A coin is worth what you can get for it! Isn't it?

[kcm]

If that happened to me at a gun shop, I would first check the gun for damage on the spot. If none found, I would complete my business and walk out, never to return again. Then I would pass on my dealings to friends.

That said, keep in mind that people who sell online have no storefront costs, little if any insurance, and may not even be an accredited retail store of any kind. Therefore, they can afford to cut costs greatly. Same thing happened a lot when Wal-Mart came to many towns - the local retailers couldn't compete. Now they're having to compete with online as well. About the only kinds of businesses that don't have to worry are service-type businesses, like restaurants, carpet cleaning, construction, etc.

As for the belts, there is no right or wrong answer. Your local NAPA is going to have higher costs. I buy my parts locally when I can. Not long ago, however, I had no choice but to order a new water pump and extras and have them delivered. Had "planned" on having the work done at a local garage, but they were too busy. Then, as we live so far out (50 miles from town), the water pump was leaking too badly and it was too hot. Had gone through the trouble of having parts ordered in locally for the garage to use, but then couldn't use the parts as we couldn't get there.

In the end, I ended up saving a considerable amount of money, as the hoses also needed replacing, but that wasn't known until they were removed. So had to remove the pump twice, which would have made a lot of labor $$'s going up in smoke.

There's no way things are ever going to get easier for the local shops, UNLESS there is some sort of massive EMP that wipes out all things electrical and puts us back in the dark ages. I like to support local when I can, but it's just not always possible. Other times it's possible, but not reasonable. It all boils down to personal preference and the situation at hand.

EDIT: I "did", however, order the hoses from a local store rather than buying online. Was easier for me to ensure I was getting the right hoses, plus there wasn't more than 30%-40% difference in costs from online price + shipping.

 

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[1shotwade]

The thing is with the gun shop,I was paying him $25 for every gun I bought that came through his shop! He spent 10-15 minutes making the phone call and doing the paperwork and had a problem with that in that he wasn't making the sale also.It boils down to him haveing a problem with only making $100 plus per hour labor.It's extra business that wouldn't come to his shop if it weren't for the internet sales. And I know for a fact his mark-up on new guns were less than 15%.He is the one that set the price at $25 ! If he felt he wasn't making enough money he should raise the price,not throw a little hissy fit! I enjoy working on guns.Buying junk and making it work again.You just can't do it anymore over the internet because of having to pay an FFL to recieve it added to your expense of repairing it. His fit was just the last straw.
The point being if you have a store front you have to find a way to stay competetive with the internet sales or you're not going to make it.The only way I know that can happen is to offer a service that can not be matched over the internet such as being able to repair a produce you sell or have high enough inventory to be able to instantly replace that item.
There doen't seem to be any good answers.
Wade

 

[kcm]

Wade, half way through reading your above post I had another thought come to mind, but figured it would be too far off-topic. Yet then you opened it up for me. Thanks!

Ok, recently I had a spindle housing break on a 1-year-old Husqvarna riding mower. 3 of the 4 bolt hole locations broke. This particular side had been cutting slightly strange since buying new last year, but I never thought about it as any time it's mowing season here, it's also skeeter season! Anyway, when it broke, the blade dipped down into the ground and stopped the machine dead in its tracks. I called what I "thought" was the manufacturer for warranty repair and got a run-around. Turns out the company isn't Husqvarna, but a company that covers warranty work for many different companies; not sure if they're all outdoor equipment, but I know they cover several manufacturers.

Anyway, the ONLY repair center that said they could take my machine in was 90 miles away in North Dakota. The guy I spoke with (shop owner) said that he could do the warranty work, but would have to charge me extra money even though it fell under warranty. He then said that if I had purchased the mower from HIM last year, he would have done the warranty work for no additional charges. So I asked out of curiosity how much more it would be, and he said (if I remember right) about $28 more, as he charges $46/hour more than what the manufacturer will pay him under warranty work. Then he said he normally gets $110 per hour to work on mowers. $110 per hour?!?!?!?!? HOLY COW!!

