You’ve heard us mention before that one big perk of having an FFL is being able to turn your gun hobby into a side hustle. Although the go-to image may be of a “big box” gun store, that is certainly not the case for the large majority of FFLs in the United States. You’re probably planning on using your home as your place of business, and that’s perfectly fine. The ATF doesn’t expect you to run out and open up a gun store on Main Street right away – if ever. Therefore, we’re going to give you some great options on how to utilize your FFL as an extra income generator. Learn about different types of firearms sales.
Types of firearms sales
The most obvious method of making money with your FFL would be to go the retail sales route. Gun shows are the easiest way to accomplish those kinds of sales if you’re not operating out of a brick-and-mortar storefront. You can contact whoever is in charge of your local gun show, rent a table or two, and set up a display. If you don’t have much inventory on hand to display, consider taking a few items and focus on taking orders for firearms.
Another option for retail sales is taking orders over the phone or via email. Many FFL123 members are already working either full or part-time jobs in conjunction with forming a side hustle with their FFL business. Taking orders by an automated message system is a great way to keep in contact with customers without disrupting any other workflow throughout the day.
In conjunction with retail sales, internet sales are another viable possibility for extra income. Selling guns online has become incredibly popular in recent years, and some companies do such a brisk business this way that they don’t offer much at all in the way of a physical store inventory.
The internet is an easy way to get the word out there that you have something for sale, and since it’s called the world wide web, that means you can find buyers all over the country who might be looking for what you’re selling. To do this, you’ll need to work a little bit with your customer to find another FFL in the customer’s area to whom you can ship the firearm. That FFL dealer will then complete the transfer of the firearm to the customer. There are many companies that make easy-to-use website formats, so creating your own website certainly doesn’t have to be difficult, even if you don’t have much experience with computers.
As was mentioned above, internet sales need FFL dealers on both ends of the transaction. So you can also be on the receiving end of internet sales. Because internet sales are so popular, some FFL holders have turned internet transfers alone into a successful income stream. They don’t offer anything for sale – just transfers! You can offer your services as an FFL dealer and perform the background check for those in your area who have made a purchase of a firearm online. In the firearms industry, it’s typical for an FFL to charge around $30.00 for the service, but it’s best to check around your area and see what’s most common. Doing transfers is probably the easiest way to make a side incoming using your FFL.
You are certainly not locked into getting a retail store location to be able to make a side business out of your FFL. For more information on sales or on how to get your own FFL, join FFL123 today!
See benefits of getting an FFL License