Local purchase vs. Online Retailer???

[Jasonaspears]

Let me start off by saying that I love purchasing locally to support the local businesses, build a good relationship, and especially being able to satisfy the itch for new gear ASAP. My dilemma comes in when the local shops are either rude, unhelpful, unknowledgeable, and most importantly right now...overpriced or at least listing everything for list or more. I've tried a handful of shops in the Sacramento area to find the upper receiver assembly I've been wanting but it's either list price or more than list with the alternative being one highly recommended online shop coming in nearly $70 cheaper. Should I feel bad about buying from an online retailer to save money?

[yelohamr]

No.

[Baconator]

Think about things that aren't just sporting goods related; best buy sells hdmi cables for $50+ when you can get them online for $10. It's crazy not to do so. When you have to buy things in the brick and mortar store you will typically pay more but get it immediately. So no, don't feel bad.

[xibunkrlilkidsx]

i expect them to be more. I always try to find what i want locally first, but if they don't have what i want or are rude, i'm going to buy online.

[elSquid]

Think about things that aren't just sporting goods related; best buy sells hdmi cables for $50+ when you can get them online for $10.

Holy moly! $10 for HDMI cables is nuts.

http://www.monoprice.com/products/subdepartment.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10240

I like to support local dealers, but if they don't have stuff in stock, or are asking way too much, I buy online without guilt.

-- Michael

[Jasonaspears]

I love Monoprice!

[raygunner]

I was just thinking about this as I saw this post, so here are my thoughts. First off, I've only had one or two 'rude' guys at gun shop counters, and one of those guys was helpful to me several other times. Maybe had a rough day. I give him the benefit for that one time. I get indifferent service occasionally in other retail locations, so...
The local guys keep the goods flowing right to the point of purchase; they stock, catalog, display, discuss, show you weapons and guns, and all of you know all of this.
However, that is a valuable service for me. I'm somewhat of a newbie and I appreciate guys taking time to show me the guns, talk to me, let me handle various weapons and talk knowledgeably about their products. I'm willing to pay a premium for that. If I have a problem with a gun, I take it back and we work through it. I had trouble stripping and re-assembling my first 1911 and the guy didn't hesitate to help me through it. Razzing me a bit, OK, I deserved it. All in fun. I bought another gun from him a few months later.
Here's the deal; if we want the online pricing, fine, but eventually gun shops will go away like independent book dealers, and that is a shame for a middle age guy like me who collects books. I guess I'm saying if you want to shop the products in store, then go online and complain your local guy is 'ripping you off', DON'T EVER go to the local gun guys. Just don't . Be done with it. For me, I won't do that. Local gun retailers of all types (Bass Pro, Turner's, the big retail guys to the small, local shops) supply a valuable service and pay retail-space rent prices, salaries for knowledgeable gun counter reps, so I don't begrudge them selling for what the market will bear.
LGS post up sale prices every week. They sponsor shooting events, where you can sample all types of guns from world class manufacturers. Often they provide valuable contacts to instructional services, classes, licensing information and CCW issues.
It's easy to price compare and complain. Bud's and other large retailers buy in huge quantities and get the best pricing. If that's where you want to compare, and rip the local guy, that's your right. But I rarely buy that way. And if I buy a product online, I try and stay away from the local guy in the first place. Not fair to take their time to sample their wares, then price shop online and scream the local guy is ripping you off. But I know many that do it.

[Jasonaspears]

I was just thinking about this as I saw this post, so here are my thoughts. First off, I've only had one or two 'rude' guys at gun shop counters, and one of those guys was helpful to me several other times. Maybe had a rough day. I give him the benefit for that one time. I get indifferent service occasionally in other retail locations, so...
The local guys keep the goods flowing right to the point of purchase; they stock, catalog, display, discuss, show you weapons and guns, and all of you know all of this.
However, that is a valuable service for me. I'm somewhat of a newbie and I appreciate guys taking time to show me the guns, talk to me, let me handle various weapons and talk knowledgeably about their products. I'm willing to pay a premium for that. If I have a problem with a gun, I take it back and we work through it. I had trouble stripping and re-assembling my first 1911 and the guy didn't hesitate to help me through it. Razzing me a bit, OK, I deserved it. All in fun. I bought another gun from him a few months later.
Here's the deal; if we want the online pricing, fine, but eventually gun shops will go away like independent book dealers, and that is a shame for a middle age guy like me who collects books. I guess I'm saying if you want to shop the products in store, then go online and complain your local guy is 'ripping you off', DON'T EVER go to the local gun guys. Just don't . Be done with it. For me, I won't do that. Local gun retailers of all types (Bass Pro, Turner's, the big retail guys to the small, local shops) supply a valuable service and pay retail-space rent prices, salaries for knowledgeable gun counter reps, so I don't begrudge them selling for what the market will bear.
LGS post up sale prices every week. They sponsor shooting events, where you can sample all types of guns from world class manufacturers. Often they provide valuable contacts to instructional services, classes, licensing information and CCW issues.
It's easy to price compare and complain. Bud's and other large retailers buy in huge quantities and get the best pricing. If that's where you want to compare, and rip the local guy, that's your right. But I rarely buy that way. And if I buy a product online, I try and stay away from the local guy in the first place. Not fair to take their time to sample their wares, then price shop online and scream the local guy is ripping you off. But I know many that do it.

