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Posted: 3/9/2020 8:43:20 PM EDT
[#1]
I don't Think Hick's will sell to Home based.
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Posted: 3/9/2020 9:15:25 PM EDT
[#2]
Quoted:
....Business plan is to dropship everything and have zero inventory.... Thats a great business plan. I wonder why no one else has ever thought of that. 
Seriously, 1. Do you have a real business plan? 2. What is your estimated sales per year? 3. How much cash you got on hand? I'm asking because, 1. Dropshipping by a distributor is for their biggest clients....that you are not. 2. There are 87 hundred guys trying to do the same thing. What makes your business plan different? 3. You are going to have to invest some serious coin to get in a decent pricing tier and get dropshipping.....you got that? 4. How much research on the firearms industry have you done? This aint exactly the best business climate for a new guy. |
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Posted: 3/9/2020 9:56:15 PM EDT
[#3]
Hicks will sell to home-based. They also dropship
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Posted: 3/9/2020 10:00:55 PM EDT
[#4]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Thats a great business plan. I wonder why no one else has ever thought of that.
Seriously, 1. Do you have a real business plan? 2. What is your estimated sales per year? 3. How much cash you got on hand? I'm asking because, 1. Dropshipping by a distributor is for their biggest clients....that you are not. 2. There are 87 hundred guys trying to do the same thing. What makes your business plan different? 3. You are going to have to invest some serious coin to get in a decent pricing tier and get dropshipping.....you got that? 4. How much research on the firearms industry have you done? This aint exactly the best business climate for a new guy. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
....Business plan is to dropship everything and have zero inventory.... Thats a great business plan. I wonder why no one else has ever thought of that.
Seriously, 1. Do you have a real business plan? 2. What is your estimated sales per year? 3. How much cash you got on hand? I'm asking because, 1. Dropshipping by a distributor is for their biggest clients....that you are not. 2. There are 87 hundred guys trying to do the same thing. What makes your business plan different? 3. You are going to have to invest some serious coin to get in a decent pricing tier and get dropshipping.....you got that? 4. How much research on the firearms industry have you done? This aint exactly the best business climate for a new guy. Not sure if you understand dropshipping but you dont need any cash on hand to put towards the purchase of product. |
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Posted: 3/9/2020 11:12:00 PM EDT
[#5]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Hicks will sell to home-based. They also dropship To become a dealer with Bill Hicks & Co., Ltd you must meet the following requirements: 1. All dealers must have a storefront and submit photos showing your store interior, exterior and signage. http://www.billhicksco.com/storefrontCommerce/redirect.do?page=zdealer |
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Posted: 3/9/2020 11:21:16 PM EDT
[#6]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I see you have thoroughly research this. Good luck. To become a dealer with Bill Hicks & Co., Ltd you must meet the following requirements: 1. All dealers must have a storefront and submit photos showing your store interior, exterior and signage. http://www.billhicksco.com/storefrontCommerce/redirect.do?page=zdealer |
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Posted: 3/9/2020 11:35:37 PM EDT
[#7]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I called them. They said otherwise. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted: I see you have thoroughly research this. Good luck. To become a dealer with Bill Hicks & Co., Ltd you must meet the following requirements: 1. All dealers must have a storefront and submit photos showing your store interior, exterior and signage. http://www.billhicksco.com/storefrontCommerce/redirect.do?page=zdealer |
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Posted: 3/10/2020 12:10:20 AM EDT
[#8]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Hicks won't sell to me, I have been trying for a while now and they say, nope.. |
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Posted: 3/10/2020 11:51:11 AM EDT
[#9]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Simple business plan. Quote HistoryQuoted: Simple business plan.  Dropship. No clue what my sales will be, frankly dont really care just as long as i make a dollar im happy. This is a hobby not a career. Not sure if you understand dropshipping but you dont need any cash on hand to put towards the purchase of product. |
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Posted: 3/10/2020 2:21:23 PM EDT
[#10]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
No, you have no business plan.....you are winging it. Hobby? Better not mention that to the IOI. ATF makes it damn clear that an FFL is for engaging in the business of dealing in firearms. Side gig, fine. Part time, fine. Career, not required. Hobby, big fat NOPE. And you might want to research why calling it a "hobby" can cost you $$$. Um, yeah. I've been in business almost twelve years and have used dropshipping myself. I've also seen dozens of wannabe FFL's lose money because they didn't understand the business. So far you are making the same mistakes they did. |
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Posted: 3/10/2020 9:18:01 PM EDT
[#11]
Why are you going through the process of getting an FFL if everything is going to be drop shipped?
