[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Military Surplus (Page 1 of 2)
Posted: 11/20/2011 5:03:17 PM EDT
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I"m considering starting a little business selling military surplus. Things like, jackets, back packs, vests, pouches, sleeping bags, camel backs, etc. What do yall think about the surplus biz?
Is it a decent idea or am I wasting my time? EDIT: to add this wouldnt be a brick and mortor store. More along the lines of Gunshows and possibly internet. |
| There use to be many brick and mortar surplus stores when I was a kid in the 80s. Now you can hardly find them anymore. It use to be if you wanted say a sleeping bag or a canteen a Surplus Store was the only way to go. There are a lot more options now. The market seems saturated. What is your angle, what will you offer that will differentiate you from other surplus stores online and otherwise? |
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Keep the input coming. I guess i should note that I dont plan on having a store front, but plan on dealing at gun shows. Can you be more specific? 1. Will you be selling actual surplus? 2. How will you get it? My guess is DRMO sales. Yeah you can get a pallet of ALICE frames cheap but you still have to sell them to at least make your money back. 3. What is your angle. Why should I buy a used field jacket from you? Lots of folks selling them, online, brick and mortar and at gun shows too. |
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Keep the input coming. I guess i should note that I dont plan on having a store front, but plan on dealing at gun shows. Can you be more specific? 1. Will you be selling actual surplus? 2. How will you get it? My guess is DRMO sales. Yeah you can get a pallet of ALICE frames cheap but you still have to sell them to at least make your money back. 3. What is your angle. Why should I buy a used field jacket from you? Lots of folks selling them, online, brick and mortar and at gun shows too. 1.Yes i would be selling actual surplus. 2.Yes DRMO sales. 3. I feel that a field jacket or back pack priced reasonably would make a good comusive buy in person unlike via online. Thanks for the questions, these are the things im trying to get a perspective on. |
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I would think if there were something similar in the area or not.
There is a small but very good surplus store near me that I frequent. They carry lots of things campers like in addition to normal surplus goods (and a lot of times those are the same things), but I think they make a good bit with law enforcement and fire department sales around the area. I'm not sure exactly WHAT they sell to them, but I've overheard the clerks talking about it. |
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Great info! |
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The best way to make a small fortune in a business like that is to start with a large fortune. Get it? Seriously. I understand im not going to get rich doing this. But I do feel there is some money to be made? I would start selling on EE first, then go setup a table at some gun shows. The internet makes this too easy to start selling, but if you can't buy pallets of shit people want, its not worth your time. There's a reason there are so many surplus stores closed in the last decade. Ebay. IMO.. I would bet name tapes/ minor sewing would be a cool deal at shows, or even in ee. The machines are small/cheap enough to where you can manage, and everyone loves to see their name on their shit. |
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The best way to make a small fortune in a business like that is to start with a large fortune. Get it? Seriously. I understand im not going to get rich doing this. But I do feel there is some money to be made? I would start selling on EE first, then go setup a table at some gun shows. The internet makes this too easy to start selling, but if you can't buy pallets of shit people want, its not worth your time. There's a reason there are so many surplus stores closed in the last decade. Ebay. IMO.. I would bet name tapes/ minor sewing would be a cool deal at shows, or even in ee. The machines are small/cheap enough to where you can manage, and everyone loves to see their name on their shit. So maybe online and gunshows would be a better idea. |
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XD , I can personally say I am a surplus hound. I will just list some things I have noticed about surplus lately. 1. I DO NOT WANT CHINESE GOODS. I can find this anywhere. A Chinese field jacket wont look or feel right and wont have the last me 20 years quality . 2. I want to be able to find gear that is compatable. Not a Russian back pack and a few alice belts on the same shelf. 3. Foreign goods are Ok but not really on my priority IE German Flecktarn . 4. I like Field gear, Ammo Cans ,MG Belts , An US camo. and please remember prices are a big deal and being honest about where your gear comes from makes a big deal. If its a French mess kit , label it as one. |
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at least with shows or the internet, you pretty much have zero recurring overhead costs or obligations. If you run tight on cash one month, you won't have to pay electricity, rent, or heat the place.
