Starting up a gun shop ?

[oneshotkiller]

There is not a gun shop in my immediate area now the nearest has closed , i'm in quite a central area to most of the towns and villages and i have a good building/garage on my property that could with some effort be turned into a shop .

 

Good idea/bad idea ?

Anyone done it ?

I have some savings that i can put in to this and overheads would be minimal also am a good customerwith the bank so i think i could draw extra fund from my friendly bank mananger :blink:

 

What do you reckon lads ?

Who would i need to approach to hold airrifles shotguns and ammo on a premisis ?

What would you stock and what do you hate seeing at a gun shop ?

[busdennis]

There is not a gun shop in my immediate area now the nearest has closed , i'm in quite a central area to most of the towns and villages and i have a good building/garage on my property that could with some effort be turned into a shop .

 

Good idea/bad idea ?

Anyone done it ?

I have some savings that i can put in to this and overheads would be minimal also am a good customerwith the bank so i think i could draw extra fund from my friendly bank mananger :blink:

 

What do you reckon lads ?

Who would i need to approach to hold airrifles shotguns and ammo on a premisis ?

What would you stock and what do you hate seeing at a gun shop ?

ask your self the question. why did the other shop close?

[oneshotkiller]

The rent for shops in my area are priceyhence i suppose his prices were :blink:

[edr]

ask your self the question. why did the other shop close?

 

Because it was ****! I would most definetly use one, but you have got to ask yourself: orston has a shop and shift huge amounts of catridges. If you could match there price and hold off competition (derek lees, john bradshaws, mgr, forest lodge) then your on to a winner.

 

We need an air rifle range though :blink:

 

EDR

Edited September 13, 2010 by edr

[oneshotkiller]

Because it was ****! I would most definetly use one, but you have got to ask yourself: orston has a shop and shift huge amounts of catridges. If you could match there price and hold off competition (derek lees, john bradshaws, mgr, forest lodge) then your on to a winner.

 

We need an air rifle range though

 

EDR

 

Obviously cartridge prices will need to be competitive , i'm sure if the demand was there you could at least compete with orston , most of those shops you listed are quite out the way so that would be in my favour .

Airrifles could definatly be catered better for in the area :blink:

[J@mes]

I live locally-ish but go to grantham most weeks - would be glad of another shop to buy carts from!

 

is that one in grantham town centre still open?

 

I guess orston shooting ground do a fair amount of clay load sales

[oneshotkiller]

I live locally-ish but go to grantham most weeks - would be glad of another shop to buy carts from!

 

is that one in grantham town centre still open?

 

I guess orston shooting ground do a fair amount of clay load sales

 

I think so but he always seems empty , maybe cartridges are the way forward if i can find a good supplier at reasonable prices both game and clay :blink:

[apache]

I think so but he always seems empty , maybe cartridges are the way forward if i can find a good supplier at reasonable prices both game and clay :blink:

I disagree. There are very small margins on cartridges. Also it's hard to keep everyone happy. I like Hull and Gamebore carts, others have different views. They are bulky and take up a lot of space.

 

You make the money on the shiny things that we buy when we go in. How often do you pop in for 250 carts and come out just with what you went in with?

 

Myself, I'm not sure I ever have!

[oneshotkiller]

Thats why i posted on the forum , its nice to get everyones opinion

 

What would you like to see in a gun shop ? is your price range in guns and rifles well catered for ?

[apache]

Thats why i posted on the forum , its nice to get everyones opinion

 

What would you like to see in a gun shop ? is your price range in guns and rifles well catered for ?

My biggest gripe with gunshops is lack of stock and lack of choice. I wanted some crow decoys recently and they had 1 in stock. What use was 1?

 

The other issue is the internet. I do research in the evening and have an idea of what I can get things for online. You can't be too dear.

 

Gun choice for me is quite well catered for. I like a range of guns, especially Berettas.

 

The other issue I have are unfriendly staff.

[Marcus]

If you think there is a market for s shop in your area, and your research backs this up go for it.

 

My main gripes with shops I have been in are

 

1. Invisable man syndrome - Customer service is very poor in most, or at best poor whilst they work out what your after and how much you going to spend on shiney things.

2. Very rarely made to feel welcome - linked to No1 above I suppose

3. Too many cling-ons loitering around the shop, talking **** to the staff and not spending any money, whilst I am waiting patiently feeling like a spare ***** in a wedding

[libs]

If you think there is a market for s shop in your area, and your research backs this up go for it.

 

My main gripes with shops I have been in are

 

1. Invisable man syndrome - Customer service is very poor in most, or at best poor whilst they work out what your after and how much you going to spend on shiney things.

2. Very rarely made to feel welcome - linked to No1 above I suppose

3. Too many cling-ons loitering around the shop, talking **** to the staff and not spending any money, whilst I am waiting patiently feeling like a spare ***** in a wedding

 

 

Why are there people in gunshops that don't work in the gunshop but talk to you like they are staff and then when confronted about their sadact-ary go on the defensive about only trying to help?

