I been there and done that. Well gun related business.
One thing you have to have is a permit to sell blackpowder from the BATF.
I sold Tactical gear wordwide. I outfitted everything from SWAT Teams to Special Forces units including Foreign Armies. I also did local trade/Gun Shows and usaully marked things down 20% to my good customers and kept them returning.
I would add a few things for the gun shows like rifle parts kits being imported and sell those off making a few bucks. I even setup gun purchases with local gun shops for troops needing pistols. I would call get a pistol and mags for a guy and have it waiting at the gun shop for them to do the paper work.
After doing this for years even with repeat customers doing face to face buys. I would still get people trying to get me to cut my price even more. I couldnt do it and pay rent for my office/shipping space.
The business got to be so cut throat with more and more people opening up wanting to try something similar. I ended up having most of my income from purchase orders. I shipped gear to the troops everywhere and did special orders for them making sure things were to them in a far away land on time. Once the war was going good the powers that be decided why do our troops and units go off and replace their gear why dont we buy it in the first place?
Well I got bypassed more and more straight to the manufacturer even though I could save the gov. 20% for shuffling some papers and have it drop shipped to them.
Once my Gear started hitting ebay from returning troops below my cost since they were issued the gear at no cost to them I was done.
On the bright side I was invited by lots of Police and military types to shoot and eyeball lots of toys. I did this ten years. Toward the end I was paying the shipping on most items to Iraq and Afghanistan out of my own pocket because I cared about my customers and what they were doing.
I finally had to shut it all down and take care of me and my family.
I would do it all again! :yakyak:
Just do your research dont do special orders unless your making a killing. Those special orders can turn on you and put you under.
I have ten years plus of nightmare shipping stories.
If your planning on buying and reselling from a major supplier expect to be holding the bag once in a while for something you cant return.
Like someone ordering ten of one item then when it come stime to ship or pickup they want one.
Nevermind you could have had the other nine out for sale all day. :yakyak: :yakyak:
