Death of the LGS

[Cameramonkey]

I always like the guy who after looking at something would pull out his phone and show me a better price at some website hoping for a price match. I would always offer to hit the buy now button for them !

yeah. price match online vs shop down the road are totally different things.
Dont forget to remind them to add shipping, and the transfer fee. Typically most "deals" arent really great deals when you factor all that in.

I was in a shop browsing once and a guy tried that. Guy behind the counter said "I can match the out the door price. that will make it Five FIFTY nine ninety nine."
"but that's $10 higher than your price!"
"Yeah, but you are going to have to pay the transfer fee once it arrives. So after that its actually going to cost you $10 MORE than my price. And thats assuming they do free shipping. So it could be more."
Guy put his phone away and bought the gun.

 

[indiucky]

My shop's the worse....

 

[indiucky]

BBI took this footage one morning of me opening the shop....

 

[Bugzilla]

Speaking for myself only, I don’t own an iPhone. And the last time I turned on a computer was the date in my avatar.


Again only myself, I don’t find that difficult, I just call it life. As for the BS…..well that’s what it is, also just life.

Folks can complain about the decline of the American way of life or they can have instant gratification, I for one would be fine if I woke up in the morning and every big box store in the country was just gone. But that’s just wishful thinking of a fudd.

I still support Jerry’s place. But do agree with several of the comments. The length of his business is testimony he’s doing something right!

 

[Route 45]

Sorry to hear about your negative experiences with your LGS. I feel fortunate to have found Atkinson Firearms in Greenwood. They have an excellent selection of guns and their old-school customer service is second to none. It is owned by Sean Atkinson, a retired fire fighter and an all around cool human. If you're ever around Greenwood, I suggest you stop in. You'll be real glad you did.

I've not been in there, but probably won't bother now. Might be great bunch of guys, but I need an item, not a friend. Called them about a pistol I was thinking about buying and they didn't have it in stock, but said they could get it for me for a little over $800. Same pistol laying in the case at another local shop priced at $690.

Same pistol online at a major, well-known vendor is $570 with free shipping. Guess where I bought it.

Not sure what kind of "customer service" people are expecting. I don't need warm feelings and mindless chat, I need the product at a fair price. I likely know more about the item that I'm looking for anyway, having already specifically researched it. My LGS is more than happy to do transfers at $25, so I see it as win-win.

I'll pay a little more at a LGS just for the convenience of having the gun in hand the same day. But I'm not paying $80+ more. That's a couple of mags or a pretty nice holster.

 

[cg21]

I still support Jerry’s place. But do agree with several of the comments. The length of his business is testimony he’s doing something right!

I agree wasn’t meant to start a bashing thread was just telling my experience

 

[Bassat]

I really thought my first post was going to be in the 'Welcome' section. This thread is too inviting to pass. I think what we are seeing is a general decline in retail (in person) EVERYTHING. Finding help these days is extremely difficult, in any field. Finding GOOD help, moreso. I go to the large B&M retailers mainly to look and 'feel' the merchandise. Yes, I realize that NOT purchasing from them is going to facilitate their demise. I do most of my shopping online, not just guns/ammo, because it is incredibly easy, and markedly less expensive. If any LGS wants me to pay full retail for anything, please make an effort to make it worth my while. Knowledgeable staff would be a great place to start, inventory would go a long way, decent prices would be a dream come true. The ability to ORDER what I want that isn't in stock would be fantastic, too. Sometimes I have to compromise in one area to get what I want in another. One store has decent stock of firearms, but incredibly ill-informed staff. The other stocks next to nothing, but will order anything in HIS supplier's catalog for way less than the full-retail 'we can't order anything' store. If Mr. Full-Retail wants $500, and I can order from PSA for $350, I know where I'm spending my money. A $30 FFL tranfer fee, and waiting a few days for shipping, gets me off a lot cheaper than I could otherwise manage. Ammuntion? Forget about B&M retail. I've been buying ammo online for about 2 years. Today's shipment was 45 ACP @ $0.50/rd ($149/300), 9mm @ $0.30/rd ($75/250), and 32 ACP for $0.56 ($28/50 x 5). Retail in the SB/Mish area is almost twice those prices, and 32acp is nowhere to be seen. BTW, I've been paying the same price for the 32 ACP for at least 2 years now.

Until retail offers the customer something of value (price, selection, customer service) they will continue to decline. That is the way it should be. I don't lament the disappearance of retail; I welcome the safety, convenience, and value of online shipping.

 

[Bosshoss]

I go to the large B&M retailers mainly to look and 'feel' the merchandise. Yes, I realize that NOT purchasing from them is going to facilitate their demise.

Just curious where you will go after the demise of the B&M to "look and feel" the merchandise?

 

[Leadeye]

While I've not visited a large variety of gun shops I like the ones I have been in. I don't expect a big inventory of old stuff which is usually what I'm shopping for, but I don't fault the shops. Most of their customers are interested in newer stuff and you stock what you can sell the most of, just smart business.

It would be interesting to see the sales numbers a shop has these days where internet order is compared to floor stock sold. I'm betting the internet numbers are 50% or more these days, but I also wonder if that could be counted in the general increase of firearms sales across the board.

 

[Route 45]

Just curious where you will go after the demise of the B&M to "look and feel" the merchandise?

