Capital City Gun Show Raleigh, NC July 1-2 2017

[Dadawada]

You B@#stard!!! Why did you let me shoot that thing...

 

[cubrock]

Actually, the large vendors I find price things at retail also. I figured most of the folks at these gun shows have little overhead except for the show itself. They should be able to offer some great bargains. Especially if they have a captive audience of thousands of potential customers in a 2 day period.

You underestimate how much overhead there is in setting up at a gun show. Some of your larger vendors spend several thousand dollars PER SHOW to set up, between table fees, employee pay, food, lodging, and vehicle expenses. That doesn't count their overhead at their shops (which many, if not most, of them have) and/or their warehouse/storage facilities. Even a small vendor with just a few tables can easily approach $1000 per weekend in expenses for any given show, depending on how far they have to travel. That is a lot to make up in a weekend before you make the first dime in net profit.

And, you don't have a captive audience of thousands of potential customers. Those customers can, and do, shop on line and at local shops. At least half of them will look stuff up on line to compare prices while standing at your table. A good many of them will find something like a PMag a dollar or two cheaper on-line, then want you to price match, all the while ignoring that you are already several dollars cheaper since they aren't having to pay shipping costs. Or, they will find a per unit price based on ordering 100 or 1,000 of an item, but they want to buy only one - i.e., they are demanding a wholesale price, but they are buying in retail quantities.

Gun show vendors are not raking in cash. A lot of them right now are breaking even on any given weekend, and losing money on some of them. It is a tough business, especially in the current market. Those that are making money are working their tails off, investing 40+ hours over a three day period, then working much of the rest of the week when they are home.

 

[Love2shoot]

And, you don't have a captive audience of thousands of potential customers. Those customers can, and do, shop on line and at local shops. At least half of them will look stuff up on line to compare prices while standing at your table. A good many of them will find something like a PMag a dollar or two cheaper on-line, then want you to price match, all the while ignoring that you are already several dollars cheaper since they aren't having to pay shipping costs.

This is so true, I have to say as a newbie to the gun shows, I saw so much of this going on. I actually felt bad for some of these vendors just trying to make a living.

 

[Curmudgeon]

I've bought 4 out of 6 of my rifles from shows but none of my pistols. That's because I can make sure it fits or becasue it is milsurp and I can look it over well. The pistol displays are almost overwhelming when they put out 200 or more and then you have to fight the bump-and-cut-in-front- of-you idiots. However the shows are great for buying those weird little things like small parts or reloading supplies without the hazmat charges.

 

[Studentofthegun]

You underestimate how much overhead there is in setting up at a gun show. Some of your larger vendors spend several thousand dollars PER SHOW to set up, between table fees, employee pay, food, lodging, and vehicle expenses. That doesn't count their overhead at their shops (which many, if not most, of them have) and/or their warehouse/storage facilities. Even a small vendor with just a few tables can easily approach $1000 per weekend in expenses for any given show, depending on how far they have to travel. That is a lot to make up in a weekend before you make the first dime in net profit.

And, you don't have a captive audience of thousands of potential customers. Those customers can, and do, shop on line and at local shops. At least half of them will look stuff up on line to compare prices while standing at your table. A good many of them will find something like a PMag a dollar or two cheaper on-line, then want you to price match, all the while ignoring that you are already several dollars cheaper since they aren't having to pay shipping costs. Or, they will find a per unit price based on ordering 100 or 1,000 of an item, but they want to buy only one - i.e., they are demanding a wholesale price, but they are buying in retail quantities.

Gun show vendors are not raking in cash. A lot of them right now are breaking even on any given weekend, and losing money on some of them. It is a tough business, especially in the current market. Those that are making money are working their tails off, investing 40+ hours over a three day period, then working much of the rest of the week when they are home.

Nailed it.

This is also why I like to support those companies/dealers who also support our forum. I've spent several hundred dollars with Backwoods Bang Shop and I suspect the margins are extremely tight. He might have made enough off of me to buy a Happy Meal so long as he doesn't upsize the drink.