Fortunately as this is an easy fix and as we live so far from even the nearest dealer, they are sending the damaged parts to me and allowing me to make the repairs without affecting remaining warranty. It has been more than a month since the part broke, and I'll be getting the replacement spindle in 3 more days. Geez, is a good thing I was able to order a replacement spindle from online and have the thing up and running a couple days after ordering, which it was repaired 6 days after the original breakdown at my own doing. Well, now I'll have a spare spindle should the other one decide to break!

Also, I told the company handling the warranty service (Dixie Sales - dixiesales.com) about this other dealer charging more and that I had the conversation recorded (which I do!), but they didn't seem to care. Maybe this is turning into a common theme in other areas as well. What's it gonna come down to when a manufacturer's warranty is worthless unless you happened to buy from the place doing the repairs??

 

[port ewen ace]

Do not purchase coins on eBay, or anything else. You want to sell the items incuding coins in person. 1909 VDB, graded ms-60 sells around $100.00 from dealers.

I STRONGLY DISAGREE with your post----all coins I sell on EBAY are from digging or roll hunting. I provide a close up photo in natural light and give a conservative estimate of grade for RAW coins. Redbook is my price point source and I am not greedy. many listings are for an outrageous price as buy it now. I have sold raw 1909 VDB's for less than $10, a fair price for their condition---my cost for the coins was $0.00--- reject tray finds. for a deal to be made an honest seller and an informed buyer must agree that each has made an intelligent decision. crooks are everwhere, so please do not include me in your blanket assessment of Ebay sellers. ulster-relic, EBAY seller

 

[huntsman53]

If that happened to me at a gun shop, I would first check the gun for damage on the spot. If none found, I would complete my business and walk out, never to return again. Then I would pass on my dealings to friends.

That said, keep in mind that people who sell online have no storefront costs, little if any insurance, and may not even be an accredited retail store of any kind. Therefore, they can afford to cut costs greatly. Same thing happened a lot when Wal-Mart came to many towns - the local retailers couldn't compete. Now they're having to compete with online as well. About the only kinds of businesses that don't have to worry are service-type businesses, like restaurants, carpet cleaning, construction, etc.

As for the belts, there is no right or wrong answer. Your local NAPA is going to have higher costs. I buy my parts locally when I can. Not long ago, however, I had no choice but to order a new water pump and extras and have them delivered. Had "planned" on having the work done at a local garage, but they were too busy. Then, as we live so far out (50 miles from town), the water pump was leaking too badly and it was too hot. Had gone through the trouble of having parts ordered in locally for the garage to use, but then couldn't use the parts as we couldn't get there.

In the end, I ended up saving a considerable amount of money, as the hoses also needed replacing, but that wasn't known until they were removed. So had to remove the pump twice, which would have made a lot of labor $$'s going up in smoke.

There's no way things are ever going to get easier for the local shops, UNLESS there is some sort of massive EMP that wipes out all things electrical and puts us back in the dark ages. I like to support local when I can, but it's just not always possible. Other times it's possible, but not reasonable. It all boils down to personal preference and the situation at hand.

EDIT: I "did", however, order the hoses from a local store rather than buying online. Was easier for me to ensure I was getting the right hoses, plus there wasn't more than 30%-40% difference in costs from online price + shipping.

I sometimes find it ironic that some Gun Dealers get P.O.'d because they lost a sell as most, maybe not all but most have the same access to resources as I do! In 2014, I decided that I wanted a nice Smith & Wesson M&P .40 Caliber Pistol and if possible a .45 Caliber as well. I gave every Gun Shop in the area as well as close to 50 miles away the opportunity to sell me the Pistols and I even drove to almost every shop inquiring but they could not come close to the price that I got off of Gun Broker and from a Dealer in Texas. They could have ordered the Pistols I purchased from the same Seller and same Dealer and would have likely received a discount, then sold the Pistols to me at a slightly higher but not a jacked-up price and they would have likely been happy and I would have been happy but they dropped the ball. I have had some Gun Dealers state to me that they are contractually obligated to order certain guns through their specific Supplier but that is BS. The Supplier has no way of knowing what the Gun Dealer does (i.e. all of the guns they sell) unless they let the Supplier look at their' books and a Gun Dealer would be out of his' or her' mind to let them do so, so again, they dropped the ball!!