You also have the benefit of everyone actively searching for what you are selling. I doubt many people are go ing to simply stroll in blindly and buy two large alice packs and some ammo cans on a whim at your storefront. |
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XD , I can personally say I am a surplus hound. I will just list some things I have noticed about surplus lately. 1. I DO NOT WANT CHINESE GOODS. I can find this anywhere. A Chinese field jacket wont look or feel right and wont have the last me 20 years quality . 2. I want to be able to find gear that is compatable. Not a Russian back pack and a few alice belts on the same shelf. 3. Foreign goods are Ok but not really on my priority IE German Flecktarn . 4. I like Field gear, Ammo Cans ,MG Belts , An US camo. and please remember prices are a big deal and being honest about where your gear comes from makes a big deal. If its a French mess kit , label it as one. Sir, me and you are on the same page there. I just think somone selling quality gear that actually knows what the product is, at a good price would make some money. |
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Where to start....
First, if you are just buying from GL, you will have a hard time stocking a lot of stuff. Things that are in demand sell for crazy money sometimes. GL is not a reliable supplier, they are in the game to move stuff quick. So you may buy 300 rucksacks at a steal but find they are missing the kidney pads. And GL won't have any kidney pads available for the next 87 months. You better either have a warehouse full of stuff to have some, or know people who do and be on good enough terms to buy from them or you have 300 useless rucksacks. GL lies and misrepresents on descriptions. If you are bidding serious cash to be in the game, you had better either inspect the lot in person, have someone you trust do it, or bid knowing that you may lose ita ll because what you get is garbage. This costs money- instead of one trip to buy goods, it takes 2- one to inspect, then one to pick up if you win the bids. 2x the costs. Or if you don't inspect, in money paid to buy and pickup lots of junk. Read GL terms carefully. You are paying the bid plus 10% plus sales tax on the bid and the 10% premium. It adds up. If you are high bidder on what seems like a steal on a lot at GL, there is a reason. The guys who have been doing this a long time are ignoring that lot- that should be a clue. Way too many new guys buy every cheap lot, then learn they were cheap because they are all crap nobody can sell. 99% of small buyers I see start buying from GL get in over their head and full of stuff that they can't sell and end up quitting. I buy lots of stuff dirt cheap when they get out of the business. My advice to all new buyers is network, locate some existing dealers, and buy from them to get started. Once you have a clue what sells,w hat doesn't, and how the business works buy from GL. I sold surplus at gun shows for 5 years. You couldn't pay me enough to do it again. Way too many gun show buyers are bitchy, cheap, and now it all types who will waste hours of your time. You are always limited on what you can take to a show, and no matter what you take they will want what you forgot or don't have. What you may see as brisk sales of stuff in most cases isn't- you are paying $75 a table, plus fuel, lodging, and food. Your overhead for 15 hours of selling is high. |
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at least with shows our the internet, you pretty much have zero recurring overhead costs or obligations. If you run tight on cash one month, you won't have to pay electricity, rent, or heat the place. You also have the benefit of everyone actively searching for what you are selling. I doubt many people are go ing to simply stroll in blindly and buy two large alice packs and some ammo cans on a whim at your storefront. I agree, this is why I dont intend to do a store front. |
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I"m considering starting a little business selling military surplus. Things like, jackets, back packs, vests, pouches, sleeping bags, camel backs, etc. What do yall think about the surplus biz? Is it a decent idea or am I wasting my time? Where at? I think you could make a pretty good living selling the right things. |
