Gun Show Negotiation ***Update***

[tacticool]

So tacticool, it sounds like your saying that there are plenty of fish in the sea. Is that right?

You got that right! And those fishes are like buses. If you miss one, another will be along soon.

[uthornsfan]

My local shop wants $350 for a Kel Tec P3AT NIB. +tax and anything else. I can go on Gunbroker and get the same P3AT for $275ish after shipping and FFL fee's. I just figured $225-$250 at the gun show was fair/reasonable. I guess I always looked at Gun Shows like flea markets maybe I am just unedumacted :)

[HankB]

1. I think the Austin gun show you're planning to attend is a pretty small show, with lots of stuff like ShamWows and jerky . . . please report afterwards.
2. If you find what you want at more than one dealer, try to negotiate - hard! - with the guy who has the second lowest price - you have nothing to lose, since the item is available for less anyway.
3. You HAVE to be willing to walk away.
4. Some "dealers" really aren't interested in selling anything . . . they're only there because they're bored. (Or, at least it seems that way.)
5. Buy the gun - don't buy the story.

[Beiruty]

I tried to haggle over a sig 556 swat patrol in Mesquite Gun Show, It was offered at $865 online at one store, I offered $950 and the seller refused and wanted a low of $1089 with tax instead of $1099 (Academy anyday price is $1200). I walked from the deal.

I ended buying online and paid $1500 delivered for a SIG 556, SIG 522 and SIG vertical grip/laser/light. I paid $10 for the FLL
I estimated the Laser/Light/Grip for $200, and 522 for some $400 and the 556 came to be some $900 plus $10 for the FLL fee.

[OldCannon]

I think all this underscores why gun shows are a losing proposition for all participants when it comes to new firearms. If I was a seller, why would I want to invest the time, money, and sweat to bring my wares to a gun show, only to have people tell me how cheap they can get it online? If I was a buyer looking for the best price, I know I'm walking into a "cattle call" environment where I'm mixed in with the uninformed (but ready-to-purchase) buyer who will pay what the seller asks.

[Beiruty]

I think all this underscores why gun shows are a losing proposition for all participants when it comes to new firearms. If I was a seller, why would I want to invest the time, money, and sweat to bring my wares to a gun show, only to have people tell me how cheap they can get it online? If I was a buyer looking for the best price, I know I'm walking into a "cattle call" environment where I'm mixed in with the uninformed (but ready-to-purchase) buyer who will pay what the seller asks.

Bingo!, Gun show works on the premises of:
1) Cash deal and pay no sales taxes.
2) You may find a "sale" which is barely lower that what you can find or pay at Academy or Walmart. However, if Academy has sales, rebate or a discount no one will beat their local prices.
3) There are still better deals online.
4) Seller are looking for "market fever" where buyers just pay what it is listed or after "little talk" barley below asking price. If everyone is buying then that has to be a good indication that the prices are good to miss, no?

[uthornsfan]

If all else fails I will just go pickup the Taurus TCP 738 at Academy for $259 plus Tax....

Thanks for everyones suggestions and comments!

My general thought after reading all of this is the following.

If buying new and you know what you want find a persone/business you are comfortable dealing with and pay the price.

If buying used or looking for accessories or ammo checkout the Gun shows and bring cash :)

Thanks everyone!

[firefighter3217]

<snip>
most gun sellers run at very low margins on firearms themselves (so I'm told).
<snip>

I know at Academy this is definitely true. There were a few guns that they told us if we sold, we needed to PUSH sales on accessories or ammo. The idea is that if we sell you the gun at a LOW margin, you'll buy some other stuff at higher margins.

There is one in particular that corporate told us we lost $8 per unit sold. Sounds crazy, but VERY rarely would we sell that one without a customer wanting to buy some goodies for it (ammo, sling, etc). I'm 99.9% sure I'm not supposed to say which one it was, but its pretty simple to figure out: Find the gun that Academy sold at a lower price than anybody else...

Also, I remember a few occasions where we sold guns at a slightly discounted price due to defects (ie: scratch on stock, sheared screw on iron sights, etc), and it required a manager to call corporate to get approval for it. Most of the time it was a matter of only $10-20 off on a $500+ firearm. A particular one that I remember was a Remongton 700 BDL that had a nasty scratch (still in box, factory flaw) on the forend. After calling corporate, we got 15% off after my manger on the phone for 45 minutes doing a bidding war with the customer. Odd thing was it was the only BDL in .308 in the metroplex at the time. So, the guy got his deal.