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Posted: 3/10/2020 10:38:26 PM EDT
[#12]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Why are you going through the process of getting an FFL if everything is going to be drop shipped? |
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Posted: 3/10/2020 10:59:00 PM EDT
[#13]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Even if you drop ship every firearm you sell Federal Laws change and nobody told me? |
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Posted: 3/11/2020 11:59:52 AM EDT
[#14]
Just fyi but the reason why transfer fees are skyrocketing and small shops folding is because of drop shipping home guys who's happy to make a couple bucks in selling dozens of firearms. It's a race to the bottom of the barrel and many drop ship guys are already selling under cost in hopes they make a few bucks when they hit stocking quotas (buy 9 x $1,000 guns and get one $1,000 gun free, so they market them at 925 each (under dealer cost) to walk home a profit of 250 bucks after selling 10 firearms at a loss).
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Posted: 3/11/2020 12:18:11 PM EDT
[#15]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Just fyi but the reason why transfer fees are skyrocketing and small shops folding is because of drop shipping home guys who's happy to make a couple bucks in selling dozens of firearms. It's a race to the bottom of the barrel and many drop ship guys are already selling under cost in hopes they make a few bucks when they hit stocking quotas (buy 9 x $1,000 guns and get one $1,000 gun free, so they market them at 925 each (under dealer cost) to walk home a profit of 250 bucks after selling 10 firearms at a loss).
Apparently you haven't paid attention to the big shops, like Bud's and Palmetto that have been doing the same thing for over a decade. Any small shop put out of business by a home based dealer probably wasn't much to begin with. |
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Posted: 3/11/2020 6:36:01 PM EDT
[#16]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Huh? Federal Laws change and nobody told me? https://www.atf.gov/firearms/docs/ruling/atf-proc-75-3-recordkeeping-drop-shipments Oh and 75 = 1975. Back then sales were mail/catalog order and not online. ATF wasn't gonna let anyone sling guns as a business w/o a license even if the middleman never took physical possession. The more you know... |
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Posted: 3/11/2020 7:35:38 PM EDT
[#17]
Quoted:
I give you ATF Procedure 75-3: https://www.atf.gov/firearms/docs/ruling/atf-proc-75-3-recordkeeping-drop-shipments Oh and 75 = 1975. Back then sales were mail/catalog order and not online. ATF wasn't gonna let anyone sling guns as a business w/o a license even if the middleman never took physical possession. The more you know... This ATF Procedure sets forth the recordkeeping procedures for "drop shipments" of firearms ( other than National Firearms Act firearms as defined in section 5845(a) of Chapter 53, Title 26, U.S.C.) and ammunition between federally licensed firearms dealers, importers, and manufacturers. OP said he was going to be a home based dealer, thus implying (to me) he would be selling firearms to non-FFLs, you know like most dealers do. My bad if he is only selling to other FFLs. I thought he was going to drop-ship to non-FFLs. So to sum up, he is going to buy from Bill Hicks, sell only to other FFLs via drop-ship, all while doing this faster and cheaper than if the other FFLs just bought it from Bill Hicks themselves. This plan is so brilliant I hope it is submitted to the Harvard Business Review. |
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Posted: 3/14/2020 2:46:47 AM EDT
[#18]
Im not buying anything.
Customer buys the firearm from my website. That firearm is then sourced from distributors and shipped to the customers local FFL for pickup. Im basically taking the customers money, giving it to XYZ distributor and saying ship ABC gun to his local FFL. Not sure how yall think thats such a horrible idea. Yes there are others doing the same thing, some successful and some not. My goal is to run this as efficiently as I can and make some profit. Its not difficult to sell something, its difficult to market and sell something to a specific audience for a profit that is worth it. |
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Posted: 3/14/2020 9:12:36 AM EDT
[#19]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Im not buying anything. Customer buys the firearm from my website. That firearm is then sourced from distributors and shipped to the customers local FFL for pickup. Im basically taking the customers money, giving it to XYZ distributor and saying ship ABC gun to his local FFL. We all understand how drop-shipping works. There are multiple services that have been set up for years to let FFL's integrate it into a web site, such as GearFire and AmmoReady. The services will hook up with the distributors inventory control systems. |
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Posted: 3/14/2020 10:52:49 AM EDT
[#20]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Im not buying anything. Customer buys the firearm from my website. That firearm is then sourced from distributors and shipped to the customers local FFL for pickup. Im basically taking the customers money, giving it to XYZ distributor and saying ship ABC gun to his local FFL. Not sure how yall think thats such a horrible idea. Yes there are others doing the same thing, some successful and some not. My goal is to run this as efficiently as I can and make some profit. Its not difficult to sell something, its difficult to market and sell something to a specific audience for a profit that is worth it. What you will very quickly realize is that you will not be able to compete with the online mega, drop ship stores; they will sell cheaper than your cost. |
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Posted: 3/14/2020 11:47:32 AM EDT
[#21]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Im not buying anything. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Im not buying anything. Quoted:
Customer buys the firearm from my website. That firearm is then sourced from distributors and shipped to the customers local FFL for pickup. Im basically taking the customers money, giving it to XYZ distributor and saying ship ABC gun to his local FFL. Quoted:
Not sure how yall think thats such a horrible idea. Yes there are others doing the same thing, some successful and some not. My goal is to run this as efficiently as I can and make some profit. Its not difficult to sell something, its difficult to market and sell something to a specific audience for a profit that is worth it. |
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Posted: 3/14/2020 12:23:32 PM EDT
[#22]
Oh it does work and there are guys who make it work but it's not a "set and forget" system. IIRC both services have had problems in the past where the stock levels at the various distributors show in-stock when they are sold out. At best you end up with a reputation as a slow/non-shipper. At worst you get a banic where everyone places an order at your site because items show in-stock at the distributor, and when the guns don't ship you either get hit with CC chargebacks or refund requests, and the CC company dings you both coming and going for the transaction fees, plus the chargeback fee if you don't refund. One school shooting under a Dem presidency can put you in the hole real quick.
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Posted: 3/14/2020 1:06:31 PM EDT
[#23]
Quoted:
Yep 100% winging it. 
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Posted: 3/14/2020 1:55:10 PM EDT
[#24]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Oh it does work and there are guys who make it work but it's not a "set and forget" system. IIRC both services have had problems in the past where the stock levels at the various distributors show in-stock when they are sold out. At best you end up with a reputation as a slow/non-shipper. At worst you get a banic where everyone places an order at your site because items show in-stock at the distributor, and when the guns don't ship you either get hit with CC chargebacks or refund requests, and the CC company dings you both coming and going for the transaction fees, plus the chargeback fee if you don't refund. One school shooting under a Dem presidency can put you in the hole real quick. Cant wait to see his website/pricing/allocation. |
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Posted: 3/21/2020 9:37:12 AM EDT
[#25]
Quoted: Currently awaiting ATF approval for a 01 FFL (homebased). Business plan is to dropship everything and have zero inventory. I know of Bill Hicks will allow this. Anyone know what other distributors work with home-based FFLs and dropship? I'm a new FFl as of February and the dropshipping deal will only work if you have a huge amount of cash to drop to get the pricing down. buds sells guns for less than I can order them for and as you'll find out the VAST majority of guys will cut you to the bone when they try to get you to order something. Used guns I am doing fine on. I got into this to bring in some extra cash and I am bringing it in, you just have to not waste time with tire kickers. good luck. |
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Posted: 3/22/2020 3:38:05 PM EDT
[#26]
Well, just a note based on chatter from elsewhere... drop-shipping ain't working thanks to the CV19 demand spike. You want a gun, you have to call the distributor and talk to a live person to see if they have it, and they want ACH payment RFN when you order.
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Posted: 3/23/2020 7:32:32 PM EDT
[#27]
what is a "huge amount of cash"?
and are the distributors asking for this in order to get the pricing down? What does the cash go towards? Inventory? Ive got no idea how it works yet obviously. |
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Posted: 3/23/2020 7:35:06 PM EDT
[#28]
It is what it is. I'll try to make a profit to supplement my income and if it fails it fails....no sweat off my back.
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Posted: 3/23/2020 8:59:36 PM EDT
[#29]
Quote HistoryQuoted: You want a gun, you have to call the distributor and talk to a live person to see if they have it, and they want ACH payment RFN when you order. I placed an order online for a couple of handguns yesterday. Just for S&G, I called today to make sure there were no issues. Was told everything fine, order was in process, but shipping was about a week behind. |
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Posted: 3/24/2020 8:00:47 AM EDT
[#30]
Quote HistoryQuoted: what is a "huge amount of cash"? and are the distributors asking for this in order to get the pricing down? What does the cash go towards? Inventory? Ive got no idea how it works yet obviously. The more items you buy, the cheaper they are. Free shipping, buy 5 get 1 free, dealer promos etc. If you buy 1 gun, you are gonna pay shipping on it. Buy 2 or 3 and they ship for free. |
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Posted: 4/4/2020 8:20:45 PM EDT
[#31]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Well, just a note based on chatter from elsewhere... drop-shipping ain't working thanks to the CV19 demand spike. You want a gun, you have to call the distributor and talk to a live person to see if they have it, and they want ACH payment RFN when you order. |
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Posted: 4/12/2020 10:20:26 PM EDT
[#32]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Im not buying anything. Then how are you selling something you don't have/own ? Pretty sure there's Laws against that... In order to do what you're insinuating, you'll need to "INVEST" or place a very large deposit with a distributor / manufacturer to secure "allocations" (stuff you can buy, once they get it) and get better pricing. Somewhere in the neighborhood of 6 to 7 figures, depending on the amount of allocations you want access to. Have you really talked to anyone about this ? Do you really think you're getting the responses you are because the rest of us are trying to start our own "drop-shipping FFL"... Or that we don't want to see you succeed ? Good luck ! |
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Posted: 4/20/2020 1:23:08 AM EDT
[#33]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Then how are you selling something you don't have/own ? Pretty sure there's Laws against that... In order to do what you're insinuating, you'll need to "INVEST" or place a very large deposit with a distributor / manufacturer to secure "allocations" (stuff you can buy, once they get it) and get better pricing. Somewhere in the neighborhood of 6 to 7 figures, depending on the amount of allocations you want access to. Have you really talked to anyone about this ? Do you really think you're getting the responses you are because the rest of us are trying to start our own "drop-shipping FFL"... Or that we don't want to see you succeed ? Good luck ! If you have any idea how dropshipping works you should know that you arent investing anything into product. Buy more at once from distributor, get a better deal or discounts? Sure. But you dont have to invest anything to work with them using a dropshipping model or something similar. Yeah its difficult, especially with covid gong on. Its not impossible, and it does not require you to have on hand inventory and it doesnt require you to make a large deposit or invest to get product. |
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Posted: 4/20/2020 1:43:17 AM EDT
[#34]
Quote HistoryQuoted: If you have any idea how dropshipping works you should know that you arent investing anything into product. Buy more at once from distributor, get a better deal or discounts? Sure. But you dont have to invest anything to work with them using a dropshipping model or something similar. Yeah its difficult, especially with covid gong on. Its not impossible, and it does not require you to have on hand inventory and it doesnt require you to make a large deposit or invest to get product. Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: Then how are you selling something you don't have/own ? Pretty sure there's Laws against that... In order to do what you're insinuating, you'll need to "INVEST" or place a very large deposit with a distributor / manufacturer to secure "allocations" (stuff you can buy, once they get it) and get better pricing. Somewhere in the neighborhood of 6 to 7 figures, depending on the amount of allocations you want access to. Have you really talked to anyone about this ? Do you really think you're getting the responses you are because the rest of us are trying to start our own "drop-shipping FFL"... Or that we don't want to see you succeed ? Good luck ! If you have any idea how dropshipping works you should know that you arent investing anything into product. Buy more at once from distributor, get a better deal or discounts? Sure. But you dont have to invest anything to work with them using a dropshipping model or something similar. Yeah its difficult, especially with covid gong on. Its not impossible, and it does not require you to have on hand inventory and it doesnt require you to make a large deposit or invest to get product. Well, when you realize your customer can buy that same gun for cheaper you'll understand. You're gonna have to pay shipping and your customer is gonna pay a transfer fee. So your margin likely just disappeared. I have customers coming to me who say can you sell me this gun at this price because so and so can, no I can't because I don't do the volume they do, they are offering to sell it to you for below what I can buy it for. |
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Posted: 4/20/2020 11:54:16 AM EDT
[#35]
Quote HistoryQuoted: If you have any idea how dropshipping works you should know that you arent investing anything into product. Buy more at once from distributor, get a better deal or discounts? Sure. But you dont have to invest anything to work with them using a dropshipping model or something similar. Yeah its difficult, especially with covid gong on. Its not impossible, and it does not require you to have on hand inventory and it doesnt require you to make a large deposit or invest to get product. Says the guy who has never been a gun dealer or held an FFL. You giving advice with zero experience, no FFL and no business plan is meme worthy. It's one thing to be a new FFL. But my gosh, don't be a dumbass. |
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Posted: 4/22/2020 5:29:11 PM EDT
[#36]
I work for one of the larger firearm distributors. We sell to anyone with an FFL. Drop shipping has become a huge deal in the firearm industry over the last few years. We provide our inventory feed to dealers and they can connect our feed to their website. There are several companies that will provide you the service of connecting inventory feeds to your website. Ammoready.com will not only connect you they will build your website and allow you to pull inventory feeds from I believe 5 different distributors. Gearfire is another one. MOst of my customers seem to really like Ammoready due to the ease of use.
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