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Where to start.... First, if you are just buying from GL, you will have a hard time stocking a lot of stuff. Things that are in demand sell for crazy money sometimes. GL is not a reliable supplier, they are in the game to move stuff quick. So you may buy 300 rucksacks at a steal but find they are missing the kidney pads. And GL won't have any kidney pads available for the next 87 months. You better either have a warehouse full of stuff to have some, or know people who do and be on good enough terms to buy from them or you have 300 useless rucksacks. GL lies and misrepresents on descriptions. If you are bidding serious cash to be in the game, you had better either inspect the lot in person, have someone you trust do it, or bid knowing that you may lose ita ll because what you get is garbage. This costs money- instead of one trip to buy goods, it takes 2- one to inspect, then one to pick up if you win the bids. 2x the costs. Or if you don't inspect, in money paid to buy and pickup lots of junk. Read GL terms carefully. You are paying the bid plus 10% plus sales tax on the bid and the 10% premium. It adds up. If you are high bidder on what seems like a steal on a lot at GL, there is a reason. The guys who have been doing this a long time are ignoring that lot- that should be a clue. Way too many new guys buy every cheap lot, then learn they were cheap because they are all crap nobody can sell. 99% of small buyers I see start buying from GL get in over their head and full of stuff that they can't sell and end up quitting. I buy lots of stuff dirt cheap when they get out of the business. My advice to all new buyers is network, locate some existing dealers, and buy from them to get started. Once you have a clue what sells,w hat doesn't, and how the business works buy from GL. I sold surplus at gun shows for 5 years. You couldn't pay me enough to do it again. Way too many gun show buyers are bitchy, cheap, and now it all types who will waste hours of your time. You are always limited on what you can take to a show, and no matter what you take they will want what you forgot or don't have. What you may see as brisk sales of stuff in most cases isn't- you are paying $75 a table, plus fuel, lodging, and food. Your overhead for 15 hours of selling is high. Great Info, thank you. |
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at least with shows our the internet, you pretty much have zero recurring overhead costs or obligations. If you run tight on cash one month, you won't have to pay electricity, rent, or heat the place. You also have the benefit of everyone actively searching for what you are selling. I doubt many people are go ing to simply stroll in blindly and buy two large alice packs and some ammo cans on a whim at your storefront. I agree, this is why I dont intend to do a store front. You can run a store front cheaper than you can work 3 gun shows in a month. You need to sit down and do some serious number crunching and work out a viable business plan before anything else. |
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I"m considering starting a little business selling military surplus. Things like, jackets, back packs, vests, pouches, sleeping bags, camel backs, etc. What do yall think about the surplus biz? Is it a decent idea or am I wasting my time? Where at? I think you could make a pretty good living selling the right things. Im in the panhandle, but considering doing Texas and Oklahoma shows. I go to these all the time and never see this type of stuff and i feel it would sell. |
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at least with shows our the internet, you pretty much have zero recurring overhead costs or obligations. If you run tight on cash one month, you won't have to pay electricity, rent, or heat the place. You also have the benefit of everyone actively searching for what you are selling. I doubt many people are go ing to simply stroll in blindly and buy two large alice packs and some ammo cans on a whim at your storefront. I agree, this is why I dont intend to do a store front. You can run a store front cheaper than you can work 3 gun shows in a month. You need to sit down and do some serious number crunching and work out a viable business plan before anything else. I agree with you 100%, on that. That is what I'm intending to do. |
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I"m considering starting a little business selling military surplus. Things like, jackets, back packs, vests, pouches, sleeping bags, camel backs, etc. What do yall think about the surplus biz? Is it a decent idea or am I wasting my time? Where at? I think you could make a pretty good living selling the right things. Im in the panhandle, but considering doing Texas and Oklahoma shows. I go to these all the time and never see this type of stuff and i feel it would sell. Always ask yourself- if nobody else is doing it, why? Here is an example of your overhead on gun shows- 4 tables (the minimum to have any worthwhile amount of surplus) $300. Keep in mind a $40 alice pack takes up the same space as $1500 worth of pistols, so you need a lot more tables to make money compared to gun dealers. Fuel $60 Lodging $120 Food x 3 days $80 $560 in the hole, before your first sale. If you average 30% markup, you need to sell just over $1800 in merchandise to hit your break even point. So if you hit $2500 for the weekend, you end up clearing $210 before taxes. For that $210 you spent Friday loading, driving, then unloading and setting up, dealt with some good folks and a lot of idiots all day Saturday and Sunday, then after 5 Sunday packed up,, loaded up, and drove home getting in late. |
