Gun Show Prices and negotiating

[outobie]

I lived overseas for close to a decade, frequently in places that haggled for everything. and I mean everything...imagine haggling in line at McDonalds for your happy meal (I'm not making that up)

after coming back home I was kinda conditioned to haggle for things I never would have haggled for in the past. I've been back in the US now for 9 years and I frequently pay less than the asking price even at the mall...gun shows or any place where you are dealing directly with the proprietor is a ripe environment for asking for a better price. I think the culture of haggling is one of taking a personal interest between customer and vendor. If you take the time to talk with the vendor and develop a rapport with them then there is commonly a natural tendency for them to work with you on pricing. I'm not talking about lowballing but if you ask if they can do better, they frequently will.

I bought a pistol at the dulles show and a rifle at the York show this year.
The prices on both pieces were already pretty good but the vendors knocked off $80 on the $800 pistol and $50 on an $1150 rifle (that the seller was a "Firm" price)

in both cases I feel as though the vendor was just as pleased with the transaction as I was

 

[smokedog]

Answers always no unless you ask, but be reasonable.

 

[lkenefic]

For me, I always pay cash and I always negotiate... unless the price of what it is I'm looking at is already a screaming deal. It's few and far between, but it does happen on occasion. If the price seems artificially inflated... I just keep on walking... FWIW, I never haggle on ammo prices. I don't know if it's just me, but I tend to shop around for ammo until I find a deal I can live with rather than haggling down the price.

 

[zombiehunter]

If you're worried about price, buy from the internet.

/thread

 

[Dialtone]

Good info

 

[Southern_Boy]

Add me to the "ALWAYS haggle" bunch. I KNOW dealers who say point-blank "I ALWAYS jack up my prices because people want to beat me down. They feel like they robbed me when I actually got what I wanted for the gun - everyone's happy! OTOH, if I priced it where I wanted it, they'd try to low-ball me and get insulted when I won't come down."

Bottom line: Know what it's worth, and be prepared to pay or walk away!

One guy a couple of shows ago had a case of the Yugo x39 ammo (the 15-round boxes of "kometa metak") open under a big sign with a case-price. I asked for three cases, he said he was out.

I then counted up the boxes left in the open case and did a quick calculation, offered to take it all, he had (let's say) 2/3 of a case and I offered him 2/3 of the full-case price -- made it clear that I was offering the same price per box as I'd get if I'd bought a full case.

He immediately turned me down, and re-stated his "Sticker" price. I reiterated that I was offering to take all he had, and he'd get the same price per box as he'd been getting selling cases...

"but you're not BUYING a case!"
"I WOULD buy THREE but you don't have any! - so I'm just trying to get what I can!"

"I *SAID* **NO** - ARE YOU DEAF?!"

Ok... Now he's crossed into "jerk" territory, but I'm not going to sink to his level - so I said "Sorry I bothered you!" - wished him a good day and walked away...

~2 hours later I came by again as he was packing up. He'd literally not sold ONE SINGLE BOX (no surprise - his price was too high!) so I figured "what the heck" and repeated my offer again... 'Scuse me, Sir? I figure you'd rather sell this stuff than haul it home - are you SURE you wouldn't like to sell that 2/3 of a case for 2/3 of your case price?"

He actually cursed me, called me a "f-ing a-hole" and told me to "GTF out of here!"

Well all-RIGHTY-THEN!!

Guess who I'll *NEVER-EVER* buy *ANYTHING* from, EVER??!!

On the bright side, I was walking out and saw a guy with most of a spam-can of 9x18, and he sold me all of it for like $0.06 per round! Better yet, he ALSO had a partial-case of x39, and I bought it all for the same price I'd been offering the other clown! THEN I saw he had a bunch of 30-round ALICE mag-pouches, and bought all of THEM TOO for $1 per - and I'd never have seen ANY of it if I'd been hauling the other moron's ammo to my car!

Jerks abound, I figure "FEAFEFH!"

SB

 

[iobidder]

Went to Chantilly, VA show, not one single person was willing to negotiate.

