At a gun show, how important is a dealer taking c/c?

[ReefBlue]

Previously I posted a couple questions about selling ammunition.


I now have everything in place to do just that, and I think I can be competitive. All I have to do is place an order with my distributor.

I would like to sell at gun shows obviously, but I don't have the ability to accept credit cards, and even if I did, it would make me charge higher prices to cover their fees. So, I'd like to do strictly cash at gunshows, but I don't want to talk myself out of a big segment of potential sales if I don't accept them.

I know if I'm making a big purchase I use a credit card just because I don't want to carry lots of cash, but 150-300 for ammo is a bit different.

Do you see mostly cash sales being made at ammo tables?

[Robert Kayland]

Previously I posted a couple questions about selling ammunition.


I now have everything in place to do just that, and I think I can be competitive. All I have to do is place an order with my distributor.

I would like to sell at gun shows obviously, but I don't have the ability to accept credit cards, and even if I did, it would make me charge higher prices to cover their fees. So, I'd like to do strictly cash at gunshows, but I don't want to talk myself out of a big segment of potential sales if I don't accept them.

I know if I'm making a big purchase I use a credit card just because I don't want to carry lots of cash, but 150-300 for ammo is a bit different.

Do you see mostly cash sales being made at ammo tables?

I recently had to pay cash at the Allentown Gun Show for a case of 9mm Federal American Eagle (20 boxes) at $179.

If the guy would have taken credit cards, I would have bought three cases on the spot... but word of warning, not many card users are happy about extra fees, because that they figure is the cost of doing business by the merchant... and many card institutions have a policy of forbidding merchants to make overt extra charges for the use of the card... although some do it anyway.

So the bottom-line is... if you accept credit cards, you'll do a lot more business... and if the extra fee is an issue with you, then perhaps you could include that in the asking price up front, and then when somebody with cash wants to haggle, which is the fun part of these shows, you can drop the price a bit.

[MartinBrody]

Usually all my cash is spent by the time I am ready to walk out the door with a case or two of ammo, I always seem to end up using a credit card for ammo, and will spend about $400-$500 on it. The % markup those in the gun related retail industry charge for using a credit card does irritate the hell out of me, I just don't see other businesses doing it.

[Driver400]

I always make sure I take plenty of cash just in case. I will check out the whole show first and decide what I need to pay cash for and hold the use of my cards for the really big purchases. As far as ammo goes, I have always paid cash. I usually buy one or two cases of Speer .40 TMJ.

[str8shooter]

I've seen a lot of dealers that only accept cash, and some that will list a price, but then let you know that there's either 3% discount for cash, or a 3% surcharge for credit, however they want to play the game.

[moose]

It sounds to me like if you just bury your CC fees for providing the option, you'll get more business from the shoppers. Just from the few posts here there was one guy that would have ordered more ammo, and one guy that hated the mark up. Advertise that you don't mark up for CC and the word will spread that you have both a good price on ammo and a great policy for CC. Its win/win!

[headcase]

I would price the product including the CC percentage, then put up a little sign that reads "cash discounts".

[eells]

have you looked into running credit cards? i worked in collections for a while, and when we would run a credit card, it was only a $5 surcharge every time, that was it. and with purchaces in the hundreds, i dont think thats all that much

maybe you could get one of those "minimum $10 cc purchaces" that you see in resturants and cheap stores a lot

[CKPjr]

Are business used to take C/C's, but rates got to be too high. They can range from a flat fee to a percentage of sale. The more dollars you run through them the lower the rate. Don't forget the sales tax.

[gold cup abuser]

If you take credit cards be aware of the following fees:

credit card service provider charges a fee PER transaction for the processing work plus a monthy maintenace fee. This can run about half a percent per transaction.

the actual credit card carriers also charge a 'discount fee' for the privelidge of using their services.

Discover is about 2.5 per

Visa/Mastercard is about 2.5 percent

Amex is about 4 percent.

plus the card issuers hit you for a monthyl fee for having their services.

I take cards at my business but I pass the cost over to the user and I tell them up front about the fees.

Also, some of the clearance houses will not set you up for the service if you are a home based business or do not have a business checking account. Some card issuers will not allow gun or gun related purchaces.

If you are a member of sams club or bj's they have credit card acceptance services and their terms and rates are a bit more lower than other banks.

Also dont forget there is either a lease fee for the credit card machine or you will have to buy a machine and have the clearance hosue program it.

hope this helps