Effect of the gun buying frenzy on gunshops?

[UnSafe]

Wondering if the lack of availability and resulting lack of income will put the smaller or gun specific shops out of business. The effects of "Firearmageddon" will probably reach far beyond the obvious things like me not being able to walk into Walmart to buy another box of practice ammo whenever I feel like it.

 

[mach1soldier]

If I was a gun store owner, I bet they have employees scouting walmart, academy, and anywhere else that sells ammo / guns. They will just mark them up. I also bet they start calling people who were formerly wanting to sell, to see if they still want to part with guns. This is what I would be doing anyways. Lousy? yes. But you got to survive as a business owner.

It will have a pretty drastic effect on businesses that didn't have orders placed before the panic. They might be waiting awhile.

This is my .02 for whats it worth.

 

[10Seconds]

I bet there are a handful of them too who go too far and way over order and then are going to be stuck holding overpriced inventory for a while. Whether its once the panic is over or when all of the fools are separated from their money, this rate of purchasing cannot continue for too long.

I am already seeing the prices start to come down a bit on Armslist

 

[NikatKimber]

I bet there are a handful of them too who go too far and way over order and then are going to be stuck holding overpriced inventory for a while. Whether its once the panic is over or when all of the fools are separated from their money, this rate of purchasing cannot continue for too long.

I sure hope you're right! I can't buy anything right now, between being out of stock or stupid high $$$.

I am already seeing the prices start to come down a bit on Armslist

Was just noticing the same.

 

[Boehlertaught]

Wondering if the lack of availability and resulting lack of income will put the smaller or gun specific shops out of business. The effects of "Firearmageddon" will probably reach far beyond the obvious things like me not being able to walk into Walmart to buy another box of practice ammo whenever I feel like it.

I don't think shops will have a problem unless they were already in trouble, business wise, 6-12 months ago. The frenzy will no doubt expand but right now it seems to be focused on AR15's and the parts/pieces to build them. All gun shops will still sell all other rifles and handguns, non-AR15 realted, and do well. The shops that had an abundance of AR stuff on the shelves should not be in the possition to be worrying about the inventory getting old for sure.

 

[jakeman]

Talked to a friend of mine yesterday that has a pretty large store, this deal has hurt him. He hasn't sold much more than he normally would, but what he has sold he can't re-stock, because there isn't any stock. He answering the phone a lot more, and showing people empty cases, and taking waiting lists, but he isn't selling much after the initial rush.

 

[mach1soldier]

I don't think prices for dealers will go up much. It's going to be the guys with nothing on order, that didn't mark things up, that will be hurting because the inventory is gone...I could be wrong though. The people who mass ordered in the last few weeks will be fine I imagine. They will hold onto it for longer than desired but another panic will happen in a year or something crazy. Thats my thoughts but I really hope i'm wrong. I can't find ammo anywhere.

 

[Shootin 4 Fun]

It's the shops with good relationships with their suppliers that will survive...and those that don't depend on their shop as their sole source of income.

 

[Razorback01]

My LGS told me that a lot of smaller shops go under after gigantic rushes like this one. He said that after everyone panic buys everything under the sun and then the shops finally restock, everyone either has bought more than they need or they have already spent all of their "gun money". Either way, a lot of people will be looking to sell some of what they bought too much of and not many people looking to buy. He was advised to try to make every dollar he can during times like this because when its over it will be a struggle to keep the lights on.

 

[Hoov]

Gotta jump in. mach1, you should never go into the gun business. So what if you have to scour other shelves. So what if you have to call old friends to see if they still want to part with a gun. That is how business is done. I assume from your avatar and location, that you are in the service. If so, thanks. If not, then you have no excuse other than not asking, about knowing how the gun business works. We do not have all of our equipment handed to us. If something breaks, we fix it or pay to fix it out of our own pocket. Not Uncle Sam's. Oh, and prices for dealers do go up. I call 10% quite a bit, don't you? That is what the price of ammunition is going to go up the first of the year. When it finally becomes available. .223/5.56 won't come back online in any great quantities until April if we are lucky. June may be more realistic. All the little whiners who complain about gouging are the same little manginas who stand in line at Academy or go into a shop like the one I work at and waste half a day picking my brain, then go order it online. They are the same little jack wagons that complain about gouging, but couldn't afford it anyway or don't understand why I just won't give it away so they can quadruple their money at the gun show. I am not saying you are one of those guys. I assume that you are just misinformed.