Are local gun stores suicidal?

[FoxtArt]

Yeah one of the worst businesses to start up is a LGS. Kazoo pointed out another aspect - so many manufacturers screw you that way. Benelli is another one. Want to stock a couple? Well, you better pony up to buy $30,000 first, including things that will take 5 years to move, then they can make $40 off each sale!

Kimber is another one... want to stock a couple Kimber 1911's? Better pony up and buy $5,000-$10,000 of their bolt action rifles nobody wants too, as well as every-other-slow moving product they have.

It would be far, far more profitable for most LGS to just leave their money in the market than stock all sorts of slow moving small margin crap. There's two types of people in this country, fools, and damned fools, and the latter opens small gun stores.
....I can say that as a former LGS too [I'm not gunist! I have a gun friend!]

[Zundfolge]

Back when MacVan Maps was still alive, we were a Garmin dealer. Garmin treated their dealers like shit and eventually the retail price of some of their products (particularly the Nuvi) at Walmart was cheaper than our wholesale price from Garmin. So we would keep a couple of Nuvis in stock that we'd bought full retail at Walmart because when we'd tell some people that they could get it cheaper at Walmart they didn't want to go there. But those people paid premium.

Also, gun stores are often "hobby businesses" run by hobbiests not businessmen.

[WETWRKS]

Here is the other thing that is likely...almost every store you go to will have some items that are over priced. Be it an accident...just based on what they had to pay...or by intent...this is true of almost every store out there. Not just lgs.

[hollohas]

As a side note, I predict the LGS is going to be a bigger part of our future. They've (liberals) been wanting to ban at minimum online ammo sales for years. I suspect banning online gun sales (even though shipped to LGS) will be including in that wish list.

Online gun stores are in the liberal crosshairs. LGS or big box may soon be our only option for some stuff.

[Great-Kazoo]

As a side note, I predict the LGS is going to be a bigger part of our future. They've (liberals) been wanting to ban at minimum online ammo sales for years. I suspect banning online gun sales (even though shipped to LGS) will be including in that wish list.

Online gun stores are in the liberal crosshairs. LGS or big box may soon be our only option for some stuff.

It's the CA ammo sales, model.
Permits & waiting times to buy ammo along with restricted quantities.

Then when the health dept & epa join hands to regulate reloading components

Safe storage of hazmat materials, will be regulated as an environmental issue. SO proper storage of, as well as correct air filtration system. Because the "potential" for airborne fumes to cause health hazards within the neighborhood. THEN a non-porous floor and walls, to prevent leaching of hazmat items in to the ground water. Even if you lived in the mojave desert, we can't have a possible flood, poison our ground water, can we ?

[eddiememphis]

As a side note, I predict the LGS is going to be a bigger part of our future. They've (liberals) been wanting to ban at minimum online ammo sales for years. I suspect banning online gun sales (even though shipped to LGS) will be including in that wish list.

Online gun stores are in the liberal crosshairs. LGS or big box may soon be our only option for some stuff.

Not just ammo sales.
From Joe Biden's website-

"End the online sale of firearms and ammunitions. Biden will enact legislation to prohibit all online sales of firearms, ammunition, kits, and gun parts."

https://joebiden.com/gunsafety/

Kazoo forgot to mention going after manufacturing and transportation of these incredibly dangerous components.

[Zundfolge]

As a side note, I predict the LGS is going to be a bigger part of our future.

Won't be part of mine ... I'm not getting the license.

[MrPrena]

As I said before, if I own a gun store, I got to have a shooting range as well.
It is one of those "All-or-None" (AON) fill order.

[ChunkyMonkey]

I really like to support local as much as I can, but I'm concerned about some business practices I've seen locally, and wondering if anyone can explain a different perspective?

As a case study, I recently picked up a P365XL, and want an optic for it. A local shop reported getting in some Sig Romeo Zero sights in...far from top of the line, but I figured might be good enough to try one out for a while before upgrading. I saw these on sale online for $160 last week, can be picked up easily elsewhere for $190, and have an MSRP of $220. As I'm happy to pay a little more to support local, I figured I'd be paying MSRP.

I get there, and find them marked $270. I can understand higher markup for low supply items (after all, mark things too low and people just buy to resell), but these are plentiful out there.

What is the thought process here? Is it an attempt to hope people don't know any better in the buying frenzy just to get what's in stock? In my view, local shops have a limited number of people coming through (unlike Cheaper Than Dirt and the constant supply of people online), and even if someone DOES pay that price, eventually there's a good chance they're going to find out and are going to remember, and what's going to happen to stores when demand drops down and people start avoiding the places that they feel jacked up the prices on them? Not talking ammo and such here that's gone up everywhere and is in high demand, just other accessories that are still plentiful

Am I missing another perspective here?

Ours are marked $269. Or if you are on our email list.. its published at $189. To be honest - the new comers or folks that come in once every 8 years due to the panic buying them are ruining the market, so we are publishing our sales exclusively to the 8000 something loyal customers. Obviously, this is just one perspective.

[def90]

There are few gun stores that I have been in to that I would consider to be run by an actual businessman. How many places have you been to where the emoloyees are rude, the store consists of one small case with a handful of glocks and revolvers, 3 or 4 sporting rifles, a few shotguns, some boxes of over priced ammo and a rack of Magpul parts? How does a place like that even pay rent? I have an idea/plan for what I think would blow anything else away business wise but I'm a little sceptical about the long term market for firearms to dive in right now.