Profit margin on Cartridges

[stevekeat]

I can see what you are saying but stock is an asset and profit margin is set when you buy them. It doesn't matter if you have £20,000 of carts in stock if you have the niche (and gun shops are niche) and you are in the right area (retail rule no 1) then the profit at 10% is ok, if you are crud at marketing, customer relations (grumpy, moaning, rude, complaining in front of the customers) then you will fail to sell that asset.

Bad business models fail, not the product.

 

[jwpzx9r]

Here what you are saying re assets but you must remember if you fall onto a insolvency situation what good are your assets really? They are off at knock down prices to clear your feet. I think I have to be even handed and say that if the shop keeper said he made little or no real profit I would accept what he said on the basis that to keep people coming into his shop he may have to stock something that does not make too much profit to give him some chance of selling something that will more than cover the short fall. After all it is not all about assets and sales at the end of the day he must pay himself something... he will have other bills to pay.

I conclude by saying I am not and never have been in the business of indebting myself to try to make my way through life thank god ! I have been afforded the luxury of somebody else taking 100% of the financial torment while paying me handsomely... and what happens when they want to stop doing so ... they paid me handsomely one final time  . That does not happen when you are the risk taker... give them a break  

 

[ips]

Most business's have areas of there business that make good profit, and some that do not but he has to make available to the client in order to keep them buying the profitable one. Some products and or services are a necessary evil, cartridges are one of them. I suspect that the biggest chunk of profit from a thousand cartridges is made by the carrier that delivered them from factory to dealer/ground.

 

[Aris]

If you want 10k cartridges, speak to Just Cartridges and they will deliver tem to your doorstep free.

For some reason, RFD's seem to be living in an a previous age when it comes to retail. If I were an RFD, i'd arrange a group buy scheme on a monthly basis. Pre-pay for 1k of your cartridge of choice - cost+10% - bulk order, then customer collects. No risk, no cash sitting in stock.

 

[jwpzx9r]

It would be just a fantastic if just cartridges did international ! I would have to pay ~ €100 to have 3 thou delivered here in France. That is one of my main frustrations about cartridge choice here it is not good you only have what they stock at the shop I have not found the French equivalent of Just Cartridges

 

[no.1topdog]

It would be just a fantastic if just cartridges did international ! I would have to pay ~ €100 to have 3 thou delivered here in France. That is one of my main frustrations about cartridge choice here it is not good you only have what they stock at the shop I have not found the French equivalent of Just Cartridges

Surely it's Cartouches Juste mon ami?  :sarcastic:

 

[jwpzx9r]

I am not very good at French but I think it more likely " Uniquement Cartouches " or possible "seulement cartouches" ?

 

[Aris]

It would be just a fantastic if just cartridges did international ! I would have to pay ~ €100 to have 3 thou delivered here in France. That is one of my main frustrations about cartridge choice here it is not good you only have what they stock at the shop I have not found the French equivalent of Just Cartridges

It isn't much different here! My local RFD has very limited selection and never seems to have what I'm looking for.

---

Do you have #9 shot cartridges? Not today sir.

Fibre 7.5's? We're fresh out.

Ok, how about something with a low recoil? Not much call for those sir.

You do have cartridges? Yes sir, this is a gun shop!

What can you offer me? We have some 3" 42g 3's.

Ok, I'll ave those then. Oh, sorry, someone just bought our last box.

---

Honestly - better luck at a cheese shop!

 

[RobertBeard]

I'm sorry but I just can't agree with this. Cartridge sales are notoriously high volume/low margin but there is a margin and £20/£25 per thousand is not unreasonable for a retail sale from a gun shop. Buy them from a shooting ground in odd boxes and they start at £5 irrespective of brand and type. £7 is not uncommon. (to save you working it out thats £280 per thou') Not a bad margin on Top 1's or something similar, fantastic on something like Eley Firsts! 

Most businesses would be pleased with this for a volume item and game cartridges have not been mentioned yet which are much more expensive and will have  higher margin.  Its knowing your customers, what they want, having stock when they want to buy and only stocking what is popular in terms of sizes and brands etc.

You can't expect to be a gun shop unless you sell the shells or bullets to be shot along with the guns and all the other accessories, clothing etc on which margins are greater.  

As has been said reputation, service and advice will be welcomed and attract return and continuing business in the future.  The gun trade is lucky in that mail order and internet buying does not apply to guns and even cartridges are heavy to make it difficult.

