How do layways generally work where you buy your guns?

[Forscythe87]

Went to a local place today to do a layaway on an M&P. I thought I misunderstood at first but the dealer wanted the MSRP for the firearm even though they had it on sale for $469. His reasoning was $469 is the cash price which I fully understand. Is this common practice?

I know the dealer doing layaway period is a favor to the consumer but at the same time when you only have a 30 day window to pay it, it seems silly to have such a drastic difference in prices. Shoulda listened to google reviews on this shop being overpriced feel like i wasted the drive.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[gilliland87]

That is a bum deal. You are right that a shop providing layaway is a cost to the dealer but it also generates sales for him that he obviously would not get otherwise. The shops I frequent do not run "Sales" and sure as heck don't sell at MSRP. One shop I frequent will have good deals from time to time but those are on specific items like a good gun show buy or a motivated consignment seller. A good rule of thumb is if a retailer can offer a sale they had to much mark up built in to start with.

[Katana]

I've never paid anything extra for putting a firearm on layaway. It's always been strictly 10% down on our agreed upon price & 3 months to pay it off.

If my lgs tried to pull something like what you described I'd find another shop to do business with. I don't believe in credit cards, and very rarely will I have the available money to purchase a $500-$1000 firearm "out of pocket", so the majority of all of mine have been on layaway. So if they want to earn my money, they know I'm putting it on layaway.

[LeftofMars]

I don't use layaway myself I just squirrel the money away until I can pay cash for it. Which is what I would do in your case, your not going to have the gun anyway and if you can pay for it in 3 months wait and get the cash price.

[INccwchris]

60 days, 20% down, price displayed on tag in case

[motojoe]

Shop I deal with it's price on the tag, 25% down, 90 days to pick it up.... If you walk in with cash you might get a .0000219% discount!!!!

[jwhite75]

I deal with several, but standard is 10-20% down with 90 days to pay balance. Price on tag.

[varob]

Find a new dealer.

[CajunBass]

The shop I normally deal with has 90 day, 20% down. The price has always been whatever price we've agreed on. I've never done it, but I've been told as long as you're paying on it regular, if you need to, they'll let you run over the 90 days, just come talk to them. Same with the downpayment. I've had them put a gun away for me with nothing down if I've forgotten my check book, or even just with a phone call. "You know that (insert gun name here) on the rack? Pull it and put my name on it. I'll be by the end of the week to put something down on it."

[Dragman]

Price on tag is what you pay. My place is 10% down of total price after tax and Pics fee's and no time limit on how long as long as reasonable payments are being made. Took a guy a year one time to pic up a rifle it was like 3000 and he stopped by every month and put something on it.

[lordhamster]

I don't use layaway myself I just squirrel the money away until I can pay cash for it. Which is what I would do in your case, your not going to have the gun anyway and if you can pay for it in 3 months wait and get the cash price.

This.

I can sortof understand why they would not give you a sale price on layaway. If I owned a gun store, I don't think I'd want to deal with the paperwork and risk of dealing with layaway. Especially if I have a good sales price with people buying my inventory quickly in cash.

[Forscythe87]

I don't use layaway myself I just squirrel the money away until I can pay cash for it. Which is what I would do in your case, your not going to have the gun anyway and if you can pay for it in 3 months wait and get the cash price.

That's ultimately what I'm going to do. Seems the dealers around here are less than interested in having business. Went to two other places today. One gave me somewhat of a negative attitude just for asking if they carried M&Ps and whether they'd be getting any in (felt a bit intimidated here) and the other was just too far over priced. Looks like i'm just going the Davidsons route and picking it up. Been out of the hobby for 3 years almost, dont remember people being so grumpy!

[Diddle]

FWIT, my LGS's accepts as little as $5.00 down. All that is required is that the firearm is paid for in full within 90 days. If you put down $10.00 on a $500.00 firearm, you are expected to pay the ballance of $490.00 in 90 days. Else the store keeper keeps the firearm and your money. (Give or take a few days.)

[kpw]

My LGS will hold a gun for me with no money down. As for layaways, pay what you can when you can, as long as you let him know you want it, he'll hold it. No, that's not his policy for everyone but longtime customers get different treatment. Policy is 10% down and 90 days but make regular payments and he'll hold it. You pay what the tag says, nothing more.

[rolyat63]

You may want to check gunbroker if your inclined to do a FFL to FFL xfer. In the search just add layaway along with your other search terms...I've haven't purchase one from GB via layaway (yet) but have seen several vendors offer it. In fact the down is often based on the time period.

Bottom line any vendor that limits the ways he can sell his product (take customer money), especially at very little or no increased risk doesn't really understand business.

Good Luck. Try Airborne Arms out in Plant City.