timonium Fairgrounds April 8 & 9

j_h_smith · Apr 11, 2017

lee2 said:
Consignment pieces are for the most part set be the firearm owner not the shop. If I'm interested in something I ask questions and ask what the seller is willing to take. Again walk if you don't like what you hear.

You are correct, but the dealer doesn't have to take that firearm in on consignment if the seller's price is too crazy. I would walk away from a $900 Russian SKS without asking any questions. There may be other circumstances (like added ammo) but for the most part, when I'm at a gun show, I'm cherry picking the first time around. Once I see that price, I'm probably not looking at that rifle a second time. A large sign explaining what's for sale would go a long way to helping the sale, but just to tag the rifle with ammo and accessories included isn't going to help that rifle sell.

Just one man's opinion.

38super · Apr 11, 2017

Vetted84 said:
My experience over the last number of years is that gun vendors will not negotiate at shows. Heck, in many cases they even want the buyer to pay their credit card fees.

If you pay with a credit card you should pay their 3% fee. Most everyone charges the fee anymore even at the gas station.

Vetted84 · Apr 11, 2017

38super said:
Vetted84 said:

My experience over the last number of years is that gun vendors will not negotiate at shows. Heck, in many cases they even want the buyer to pay their credit card fees.

If you pay with a credit card you should pay their 3% fee. Most everyone charges the fee anymore even at the gas station.

Click to expand...

Except for service stations most merchants factor it into their selling price. Just another cost of doing business.

It is all about perception. This becomes more important as we move more and more toward a cashless society. I'm not sure how many millennials actually remember what cash looks like.

I will think twice about buying that $500 rifle when the vendor tells me it will be $515 dollars if I use my debit card.

I am more likely to buy the $515 dollar rifle when the vendor tells me I can save $15 if I pay with cash.

In the end is is just semantics but semantics can be an important marketing tool.

lee2 · Apr 11, 2017

Vetted84 said:
38super said:

Except for service stations most merchants factor it into their selling price. Just another cost of doing business.

It is all about perception. This becomes more important as we move more and more toward a cashless society. I'm not sure how many millennials actually remember what cash looks like.

I will think twice about buying that $500 rifle when the vendor tells me it will be $515 dollars if I use my debit card.

I am more likely to buy the $515 dollar rifle when the vendor tells me I can save $15 if I pay with cash.

In the end is is just semantics but semantics can be an important marketing tool.

Click to expand...

So you'd be happy if I marked everything up 20% and then offered you a 20% discount?

j_h_smith · Apr 11, 2017

lee2 said:
Vetted84 said:

So you'd be happy if I marked everything up 20% and then offered you a 20% discount?

Click to expand...

And if found out, that dealer would never have another customer come to his table to buy.

I don't think that anyone is complaining about a merchant making a living, but some of these gun show prices are getting ridiculous. It happens at all gun shows. I saw it at the last Oaks show too. That's why I don't know why a vendor would do a gun show. If they have a brick and mortar store, they have to remove the inventory from the store, in effective, closing the store for those gun show days. Then they have the added costs of each table they rent for the show.

Personally, I can't see how a vendor plans to make money at a show, so they must treat it as a lost leader. Something that will draw in customers and have them spend more money.

As far as the CC fee, that has to be worked into the price of all inventory. That should be considered as operating expense, just like your rent or electric bill. All of that has to be taken into account when pricing your inventory. Adding it at a gun show is kinda like double dipping and I don't like it. However, I usually bring enough money to buy what I'm looking for and I don't have a credit card to use anyway.

The vendor who raises their prices to try and cover the additional cost of operating at a gun show, probably won't be a vendor for long. It's a dog eat dog world out there and the customers will tell you who's doing it properly and who's not.

Alphabrew · Apr 11, 2017

lee2 said:
Vetted84 said:

So you'd be happy if I marked everything up 20% and then offered you a 20% discount?

Click to expand...

Vetted84 · Apr 11, 2017

lee2 said:
Vetted84 said:

So you'd be happy if I marked everything up 20% and then offered you a 20% discount?

Click to expand...

That is not what I suggested. I doubt any vendor is paying a 20% CC fee.

RAF · Apr 11, 2017

lee2 said:
Did you notice freestate was at the show?

Yep, talked to the guy working the table & what he was looking for. Said they had a few at the store, so away we went.

