Online VS Local Shop?

[MoMan]

I do stand corrected, I actually did check before bringing up the kitchen FFL new issues. I read it wrong, I knew it was discussed, and did not read far enough into the article to see where it ended up at this point. Although I wouldn't be a bit surprised to see cumho fuck that up as well! Just sayin'!!

Be that as it may. I'm still supporting my LGS, with in reason! I'm not about to let someone bend me over on a purchase. Like they say; To each his own!!

 

[Justincase]

Like most of you guys, I like to support my local shops within reason. My first pistol is looking more and more to be a VP9. Can be had for $519 on sale online, no tax, free shipping. LGS has it for $679. That's a significant chunk of change. I like to support local business, but unfortunately I'm not made money. Like I mentioned in another thread, when I get help and feel valued as a customer, I'll reciprocate and buy something I may not have otherwise as a gesture of good faith and appreciation, and will do that most times I visit. I don't buy into the going to another state to buy stuff to F Cuomo. That's no skin off his back, and only takes business away from guys doing their best, and jumping through hoops to make sure people in this shitty state have someplace to buy things we're passionate about.

 

[Podmonkey]

See if your LGS is willing to haggle on the price first, they very well might let it go for less.

 

[XP100]

You are "supposed" to claim any out of state purchases and pay the NYS Sales & USE tax on those purchases shipped to you. I think it won't be long and most States will make an agreement to collect tax on out of state sales. I had a shop and charged 10% over cost + shipping on special orders and with the tax of 8% could not beat most online prices. I did transfers for 10.00. I had a lot of guys have guns shipped to me and most acted like 10.00 was a ripoff for "10 minutes work" and they never bought anything else from my shop or even said Thank You . I don't miss having a shop in NY or not living there anymore.

 

[misunderestimated]

I feel indebted to my local gun shop/gun range for all they have done for me, Regardless of the few dollars I may save with an online purchase. All of the guns I have owned the majority have been thru them. I tell them I seen this gun on line,what do they think,can they get me one . Its normally that easey. The internet has changed the way people research and purchase.

Buy Local.We need local gun shops.

 

[MikeGrad]

I've done what a lot of people here have. I support my local shop, so i give them a chance to come close. In in some cases they can and i pay them and the NY tax. In some cases cases they actually prefer to just be the FFL as it just what someone else said, pure profit for a few minutes of paperwork.

 

[togmaster]

Actually going to my LGS this afternoon. He's been telling me he will be getting a pistol I want for the last month and a half. If it doesn't arrive soon I may wind up buying on line.

 

[MikeyCNY]

I did transfers for 10.00. I had a lot of guys have guns shipped to me and most acted like 10.00 was a ripoff for "10 minutes work" and they never bought anything else from my shop or even said Thank You . I don't miss having a shop in NY or not living there anymore.

Wow $10 is amazing! I'm lucky to have found one for $25, even if they're an hour from me. They respond to emails quickly also. You were definitely under-appreciated.

 

[MoMan]

Like most of you guys, I like to support my local shops within reason. My first pistol is looking more and more to be a VP9. Can be had for $519 on sale online, no tax, free shipping. LGS has it for $679. That's a significant chunk of change. I like to support local business, but unfortunately I'm not made money. Like I mentioned in another thread, when I get help and feel valued as a customer, I'll reciprocate and buy something I may not have otherwise as a gesture of good faith and appreciation, and will do that most times I visit. I don't buy into the going to another state to buy stuff to F Cuomo. That's no skin off his back, and only takes business away from guys doing their best, and jumping through hoops to make sure people in this shitty state have someplace to buy things we're passionate about.

If I was looking at that kind of price difference and my LGS couldn't get close, then I would order it online as well. At least you gave him the opportunity to get there. If he can't get close, and he is a decent guy, he'll probably tell ya' to order it and have it shipped to him (for a reasonable fee).