Frank

 

[kcm]

"I have had some Gun Dealers state to me that they contractually obligated to ordered certain guns through their specific Supplier but that is BS. The Supplier has no way of knowing what the Gun Dealer does (i.e. all of the guns they sell) unless they let the Supplier look at their' books and a Gun Dealer would be out of his' or her' mind to let them do so, so again, they dropped the ball!!"
Well, I guess this is where we have to disagree. If a retailer is under contract to purchase from a specific list of vendors, and they go outside that contract for even a single sale, then can they truly be trusted? That contract is a business promise. If they break a promise to their own sources, then what better sources in the future might be willing to contract with them? And if the general public got wind, what other thoughts might run through their heads?

Many of these contracts may have been written before the advent of online gun (or lawnmower or whatever) sales. So maybe a retailer could request to update the contract? Or if the retailer finds a long-term better source for their merchandise, then they might just pay whatever contractual penalty and move to another vendor.

 

[huntsman53]

"I have had some Gun Dealers state to me that they contractually obligated to ordered certain guns through their specific Supplier but that is BS. The Supplier has no way of knowing what the Gun Dealer does (i.e. all of the guns they sell) unless they let the Supplier look at their' books and a Gun Dealer would be out of his' or her' mind to let them do so, so again, they dropped the ball!!"
Well, I guess this is where we have to disagree. If a retailer is under contract to purchase from a specific list of vendors, and they go outside that contract for even a single sale, then can they truly be trusted? That contract is a business promise. If they break a promise to their own sources, then what better sources in the future might be willing to contract with them? And if the general public got wind, what other thoughts might run through their heads?

Many of these contracts may have been written before the advent of online gun (or lawnmower or whatever) sales. So maybe a retailer could request to update the contract? Or if the retailer finds a long-term better source for their merchandise, then they might just pay whatever contractual penalty and move to another vendor.

Even if this was true and in certain cases I understand where it could be, how would the Vendor (Supplier) even know? I purchased my' new Smith & Wesson M&P Pro in .40 Caliber from a Gunbroker Seller who was selling them like wildfire at significant discounts. I even told the folks at two locally owned Pawn Shops who deal in guns about the Seller on Gunbroker. Each of the shops ordered several a piece and stated that the price on Gunbroker was way below what they had to pay if ordering from a Supplier. My' new Smith & Wesson M&P LE in .45 Caliber was ordered from the Gun Shop in Texas and it was clearly available to anyone who looked at their' website. Only one Gun Dealer told me that he could not sell me the Smith & Wesson LE due to the contract he had with his Vendor, they could not be sold an LE to the General Public. Well mine' was originally purchased by the Law Enforcement individual that owns the Gun Shop and then he decided to sell it since he had decided on a different Pistol for himself.


Frank

 

[kcm]

...Guess I'm just not one to break my word, and I'd never ask or want someone else to break their word for me. Doesn't matter (to me) whether anyone else ever knows or not. "I" know.

Also, suppose just for a moment that this gun dealer did as you said and ordered a gun for you for a splendid deal. Now let's say that you posted a pic of the gun on your favorite forum or on Facebook, as well as telling the story about how you got such a great deal. All the gun dealer would need is for their vendor to catch wind of something like that. It sounds like a small thing, and I'm CERTAIN there are such businesses out there.....but is it really worth risking your business over? Or potentially screwing up your businesses good reputation?

 

[huntsman53]

...Guess I'm just not one to break my word, and I'd never ask or want someone else to break their word for me. Doesn't matter (to me) whether anyone else ever knows or not. "I" know.