RoadDawg · Apr 13, 2017

The "cash Vs. CC price" is NOT a new thing at the show...

Lou45 offered a discount for cash over CC... And I had no issues with the difference for him, because he had a set profit margin to maintain for each piece sold at the show. Sometimes I elected to use cash... other times I used the CC. He was not charging extra for the CC customer, he was giving the cash customer a break for not using a CC which was extra paperwork/records keeping aggravation, and a fee that he had to pay the CC company. He kept his prices low that way and those who bought with cash netted him the same profit as those who bought with a CC. The convenience of the CC was a choice made by the customer... NOT the vender.

KJackson · Apr 13, 2017

When I went and bought my pistol on Tuesday, I knew that the vendor had a 3% discount for cash. So I stopped by the ATM and picked up the money I needed. I saved about $12 on the deal that way. It may not sound like much, but $12 is a lot when you need it and don't have it.

Alphabrew · Apr 13, 2017

Why would you not bring cash to a gunshow? It's WAY easier to haggle when you have crisp bills to wave around.

RoadDawg · Apr 13, 2017

KJackson said:
When I went and bought my pistol on Tuesday, I knew that the vendor had a 3% discount for cash. So I stopped by the ATM and picked up the money I needed. I saved about $12 on the deal that way. It may not sound like much, but $12 is a lot when you need it and don't have it.

Depending on the round... $12.00 may be a box of ammo. :thumbsup:

Art3 · Apr 13, 2017

lee2 said:
Vetted84 said:

So you'd be happy if I marked everything up 20% and then offered you a 20% discount?

Click to expand...

As much as this forum loves math and percentages (and being a smartass), I'm surprised no one has jumped on this yet...

Mark up a $900 rifle by 20% and the price is $1080, right? Put that on the sticker.

Now, take 20% off of the sticker price of $1080...and you get $864...that sounds like a more gooder deal to me
Somebody's profits evaporated like they were antimony

In all seriousness, unless you are looking at something one of a kind, the beauty of a gunshow is you can compare prices right then and there. I used to see "Show Special" prices advertised, but not so much anymore. It doesn't hurt to ask how firm prices are. I'd say a third to half of my gun show firearm purchases I get for at least $10-$20 off the sticker price. I definitely appreciate the honesty and transparancy when vendors have signs up saying "Cash Price," or "CC add 3%." If it is not disclosed, I'll ask if it's a cash price before we even think about starting paperwork.

One thing I hate though, is when no prices are listed. As my father says, "If you have to ask, you can't afford..." so I usually don't even bother asking.

j_h_smith · May 18, 2017

yellowpuma said:
Agree about the CC fees!

Just 20 more to go. :thumbsup:

Art3 · May 18, 2017

j_h_smith said:
Just 20 more to go.

Think he'll make it in this run? I'm thinking there might be a timeout along the way...

j_h_smith · May 18, 2017

Art3 said:
Think he'll make it in this run? I'm thinking there might be a timeout along the way...

No time out, but it looks like he's had a few posts come up missing.

Docster · May 30, 2017

Guess my "Next Timonium Gun Show" thread to reduce repetition didn't work for this one.

j_h_smith · May 30, 2017

Docster said:
Guess my "Next Timonium Gun Show" thread to reduce repetition didn't work for this one.

Start a new thread with the new dates. Otherwise, some may think we're just rehashing an old gun show.

Docster · May 30, 2017

Worked for The Gettysburg and Nations Gun Show, even for Lee

Certainly would make things easy to "Search" for

Sundazes · May 30, 2017

j_h_smith said:
Start a new thread with the new dates. Otherwise, some may think we're just rehashing an old gun show.

Docster said:
Worked for The Gettysburg and Nations Gun Show, even for Lee

Certainly would make things easy to "Search" for

Agreed!

timonium Fairgrounds April 8 & 9

The #1 community for Gun Owners of the Northeast

Member Benefits:

Ultimate Member

Active Member

Active Member

Banned

Ultimate Member

Binary male Lesbian

Active Member

Active Member

Nos nostraque Deo

Ultimate Member

Binary male Lesbian

Nos nostraque Deo

Eqinsu Ocha

Ultimate Member

Eqinsu Ocha

Ultimate Member

Ultimate Member

Ultimate Member

Ultimate Member

Throbbing Member

Users who are viewing this thread

Log in

Forum statistics