I think one of the derpiest Gander things is they charge $75 bucks for a transfer. That's reeedickamous!
Funny thing about the whole buying power thing, Gander actually isn't buying at good rates. I say this having worked there for about a year, mind you.
Gander's biggest problems are undoubtedly at the top. Whoever is making corporate decisions is fantastically incompetent and it's largely reflected in Gander's pricing.
For whatever reason, despite being an enormous firearms retailers, they aren't buying at good prices at all. If I remember correctly, for instance, Gander was only making a $30 profit on Ruger LCPs. You'd think buying thousands upon thousands at a time would convince Smith to give them a deal, but apparently their buyers are crash helmet, sippy cup grade retarded.
I don't think GM buys direct from Smith & Wesson or Ruger. As long as people buy from GM, they will continue to sell at their current mark-up. Most mom and pop shops can't afford to have the inventory that GM or Cabela's or any of the rest of the "big stores" have and we as gun buyers don't want to wait to get our new gun, so we will pay a premium to get it, "now". That is what keeps stores like GM thriving.
Keep watch. Certain times of the year Grander has some killer deals. I bought a brand new XD .40 SC there for $360
Many of the guys there are not as knowledgeable about the guns they are selling than the customers buying them.
Haha, Yes, I agree.. I'm speaking to the salesmen that don't know the GENERAL questions about firearms.In all fairness, I think this has as much to do with their selection than anything else. Someone going in to buy a gun, or decide between a couple of models by handling them may have researched and narrowed their choice. The salesperson may know generalities of models, but the customer knows that "model X is 2 ounces less than model Y, but is 1/16" wider, but neither one likes to feed Hornady ammo, unless it was made after June 2010."
It's unrealistic to expect a salesman to remember this sort of info about every firearm in the store. What the salesman MAY know is that both are quality handguns, priced close to each other, and that they don't have a holster for model Y.
First off, GM paying 50% for a used gun is crap. It is funny that they readily admit they are charging a 50% markup and then say that they have no haggle room. They're also very good about saying, we will sell this for $450 and then giving you %50. Then you go in a week later and they've got it priced at $525.
Many of the guys there are not as knowledgeable about the guns they are selling than the customers buying them.
They clearly know their market, because the people that buy there are often new to firearms or are very casual about them and buy them because they don't know better.
Occasionally, they will have a great price on a gun, and then I will buy it. I just think it's rediculous that they tout they're sales, like a Glock for $499 as a huge sale, when you can go to Bradis and get them at that price daily.
Yeah, they used to offer 70% at castleton and 60% at greenwood, now it's 50% at all stores. I know one of the guys that works there through his full time job and he said corporate no longer does that. In the Greenwood case it's the manager. The manager there will also tell you that he has no price to add for a holster or extra magazines, but will then seperate them from the gun and sell them by themselves for 100% profit. Bad business practice considering how many people go in there regularly.It used to be 70 - 80 % of what blue book was. There were several times I bought a gun in and Corp. (that never saw the gun) or the store manager thought it could sell for more and raised the price. I argued those making look like a liar because I told the customer I would sell at x price. While I was there we had a diverse group that had their specialties in what they knew. Shotguns, rifles, handguns. I tried to get the customer to the right guy for that. Most places just go for a sale.
Depends on the store. My store (Ft. Wayne) We left them packaged. The firearms manager said it was too much pia to seperate and tag everything that came in.Yeah, they used to offer 70% at castleton and 60% at greenwood, now it's 50% at all stores. I know one of the guys that works there through his full time job and he said corporate no longer does that. In the Greenwood case it's the manager. The manager there will also tell you that he has no price to add for a holster or extra magazines, but will then seperate them from the gun and sell them by themselves for 100% profit. Bad business practice considering how many people go in there regularly.
Seriously?? What an idiot!