It would be interesting to know what other LGS in your area would sell it for. We have quite a few LGS down here to choose from, so that price check should be easy to do. Pretty much the only one down here who "bombs" the prices is usually Rural King. The problem with them is that they advertise a "special", and often times don't have them in stock. The other problem comes with the lack of ANYONE in house who knows ANYTHING about guns. After the sale, if you have any kind of problem you are totally on your own, even if it's at your first range trip. They won't help you at all, it's up to you to send it back to the manufacturer for service.

 

[timboy]

I have never done an online gun purchase and transfer but being a divorced Father I am leaning that way for future purchases,shops in the Albany area are charging an easy $200-300 premium on damned near everything.
On used guns I swear they just double the price they paid,many times I have seen used guns priced a laughable margin higher than brand new online prices,no thanks not for me.

 

[Justincase]

I've heard Buffalo gun center will hold guns that you buy there for you until your permit comes in. Can or will an FFL do that if you order something online and have it sent to them? Just curious.

 

[Doc8404]

My experience is the online vendor doesn't care. They have never checked my permit. That's what the FFL does.

I've heard Buffalo gun center will hold guns that you buy there for you until your permit comes in. Can or will an FFL do that if you order something online and have it sent to them? Just curious.

 

[Justincase]

My experience is the online vendor doesn't care. They have never checked my permit. That's what the FFL does.

I get that part, I was just wondering on the other end. Does an FFL want to be hanging on to a gun that they have no stake in? Perhaps for months?

 

[Ozmiander]

Every store i've been to has held pistols for people. Zack's Sports in Round Lake held my first one for around a year iirc?

 

[Greywolf224]

I have never done an online gun purchase and transfer but being a divorced Father I am leaning that way for future purchases,shops in the Albany area are charging an easy $200-300 premium on damned near everything.
On used guns I swear they just double the price they paid,many times I have seen used guns priced a humerous margin higher than brand new online prices,no thanks not for me.

GunBroker's is your friend. I've bought many a firearm from the site always less than anyone local. Not to mention They have much more in firearms options.
I have thier phone app and normally do my bidding or direct buys while laying in bed.

Don't mind supporting LGS when I can but no one supports my wallet but me.

 

[Doc8404]

I get that part, I was just wondering on the other end. Does an FFL want to be hanging on to a gun that they have no stake in? Perhaps for months?

You asked "can or will"
The FFL can answer the latter.
I answered the former.
You asked.

 

[Justincase]

You asked "can or will"
The FFL can answer the latter.
I answered the former.
You asked.

You're right. I should have been more clear. Appreciate the response.

 

[togmaster]

I get that part, I was just wondering on the other end. Does an FFL want to be hanging on to a gun that they have no stake in? Perhaps for months?

There some that will hold pistols for me until I can have them added to my permit. And there are ones that charge a storage fee. My business goes to the former.

 

[ArmedCorgi]

I get that part, I was just wondering on the other end. Does an FFL want to be hanging on to a gun that they have no stake in? Perhaps for months?

That's a good question and one reason I feel a little awkward about just using the FFL for a transfer on a gun they didn't sell me. When I bought my GP100 it was a local FTF sale and not a Gunbroker purchase but I specifically looked for a table top FFL rather than asking some of the larger brick and mortar stores around here. Once I found one I made sure he was okay with potentially having to hold onto the handgun for a few weeks to months, since my judge is slow in amending permits. So, yeah FFL's in NY must realize that with handguns, they may have to hold onto them indefinitely. I always ask though, in case they don't want do it or if they charge after certain amount of time to hold it.

 

[Glenn B]

I buy online and from my local gun store and from live auctons. The last handgun I purchased, from my local dealer, was a Ruger Redhawk, 44 Rem. Mag. with 5.5" barrel, from Hunters Essentials. I got that for $893.33 out the door from Hunters Essentials. Bruce, at Hunters Essentials, has some good pricing especially as compared to other nearby gun stores but I think he cannot beat online prices. He beats Coliseum hands down but then again I imagine so too does everyone else.

