Another Gun Store Moron

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A couple years ago when I had my '71 Monte Carlo, I went in to AutoZone, looking for an alternator for my big block 402. CounterCritter put his hands on his hips, looked me straight in the eye, and told me Chevy never, ever, made a 402. Hehehe, smart dude didn't know the 396 in '71 was factory bored to 402 to reduce compression. :neener:

I had a CounterCritter at Dicks recently try to tell me how explosively powerful Glazer rounds were. Shattering concrete & other such fun. :what:


I think they were drinking the same water.

:evil:
 
Anytime you deal with any chain store you are going to have people who work there from different backgrounds and bias, for instance at my local Wal-Mart people can get many questions answered about guns and ammo from 10pm-7am five days a week because I work there then.

During the day, don't even think about asking the lady at the counter, she’s been there for many years but still doesn't know anything about firearms and refuses to learn. Daytime male associate is an anti; the only other person in the area that knows anything about guns is the dept manager.

If your local store has unknowledgeable employees then express this information to the management of the place and find somewhere else to get what you want right now, go back ever so often to see if they have fixed the problem, a good manager will make sure their people are trained in all aspects of their area (or at least have each aspect covered as much as possible)
 
My strategy?
Once I encounter the morons,
they are tagged.

I steadfastly refuse to engage with them.

I identify the intelligent employees,
and when entering the store,
am willing to wait to interact with them.
I refuse (tactfully but firmly)
to interact with the morons.

"May I help you?"

"No, thanks. I'm waiting to speak to X."

With time, natural selection will deal with the morons.
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This WORKS! I almost lost my job this way, back when I didn't know anything and customers refused to deal with me. And I'm not even on commision.
 
I've gotten great service from my local Sportsman's Warehouse. They've been knowledgable and friendly every time.

Everybody gets to be wrong. Even people trying to sell me stuff. I could be wrong, too, and I know it. It's the difference between "I asked for the model B" and "Oh, I thought the model B had a longer frobnitz. Do you have one with a longer frobnitz?"
 
Being 18 and knowing what I do, yes, I find it hard to talk to some gun store people. However, the only gun shop I frequent now is great. My brother in law and myself talk to the owners about firearms all the time, and the owner, seeing that I was into old military pieces, took me into the back to show me some of his private collection items.
 
*SIGH*

Service is not FREE. You really can't expect inline, knowledgable and curteous customer service from your run of the mill retail store ALL the time. REMEMBER these are people working for $7-$12 an hour. People with EXTENSIVE knowledge on such subjects tend to have jobs in the particular industry. Most of these folks are just highschool/college kids with summer jobs or retirees who need some extra cash. If you want GOOD customer service, you PAY for it by going to a high end store. That's why some people shop at Wal-mart and some people shop at DKNY. You're buying the same shirt manufactured coming out of Signapore, but you pay 10x the price at DKNY for the "ambiance" and your own store guide. You get what you paid for.

*Edit
Relating to the original post. I can't say about Sportsman's Warehouse, but I believe Academy's is the same thing. They don't train their gun counter employees, but just look for people who have some "knowledge" in the area. At Academy's I asked some questions about a shotgun and got the response "Good question, I don't know." (seriously) Then I go to Mcbride's and the guy at the counter picks up some dummy rounds and demonstrates the shotgun for me. The same gun costs 50% more at McBride's than at Academy's. (Not that McBride's is a super high end retail store, but they tend to have better service than Academy's.)
 
I realize now I should always be extra careful with guns I dont own but I still think his reaction was way overbearing.
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I'm surprised he was as polite as he was. If you had done that to my guns, I would have been a good deal more colorful.

You committed a grievous sin by putting his guns in a situation where they could be damaged. Doesn't matter that he didn't know a 3 inch from a 4 inch. They're still his guns.

Rookies need to learn etiquette about handling other's guns. There are some things you just don't do.
 
I'm 23, most gun store employees assume that I am just there to "play with the guns" and not buy anything. Some of them have been dowright rude...."I don't have time for someone who won't buy anything". Because of this I only go to one gun store. They know me and know that i buy my fair share and always treat me with respect. They have gained a customer for life. Smart move on their part.
 
I realize now I should always be extra careful with guns I dont own but I still think his reaction was way overbearing.

Do other young shooters run into this issue?

Is it wrong of me to still buy from this place since its close by even though they treated me like crap.
__________________
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Yes and yes.

I run into this issue, however I WILL go out of my way to prove them an idiot in front of everyone in the store. This is one of my biggest pet peeves. If you are in a service position give proper info. If you aren't capable of giving good info, then simply tell me you don't know.

I personally won't shop at stores with people like this or won't deal with that person. I have no problem going to management and telling them, this person is a waterhead, please have someone else take care of me.
 
If that guy said "son" to me in contempt as he did you,

"Excuse me, but you're not my father. Don't call me son!"

If any further smart remarks continue to spew out from his hole, I won't be asking for the manager. I'll be looking for another store
 
On the other hand, I was talking to my daughter who has a friend who just got a job at Bass Pro. Said friend's first day had a dude walk in, point the gun at him and ask if he had the correct bullets for it.

:eek:

Morale - many people are morons.
 
I'm 23, most gun store employees assume that I am just there to "play with the guns" and not buy anything. Some of them have been dowright rude...."I don't have time for someone who won't buy anything". Because of this I only go to one gun store. They know me and know that i buy my fair share and always treat me with respect. They have gained a customer for life. Smart move on their part.
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I had the same expirence with another local dealer, I ended up going to the gun shop at the local range, they don't get all my business but they good healthy share of it, with all the rest of my business going to internet sales for items they don't normally stock.
 
