Local gun stores, what's the deal?

[MisterGrubbs]

Looking for some insight here - why are people so high and low on prices? There was just a thread posted about a new store, even, and how their prices are all over the place.

Why are prices so high and low and everywhere inbetween here? I've also noticed that the work they offer around here is expensive and often subpar.

 

[MisterGrubbs]

And by around here, I mean OKC.

 

[mr ed]

The factors are endless.
New store vs. established store dictates discounts.
Volume of sales dictates discounts.
Location dictates. $300 a month rent vs. $1500 a month.
# of employees dictates.
New store owners not knowing how to figure overhead.
Real business versus Hobby business.
Its endless!
To give an example
I'm in the process of re-opening a store
The manufacturers tell me because I'm new and not established to go see their distributors.
Who are the distributors? The same people who are selling dirt cheap on the internet.
What kind of discount do they give? maybe 5% if I buy $1000 or more each order.
Well then I buy the stuff and mark it up to cover my costs and feed my family and guesss what?
Everybody on forums like this bee-ch about "the new stores" high prices.

Once you become established and get a name for yourself the discounts start flowing and then you can adjust your prices if you survive that long. Thats why the FBT boys haven't quit their day jobs yet.

As far as Gunsmiths go, there are 4 types
1. Trained Gunsmith that does custom work
2. Trained Gunsmith that does repairs.
3. Armorers - which are basically only for clean and oil and simple parts replacement.
4. Hobbiest - some are really good and if you find one keep him a secret.

Custom Gunsmiths if real good are expensive and long wait list.

General repair smiths (few and far between) have to work cheap because nobody wants to pay $50-75hr to repair a $100 shotgun. so if you find a good one he's probably buried in work. (did that for 25years)

Then there a lot of hacks out there that took a mail order course and maybe a Glock course and think they are God's gift to Gunsmithing. Rijas LOL

 

[technetium-99m]

Markup on guns and accessories isn't great, without volume it's hard to keep a brick and mortar store open.

There also aren't many people in Oklahoma willing to pay for the shop time good work requires.

 

[Fredkrueger100]

This is why most of the time I buy off the internet. But every once in a while I will shop local. Sometimes I find really good deals at a shop down here. Wish I could open my own but that won't ever happen.

 

[Shootin 4 Fun]

The biggest issues with prices at local shops is owner greed. Then there is a lack of knowledge about market price.

The real reason we haven't quit our day jobs is that we're building FBT on earned money, we have never borrowed a penny. Starting next month the size of our shop will more than double as we're taking on the shop next door to ours. It will take a while to fill the new shop wall to wall with inventory, but as our regular customers can tell you, we are constantly expanding our product lines and we will get the store loaded with fixtures and inventory eventually.

 

[Lurkerinthewoods]

The biggest issues with prices at local shops is owner greed. Then there is a lack of knowledge about market price.

The real reason we haven't quit our day jobs is that we're building FBT on earned money, we have never borrowed a penny. Starting next month the size of our shop will more than double as we're taking on the shop next door to ours. It will take a while to fill the new shop wall to wall with inventory, but as our regular customers can tell you, we are constantly expanding our product lines and we will get the store loaded with fixtures and inventory eventually.

That's great news.

 

[emapples]

The biggest issues with prices at local shops is owner greed. Then there is a lack of knowledge about market price.

The real reason we haven't quit our day jobs is that we're building FBT on earned money, we have never borrowed a penny. Starting next month the size of our shop will more than double as we're taking on the shop next door to ours. It will take a while to fill the new shop wall to wall with inventory, but as our regular customers can tell you, we are constantly expanding our product lines and we will get the store loaded with fixtures and inventory eventually.

And they have AWESOME DAY JOBS!

 

[Boehlertaught]

Seems my entire gun buying life I've been told by gun shop owners that they mark up guns 10% over their cost...some shops must really have high priced suppliers.
Cool that FBT is expanding. I'll be in next week to aid in your year end sales figures.

 

[emapples]

The big question would be how a business costs a product. The actual cost, or do they average all of their overhead and put a portion of those costs onto each of the items they sell.