So what would the price difference be buying it online. The lowest priced new one, being offered today on GunBroker.com, is going for a buy it now price of $770.00, plus $25 shipping, plus the $45 I would pay for the FFL transaction fee or a total of $840.00. Prices were similar when I bought mine last spring. So, had I bought it online, I would have saved $53.33 buying it online. With this purchase though, there were some other considerations than merely price. I wanted to see it before paying for it. Had it not been right, Bruce would merely order another while the online dealer's return policy is shown as unspecified. I also order three HKS speedloaders for it from Bruce for another $26.08 total or $8.69 each with tax. Shipped from a dealer like Cheaper Than Dirt, I could get them for only $7.46 each plus $13.41 shipping for a total of $35.79 just for the speedloaders. Just so you know, Cheaper Than Dirt also offers the same Redhawk but it is more expensive than either the price on GunBroker or at Hunters Essentials and they refuse to ship to NY but I digress.

The total of the Redhawk plus the speedloaders at Hunters Essentials wound up being $918.96. Yes, it still would have been less expensive buying online via GunBroker for the Redhawk and CTD for the speedloaders but now the savings would not have been as great as I would have saved only $43.17 buying it all online. That $43.17 was not a bad tradeoff considering I got to see the Redhawk, and check it for proper timing and other functions before paying for it. Thus I would know all was A-Okay and that was important considering why I was buying it. Soon after it arrived, my son and I went on our first ever trip to Alaska and we would use it as a second line of defense against bears if needed - bear spray being the first line of defense. At other times, that $43.17 savings might be a big deal to me considering it could be used for LGBT.



If there was any left over after those expenses, I might even buy some ammo with the savings but I tend to think she would be an expensive date.

All the best,
Glenn B

 

[Frankly]

Back in the day, my Father's generation, would go to the LGS and buy what they had, they didn't get the manufacturer's catalog much less follow them online or look at their websites to see all the different options and models. Instead Joe Bob's gun shop bought a couple dozen generic shotguns at a few price points and sold what they had, maybe special ordering a left handed one once in a while.

Nowadays the dilemma is that unless you want cheap and common things (i.e. Walmart) you're pretty much driven to go online for the nicer items. This applies to more than just guns but any consumer item... if I want the best camera lens for my Nikon, the local camera shop won't stock it because it's too expensive and hard to sell. If I want a ski jacket I really like the local sports shop won't have it in my size, etc. (My friend who owns it can't keep 100s of $500 in inventory, that'd be nuts).

Outside of an online specialty shop with a brick and mortar presence, all consumer goods are going to go this way.

It's a shame because it's a death spiral. The closest LGS has a worthless gunsmith because all he ever works on is 10/22s and shotguns so he doesn't need to be that great. They can't sell ammo for less than the online dealers because they can't buy it wholesale for much less than we can. And so on....

Consumers wanted the cheapest Chinese shit possible no matter what. They wanted Sunday sales, then 24-7 sales. They got what they wanted but then they complain downtown looks like a ghost town.

Starting a local brick and mortar store is stupid. Start an online business and invest in a lower overhead, higher service business. Sorry about downtown and nostalgia.

 

[Firefly Firearms]

I get that part, I was just wondering on the other end. Does an FFL want to be hanging on to a gun that they have no stake in? Perhaps for months?

I cannot speak for other dealers but with our business model, homebased FFL for 6+ years now, we will hang onto guns purchased online while someone goes through the permit process, worse case scenario if something goes south and the person doesn't get a permit I will try to sell it for them to get some money back for them, or they can return it. Knock on wood, no problem has ever existed, I have bought guns from people who didn't want to wait for their permit. But overall guns become members of my gun family and keep each other company talking gun stuff while the owners go through the process to be reunited. We actually just had our recent inspection, I'm very proud of our results, the kudos from the ATF on my family and how we run our business and the future the gun business holds for us here in the Capital District for the next 5-7 years and we shall see where we land in retirement land.

 

[Justincase]

Thanks for the reply. You have a great perspective on things, and seems like it's serving you well. Hopefully I can find a like minded FFL near me to give my acquisitions a temporary home until I can make them part of my "family". . Best of luck to you.

 

[Shadow2]

When I was buying stock guns i'd ask my LGS what they can do, if they could i went through them. I no longer buy "stock" off the rack guns, so it's transfers only but my LGS understands.