Private Party FFL Transfer

[sroz]

Lets whip it out and start measuring wankers.

But no, you wouldn't "hire a full-time person just to count the money".

Firearm sales have probably the worst profitability of any business.

You've got to be around for many many years to make it even work. Niches can make good.
But good CS isn't the whole picture.

Guys like savings $ more than they do talking. Where jewelry has a markup of 80%, guns you're lucky if you truly even have 8%.

Yep. Thanks for bringing reality back in, although I believe the markups are more like 15-20% on firearms. A bit higher in some cases. Ammo markups are a more.

[hurley842002]

Off topic, but regarding bad service and fast food.


One of the reason I go to fast food is the damn service is better than a fu*kin restaurants which sells north of $40 per dish. Seems like those stupid @ss restaurants are privately owned. I rarely get a bad services at a corporate/franchisee owned restaurants. Again, it is always fu*king privately owned restaurants.

I recently told one of the owner at a sushi place that "I would rather eat a 99cent mcdouble and have a average service, than eat a good food with shitty service you provided tonight."
I also went to one of the Korean BBQ place 2 weeks ago in Aurora next to M-mart. Damn, they have a shitty service.

It is truly sad that I get a far better service at Arby's/Wendy's employees who make minimum wage than a decent restaurant waiter/waitress who makes north of $70k.
Oh yeah, I get a better freaking service at Gander or even Sportsman's than some average privately owned restaurants.

You know, I hadn't noticed the great customer service at fast food restaurants, because I don't eat much fast food, but now that you mention it, the last three FF experiences I've had were excellent. Arby's, Carl's Jr, and McDonald's, all the employees were extremely friendly, and acted as tho they were truly happy to be there. Maybe hoping for that $15 an hour minimum wage?

[TAR31]

Voelker Research, both on Academy.

I did quiet a few transfers through them, last one cost $40 for one lower, will not use them anymore. They used to have reasonable prices. Still good people to deal with but there is cheaper closer now.

[Jer]

Of course. My point is, CS doesn't have as much of an effect in firearms as it does in, say, a restaurant or a hardware store.

Case in point: One of the busiest, if not the busiest firearm stores in junction is a hole in the wall pawn shop with absolutely horrible customer service. But it is cheap. Guys literally wait, standing, on average for 1 - 1 1/2 hours JUST to get the opportunity to talk to the owner to buy something. Small shop, but a lot of crap in the back, dirty, packed with sweaty bastards. I do believe in Customer Service. But if you had the sexiest, most friendly knowledgeable women operating a gunstore, clean, perfect, and MSRP style prices, guess what- you will have to shutter your doors and close down when competing with the former business.

Guys in the firearm world don't care as much for chitty chat and brown nosing or reach arounds. They really just want the best price. They'll wait a long ass time to get the best price. Whereas, an average woman in a clothing store, you can probably get awesome sales just with VERBAL skills, marked up three the price of online retailers. That type of customer wants a reach around..... and they want it NOW. That type does exist in the firearm world too, but they are a fraction.

ETA:
I've seen crazy bastards drive all around town, put easily 60 miles on a vehicle, checking every shop before coming back to save, what, $6.00? They probably burned 3 hours and at least $10 in gas to do that. Some guys are freaking crazy.

While I agree that some 'gun people' don't care about CS most do and there's also new those who aren't yet 'gun people' and CS like most gun shops offer is a HUGE turnoff to new people interested in learning more.

[ray1970]

Gun owners, in general, are cheap bastards. Of all the hobbies I have and have had over the years, I've run into more people in the firearms hobby who's main concern is saving a few bucks. Don't get me wrong, I'm not disrespecting anyone for being frugal or trying to save a buck or two. Hell, I'm not made of money myself. I just find it odd that a certain degree of "cheapness" seems to be more prevalent in this hobby than most others.

[ray1970]

The point I was making with my post was that customer service in the firearms industry isn't as important as pricing. You can have crappy CS an if you sell an item cheaper than the next guy people are going to buy it.

[sroz]

Reminds me of an interaction with a customer when I was helping out one of the vendors at Tanner a few months ago. He had New Springfield XDs .45's at $499. Customer comes up, says it's the best price at the show and asks if we can come down on price. I explain it's already an excellent price. Best at show in his own words. Explain the vendor is making very little profit at that price. He responds with "Sportsman's up the road has them on sale for $520". After picking myself off the floor I suggest he may want a math refresher as $20 more plus a higher tax rate plus cost of gas did not all equal a better deal. When he still didn't get it, I asked why he wasn't already on his way to Sportsman's. He agreed and left to purchase his new XDs at a cost of $20+ more. Another satisfied customer.
I know my customer service skills sucked, but all XDs' were gone by the end of the show.

[colorider]

I must be going to the wrong fast food places. Every one I visit is staffed with fucking idiots.

[ray1970]

I must be going to the wrong fast food places. Every one I visit is staffed with fucking idiots.

You and I must go to the same places. I guess it's hard to get good help for minimum wage.

[Jer]

The point I was making with my post was that customer service in the firearms industry isn't as important as pricing. You can have crappy CS an if you sell an item cheaper than the next guy people are going to buy it.

To follow up your point and bring it back to my point... the two aren't mutually exclusive. There's no reason we should have to choose.