I have figured out...

[SundownRider]

why gun shop employees in my area wear guns. It isn't to protect themselves from criminals. It is to protect themselves from customers when they make a lowball offer on a trade.
Example - I was in my more frequented gun shop (a place where I have spent thousands of dollars) and I was there to see if they would be interested in a trade of my NIB, unfired Cimarron 1872 Open Top (dealer cost $350) for a used Walther PPK they had in the case for $399. I figured they probably gave $200 for the Walther, so they could easily sell my gun for $400 and see a decent profit.
I was told that my gun would be worth $175 towards the trade. The only thing that kept me in check was the embarassed look on the employee's face when he told me this and said "Please don't be insulted, this is what my manager told me."
Since I never blame the grunts for the orders they follow, I didn't get mad at him. I was irritated at what I considered to be lack of respect on the part of the manager.
I understand these places are businesses, and need to be run as such, but I just wish they might consider that some of their customers actually know a thing or two about gun values. Certainly they receive their fair share of idjits and idiots, but assumption is the mother of all screwups.

 

[News Shooter]

A lesson in gun shop economics:

The margin on new guns for most stores is minimal, maybe 20 percent. So they pay $300 for a new Smith and mark it up to $360. It should be obvious that most of the medium to small stores can't make it like that.

The only way most of them stand a chance to do better is in the used gun market. They ALWAYS offer lowest (usually 60%) book value and yes they will turn around and mark your unfired gun back up to near a retail price. That's how they stay in business.

It is no different than driving a brand new car off the lot, around the block and back into the showroom to re-sell it.

You really shouldn't take this personally. That's why it is always better to sell
guns in personal sales.

(Yes, I know there are exceptions)

 

[pesta2]

Recently sold a Taurus .44 Mag 4”. Fired maybe 100 round through it tops. It took it to Cabela’s. They look it up and see what they can buy if for new. He said new they could buy it for $400. They old give you 50% of that, $200.

I sold it, after Steph bought me a Super Blackhawk .44 Mag. 4-5/8”. It is such a better gun I thought I would get sell off the Taurus. Now I need another double action .44 Mag. See how my bonus at Christmas treats me might get a Ruger Alaskan.

 

[Majic]

If dealer's cost was $350 for your Italian knock-off then how do you suppose the dealer would now get $400 for a used specimen? Also how popular are the open tops in your area? If the Cowboy Action games aren't thriving in your area then that open top could sit on the shelf a long time collecting dust. Turnover rate is something else the dealer has to consider when trading.

 

[Marko Kloos]

You've never been on the other side of the counter, have you?

You expected them to allow $50 over NIB dealer cost as a trade-in allowance on a gun that's not a particularly fast mover in most gun stores. Why would he give you $399 credit on a used gun when he can get the same model NIB from his wholesale source for $50 less?

I'd have figured for how much I can put your gun in the used case (and no way would I price it higher than NIB wholesale, so $325 in your case), and then subtract another $25 or so for desirability (the fact that open-top SA sixguns move off the shelf very slowly.) Then I'd subtract a hundred bucks, which is how much I'd need to make out of the gun to justify putting it in the case. That would have made my trade offer $200, and without much urgency, since you're wanting to trade a niche gun for a popular CCW pistol, which would sell much faster.

Your figuring "how much they gave for the Walther, probably $200" has absolutely no bearing on the deal. You can't expect the dealer to just toss out the profit margin he has built into the price of the Walther. Even if they did give only $200 for the Walther, you can't use that as a base for your own negotiation, otherwise you'd expect them to basically forfeit the profits from the Walther trade to you.

Gun shop owner and his employees gotta eat,too, and keep the lights on all month. Like someone else says, you can't live off the profit margins on new guns as a dealer. You can't just go by Blue Book values on dealer trades...too many other factors for the dealer to consider.

 

[Average Joe]

Most people would rather buy new, so a used gun has to be priced low to get somebody to buy it. If a dealer pays too much , he will be stuck with it. If you want to get top dollar, sell it privately.

 

[Taurus_9mm]

why some gun shop employees wear guns?

I thought it was to subliminally influence your purchasing decision.

"YOU WILL BUY THE GLOCK... YOU WILL BUY THE GLOCK...."

Yes I'm being facetious.

 

[Sigma 40 Blaster]

I tried to trade my Ruger P95 in for some reason...I think it was to buy a Ruger Mark III lol. I rarely shoot the thing and it was just collecting dust in the safe. They offered me a whopping $125.00.

This thing is probably 6 years old, less than 1,000 rounds through it, kept well lubricated usually in it's case or a holster in my safe. It looks brand new...the guy accused me of re-bluing it and told me that Rugers were worthless on the used market. He happened to have one identical to mine...actually not in as good shape, for $300.

I ended up buying my Mark III somewhere else and haven't been back there. I was realistically expecting about 200.00 for it as I know they sell for anywhere from 300 - 350 depending on the features.

I have also found that selling person to person will usually give you a better deal, I spent 299 on my SW40VE, shot it for six months, and sold it for 250.00 to a family member. He loves it (and DAO Taurus revolvers). I don't think a gunshop would have offered over 75 for it if they would buy it at all.

At the end of the day it is what is and they're in business to make money. I'd prefer them tell me they didn't want my gun than to give a low ball ridiculous offer on something they intend to mark up over 100%.

 

[JohnKSa]

I was irritated at what I considered to be lack of respect on the part of the manager.

It's his money, it's your gun. You're not obligated to give him the gun for what he wants to sell it for and he's not obligated to take it off your hands for what you want him to pay.

If you can't reach an agreement, just walk off. He keeps HIS money, you keep YOUR gun.

His offer is not an indicator of his "respect" for you anymore than your trade offer was an indicator of your respect for him. It's just business.