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I"m considering starting a little business selling military surplus. Things like, jackets, back packs, vests, pouches, sleeping bags, camel backs, etc. What do yall think about the surplus biz? Is it a decent idea or am I wasting my time? Where at? I think you could make a pretty good living selling the right things. Im in the panhandle, but considering doing Texas and Oklahoma shows. I go to these all the time and never see this type of stuff and i feel it would sell. Always ask yourself- if nobody else is doing it, why? Here is an example of your overhead on gun shows- 4 tables (the minimum to have any worthwhile amount of surplus) $300. Keep in mind a $40 alice pack takes up the same space as $1500 worth of pistols, so you need a lot more tables to make money compared to gun dealers. Fuel $60 Lodging $120 Food x 3 days $80 $560 in the hole, before your first sale. If you average 30% markup, you need to sell just over $1800 in merchandise to hit your break even point. So if you hit $2500 for the weekend, you end up clearing $210. For that $210 you spent Friday loading, driving, then unloading and setting up, dealt with some good folks and a lot of idiots all day Saturday and Sunday, then after 5 Sunday packed up,, loaded up, and drove home getting in late. Listen to this guy. There are rumors going around that he knows what he is talking about, but then again WTF would he know after 20 years in the business? 
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Doesn't everything sold get reported to the FEDS now?
I doubt many people are buying it. http://conservativeamericanvet.wordpress.com/2011/08/11/fbi-telling-military-surplus-stores-to-report-law-abiding-citizens-purchasing-equipment-andor-supplies/ Quoted:
I"m considering starting a little business selling military surplus. Things like, jackets, back packs, vests, pouches, sleeping bags, camel backs, etc. What do yall think about the surplus biz? Is it a decent idea or am I wasting my time? EDIT: to add this wouldnt be a brick and mortor store. More along the lines of Gunshows and possibly internet. |
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Doesn't everything sold get reported to the FEDS now? I doubt many people are buying it. http://conservativeamericanvet.wordpress.com/2011/08/11/fbi-telling-military-surplus-stores-to-report-law-abiding-citizens-purchasing-equipment-andor-supplies/ Quoted:
I"m considering starting a little business selling military surplus. Things like, jackets, back packs, vests, pouches, sleeping bags, camel backs, etc. What do yall think about the surplus biz? Is it a decent idea or am I wasting my time? EDIT: to add this wouldnt be a brick and mortor store. More along the lines of Gunshows and possibly internet. I bet most people have no clue about that. |
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Doesn't everything sold get reported to the FEDS now? I doubt many people are buying it. http://conservativeamericanvet.wordpress.com/2011/08/11/fbi-telling-military-surplus-stores-to-report-law-abiding-citizens-purchasing-equipment-andor-supplies/ Nothing gets reported to the feds. We laughed about that waste taxpayers money for a few weeks, then chucked it in the garbage. |
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Doesn't everything sold get reported to the FEDS now? I doubt many people are buying it. http://conservativeamericanvet.wordpress.com/2011/08/11/fbi-telling-military-surplus-stores-to-report-law-abiding-citizens-purchasing-equipment-andor-supplies/ Nothing gets reported to the feds. We laughed about that waste taxpayers money for a few weeks, then chucked it in the garbage. Thank God the FBI doesn't know that I own a deadly ammunition can |
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Doesn't everything sold get reported to the FEDS now? I doubt many people are buying it. http://conservativeamericanvet.wordpress.com/2011/08/11/fbi-telling-military-surplus-stores-to-report-law-abiding-citizens-purchasing-equipment-andor-supplies/ Nothing gets reported to the feds. We laughed about that waste taxpayers money for a few weeks, then chucked it in the garbage. Thank God the FBI doesn't know that I own a deadly ammunition can Or a dreaded "night flashlight" whatever the fuck that is. |
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at least with shows or the internet, you pretty much have zero recurring overhead costs or obligations. If you run tight on cash one month, you won't have to pay electricity, rent, or heat the place. You also have the benefit of everyone actively searching for what you are selling. I doubt many people are go ing to simply stroll in blindly and buy two large alice packs and some ammo cans on a whim at your storefront. Actually... 