 

[Macc Ladd]

Most business's have areas of there business that make good profit, and some that do not but he has to make available to the client in order to keep them buying the profitable one. Some products and or services are a necessary evil, cartridges are one of them. I suspect that the biggest chunk of profit from a thousand cartridges is made by the carrier that delivered them from factory to dealer/ground.

. My thinking Ian, they make very good profit on clothing etc

 

[Macc Ladd]

As you know or don't I live in west wales, and we have one of the best shops, with best choices going!! Haylett Grange in Haverfordwest owned and run by Andy Owen . There is not much he don't stock!! And if you let him know what you need he will bring them to a club shoot, so no extra costs!!

 

[Darkside]

If you want 10k cartridges, speak to Just Cartridges and they will deliver tem to your doorstep free.

For some reason, RFD's seem to be living in an a previous age when it comes to retail. If I were an RFD, i'd arrange a group buy scheme on a monthly basis. Pre-pay for 1k of your cartridge of choice - cost+10% - bulk order, then customer collects. No risk, no cash sitting in stock.

Just cartridges, aka Charlie Bullsh*te rip the fanny out of cartridge prices!!! If you were my RFD you'd not sell me any shells...

 

[Aris]

Just cartridges, aka Charlie Bullsh*te rip the fanny out of cartridge prices!!! If you were my RFD you'd not sell me any shells...

His prices (without delivery) and choice look pretty good compared to what I have local to me. Sadly I can't justify 10k cartridges to get free delivery.

 

[Darkside]

His prices are £10-£15 more than I can get them + delivery!!!

 

[Salopian]

This is, or could be a very interesting debate.

We are all skirting round the real issue , that is , what is the really true cost of a decent cartridge suitable for the weekend shoot?

Also considering how much Game shooting is done in Britain and knowing the Seasons of said Gameshooting  production lines could be geared up for a suitable production run, so expensive game cartridges due to relatively small demand , better components etc., doesn't really hold water.

As was mentioned in an earlier thread, how can Italian & Spanish manufacturers transport products across Europe and still retail them in UK shops cheaper than our National producers.

Also as our diplomatic correspondent from Glasgow correctly (rudely?) pointed out, Dick Turpin is alive and well and working in a Warehouse in Oxford.

Malmo Guns, West Country Guns, CCI, Ladds of Crediton,Tom Young, all import cartridges and sell them at competitive prices.

So forget about being ripped off and paying through the nose.

What is the real profit margins on cartridges? 

The last I heard, Charles Bull was NOT running a benevolent society, he is in business to make a handsome living.

 

[Darkside]

You are correct Salopian, Charles Bull runs a buisness and good luck to him, the 'Charlie Bullsh*te' quip is actually more in reference to the 'wonderfull' cartridge reviews he does in some magazine...

 

[bostonmick]

i have two local dealers for cartridges and both are among the cheapest i have seen on the web and in all the magazines.i get on very well with one of them and i know on the cheaper end he makes around 15.00 a thousand.depending on the time of year he has to order between 50 and 100 thousand at a time and of course pay for the same so i would not for one begrudge him this small mark up.when you look at the mark up for second hand guns it makes any profit on cartridges insignificant.he tells me that keeping carts low probably helps to sell about 100 guns a year from the extra customers that come in for shells.swings and roundabouts i guess.

 

[jwpzx9r]

Living in France and I cannot find a just cartridges type of supplier but I have found an online shop that does quite a good range of cartridges. For comparison here are the prices I would have to pay for Fiocchi Fblu Cost per 1000 €216 + €40 = £180.15 +£33 P&P.... just cartridges  £179.75 + £15 !! Cartridges are no cheaper over here but P&P!

 

[** Pending Removal **]

I am yet again amazed at the guff talked over and over and over....in all different ways about a subject where none of the contributors are involved in the industry and are just proudly polishing their balls in public with speculative pseudo intelegent bollox.

I am fed up with yawning.

Look I know I do not yet feel 100% and may be a bit scratchy.......but can we have some interesting threads.....because I am getting really bored.....!

 

[Aris]

i have two local dealers for cartridges and both are among the cheapest i have seen on the web and in all the magazines.i get on very well with one of them and i know on the cheaper end he makes around 15.00 a thousand.depending on the time of year he has to order between 50 and 100 thousand at a time and of course pay for the same so i would not for one begrudge him this small mark up.when you look at the mark up for second hand guns it makes any profit on cartridges insignificant.he tells me that keeping carts low probably helps to sell about 100 guns a year from the extra customers that come in for shells.swings and roundabouts i guess.

How that is a clever man.  Who hasn't walked into a gun shop for one thing and walked out with a few impulse buys? :derisive: