[trip286]

Originally Posted by CourtJester

Buy a few and test them. There will be no difference. I have four 10/22's. two from Walmart, two from local shops. Zero difference.

Have an issue with that right there. No moolah amigo.

[axxe55]

WalMart can sell for less because they buy in volume. they simply get a better break from buying in volume and can sell less than their competitors and still make a profit, even if at the point their profit margin is much less than everyone elses, they still make money.

another way WalMart makes money, or they use to, especially on higher priced items, is that they don't actually own that item, but use a sort of consignment type sale system. meaning they order "X" amount of an item for "X" amount of stores and stock it, then pay the vendor when they sell that item. if an item isn't moved fast enough in one location, then they will move them to another location that is selling that item faster. this is the reason that one store will carry something that their other stores don't.

[robertusa123]

they arent secends just dont have all the bells and whisels aka base models for exampial the savage md 64 at wallmart is the basic plastic stock unit where you will usialy only find the real wood stock units at a gun store nouthing wrond with the saftey or quality same for ammo their arent enouf secondes to fill one stores shelfs

[Fathead00]

Look at any business that you buy from. For instance, Tripp research when you buy 1911 magazines the more you buy the less each magazine cost. Businesses get the same deals on items bought in bulk. Bulk is the key here. Your LGS aren't buying 1,000s of AR15s to sell.

[axxe55]

Originally Posted by Fathead00

Look at any business that you buy from. For instance, Tripp research when you buy 1911 magazines the more you buy the less each magazine cost. Businesses get the same deals on items bought in bulk. Bulk is the key here. Your LGS aren't buying 1,000s of AR15s to sell.

just as many of the chain stores do. WalMart might buy 10,000 of something and send 10 of them to 2000 different stores, vs. the LGS who buys a couple of hundred of the same item in a year. of course WalMart will get a better discount for 10,000 units vs. an LGS buying 200.

[Old_Crow]

The guns at WalMart are the same guns you buy at the LGS. The LGS is more flexible than Walmart and that is the advantage they need to push. I bought a 28 gauge Mossberg double barrel for my niece. Walmart would only order a Siver series with a 20 and a 28 gauge barrel. The LGS was able to get a 28 gauge for just a few more dollars than Walmart charges for a 12 gauge.

A lot of LGS's are stocking the same guns as WalMart and that creates a perception that all their guns are over priced. Some LGS's have good prices but they are poor promoters or they are just flat out snobs. When I was searching for the silver series for my niece I had salesmen at the LGS just run me out of the shop with their attitude or by bashing the silver series. They are uninformed and tried to switch me to another brand because they thought they had to compete with WalMart.

[Mosin]

I can't say that this is the case here, but retail giants will actually take a loss or make no profit on a product if its deemed an item that will bring people back or into a store.
Sell an AR at no profit, while ARs are hot, well John Q Public buys some accessories, some ammunition, some movies and does his food shopping while he's at the store.
Best Buy does this on electronics, cellular companies do this on phones. (How else do you think you got a $700 phone for $99?)
I could see this being the case with firearms...

[axxe55]

Mosin, true to a point. another thing is they purchase at such a lower price, and even if they undercut everyone else they still make a small profit.

[303tom]

You get the same damn gun from Wal-Mart as you get from Bass Pro no if ands or buts..................

[trip286]

Where are the nay sayers? The last time this was brought up, it started a pretty nice flame war, with someone actually claiming to have done compositions and density tests on several models of Walmart guns, and declaring them inferior to the other guns.

Don't see them chiming in this time.