I agree with you on most of this which is why I like buying locally. I'm even willing to pay more...at times and to a certain point. I have an inside view though to how a lot of retail businesses are run and I think a lot of the pricing comes down to greed. Sure, they have overhead but I think some local shops have a take it or leave it approach to business and their customers. That's one of the reasons I think places like Walmart are so hated because they have the same products at good prices. I believe that the local shops can be more competitive and actually grow their business. How many companies have meet or beat policies in place now? A lot...and they are very successful. Sure, you don't make as much on item A but while you have them in the store you are able to sell them on items B, C, etc...

[OHOD]

You have hit on one of my biggest pet peeves.
There is nothing I hate more than rude and unknowledgeable sales people.

1. I'm a woman so they automatically think I don't know S.
2. Because I don't carry a Gucci or Coach purse, I must be poor. (6 figures here)
3. Trying to talk me into buying a piece of Crud, because of #1.
4. If I don't bite, they get rude.

I tend to just roam around big boxes and price what I like, check it out online and make my purchase. In fact, I usually use big boxes to see it, touch it and determine if I want it.
If mom and pops don't like what I do, then they need to learn what customer service means.

What happens when I find a place that is respectful, try to educate me and show good customer service....I WILL go back even if the price is higher.

And don't even get me going on gun shows.

I've been looking at bayonets to replace one that I had stolen years ago. I start asking questions and they look at me like "What the H is this chick doing". Makes me mad.
In fact, I have been looking for a bayonet for my M95 and nooooooo, I'm not smart enough to know what a good one is and what a piece of crud is. Doubling the price on me? I don't think so.

Let me tell you, one time I went looking for a revolver. The salesman wanted to sell me a 32! Get real! I asked him why and he said the recoil isn't so much.
You should have seen the look on my face.
I asked to see a 357 snubnose. I didn't handle it. Just bought it.
The salesman was all put out because I bought too big of a gun.
Let me tell you, I can shoot that snubnose just as well as my MP40.

Want to hear another one?
Here ya go.
I was looking to buy some SKS clips. When I asked one of the gunshow salesman about the stack he had, he said "You don't want those, they're all dented....."
Now get this...
He said "They aren't pretty"
WTF!!!

Let me tell you about when I bought my guitar...
I was telling the salesman about my fiddle. I love playing that thing. Anyway, I said that after I played my old one for a while, that I decided to buy a new higher quality fiddle. I paid about $800 for it.
He laughed at me and said "Yeah, beginners always spend $1000 when they can't play". WTF!!!
I ignored him.
I found another salesman that could pick out an inexpensive guitar for me so that I can see if I like it. He was nice and guess who got the commission?
If I like playing the guitar, then I will buy something of higher quality. Yeah, I may not be that great, but I enjoy playing music (even as awful as it may sound) and have been toying around with music for the past ten years.
When I go back there to buy a new $1k guitar, I'll be looking for the nice guy that sold me this one.

Auto salesman!
OMG!
If another auto salesman tries to sell me a little pee-on baby car, I'm going to scream!
Oh man, I can go on about this....

Okay, rant off.
Whew, that felt good.

[laika]

OHOD, it's like when I would go into an auto parts store and ask for a fuel pump or such and the man behind the counter would say "Honey, tell the man at home to do such and such when he installs it." Now that I have a man at home I usually let him buy the parts so I don't have to deal with it.

I have to say my local big 5 is very respectful and they ask me about some C and R issues. But that's a pretty limited arena.

Overall though I like my taxes going to my city but when it comes to guns, brick and mortar stores in CA are going away by the handful and I'm STILL waiting for my FFL3 so I can order online. And it's Walmart or online for me with ammo.

I do care about where my sales tax money goes though - my hometown is depressed economically.

[OHOD]

I have to say my local big 5 is very respectful and they ask me about some C and R issues.

I like my local Big 5's as well.