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.

 

[turkeyrun]

^^^^^^^^^^^^

BLASPHEMY !!!!!!!!!!!!


Maybe not

 

[Firpo]

This thread actually prompted me to hit the local shops off Lee in Lawton just to see what’s what. Wow! Saw an old Remington pump 22, likely a Model 12 that was WAY past rough and looked as if it had been dipped in acid. The thing had no finish and was solid spots and some rust. Had an $850.00 price tag. Ridiculous. Went down the road to Frog’s Pawn and they had a decent Kimber Micro 9 asking $900. I bought very clean used one last year for $450. Just nuts. Stan’s had a Lefevre 20 gauge side by that looked interesting so I asked to see it. “Salesman” handed it to me and the stock shifted about a half an inch. Looked at the guy and said “boy that’s a problem”. He answered “oh that’s normal for these old guns.” Horse Pucky! I have more than a few guns that are over 100 years old and have handled maybe 1,000 more and this was by far unlike anything I’ve ever seen…….and this bozo thinks it’s “normal”? I didn’t say a word, handed it back to him and walked out the door. What a complete waste of my time. Idiots!!

 

[BobbyV]

Out of pocket expense, and yes their time is worthless unless they are bringing money in. Big retailers spend a fortune just trying to get people in the door, ever see an add for something too cheap? That's a loss leader, they paid more for something than you will pay for it to get you in the store and buy other things. That is the mentality you need. A lot of these guys must think you're going to drive by and throw money out the window at them.

This completely depends on the type of FFL you're referring to. Comparing a big retailer to a small business is a pretty cheap way to try and justify complaining about a $20-25 transfer fee.

 

[BobbyV]

Yes. If they have extra time sitting doing nothing a $10 transfer is money coming in, when otherwise there is zero coming in.

Nobody's time is worthless. It's insulting to try and claim otherwise. This isn't a one-size fits all complaint. You can't really compare a home-based FFL doing this on the side to Academy or another business that's open full-time, etc.

Now if they have people lined up out the door doing $25 transfers, doing a $10 one would cost them money.

There are plenty of folks willing to pay $20-25 for a transfer.

 

[BobbyV]

I think the point that Firpo is trying to make is that her time is being spent doing nothing productive anyway, why not spend it doing something to generate business. It may not generate a small bit of revenue at the moment, but it builds the customer base, which is a necessity in these times.

I chimed in when people proclaimed transfers cost the FFL nothing out of pocket and when this was about $10 vs $25 transfers. Which she's supposedly responsible for. We don't know what else she does and apparently everyone wants this guy to spend more money on things to bring in customers while cutting his transfer fees in half when there is absolutely no guarantee that a $10 transfer fee for a small shop is going to do anything other than take up space in the shop.

There is absolutely no way a small business can compete with Primary Arms, Palmetto State Armory, etc. It's not like the markup on a firearm is much more than the $25 transfer fee in most cases anyway.

 

[BobbyV]

The high transfer rates that Big boys and H&H and some others charge is your "punishment" for not buying from them. Actually heard it (overheard it wwould be more acurate) from the horses mouth on that one.

This is exactly right . . . but we all prefer to shop online and get the best deal, and I get that this also includes finding the best options for transfers.

 

[OkieMoe]

Sounds like any of the big gun shops including Sooner State Pawn. The back room in stocked full.

I lose two of my favorite guns at sooner years ago due to a horrible soon to be ex wife... Maybe someday I'll replace those. Or come close.