Gun shows and Slow sales

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Fallbackpuppet

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I have been to the last several gun shows here in OKC, and they were like ghost towns maybe 10-15 customers present. I also know several owners of gun shops and they all say sales have been incredibly slow the last 2-3 months. The more I look into things I have developed a theory and it goes like this:

There was the panic of 2013-2014 a lot of not really gun people went and purchased firearms (Mostly ARs and Glocks) of all kinds. They purchased gear and ammo and all kinds of stuff driving all the prices through the roof and making it difficult to get things. Now that the panic is over and has been for a few months a lot of those people have decided they don't really need all the firearms and ammo they laid up, and are flooding the market with all manner of surplus arms and ammo in quantities grater than the market can absorb. Thus driving the prices way down. Thoughts?
 

Fallbackpuppet

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Ok I get that and gun show pricing seems targeted at the impulse buy from people who haven't actually looked into the real cost of things, but that doesn't explain why store sales are down so much. Unless you are saying that online is hurting traditional retail as well.
 

excat

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One thing is walk in stores most of the time can't compete with prices of online, that's a big part.

Also, locally (OKC) there are VERY few gun stores with even half ass decent customer support, or even customer care. I'd rather buy online, where I know they don't give a crap about me, just my money, instead of going into a store to be ignored for the bleach blonde tramp looking for attention that isn't actually buying a damn thing (cough cough H&H), when I'm there with money to spend and just need someone to open the damn case up so I can go on about my business. I only need one finger to count the good experiences I've had at H&H. That was from a kid name Jeb, and he went above and beyond helping me get a sling and some other goodies for my AR, and I ended up buying a gun as well at the same time.

If I do buy locally, I only go to SSP or Big Boys anymore, the only places I've been to that treat you like they value your business. Admittedly, Big Boys is more expensive, but I don't mind to spend a little more if they have what I'm looking for and to be treated like a valued customer. At SSP, you get the best prices almost all the time and customer care, so they are my #1 go to locally.

Gun shows are cool to put your hands on a lot of different stuff all in one place, any maybe find the one guy selling private that is willing to make a decent deal on something you just don't see everyday, other than that, gun shows and H&H is just window shopping for me.
 

Oklahomabassin

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I know stores that have really good prices. Some stores, I am an hour away from. I have a local store that has good prices, but it is tough to have 1 of every gun, plus submodels of each gun available. With instant gratification so popular these days, people order guns round the clock and pick em up when they come in. The gun parts delivered to me on Monday morning were ordered at 5:00 in the morning some time back. Tough to compete with convenience if price is within reason.
 

COZICAN

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Most online sellers are even competing with free shipping. Works for me. Free shipping, no tax, $10.00 to the great guys at SSP and I don't have to leave the couch except to pick up my new toy. I tried to buy a gun from a local dealer recently; he wouldn't even try to get near what I could order it online for. I would have paid a little more to move his inventory but he wouldn't budge.
 

bigfug

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If you like SSP, check out 7 Element Firearms. David is buddies with Tommy and the guys, vet owned and operated. He's on Broadway in Moore. He and SSP get all my business. Will not even go shoot at Big Boys anymore since Kevin left.
 

MrShooter

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If you like SSP, check out 7 Element Firearms. David is buddies with Tommy and the guys, vet owned and operated. He's on Broadway in Moore. He and SSP get all my business. Will not even go shoot at Big Boys anymore since Kevin left.

Why did Kevin leave?

They have some loud mouth opinionated salesman in there now. I overhear him say 2 or 3 wrong firearm facts everytime I go in regarding title 2 and class 3 items.
 

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