 

[Southern_Boy]

...in both cases I feel as though the vendor was just as pleased with the transaction as I was

THIS is the miracle of Capitalism!

Contrary to the Leftard meme, EVERY TRANSACTION in a capitalist system ends with BOTH PARTIES feeling they got the best end of the deal!

After all, if you thought you were being robbed, you wouldn't make the deal - right?

In short, you wanted his rifle more than you wanted your money - and HE wanted your money more than his rifle! BOTH OF YOU CAME OUT AHEAD!

Isn't that BEAUTIFUL!

 

[Southern_Boy]

Went to Chantilly, VA show, not one single person was willing to negotiate.

I find Sundays are the best "haggle" days. If they've done well they might be willing to deal since they've already made good money - if they've had a bad weekend they may be willing to deal just to cover their costs ... In either case, they're more LIKELY do deal just to avoid having to haul the crap HOME!

 

[iobidder]

I find Sundays are the best "haggle" days. If they've done well they might be willing to deal since they've already made good money - if they've had a bad weekend they may be willing to deal just to cover their costs ... In either case, they're more LIKELY do deal just to avoid having to haul the crap HOME!

What you said makes perfect logical sense, but Sunday was the day I went.

Weekend before I went to Richmond, VA show, by chance not planned, and same thing, except it was Saturday.

 

[Southern_Boy]

What you said makes perfect logical sense, but Sunday was the day I went.

Weekend before I went to Richmond, VA show, by chance not planned, and same thing, except it was Saturday.

There's another round of "panic buying" going on, and prices are rising. Maybe your dealers are confident they can get their price from someone else...

In any case, as I said above, know what it's worth. I'll TRY to haggle every time, even if it's a "good price"! If he won't, I'll usually buy anyway... OTOH if the price is HIGH, I'll offer a bit below what I think is right...

It also works for me to know what other vendors are selling, or...

"I just bought this mag (show it) from the guy over there (points) for $5 less than your price. Will you match his price?"

Etc...

I always know what I'm willing to pay,If I can get it even less GREAT, sometimes if they won't haggle I still buy but I NEVER go over my "in my head" price - I'll walk away!

 

[Maryland Hunter]

I never haggle, not my thing. I walk around and look, if the price is what I want to pay, I buy. If not, I walk away. I can always find it cheaper somewhere else. I always feel like I'm begging for something if I try to deal. Again, this is just me. I know some friends to whom dealing and haggling is the fun part to them.

MH

 

[jmh1-911]

If you really don't like to haggle, offer what you think is a fair price for the item you want to buy. You have a good idea what it sells for elsewhere and can reduce that price by 10% at least. Good place to start.

 

[mbz300sdl]

I offer what's it is worth to me if it's one dollar over I walk. Got some ammo today at the Greencastle show way under internet prices and under wholesale prices also.

 

[teratos]

I never haggle, not my thing. I walk around and look, if the price is what I want to pay, I buy. If not, I walk away. I can always find it cheaper somewhere else. I always feel like I'm begging for something if I try to deal. Again, this is just me. I know some friends to whom dealing and haggling is the fun part to them.

MH

I do the same thing. Look at the sticker. If it is what I am willing to spend, I buy. If not, I move along. I hate to haggle.

 

[JMintzer]

I always ask if there's any "wiggle room". I usually get at least 10% off...


Jamie

 

[Inigoes]

I always ask if there's any "wiggle room". I usually get at least 10% off...

Jamie

You're always trying to get that senior citizen discount

 

[JMintzer]

You're always trying to get that senior citizen discount

Bastid!

 

[Lou45]

You're always trying to get that senior citizen discount

Yea, he tried pulling it on me, too. He makes "mo' munnies" in a year than I do in three years.

Get them all the time; do you give ol' phart discounts??? Do you give Military discounts??? I'm approaching ol' phart status (can legally purchase and reside in a home in a 55 and over retitrement community) and served numerous years in the U.S. Military. What's wrong with this picture???

 

[Mooseman]

It does not hurt to try to get a better price.