Excess inventory of used firearms?

[TANSTAAFL]

A convergence of multiple factors. Actually similar to what is happening in high end desirable watches.

1) The economy - yup, people are getting hit and hard
2) New products - MRD. Many are trading in Non MRD pistols for MRD is one example, just like Pistols with threaded barrels. Most don't want to spend the $ on milling or a new barrel
3) When bought from a private individual or on consignment, most still are going on old pricing models in an environment when new guns due to production are coming out a pretty low prices
4) Many companies are coming out with new products, Palmetto, Kel-Tec, S&W, Girshan all contribute new and more cost efficient firearms.
5) Many who own shops know and love guns, they are just poor business people in low markup highly competitive environment.

 

[turkeyrun]

Sales is putting the correct item in front of the correct customer.

Great item at a good price means nothing without a customer.
Listing here is awesome, for dealing with people you know / trust. But, your customer base is limited in matching that buyer to your item.

I could have a fleet of tractors at bargain basement prices, list in New York City. I would few, if any. Listed here, probably sell several.

I was a Service Manager, doing repair and calibration on equipment for refineries and industrial use. One of salesmen asked I knew anybody in the shop at Exxon? He had been trying to sell him some new meters for 8 months and hadn't sold anything. He had an appointment for Friday.

I knew most everyone in the shop and agreed to go with him. The appointment was at 9:30. The shop took a break at 9:30. I stopped and bought donuts. We walk in and I put the donuts 🍩 out and asked how things were going? A bit of general conversation and a couple of the guys start in on a big problem they are having. I asked if they had a meter in the shop. They got a meter and tell Rick to hook his calibrator up. I explain what he his doing, as he does it. They got another meter and had one of the hands hook up and go through the cal. His partner goes and pulls the troublesome meter, to bring in. He hooks up and starts through the calibration and gets an error, telling him why they couldn't get it to work.

We left with that meter to repair and a purchase order for 3 calibrations, at $5k ea. I left our demo, for them to use until their order came in.

We left and on the trip back, Rick is bewildered. He had tried for 8 months to sell that calibrator and they wouldn't talk to him. I go in and sell 3 in 30 minutes.
I said, "exactly, you went in to SELL them what YOU wanted to sell. I went in and ASKED if they had a problem I could HELP them with."
They needed a problem solver, not a salesman. Be part of the solution.

 

[Bigdawg90]

I think more than anything, too many people bought too many guns during COVID.

I had buddies that literally bought every Glock they could find. One guy ended up with 6-7 9mm glocks. It’s not that he doesn’t “need” them, but that’s excessive. Plain and simple. I know most of us are conservatives, but we’d laugh at anyone with 5 F-250s that never get driven. I’d call that guy a dummy. I told my buddy he was dumb.

Got an older buddy that has 5 AK-47s. All PSA, never been shot. That seems like a waste.

I know we all like to make jokes that there’s no such thing as too many guns, but I’m there. I’ve got 2 kids. I haven’t shot a couple of my guns in years.

I’m not special or anything, but I don’t need half my guns. They’re cool and I like them, but they’re a luxury just like a nice truck. I bought the guns I wanted and now anymore is just more of the same.

I think there’s a big part of gun culture that doesn’t want to admit that guns are pretty useless outside of a civil war or urban unrest. Gun marketing is REALLY good and has ratcheted up the “necessity” of tons of guns. I think a lot of people thought their guns were a good “investment.” They’re not. They’re subject to market conditions the same as anything. There’s too many AR-15s in America to believe the value will go anywhere but down.