Reptile
Ultimate Member
As far as on-line buying vs in-store, I always ask my LGS whether he would prefer for me to order it and pay him the transfer fee or should he order it and I buy direct from him. Usually I order and pay him the fee.
Here is the real truth, and it's gonna sting. Most gun shops suck.
I don't know about what kind of $$$ you guys make BUT any transfer cost over $25.00 is way TOOOOO much. It takes 10 Min or Less X 6 per Hr $150.00 for a Hours worth of work is pretty decent .
Jim
Business' don't operate as charities. It costs money to receive your firearm at an FFL, it costs money for the FFL to verify that the firearm is transferable, it costs money to transfer the firearm to you when you come in to pick it up.
Most if not all gun stores, who are FFL's, will waive the transfer fees, if you purchase the firearm through them. The transfer fees are built into the price of the firearm.
The building costs money, heat costs money, A/C costs money, lawyers cost money, benefits cost money, equipment costs money.
The fully burdened cost of an employ is far and above what that employee is payed per hour.
http://smallbusiness.chron.com/calculate-fully-burdened-labor-costs-33072.html
Here is the real truth, and it's gonna sting. Most gun shops suck. They sell the exact same accessories you can get offline for cheaper. They sell guns you can order and ship for less. They try to charge you exuberant amounts for ammo, like you don't know where wal-mart is. Pawn shops beat them to death when it comes to used guns. They primarily make their income from new (and thus naive) shooters, and those who have enough money not to care about the difference.
Gun store owners love to say "support small business". That's BS all day long. It's not my job to make you money, that's your job. My job is to get things for as cheap as I can while still maintaining my desired quality. Some places won't even transfer a new gun if they sell it in the store. These tactics along with higher transfer fees will not save the store, it will drive business to the pawn shops, the home/shed ffls, and the big box stores. Digging the hole deeper.
The building costs money, heat costs money, A/C costs money, lawyers cost money, benefits cost money, equipment costs money.
The fully burdened cost of an employ is far and above what that employee is payed per hour.
http://smallbusiness.chron.com/calculate-fully-burdened-labor-costs-33072.html
I don't get how is shameful for a consumer to try and save money, but it's lauded for a business to charge 20-30% more for an item?
There's a happy medium in there somewhere. But to try and bash someone, especially in this economy for trying to save money by buying online is asinine.
All of that said, the LGS paid an employee to show me guns, talk to me, and walk me through the process. They paid the rent, the utilities, insurance, and all of the other expense associated with running a business. They tied up a great deal of the owners capital in inventory so that I had an opportunity to touch, feel, pull the trigger on a variety of guns.
Basspro and dicks and such are nonsense. I can beat gander mtns prices in my sleep. I learn about guns through publications and online videos in advance. I don't need to finger bang one to buy.So, lets assume that all of the sucky LGS were to go out of business. Where would you go to do your pre online purchase fondling? Are you going to Bass Pro Shop and waiting 45 minutes to touch a gun with a trigger lock on it? Don't say you would go to a gun show, because guess who the majority of those vendors are.
I have bought guns all over the united states, I buy about 10-15 a year. I usually snail mail the FFL copy, or I use Email FFL friendly sellers. I track my shipment. I ask the FFL about USPS or UPS arrival times and arrive accordingly. I remember in KY the FFL used to have me pick up the box from the mailman. I would bring it inside, open it, and let them inspect the number. They would log it in, call in my 4473, and log it out. Pay your 25 bucks and go. not even ten minutes.Send copy of FFL to shipper
Receive firearm.
Unpack firearm.
Log firearm into bound book.
Lock away firearm until the person comes in to do paperwork.
Check paperwork after customer completes. File paperwork.
If required (handgun in MD), store handgun for at least 7 more days.
Complete paper work.
Log transfer out in bound book.
Oh, and a portion of the cost of having a shop, paying utilities, paying an employee (if appropriate).
10 minutes?
how so? My local MD FFL does 25 for long guns. My local DE FFL charges me 15. for the same. The paperwork is what? sign in and out of the bound book, 4473, and a 5 minute phone call. 25 bucks from me is better than zero, and thats how much FFLs get when they charge more than 25.
I didn't feel I needed to spell it out but I was talking about 77R transfers. In any case, the need to pay for the overhead to maintain a store has already been talked about. Believe it or not the dealers like to make a decent living too and don't all have vacation homes in Conde' Nast and Maseratis hidden away in their garages as they wait with baited breath for your thirty dollars.
Transfer in moco is $50 plus $10 for regulated firearms lol
I save a lot of time by being able to visit my LGS at lunch. They might not have a $25 regulated transfer fee, but I'm not spending 90 minutes round trip to go around 695 to a cheaper place.
Here is the real truth, and it's gonna sting. Most gun shops suck. They sell the exact same accessories you can get offline for cheaper. They sell guns you can order and ship for less. They try to charge you exuberant amounts for ammo, like you don't know where wal-mart is. Pawn shops beat them to death when it comes to used guns. They primarily make their income from new (and thus naive) shooters, and those who have enough money not to care about the difference.
Gun store owners love to say "support small business". That's BS all day long. It's not my job to make you money, that's your job. My job is to get things for as cheap as I can while still maintaining my desired quality. Some places won't even transfer a new gun if they sell it in the store. These tactics along with higher transfer fees will not save the store, it will drive business to the pawn shops, the home/shed ffls, and the big box stores. Digging the hole deeper.