Effect of the gun buying frenzy on gunshops?

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neginfluence04

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It's a damn shame to see some double their prices going from 20.00 per mag to 50.00 per mag, 120.00 for a lower to 350.00 for a lower, and even from a 1,000.00 to 1,700.00 for an AR-10 / AR-15. I know a lot of us buyer will remember this after everything settles down.
 

Razorback01

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It's a damn shame to see some double their prices going from 20.00 per mag to 50.00 per mag, 120.00 for a lower to 350.00 for a lower, and even from a 1,000.00 to 1,700.00 for an AR-10 / AR-15. I know a lot of us buyer will remember this after everything settles down.

I am in no way affiliated with any gun shop other than purchasing from them but it really seems like people care most about gun shops for negative reasons. If that gun shop goes out of buisiness, most people will think it will be a shame but most people will also just move on to the next big box store or online retailer and that lgs owner will be out of luck. I can find no fault in store owners pricing their mercandise for what people are willing to pay. Stroll down to your local auction block some time and see how they set their prices...whatever people are willing to pay is what it sells for...cattle, used cars, etc. I do find it a shame that so many people are willing to pay the high prices...this is the real problem. When people come to their senses on this stuff, the market will adjust accordingly.
 

reddog1

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The availablity of regular firearms we stock has dwindled to nothing, no LC9s, no LCPs, no P95's

We are have to stock item we normally do not stock, and they are flying out of the safes, as fast as we put them in there.

I have no overhead, except the website, and my door opener.

Since Barry got re-elected, BANG has had the best two months ever.

I dont mind the phone calls, and if a customer can come look / handle a gun I have, than get it someplace else, thets AWESOME!!!! Glad I could let them check it out!!
 

Honeybee

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Since we are a repair shop more than a gun store we are not buying junk just to fill our shelves.
If someone wants to sell some good guns then we would make an offer on them and if luckey we will get to buy them so we will have something to sell.
But being a gunshow rich city we do not offer any more than someone will be offered at the gunshows so we don't do a huge used gun business except consignment guns.
 

338Shooter

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Gun shops should be doing very well right now. What is going to hurt is when it subsides and the used market is saturated and prices sag below what dealers can buy inventory for. It's hard to sell in a buyers market sometimes. I don't do much at all with title 1 firearms outside of my personal collection so a buyers market will make things better overall for me. Specializing in an already heavily regulated niche I'm a little sheltered from the volatility in the title 1 stuff, but with that benefit comes the difficulty with the system for title 2 stuff. I could sell 3x as many suppressors if the wait was back to 6-8 weeks. It's hard to put up money and wait for 6 months to get your stuff. I will continue to have my suppressors priced as low as possible and do my best to offer the most knowledge and highest level of customer service that I can. I'm often asked if I get tired of answering the stupid questions. The answer is always going to be no. I still remember when I was the one asking stupid questions. Getting honest and informed answers helped plant the seed for silencers that has grown into a hobby/business that I have a lot of passion for. I owe it to others to offer the same to them.
 

neginfluence04

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I am in no way affiliated with any gun shop other than purchasing from them but it really seems like people care most about gun shops for negative reasons. If that gun shop goes out of buisiness, most people will think it will be a shame but most people will also just move on to the next big box store or online retailer and that lgs owner will be out of luck. I can find no fault in store owners pricing their mercandise for what people are willing to pay. Stroll down to your local auction block some time and see how they set their prices...whatever people are willing to pay is what it sells for...cattle, used cars, etc. I do find it a shame that so many people are willing to pay the high prices...this is the real problem. When people come to their senses on this stuff, the market will adjust accordingly.

I understand the economics behind it and even the increase for supply and demand. But lets say LGS a) sells 100 units per year which nets them roughly $60,000.00 per year in sales. Now if they increase the price by 10-20% and sell the exact same amount of units then they stand to make roughly 66,000-72,000. Remember that is 100 units for the YEAR at a profit of 60K per year (FICTIONAL NUMBERS).

LGS b) sold the same 100 units last year and made the same 60K as LGS a). Now lets add in the panic buying and lets double the prices on the same units sold. LGS b) has now cleared $120,000.00. Which is double their last years profits, so theoretically they could survive for two years with out selling 1 more thing. Many LGS on here have reported if you have a good relationship with their supplier they will continue to get product no matter what. Say the supplier goes up 10-20% on product. This would mean your 60K in profit is dropped down to 48K to 54K per year. LGS b) then increases their prices again to 3 or even 4X the cost. Now they are netting 144K - 270K which would mean they could survive for roughly 5 years without selling another product.

Just because the market is in a panic and people are spending their savings to buy firearms doesn't make the price increases ethical or right. IMHO it's greedy and selfish to take advantage of a person in a time of need such as this. We should be arming our fellow man and women for the battle to come. I for one refuse to continue to business with those gouging prices. I will make sure to continue to support the LGS that only went up 10-20. Even if his prices at 10% higher the the JACKASS that was 4 times higher 6 months ago. You can't tell me your local supplier is now selling you a $80.00 stripped lower for $350.00 and the only way you can make ends meet is to charge $500.00.

CLIFFS:

LGS a) gets a stripped lower at a cost of $80.00 they turn around and retail lower for $130.00
Supplier increase price by 10-20%
LGS a) gets a stripped lower at a cost of $88.00-$96.00 they turn around and retail lower for $143.00-$156.00

LGS b) gets a stripped lower at a cost of $80.00 they turn around and retail lower for $130.00
Supplier increase price by 10-20%
LGS a) gets a stripped lower at a cost of $88.00-$96.00 they turn around and retail lower for $264.00-$384.00

LGS a) = gets my business

LGS b) = greedy capitalist bastard
 

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