I?m starting to really hate LGS.

[sirgrumps]

I know I?m probably gonna get flamed for this, but???

As a rule, I support the theory that we, as a community, need to support our local LGS. Because the State, Legislature, and the Local agencies have become so hostile to gun owners and sellers, for the most part, only big retailer survive selling materials and equipment for us to exercise our constitutional rights.

But at the same time, some of the decisions made by some of these stores just boggle mind.

A local store had a Timney trigger unit listed for sale on eBay. So I contacted them directly, not through eBay, about making a deal. I offered him more money than he would have gotten after the eNay commission and would have paid him cash.

It would have saved me some money and reduced income to the anti-gun, evil corp eBay and lowered the tax revenue send to out evil government overlords.

But he declined and suggest that I just buy it through his website or eBay.

I just didn?t make any sense!

If I buy through eBay or his website, I would have to pay sales tax, but if I buy from the right online retailer, I don?t have to pay sales tax. Granted the price through one of those retailer would have been a little more than his eBay price, but after you add sales tax and shipping, getting it from out of state would have been cheaper overall.

/rant

[jayhuh]

Sounds like the FFL has integrity. eBay rules prohibit deals outside of eBay. Maybe I missed something.

[Scratch705]

Or it sounds like ffl doesnt want to deal with a potential unknown. If you had offered to show up in store and pay right there the FFL might have been more willing to deal.

But to trade selling something off a website that offers protection to a private deal that has zero protection, the store chose the way that risked less.

[9Cal_OC]

The FFL doesn't know you. Likely eBay provides a platform for dealing with returns and interface for customers. Things like this sound good in hindsight but could be a lot worse when customers complain or drag in the FTB, etc.

May be too much risk for them to deal with one-off customers

[Russian Bot]

Was the listing a Buy it now only, or an auction, and if auction did it have bids?

[beerman]

Many retailers have an important eBay presence. EBay can and will test their integrity from time to time.They are just protecting their platform, as is the retailer. If you can buy it cheaper, go for it. But think past your own self interest.

[The Gleam]

He could be drop-shipping it from a supplier, thus he doesn't actually have it in the store to hand to you. It only gets sent to you directly by the wholesaler or manufacturer through him as the connection. Probably 85% of Ebay or Amazon work this way.

So it's possible the ONLY way you can buy it from him is through Ebay.

---

[The Gleam]

Many retailers have an important eBay presence. EBay can and will test their integrity from time to time.They are just protecting their platform, as is the retailer. If you can buy it cheaper, go for it. But think past your own self interest.

That too. They really do that.

---

[Mezcalfud]

I get where OP is coming from but he has failed to realize that e-commerce is a machine and not a personal interaction.

[sirgrumps]

Sounds like the FFL has integrity. eBay rules prohibit deals outside of eBay. Maybe I missed something.

Yes, eBay has such a rule, but they have screwed so many sellers over their ever changing policies. Add the anti-gun sentiment of the management, I will try to screw them out of their commission anytime I can.

I used to sell a lot more on their platform and I understand why they charge a commission on the shipping charges. That was a way to lower your commission by selling at a low price and charging a lot for shipping. But since they charge a commission on what the buyer pays for sales tax, that was just one straw too many for me.

Or it sounds like ffl doesnt want to deal with a potential unknown. If you had offered to show up in store and pay right there the FFL might have been more willing to deal.

But to trade selling something off a website that offers protection to a private deal that has zero protection, the store chose the way that risked less.

I happened to be by his store and went in to make the deal.
So it was face to face and he didn’t want to make the deal.

Many retailers have an important eBay presence. EBay can and will test their integrity from time to time.They are just protecting their platform, as is the retailer. If you can buy it cheaper, go for it. But think past your own self interest.

Hence my dilemma. I want to support the LGS, but between not paying sales tax and lower costs from buying out of state …….
They lose and will go out of business and then we are stuck only buying from Turners, Sprtman Warehouse, or Bass Pro Shop.

[IVC]

Sales tax is always due, either charged by the seller or self-reported as "use tax." That's how CA hustles its subjects. And the tax is due whether you pay in cash or not. I'm not saying it's right or enforceable, only how it works.

On top of that, credit card networks prohibit "cash discounts" and force the same price regardless of costs associated with payment processing, and e-commerce platforms probably have similar, ever evolving anti-competitive conditions for participation. I'm not saying it's right, just how it is.

So, if you walk in and start talking about cash as benefit (red flag) and evading sales tax (red flag) and it's all over a small amount (red flag), it's no surprise that he didn't want to "make a deal" and risk dealing with FTB, his payment processor and his e-commerce platform.

But I will give you that it's strange he wouldn't sell you the item if it was offered for sale in his store and it wasn't a dedicated e-bay item.

[Spyder]

The extra dollar or two he could theoretically keep by doing a shady deal isn't worth the time or hassle to change his business model for your convenience over an 85 dollar trigger. It would cost him more than the difference in time and disruption.

[sirgrumps]

Sales tax is always due, either charged by the seller or self-reported as "use tax." That's how CA hustles its subjects. And the tax is due whether you pay in cash or not. I'm not saying it's right or enforceable, only how it works.

Since you use the word "hustle" you mean steal.
And I agree, we are treated as serfs, not even subjects. Subjects have some rights. Serf serve at the whim of their lords.

On top of that, credit card networks prohibit "cash discounts" and force the same price regardless of costs associated with payment processing, and e-commerce platforms probably have similar, ever evolving anti-competitive conditions for participation. I'm not saying it's right, just how it is.

That has not been my experience. I have been to many small businesses that will give you a "cash" discount. That 3%-5% processing fee may be the difference between surviving and failing. I make a point to pay cash at these locations.

Trying to avopid sales tax and credit card fees and tracking info driven by my philosophy that since the big credit card processors almost caved on a special merchant code for gun stores (https://www.americanbanker.com/news/...-a-green-light) or closed down account of "undesirable" or targeted businesses (operation Choke Point), I say screw 'em.

Remember Bank of America volunteered to supply to the USDOJ all banking transactional data near DC around J6. It was not subpoenaed, they VOLUNTEERED the info.
(which is another reason BofA will NEVER get any my business)

I am slowly moving away from credit cards and going all cash wherever I can.

[mshill]

I don't see what this has to do with a Local Gun Store. The whole point of supporting an LGS is going into the store and purchasing merchandise that they have in stock. You are shopping online, nothing to do with local.

[Jimi Jah]

I use my local gun store for ammo shipments. They are bought on the internet.