 

To anyone who may think they are a cling-on, ask yourself these simple questions;

 

1. Do you spen more time in miniutes than money in pounds sterling in your local gunshop?

 

2. Do you know what cartridges are in stock and offer this advice to fellow customers?

 

3. Are you devoid of a social life outside of the gun shop?

 

4. Have you been refused an SGC on the grounds of being 'a bit of an odd bloke' ?

[welsh warrior]

mate id be happy to have a job in a gun shop i must say :blink: been trying for a while in my local gun shop but its family run o well lol

[J@mes]

Agree with what has been said so far although the shops I visit generally ( whittlesey guns, the barn shop (royston) and another one in Baldock) generally seem to be friendly enough and give me there attention within a reasonable amount of time.

[Vince Green]

A gunshop is about the worst business you could ever think of starting. Low margins, high security, fire regs, limited customer base, complex legislation, ******** customers telling you they can buy these cartridges £5 a thousand sixty miles away.

[humperdingle]

My biggest gripe with gunshops is lack of stock and lack of choice. I wanted some crow decoys recently and they had 1 in stock. What use was 1?

 

The other issue is the internet. I do research in the evening and have an idea of what I can get things for online. You can't be too dear.

 

Gun choice for me is quite well catered for. I like a range of guns, especially Berettas.

 

The other issue I have are unfriendly staff.

 

Lol they exist everywhere! Every single gunshop seems to have a rota system where these twits take it in turn to prop-up the counter :blink:

 

Don't get me wrong, I like seeing what "Interesting" artifacts my RFD has in store whenever I go in, but I only ever visit when I NEED something.

[bullet1747]

I disagree. There are very small margins on cartridges. Also it's hard to keep everyone happy. I like Hull and Gamebore carts, others have different views. They are bulky and take up a lot of space.

 

You make the money on the shiny things that we buy when we go in. How often do you pop in for 250 carts and come out just with what you went in with?

 

Myself, I'm not sure I ever have!

ive stopped going for a coffee just for that reason been at shooting 5 months been through 6 shotguns (about 2 grand for every thing) dont regret a for a minute :blink:

[mrbritish1976]

go for it there is good profit to be made if you sell the right things

[MC]

go for it there is good profit to be made if you sell the right things

 

 

Absolutely, and don't believe the rubbish posted about there is no profit in cartridges. There are enough companies like Just Cartridges and Cash and carry cartridges that all make good money from selling them and it isn't about volume.

 

Ask yourself this question, Would you unload and store 1000 cartridges for possibly a few weeks for £3 or £4? Nope didn't think so, nether would I. I also wouldn't give them shelf space if I thought that it was OK because when someone comes in to buy 250 they will buy a bottle of oil. Yeah right there is less profit on a bottle of oil.

 

My advice to anyone in business is sell quality products and a reasonable price, and NEVER skimp on customer service.

[al4x]

Personally I also don't believe ther eis no profit in cartridges, however for your business thoughts personally I'd expect you'd need somewhere near 50K to set up minimum. That is expenses to convert your facilities to a shop. A whole heap to get planning permission to do so and if you're in a residential area probably best to give up now. Then you have council tax which you may get free with the new small business rates and then the big issue of stock and unless you hold a fair bit people simply won't use you. There is a very good reasone there aren't many shops about and that is because it is very hard to make a living at it. If you do give it a go get a decent website up and tout as much as you can through that

[the running man]

Obviously cartridge prices will need to be competitive , i'm sure if the demand was there you could at least compete with orston , most of those shops you listed are quite out the way so that would be in my favour .

Airrifles could definatly be catered better for in the area :blink:

I hope u do ok,keep things that sell,assure people if uve not got it,you will get it.reloading stuff is flying out the door at present.

[GBS]

Absolutely, and don't believe the rubbish posted about there is no profit in cartridges. There are enough companies like Just Cartridges and Cash and carry cartridges that all make good money from selling them and it isn't about volume.

 

Ask yourself this question, Would you unload and store 1000 cartridges for possibly a few weeks for £3 or £4? Nope didn't think so, nether would I. I also wouldn't give them shelf space if I thought that it was OK because when someone comes in to buy 250 they will buy a bottle of oil. Yeah right there is less profit on a bottle of oil.

 

My advice to anyone in business is sell quality products and a reasonable price, and NEVER skimp on customer service.

[/quote

 

MC's last point is the most important.

 

There is so much transparency in the prices of goods now with the internet. People will go into a shop, look at what they want and then go and buy it cheaper online (this does apply to guns in some ways too although you can't buy properly on line). The way to sell goods to customers at a price with a suitable profit margin is through exceptional customer service. That way, you may not be the cheapest but, people will want to buy from you.

 

G

[Lez325]

I agree customer service is paramount :blink:

 

too many times have I visited Gun Shops some in my area some not - ok sometimes just to have a browse , see whats what and as staff treat you like your invisible- I tend to not go there again

 

Les

[the running man]

I agree customer service is paramount :blink:

 

too many times have I visited Gun Shops some in my area some not - ok sometimes just to have a browse , see whats what and as staff treat you like your invisible- I tend to not go there again

 

Les

I know the shop ure on about!

[humperdingle]

You could also dabble in the online market as a sideline - Sell on the bay... That would also give you some advertisement space.

 

I'd be inclined to start off with a core of essential "Must buy" items - Pigeon decoys (FUDS if you can import them), hide poles, nets, cartridges etc...