What if……$20 admission.

[JAKIII]

And it takes until 1300 to get in the door........

You wait 5 hours to get into a show?

[Sblzrd65]

You get admission. $20 gets you in the door. Nothing extra, or special*.the cost of you attending would simply go up.

Meh, would likely skip then. Maybe if there were some sort of door prizes, swag, or something to encourage staying around a bit I'd do it, otherwise not seeing the value for me.

[fingers80002]

You wait 5 hours to get into a show?

Seen lines like that.
Haven't been to a show in over 10 yrs.

[bogey1]

I think most of their regular shows were $7 to $10. But in the 90's every now and then they would have a double show that took up two floors. My friend and I both looked at them funny when they said $20 but at the end of the day we both thought it was worth it.

I dont remember the double floors being double the price, unless I snuck in to the other VF shows were the best.
I bought so much stuff at them. One day there, I borrowed 3k off a friend to purchase a brand new tommy gun with violin case,
mag and drum and hard case, and a colt sp1. Those were the days.

[bogey1]

Well, your local gun store wouldn*t have the inventory of 500+ dealers either. Would you stop going there? Not sure i understand your post. If you are trying to say you would rather drive to 5 or 6 local shops while burning $20 in gas and still finding nothing, then i think it*s a moot point unless you like driving.

I*m trying to plan my shows for next year and am considering cutting out a show entirely because of the ill reception something like this will get. Someone cited the fact that gun shows lack gun dealers and this is true for a couple reasons. The biggest one is that it takes A LOT to become a gun dealer and it isn*t easy or cheap. If it were*.everyone would do it. You don*t make much money because too many people shop online to save $3 on a $1200 gun and want dealers to just do transfers for them. And some show promoters will give a table to any flea market dealer just to fill a hall and wont give preference to actual gun dealers. The list goes on and on.

What i have found is that much like the guys who say they buy everything online, that it is becoming far more profitable and far less work to sell on line rather than at shows. When selling on line i get top dollar (most of the time more than i can get at any show), no cheap skates, no guys asking me to take $300 for a $1500 rifle, and no ham fisted know it all picking up expensive rifles with no intention of buying it just to tell their buddies incorrect info about it before handing it back. I get my weekends back to spend time at the shop or with my family.

You should look into selling online. Do a show at oaks once a year and see what happens.

[MARINE DIVISION TWO]

Well if you really desire Pickles and Socks with your ammo ,go for it but not at $ 20 admission.

[Walleye Hunter]

That*s not an accurate comparison. I can*t get pickles and socks at my local gun store. While I think $20 is crossing the line, because it is no longer a bargain for me when that entrance fee is charged.

I'll bet that both the socks and pickle peter can be acquired elsewhere.

[McSull]

If they bring back dirt cheap milsurp guns and surplus ammo, I'll give them $100 entry fee.

[Marines55]

You should look into selling online. Do a show at oaks once a year and see what happens.

I already sell online and do oaks.

[gghbi]

what if, the price of admission to a popular show venue was raised to $20 per person? Would that make you all drop out and not attend? Would serious buyers come back or keep coming to shows? Would it weed out the low hanging pants crowd? I want to hear your legitimate responses. Thanks in advance!

Just like the dealers there are ancillary costs to attend a show. Oaks for example: at $20 to get in, plus another 20 for the wife, Maybe 10 for gas, and since it will be an extended day a bite to eat at 30 to 40 (or more)for the two of us, add tolls and we are close to a $100 dollars more or less. I was hesitant to go when it used to be $50 for the day not long ago. When shows were under $10 I used to wander to several a year, now it is only local to me and even then not as often...

The cost to value ratio is going the wrong way! My best shows seem to be $5 firehouse sales and the food is better too.