the other day.

livingston said:
They ship to NY ?

From Natchez website:

Restricted Items by Area of Residence (Non-International)
Due to individual municipal or state laws, we may not be able to sell or ship some items to your area. Ultimately it is the customers responsibility to be aware of their federal, state and local laws.

Such restrictions may include, but are by no means limited to, the following examples:

Ammo: NY, DC, HI, MA, IL* (see note below), and CA
Blanks: NY

Either they don't/won't or they need to update their site.

Podmonkey · Feb 18, 2019

Natchez ammo prices aren't anything special.
Almost retail prices. Saw .51 around for some XM855. Fuck that!
Quality brass bulk 5.56 should be in the low .30 range. Russian steel case gets down to .22 a round. For range use I am liking Fiocchi and Agulia lately. I want cannelured and sealed bullets and crimped and sealed primers for stash ammo though.

misunderestimated · Feb 18, 2019

The internet has changed every thing, When ever I go to a LGS I purchase some thing, Might not be a 700.00 gun but I purchase some thing. Retail is changing permantly, Unfortunately the LGS are on borrowed time they don't even know it yet. If they dont have a range I forcast they will be gone like the do do bird in a short amount of time with the over regulations they have to deal with

togmaster · Feb 18, 2019

Wraith said:
People are fast to say fuck LGSs here, but who does your transfers?

My kitchen table FFL. He can order me anything I want too.

Wraith · Feb 18, 2019

Podmonkey said:
Natchez ammo prices aren't anything special.
Almost retail prices. Saw .51 around for some XM855. Fuck that!
Quality brass bulk 5.56 should be in the low .30 range. Russian steel case gets down to .22 a round. For range use I am liking Fiocchi and Agulia lately. I want cannelured and sealed bullets and crimped and sealed primers for stash ammo though.

You need to look for the deals. No one is gonna just always have them at .24cpr. Well, no one I’ve seen.

Eddie Gunks · Feb 18, 2019

misunderestimated said:
The internet has changed every thing, When ever I go to a LGS I purchase some thing, Might not be a 700.00 gun but I purchase some thing. Retail is changing permantly, Unfortunately the LGS are on borrowed time they don't even know it yet. If they dont have a range I forcast they will be gone like the do do bird in a short amount of time with the over regulations they have to deal with

The key is to run an online store with a small retail outlet. That is what i did.

Deplorable Me · Feb 18, 2019

Any time I can avoid paying NY sales tax, I consider that Web gun store an option.

I also cluster my order to take advantage of free shipping.

Consider, what is your time worth in not having to drive 30 minutes somewhere?

Many places offer discounts at certain times of the year. I plan my orders.

But again, 7 or 8% FUAC sales tax discount. Priceless.

LGS only if I need it yesterday.

MilesTeg · Feb 18, 2019

I'm really jaded on this subject. I have a pretty good relationship with my local FFL. One day when I was hanging out the BSing I see him check his email and package up a few guns. So i ask him what's going on. He said he just sold a few guns online. I said wow I didnt know you did that. He said almost all of the online sales are other gun shops. So they all are cutting each other off the knees. But I played along and he admitted he sells guns online cheaper than he would person to person. I dont get why they do it but I thinks it's going to hurt themselves in the long run.

Wraith · Feb 18, 2019

MilesTeg said:
I'm really jaded on this subject. I have a pretty good relationship with my local FFL. One day when I was hanging out the BSing I see him check his email and package up a few guns. So i ask him what's going on. He said he just sold a few guns online. I said wow I didnt know you did that. He said almost all of the online sales are other gun shops. So they all are cutting each other off the knees. But I played along and he admitted he sells guns online cheaper than he would person to person. I dont get why they do it but I thinks it's going to hurt themselves in the long run.

Online is cheaper as they can drop ship inventory to one another if they are associated with certain dealers/collectives. Also, if you’re the only guy in the area with a CZ 83 in .380ACP and someone wants it. That’s a sale even if you only profit $36.

MilesTeg · Feb 18, 2019

He was selling them cheaper than he would sell face to face. I saw him package them up. I was dumbfounded.

His selection for accessories is stuck in the 90s and I know that hurts his sales.

Personally when i find something online i like i call a few local FFLs and give them a chance at my business.

BDinPutnam · Feb 18, 2019

Consider that unsold stock on the shelf is frozen money.

MilesTeg · Feb 18, 2019

That's my point. If the local FFLs are complaining about online sales theres a very good chance they are selling online also. They are participating in a free economy and have no room to bitch.

nortatoga · Feb 18, 2019

I would think that their on-line sales are more for used guns then new ones! Just like car dealers they only keep so many used cars on the lot.

Podmonkey · Feb 18, 2019

nortatoga said:
I would think that their on-line sales are more for used guns then new ones! Just like car dealers they only keep so many used cars on the lot.

It's kinda hard to beat sites like Gun Broker or Guns America where you can find almost anything.

nortatoga · Feb 18, 2019

Podmonkey said:
It's kinda hard to beat sites like Gun Broker or Guns America where you can find almost anything.

The inter-net just makes sense for used and odd-ball firearms! New ones may be not so much.

Podmonkey · Feb 18, 2019

nortatoga said:
The inter-net just makes sense for used and odd-ball firearms! New ones may be not so much.

I dunno. I bought my P226 Legion off Gun Broker not long after its release when none of the shops had one in stock, and I paid about $100 under MSRP.

STS556 · Feb 18, 2019

Wraith said:
People are fast to say fuck LGSs here, but who does your transfers?

My local hardware store owner is an FFL. He doesn’t sell guns though, mostly does transfers.

Bustedknees · Feb 18, 2019

I'd rather give my money to a small mom n pop shop any day of the week.. I do like buying used on auction sites, because I can sit and have drinks while bidding on guns I don't need,,, but new I've always bought face to face.. I find it hard to believe someone can't find a single local store to do business with. I've heard people bitch about the dealers not be warm n fuzzy enough, but I'm not there for hugs,, just guns n ammo..

Wraith · Feb 18, 2019

Bustedknees said:
I'd rather give my money to a small mom n pop shop any day of the week.. I do like buying used on auction sites, because I can sit and have drinks while bidding on guns I don't need,,, but new I've always bought face to face.. I find it hard to believe someone can't find a single local store to do business with. I've heard people bitch about the dealers not be warm n fuzzy enough, but I'm not there for hugs,, just guns n ammo..

Any worthwhile auction sites? I bid on Rock Island but they’re like $1000+ and a 10-18% vig.

Wraith · Feb 18, 2019

Bustedknees said:
I'd rather give my money to a small mom n pop shop any day of the week.. I do like buying used on auction sites, because I can sit and have drinks while bidding on guns I don't need,,, but new I've always bought face to face.. I find it hard to believe someone can't find a single local store to do business with. I've heard people bitch about the dealers not be warm n fuzzy enough, but I'm not there for hugs,, just guns n ammo..

There is a level of customer service I expect though. You give me a hard time and I won’t cone back. Those folks don’t make gun buying easy for a 1st time buyer and we need 1st time owners desperately.

Are Online Retailers Killing Local Gun Stores? Should We Care?

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