Also, suppose just for a moment that this gun dealer did as you said and ordered a gun for you for a splendid deal. Now let's say that you posted a pic of the gun on your favorite forum or on Facebook, as well as telling the story about how you got such a great deal. All the gun dealer would need is for their vendor to catch wind of something like that. It sounds like a small thing, and I'm CERTAIN there are such businesses out there.....but is it really worth risking your business over? Or potentially screwing up your businesses good reputation?

First off, I would not ask and if they ordered the Pistol I wanted from the same sources I found, that would be solely up to them. Second, a Gun Dealer or even a Seller of other goods should never tie their' hands and handicap their' business with such a contract in the first place. Third, I don't normally post pics of any of my' guns on Facebook or any forums with the exception that you may see one of my' guns in a pic I posted of myself with a Deer or Turkey I harvested. No one but myself knows how many guns I have, what brands and models they are nor how much ammo I have and I like to keep it that way. It makes it less likely that anyone will come looking to steal them!


Frank

 

[enamel7]

Back to the op, another thing to realize is what they are asking for they won't necessarily get. To get a true idea of values check only completed auctions.

 

[kcm]

"Second, a Gun Dealer or even a Seller of other goods should never tie their' hands and handicap their' business with such a contract in the first place."
Agreed. However, lots of folks can be easily coerced into believing it's in their best interest. But yes, I totally agree - bad idea!

"Third, I don't normally post pics of any of my' guns on Facebook or any forums with the exception that you may see one of my' guns in a pic I posted of myself with a Deer or Turkey I harvested."
Good for you!! I've visited FB a couple of times, but have never and WILL NEVER sign up! Have stopped dealing with companies that went from having normal websites to only having a FB page. ....Excuse my abbreviations - am eating Chicken & Dumplings at the moment. WOW! They're awesome!

 

[1shotwade]

Well I agree! I have no desire to log my life of facebook,and never will!Just not for me. As a matter of fact I have no cell phone either.It's already too easy to find me!

I got to say this and hope y'all understand what I'm trying to get across.You brought up getting tied into one distributor etc. Well I've got some pretty strong views on stuff like this. First off you have to be smart enough to run your own business. A lot of people just aren't and never will be!Understand I was raised and still live in a farming community and always will. This thing years back about "Farm AId" really stinks.Ya,boo,hoo.Ya gat dad's farm and you weren't smart enough to make a go of it! So somebody should come bail you out because you spent up all your working capital that you needed for seed next year on going out to eat 2-3 times a week,having to have a new truck,and the combine is getting old so we'll replace it!
Yah,I wish you still had the home place too but if you can't make a go of it,even when you inherit it , then why should you have it? If a barber dies and leaves his son the barder shop,should we have "barber aid" just because he can't cut hair?
Bottom line is a lot of people should be in another business or none at all because they are floundering in the one they are in now!
A friend Glen owns 3 ace hardware stores.Lowes came in and the local businesses panicked .Glen never changed a thing.First few months his business was off 40% but after the "new" wore off his customers came right back. His average sales remain at around 10% less than the ded before lowes.The reason is he is smart enough to run his business right.He has always given personal service,he will stay open late if he knows you are comming. You can call him at 2am and he'll go down and open the shop so you can get what you need. He knows if you call at2 you really need something. He is invested in the community with banking and church and he has all his kids working in the stores until they get out and on their own. He volenteers on a regular basis and demands it of his whole family. They are totally involved in the school system.
I could keep going but the point is there's usually a glaring reason why someone can't make it in the business world.
Hope this didn't sound like a rant. That's not my style. This is only my opinion.
Wade

 

[kcm]

I wish our ACE store would have had that insight. We actually switched to a smaller ACE store downtown - a place that is so tightly packed with merchandise that there's not a lot of extra room to move! But their place is paid for, they have a good customer base, they keep their prices low (though not ALWAYS the lowest), and have the personal service you just spoke of. That place is virtually never without a customer! They make a habit of remembering their customers, too. Will be a sad day when that store finally changes "with the times". By then, we won't even recognize the town anymore. It'll all be nothing but strangers. Careless, heartless strangers.