Not sure that all B&M will go out, not all of us want the lowest cheapest bottom feeder price, some of us still want to deal face to face, enjoy the opportunity to meet with and build relationships locally.

We have plenty of options here with LGS from small to mega stores, there's really quite a bit of competition, outside of a few select items, handguns and rifles choices are easily filled without having to go online, and for prices that are in some cases lower or as low as online with it's plus plus fees that don't apply to local sales.

Fees on stores here range from $20 to $50, I'd agree that having a reasonable fee and good turn around can be a good way to capture customers especially ones who are your target audience. Ultimate direct marketing in that you get paid on each one..

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People often think the gun business is lucrative. If you came to me and asked me to open a gun shop for you, I'd first do everything in my power to steer you to a better means of making money, like the craps table.

I'd write more on this topic, but I am confident that I'll be lambasted by people that are not licensees. Since I have other things to do, like wash the cats and express their anal glands, I go do that instead of responding to my critics.

My feelings precisely.

I've been in the industry (with a few breaks) since 1998. I've been through all panics from then to now, both on the retail side, and distribution side. I talk to roughly 80 dealers nationwide over the course of a week. The business is a losing proposition for most due to the ability of consumers to buy firearms online from large dealers, the extreme over capacity in the manufacturing sector, and the lack of any current market drivers, amongst other things.

$25 or whatever your local charges is not all gravy on the proverbial steak. FFL holders are responsible for the compliance, and storage of those 4473s forever. They get audited, they can go to jail for making mistakes.

When you see a gun at Bud's et.al. and your dealer says that it is cheaper than he can get it for, he's telling you the truth. MFD's cater to large shops and offer incentivized programs for heavy hitters who can buy large quantities at once. I realize this is capitalism, and the way that the world works, I get it. However, the local shop with the knowledgeable guy that you enjoy talking to is on the way out. A victim of the current marketplace.

In the past two years, Accusport has gone under, Lew Horton, United Sporting Group, and William's supply. These were large, successful distributors that employed hundreds.

So to answer the question, no, most don't appreciate it, but they begrudgingly do transfers because if they don't, the guy down the street will, or the one-lunger with a kitchen table, no overhead, and the need for beer money will.

These are consumer durables being sold, not underwear and socks. You guys know well enough that guns over a century old still fire and work wonderfully. Making 5-10% on a consumer durable is asinine, but that is where we are at.

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Originally posted by a1abdj:

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And that's the end result of we don't choose to only buy from brick and mortar? Even if it not economically efficient? You really think that's where we'll all end up, buying online, doing transfers at someone's house for high fees?

I don't, and here's why. At least around here, home based FFLs are somewhat frowned upon, unless you're in an unincorporated area.

Cities don't want "businesses" in the subdivisions. They want "businesses" to do what businesses are supposed to do: Have a commercial location, and collect/pay taxes. And seeing that FFLs rank not far behind liquor stores and nightclubs on the scale of desirability, cities also tend to want to limit the number and locations of those who are interested.

So it's my belief that home based FFLs will not replace brick and mortar locations. When they're gone, they'll be gone.

And it's not just FFLs. What do you think your local city/county/state is going to do when they finally get off their ass about the taxes they're loosing? In your "no local business utopia", who's going to pay the bills?

I was being a bit facetious in my response, I doubt it will ever go to all home based but the number of home based will continue to increase.

The class 3 dealers have much higher transfer fees. Why you ask? Because those dealers are much more limited and can set their transfer fee. Some local to me charge $100 to transfer a suppressor. If FFL numbers ever dropped it would do the same for B&M and home based. Businesses will charge what they can get away with (to some extent). Less competition equals more leeway to adjust prices (there's that nasty capitalism rearing it's ugly head again).

I think you are wrong about B&M going away and home based not taking their place. Why? Because it's too cheap for people to sell home based, start up costs are minimal. Despite what the innerwebs say it is not that hard to get an FFL being home based. There are hurdles depending upon where you live but they are manageable. Maybe Missouri does not like home based businesses but they are all over where I live and in other states. Firearms, pest control, IT, firearm refinishing - having home based businesses lowers overhead dramatically and thus it will never slow people from operating out of their houses. BTW, home based pay taxes just like B&M and there are some home based guys killing it.