J&W's Surplus isn't too far away from me. When I have business up their way, I always stop in and buy something. Whether it be ammo cans, para cord, handful of P38s, entrenching tool, etc. Barely used GI surplus make for great emergency bag additions. |
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I've seen more mil surplus stores go out of business than I can count. One place stopped the surplus side and now strictly recycles aluminum cans. I can only assume that it's because it's more profitable.
The internet has you beat. I wouldn't go down this road if I were you. |
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I've seen KILLER surplus stores go out of business. By killer I mean a full blown toy store of pure win selling everything from boot laces to vehicles and a freaken huey. Why? because they had some of everything but not enough of anything. Plus I could order stuff online shipped to me cheaper. Just like jokers at gun shows who are there with a metric ton of .50 cal ammo cans and are selling them for almost double what big name online retailers get for them shipped to my door. Are you going to be able to buy ammo cans by the tractor trailer load to compete with places that can?
Im not in the surplus business I'm in the trapping business. There are several local retailers who sell traps in my area but I mail order 90% of my equiptment and get it cheaper and have it in 48 hrs. I'm not a cheap person but I still shop for price, service and speed. |
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There are 2 3 4 surplus places next to post and 2 are across from each other. They carry the usual stuff from DRMO as well as stuff the Soldiers bring in to sell, be it excess, stolen, need money for a video game. From what I have seen, they make money by selling stuff that people need to turn into CIF to clear.
There is another one down the road, hours vary depending on when the guy decides to come in. All 3 look the same, piles of crap everywhere, Mamasan's is probably the worse fire trap. The 4th is a new venture trying to make it like a regular retail place. |
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Doesn't everything sold get reported to the FEDS now? I doubt many people are buying it. http://conservativeamericanvet.wordpress.com/2011/08/11/fbi-telling-military-surplus-stores-to-report-law-abiding-citizens-purchasing-equipment-andor-supplies/ Nothing gets reported to the feds. We laughed about that waste taxpayers money for a few weeks, then chucked it in the garbage. Thank God the FBI doesn't know that I own a deadly ammunition can Or a dreaded "night flashlight" whatever the fuck that is. A much more dangerous version of a day flashlight. You have to be a highly trained tier 1 operator to use it. |
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Fuck the foxhole and the korean shop across from them...There are 2 3 4 surplus places next to post and 2 are across from each other. They carry the usual stuff from DRMO as well as stuff the Soldiers bring in to sell, be it excess, stolen, need money for a video game. From what I have seen, they make money by selling stuff that people need to turn into CIF to clear. There is another one down the road, hours vary depending on when the guy decides to come in. All 3 look the same, piles of crap everywhere, Mamasan's is probably the worse fire trap. The 4th is a new venture trying to make it like a regular retail place. 
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I considered this for about a half a second. The Grouch speaks the truth. I have traveled through much of the USA and I have an Army Navy Store fetish and have to stop and look. You can see where some of the owners got fucked on what they bought and only stock men's 5 EEEE super shiny dress shoes and XSmall XXShort woodlands. Others are ran great and seem to fill in the holes and avoid the pitfalls. The best I have been to were outside of Ft. Hood and Ft. Campbell for good reason. These were like a .mil Goodwill but stocked. Every size imaginable and lots of stock. DP |
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Quoted: Off-topic, but with the Iraq War winding down.........will we see a glut of surplus stuff coming in? I doubt it. If it was any good, it is being left to the Iraqis or sitting in Kuwait. If it was really, really good stuff it made it's way to Afghanistan or back to the states or is sitting in Kuwait. |