The large B&M retailers will not go away. Smaller gun shops might be a different story, unless they improvise and adapt. There is always someone willing to overpay for items in stock. Or not overpay if they've got it at Rural King, which isn't going anywhere either.

 

[mike4sigs]

Not just gun shops, seems like a lot of businesses have gotten confused about how the customer/retailer relationship is supposed to work.

BINGO

 

[ditcherman]

funny thing is most of us car guys are lay downs. We don’t want to negotiate over small amounts. We just want to buy a product at a fair price and leave.

never heard the term ‘lay downs’ before, is that someone who doesn’t negotiate?

I’ve often wondered how people that don’t negotiate are viewed by the ‘professionals’. Are they respected, or ridiculed?

I don’t think I’ve ever tried to negotiate a price on a deal here, or at my lgs. Maybe a car dealership.
I might leave something on the table, but hope to show respect and be respected.

I’ve watched my father in law walk away from killer deals because the person wouldn’t budge, and I just can’t stand that.

 

[Hookeye]

My time is of value. Having some solid info from knowledgeable others is valuable. Being able to see/ handle an item is valuable.

Consequently, I dont look for the best deal price wise.

Good enough, is good enough

Am not rich and never will be, but am not a jerk about money either.

Its just stuff.

 

[Hookeye]

I know whats what and have seen some great deals here and there, but passed because they were just not something I needed/ wanted.

Interestingly, some consumers are driven more by the idea of a deal, than the actual item/ use.

 

[Hookeye]

Dealing w the public is a treat
Have seen fair deals killed due to 5 buck diff.

And seen later folks buy the item for way more elsewhere or trade their item for half what was offered.

Cant make this stuff up.

The avg person is clueless about money. And why pawn shops have lifelong repeat " customers ".

With that, quite a few people think a gun shop should act like a pawn shop.

Smdh

 

[WebSnyper]

never heard the term ‘lay downs’ before, is that someone who doesn’t negotiate?

I’ve often wondered how people that don’t negotiate are viewed by the ‘professionals’. Are they respected, or ridiculed?

I don’t think I’ve ever tried to negotiate a price on a deal here, or at my lgs. Maybe a car dealership.
I might leave something on the table, but hope to show respect and be respected.

I’ve watched my father in law walk away from killer deals because the person wouldn’t budge, and I just can’t stand that.

Knowing when to negotiate and when to act is a skill, and part of that is knowledge of the product and knowing a fair deal when one sees it, and some of that is understanding/reading people.

Sounds like your FIL lacks part of that equation.


It also involves a certain amount of detachment in some circumstances.

 

[Hookeye]

Having been around a while, what I am seeing is shops going for silly GB asking prices on items placed on shelf.

Going for max score on used/ collectible.

If ya wanna try for GB price, dont place it on the shelf. Dipstick salesguy thinks the Rem he got for 300 off some widow is worth 1500. Just because some Jack wagon has or had one on GB for that.

Doesnt even research to see if it was a legit bid or sale. Hell half the time it was something different than what he had ( by golly everything nowadays is collectible ).

Got a row of decent vintage stuff? Goody for you. Price it like you actually want foot traffic to purchase it.

 

[1nderbeard]

In the spirit of the thread I visited a LGS around the gulf shores area. I was rather disappointed. The guy behind the counter was friendly, don't get me wrong. The size of the store was about like a closet. They had a wall of $1,200 Black Rain AR15s, a rack with mostly shotguns on it, and a wall of mostly Glock pistols. Out of respect for the guy, and to not seem like thief casing the joint, I told him I was from IN and just killing time. All in all, it was a disappointing experience.

 

[Bassat]

The large B&M retailers will not go away. Smaller gun shops might be a different story, unless they improvise and adapt. There is always someone willing to overpay for items in stock. Or not overpay if they've got it at Rural King, which isn't going anywhere either.

Methinks you may be a tad confused. The large retailer in Mishawaka offers: higher prices, miserably underknowledgeable staff, fixed inventory, no special orders, low-ball trade in offers, used gear at 95% of new prices. I most certainly see them going the way of some other large B&M retailers: Sears, KMart, KidsRUs, ToysRUs, FinishLine, Macy's, Men's Warehouse, Ann Taylor, Lane Bryant, Children's Place, Disney Stores, Family Video, JCrew, JCPenney, Lord & Taylor, Pier 1... and possibly more. All of them either out of business completely, in bankruptcy protection, or have sold their names to investment firms and gone belly up. Walk-in retail is most certainly dying. Safe bets?: grocery stores, medical entities, and personal services. You can't get a haircut online... yet.

Meanwhile, my local one-owner/one-shop gun store has a very knowledgeable staff, does custom smithing, will order whatever I want, within reason, for a small fee, handles FFL for my internet transactions, and is just a fun place to hang out. The one thing they don't have is ammo selection or price. But neither does the big guy. Which is why I buy ammo online. My guess is XXX little store will be in business long after YYY big-retailer is turned into nail salon.

Mods: I'd be happy to replace XXX & YYY with the names of the actual retailers for authenticity's sake. Not sure if that is Kosher, or allowable.

 

[Mij]

BBI took this footage one morning of me opening the shop....

Gotta call B.S. on that, at least till BBI confirms

“You see you didn’t do it it purple“ And I got called on the carpet for “obvious“ purple so it’s BS.