Local vs Online

3896 Views 39 Replies 30 Participants Last post by paulrabe78, Feb 18, 2008

rainman

Discussion Starter · Jan 25, 2008

Being an inquisitive kind of guy, I’m curious about buying habits of my fellow forum members. I notice that many (myself included) purchase from on line dealers. So here’s the question….how much more, if any, would you spend to do business with your favorite local dealer? Is it all about price or are there other circumstances or reason why you’d spend a little more to keep it local.

To start this off, if my local dealer can get the same item that I can find online I’m willing to pay an additional 5% to do business with him. I figure if something goes wrong or isn’t right, at least I have a real person to help me solve the problem.

1 - 20 of 40 Posts

Robby

· #2 · Jan 25, 2008

Well, I have bought 3 dif ways. Local Gunshop, excellent people, borderline on wanting to help after the sale but no problems with their two guns.

Online from out of state vendor, Service during, and after the sale excellent, they have their own network of FFL's to ship too. Local FFL and online vendor handled two problems almost instantly!!

Online from in state vendor,picked it up at their shop. Good price, (no ffl fee's), only problem was I had to wait just as long as if I had it shipped to me, because they do not ship from a local warehouse near their retail shop, so service was slow to me.

grouchy hippo

· #3 · Jan 25, 2008

I'm looking for an on-line range.

kingofwylietx

· #4 · Jan 25, 2008

I'll pay approximatley 10% - 15% more (than the price of the weapon + shipping) to get it locally.

Reasoning:

I want to keep the local shop in business. It is good for my local economy to have the taxes, plus they employ several local people.

I like to have a place to physically see something, pick it up, and see how it feels (how many times have you liked a pistol, then went to the local gun shop to find it doesn't feel right for you? Maybe the grip was too big/small, felt odd, or too heavy/light).

I like having a local gunsmith. My local shop employs one.

I like to be able to go to a place of fairly like-minded pro-gun enthusiasts to shoot the bull. Online is great, but sometimes you want to chat someone up about other manufacturers or models. The local guys are pretty good about recommending equipment.

I like having a local range. My local gun shop has an indoor range. They also have a [very] broad selection of pistols I can rent to test fire.

I like having a place to put 4 pistols next to each other, pull the triggers, compare dimensions, and try out holsters. My local shop will let me do that.

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kingofwylietx

· #5 · Jan 25, 2008

grouchy hippo said:
I'm looking for an on-line range.

Here you go:
http://shooting-games.freeonlinegames.com/

JRShaw

· #6 · Jan 25, 2008

Whenever possible, I buy my "extra" necessary items from local shops. Doesn't make any difference if it guns, ammo or bike accessories. I try like heck to keep my money working at home. If there is huge (20% or more) differnce, then I'll buy online. Just my $.02 worth.

joe sixpack

· #7 · Jan 25, 2008

i've always bought locally, i could have saved 40-50 bucks even with transfer feeds on my tracker, but i wanted it now, if i could do it again i probably would have gone online and got it from buds.
but then again with all the trouble i had with my tracker it's nice to beable to go back to the shop rather then ship it out.

the rest of the guns i've bought i could find either cheaper or the same price in the end locally.
locally you're supporting a local business which helps keep the money in your state/area.. but you have to weight it out sometimes locally is the best other times online is the cheapest route, in the end i want the gun as cheaply as i can get it, if the locals can't keep up with the price then thats their problem.

dbsoundguy

· #8 · Jan 25, 2008

I buy locally also. I pay more, but it is nice to be able to go to a gun shop if I have problems. I also like to be able to check out something before i buy it..

So many small businesses are going down because of different things, so anything i can do to help i will.. Now if i want something that is not around in the stores, I will go online

Besides, our local gun store is great so i guess i am fortunate..
Love to go in and talk to those guys 8)

Cool Post....

Steelheart

· #9 · Jan 25, 2008

I look at guns online but haven't bought one yet. The last gun I almost bought online (my AR) was $30 to $50 cheaper to get it online and have it shipped to a local shop. I chose to have him (the local shop) order it to give him the extra business. However, I've sold 2 guns on Gunbroker.

As far as ammo, I haven't found anyplace around that sells ammo as cheap as I can usually find it online. The exception sometimes is Wal-Mart with the WWB value packs. I especially have to order defensive ammo online but I'm picky I know. FYI, the gun shows around here don't have any big ammo sellers.

Steelheart

NYPD

· #10 · Jan 25, 2008

My local dealer is ALWAYS 5% less than anywhere online. I may care for him more than my wife. :-X :-\ :-[

.

Steelheart

· #11 · Jan 26, 2008

NYPD in AZ said:
My local dealer is ALWAYS 5% less than anywhere online. I may care for him more than my wife. :-X :-\ :-[ .

Your wife doesn't read the forum does she?

Steelheart

Jkwas

· #12 · Jan 26, 2008

Pretty much 50/50. I prefer to buy local if I can, but I came across some good deals online here and there so I took advantage of them. I don't like to shop the online vendors against the local shop. I don't try to beat them down. If their price is fair they get the sale. I'm very happy with my local dealer overall.

shoot73

· #13 · Jan 26, 2008

Local for me. I like to go in talk to the person face to face.

chad_rn

· #14 · Jan 26, 2008

I will go to the local shops to handle the gun and see if it is want I want. Then I get the price online. Then I call the shop which is one of the places the online place deals through and ask them "Hey can I buy the one you have in stock at that price or do you want me to order one and have it shipped in?" The response order it in. So I do. Don't know why he won't sell me the same exact one he has for the online price so I order it in. He doesn't seem to mind and I don't mind waiting 5 days for it to get shipped. I did buy a remington 700 through wal-mart and saved $80 on it. Pretty hard to pass that kind of savings up. I have never bought ammo online, or accessories.

Ace

· #15 · Jan 26, 2008

To be honest if I bought all my guns online I would be spending way more than what I could get locally. But in my state I belong to a collecting association that has a gun show every month and I am getting pretty good at bartering there hence my "Favorite Time of Year" post. The show tends to keep most prices down except for those rare collectors items. But I would be spending way more even before I got to a transfer fee and shipping so its not a plus for me.

Robin48

· #16 · Jan 26, 2008

I like having that personal relationship with my local dealers.

Madcow

· #17 · Jan 26, 2008

I don't buy online, when I bought my Raging Bull in 99 I paid $619 otd & my SA 1911 Loaded only cost $685 otd bought both guns at seperate dealers.

Funshooter

· #18 · Jan 26, 2008

Depends on what the item is. Guns I have only bought local so far. Same with ammo. Equipment, knives, shooting accessories, and other stuff that is not available or is really hard to find, I do online.

Doug

· #19 · Jan 26, 2008

I deffinately would rather support my local dealer. Being a business owner myself, I like to keep my money local.

starcity07

· #20 · Jan 26, 2008

I prefer to shop locally, since I like to see gun shops around the neighborhood. It's also nice to be able to have face to face conversations about guns with visual aids all around.

1 - 20 of 40 Posts

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