BehindBlueI's
Grandmaster
- Oct 3, 2012
- 25,969
- 113
Like it or not, a LGS is in competition with Internet sales. A new gun, and a common used gun, is a commodity. If I can browse prices from multiple sources online, I'd expect to do the same with a physical retail location. I do not call around, because I only frequent 2 gun stores regularly and one semi-regularly. The odds are strong I'm buying from one of them, and if not I'm buying online.
I will pay a certain premium to deal with a local business. I will not completely ignore the best price I could get online, though, and that will be my base price. The premium I'm willing to pay is based on the extra service and the value of the relationship with a local business.
If a gun store, or anyone else, is unwilling to give me the service of telling me the price, they wouldn't get the chance to earn my business. In the information age, if your business model relies on the ignorance of your customers as to market pricing, you're in a declining business model. It doesn't matter if you're selling guns or Fords.
I will pay a certain premium to deal with a local business. I will not completely ignore the best price I could get online, though, and that will be my base price. The premium I'm willing to pay is based on the extra service and the value of the relationship with a local business.
If a gun store, or anyone else, is unwilling to give me the service of telling me the price, they wouldn't get the chance to earn my business. In the information age, if your business model relies on the ignorance of your customers as to market pricing, you're in a declining business model. It doesn't matter if you're selling guns or Fords.