I know this has gotten a bit off topic, but the underlying idea is that yeah, margins are low most of the time. Some places mark up a LOT, but I'd walk in there knowing the dealer prices IN store and show the guy at the show what you could get any other day. Then try to find any defects you can. an idiot scratch on a 1911 should save you a decent bit of cash...

[RoyGBiv]

If all else fails I will just go pickup the Taurus TCP 738 at Academy for $259 plus Tax....

If I was in the market for a .380, I think this one would be it...

FYI, CTD has it listed for $240.
http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/59325-55.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[FilmMkr]

Buying at Academy or Wally World is fine if what you want is the least expensive weapon you can find. They don't sell Kimbers or Ed Browns or Smith and Wesson or Colt at Academy, so your options are gun shows, brick and mortar stores, or online.

I was at the GRB show two weeks ago and found a guy who had a Wilson Combat BW Carry that I was hot for. He also had a S+W Model 41 NIB for $1,300 (about a hundred bucks over retail). I wanted both, but knew I could get the BWC elsewhere, 'cause no one discounts that weapon. The Model 41 was the first NIB I'd seen at a show all season. We chatted about both weapons and I told him I'd stop back by before I left.

I walked around for about an hour and went back by. We danced a little, but the bottom line is that he would not deal. He would not even drop to retail.

Okay, no worries. I stepped to the side and called a local brick and mortar store where I bought my EB Kobra. Talked to my sales guy and asked if he had a Model 41. He said yes - the price was 1,199.00.

I told him I was at the gun show and a dude had one for the same price (a little white lie, but hey!) but since my sales guy had been good to me before that I would rather buy from him if he would work with me on price. He told me to stop by and he would take care of me.

So I did.

Long story short, I bought it for $1,099 cash and he gave me 500 rounds of ammo to go with it. He took care of me, my money stayed local, I saved $200 (and got 500 rounds of free ammo), and we both got a fair deal.

As far as I know, the gun show guy still has that S+W, and I'll buy my BWC from Gunbrokers.

[RECIT]

You can not fault a potential buyer for wanting the BEST price available. Some are willing to do more shopping/haggling than others and the better price is the pay off.

It never hurt to ask and the worst answer is always going to be NO I can't do any better on the price. Then you know...
I ALWAYS ask can you do anything on the price if I were to buy today? Cash under their nose helps a lot too.

At a show I walk the entire show and make a mental note of what was a fair deal at what tables. I also make a mental note of what vendors are not friendly or way over priced. Close to the time I'm ready to leave I go back to the fair priced tables and go to work with my negotiating skills. I am a salesman by trade so I know as many tricks as they do, like stated above the worst answer you can get is no, so ask away and don't be afraid to be a little bold. These vendors are not you friends or co-workers. I'm not advocating being rude by any means, but state what you WANT from the deal and don't beat around the bush about it.

[XinTX]

4. Get a feel for what vendor you think you'd like to do business with. (I've run into folks at shows that I would never give my money to... even at the lowest price... Folks selling lots of Nazi paraphernalia, sporting white supremacist tats, or just plain bad attitudes, for example. YMMV.)
...

Or if it's some dude wearing something like this?

[firefighter3217]

Buying at Academy or Wally World is fine if what you want is the least expensive weapon you can find. They don't sell Kimbers or Ed Browns or Smith and Wesson or Colt at Academy, so your options are gun shows, brick and mortar stores, or online.
.

Not true... We DO sell Smith & Wesson and Colt...

I WISH we sold kimber or Ed Brown, but that's really out of the price range of a vast majority of our customers. Most customers aren't looking to spend $1000+ on a pistol (at least at my old store... they were usually looking for under $500...)

[Ameer]

Again, as a seller, I'm listening to a guy try to knock off all my profit margin and haggle as I watch 10, 20, 30 or more people that might buy at my asking price walk by, because I can only negotiate with one person at a time. Why do I consider this desirable?

For the same reasons a car salesman, or any merchandiser, would be willing to negotiate on price. Your ability and motivation to negotiate will depend on your margin, inventory turns, and other factors.

[gigag04]

I have never been impressed with the shopping experience at gun shows. I feel like I'm surrounded by meth heads at times.

With forums and the big sites (gunbroker, gunsamerica, texasguntrader) - I don't see a need to go to a gun show. The good:junk ratio is poor, and there is stuff like candles and decorative plates there. I buy/sell a decent volume of guns for friends and family - you cannot beat the internet, especially local forums, for finding deals. Texas Gun Trader is probably my 2nd favorite source.