Cutting deals at gun shows - how much is too much, etc?

[41800216]

So here's something I've been wondering for a little bit now. At a gun show, when is/isn't it kosher to try to strike deals on products, and on what products is it okay or not okay to try to make a deal?

I understand some vendors are not willing to budge on their posted prices, while others are more open to it. I also understand that some products (i.e. gun accessories like slings, mags, etc.) naturally lend themselves to dealing, as they have higher profit margins, while other products have much lower profit margins and as such cannot be reasonably haggled over.

One friend of mine, when looking for a bunch of AR mags at the Oaks show in December was walking away from any vendor who was not willing to cut any kind of deal, and ended up going with one guy who gave him a great deal on 23 Tapco mags (<$11 each). What do you all do? How do you feel about this? At what point is an offer insulting (beyond the obvious, like offering $5 for a $50 holster, $600 for a $900 gun, etc.)?

[chez323]

If I see something at a gun show that I'm interested in I'll strike up a conversation with the seller and see what if any deals can be had. This is mostly on firearms but depending on how the conversation goes I'll see what I can get something for. Some will deal, some won't...... depends on how their day is going, how well stuff is selling etc... I figure nothing ventured, nothing gained. I do however try not to low ball them, just hit them up and see what price they are willing to let the item go for. That way I don't insult them and sometimes in the process I'll get a better deal.

[Toxicodendron11]

Chez323 summed it up,"nothing ventured, nothing gained.You have to always haggle, no matter what, especially on Sunday afternoon's. If you are buying more that one of something, like your buddy and the multiple mag's, you have got to negotiate. Getting them to give you an OTD, with say tax included is a win.

[rwb1500]

The gunshow is one place I love to practice my favorite pastime, lowballing.

Shop smart, you know it's the last day, this guy doesn't wanna take all his ammo home, make a deal!

I usually buy everything but guns at gunshows.

[mpi]

Always negotiate!

[17nut]

I always try and make a deal. Although the dealers at gunshows are career gunshowers so its few and far between they are gonna make a unreal deal even on a Sunday. They just take their stuff to the next show. That being said I have found some very good deals by asking. If you dont go you will never know. Some times something I wouldnt buy is offered at a price I can't resist so I end up with it anyhow. Its all a game..... But I enjoy playing it. And I don't feel bad for trying to haggle a bit.. In a few months when prices skyrocket due to the upcoming election, no one will feel bad for the consumer.

[Lord Destructo]

Always haggle, if you can't get them to move monetarily, see if they will throw in a case, worse they will do is say no.

[dannyb]

There is no downside to haggling. The worse that the vendor can do is say no. The worse that can happen to you is that they either don't go down with price or don't reduce the price to your satisfaction. I still believe in courtesy, however, so:

Don't haggle for the something you won't buy.

Don't haggle forever over something that you're really not likely to buy.

Don't waste some guy's time purely for sport.

Other than these, go ahead and see what you can get reduced. It's part of the Gun Show experience.

[kimura]

granted, i'm not a dealer...

but i'll often refuse to deal with those who tried to haggle me. even for the listed price (post-haggle attempt).

so there sometimes is actually a downside to haggling, i suppose.

[silkworm]

I often try to "haggle" with dealers at gun shows, unless it's for something cheap. Like if I need a spool 550 cord and it's $10, I'm not gonna walk over a dollar. Now if I needed 1000' of it then yeah, I'll ask him to work with me.

Having said that I also try to make it worth their while as well. If I want a deal I know that having cash on hand is almost always an incentive. Hell, most of the time these days they have a cash price and a credit price listed on the tags. I think a good place to start is around 10%, I usually end up settling with them around 7%.

I'm always amazed by the dealers that act offended when I ask to deal when they could just say no in a polite manner. I understand they have to make money and I'm not going to press the issue. In fact I very well may buy something from them, it never hurts to ask. But when they act like I just asked to have my way with their wife they've just guaranteed that I won't be doing any business with them. It's like they fail to realize this isn't their shop back home where they rule the roost and that there are dozens of other dealers within a stone's throw that are willing to at least discuss it. As with many situations, it comes down to basic courtesy.