I've received crappy service all but once at the gun counter at the local Sportsman's. Part of it is look, I do look 5+ years younger than I am and I think they assume I'm there to play with the guns. I've been brushed off many times, and they've attempted to sell me more gun than I needed (thought I was a newb). There's a difference between upselling and taking advantage.

I don't buy guns there anymore.
 
There is a fellow who works at one of the local gun shops who's sort of like this. He doesn't know as much as he thinks he knows, or at least he doesn't know what I think, I know. :confused:

However he has such a good personality that it makes up for it. Fun guy to talk to when I took the time to. I tell him he's full of it. He tells me the same thing. We're both right. :D
 
Dealing with the public is difficult, no matter what industry one is in.

There is an old saying " One can spot someone that does not/ has not had to deal with the public".

Thoughts:

-I do not know / did not know everything about a industry I was raised in and and had 35 years of active activity in.

-I had folks as customers that knew more about this Industry than I or the total years of seasoned experienced employees.

-"I don't know"
Yes I have stood right there face to face or on the phone and said "I don't know, tell you what, I will find out and get back to you". Not once was I ever "too smart" , "too in charge", "trying to impress" or anything.

-I appreciate some sharing "I don't know, let me find out and get back to you".

-I understand having a bad day, and it is hard to deal with the public.

-I may of just buried a close friend, dog died, had possessions burn up in a fire, been up all night babysitting the business being broken into, dealing with cops, getting glass installed, dealing with insurance companies, just gotten out of the hospital and my first few days back being cleared to work...going through a divorce...etc.

-I try to not to judge.
That salesperson might have been up all night with a sick kid, parents rushed to hospital because of heart attack, car wreck.
I understand the LEO might not be in the best mood, because the last duty he did before seeing me was blood and guts from a young mom and child getting killed by a drunk driver.


Why did Bill hand me a box of 9mm when I asked for 45ACP?
He just returned to open his business after burying his wife of 33 years and his mind was thinking about how his wife stocked that shelf.

Why did Dr.____ask me what caliber her CCW gun was as we stood there at the gun counter to get ammunition?
She had worked 48 hrs straight, during a serious crisis in the OR. She was "hyper-tired" and I was taking her home.
She wanted to see daylight, wanted to go to a store and get ammunition, something to "do" and "feel normal", after all the injury, smell of burning flesh and dying she had been exposed to.

Gun fellow wanted to be a smart aleck. I normally let it roll, this time I reminded him of this crisis, everyone was talking about, and told him this lady doctor was exposed to this.
This young man, apologized, and it hit him "one never knows what another has just gone through/ is going through when dealing with the public".

There is a time and place to do business elsewhere. I have.
There is a time and place to do a self check, I have and continue to as well.
 
I don't have time for someone who won't buy anything"
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And I don't have time for someone not willing to let me get an idea what I want. When I want a car I don't just magically decide "Hmm that Dodge Charger is perfect for my needs and is gonna fit me like a glove" then go there and sign the paperwork without first taking a good look and a test drive. No, I ask a few questions, look it over closely along with the features, and take it for a test drive. Does that mean I will buy it? No it doesn't I might buy something else or I might buy nothing at all. To msot people several hundred is a big investment and represents some time saving and putting money aside and going without a little things here and a little things there so you can have that big thing later. Now if you are going to have that attitude that I am playing? Fine, I won't buy it. Least not from you, but in a few weeks after I find out what I want and how much it will cost save up and buy it from the other guy, I just might come in and buy a box of ammo for it to rub in your face.
 
Everyone is in a hurry going nowhere.
No common courtesy or respect for each other.
All about the "bottom line" and how fast , how many folks are serviced.

Cars, since they were brought up.
Dealers have always had floor plans and sales persons wanting to make commissions.
While not as many as there use to be, there are still a few places that will have a sales-person meet a customer at a home or business and even bring a vehicle for the potential buyers to test drive.
Buyer knows the salesperson is pressed for time on a lot, maybe shorthanded with vacations , or someone off sick.

Sales folks know folks buying have a life too. Maybe hurt from a car wreck, hence the reason needing a car, and it being darned painful and difficult to go to a lot.

Mom and I picked out a car many years ago on a Sunday , while out and about, blowing snow and the car lot owner we called, came 30+ miles to where mom lived, dropped the car off and said drive it a few days and mom did.
Owner did this, coming to town with his wife following him, for their Anniversary dinner with friends in mom's town.

Mom bought the car, dealer came to town and did the paper work in mom's kitchen. Then he left her a nice car to use as he insisted on cleaning up the one she was buying (weather with snow and all) and he was adamant about changing oil, and other maint stuff he had not gotten around to.

Mom bought a Olds [typical old lady gray we call it] and it was funny seeing my mom drive this one year old Caddy for a week this dealer left, until her care was brought back as the dealer insisted this car be when a customer took ownership - even a full tank of gas.

Gun Stores.

How many times have the Mom&Pop gun folks I know, stayed after hours, went to a home or business, even opened doors on a Sunday afternoon (back when stores were not open on Sunday) and let a family come in , handle guns, ask all sorts of questions and get a kid a new gun, one for dad, mom, maybe Grandpa, work on replacements for insurance claims....you name it.

Folks were "respectful" of another's time. If a sales person was busy, making a sale, "hey, I will check back later" and congratulate someone on a new gun.

It worked out - the next time, when that person was the one being waited on - others respected this and did not pressure buyer or sales person.

Maybe I am getting old or going through another "dimension" as my Mentors & Elders called them.

At a gunsmith's buddy's place, he hands me a rifle while he gets the customer's out of the safe.
I have no friggin' idea how this gun he handed me works, I just stood there with hands away from trigger and muzzle up.

"You just going to stand there? " He asked.
"Yep, I trust you this thing is not loaded, still I and you always check guns handed to us. I do not know what this is - much less how to check it" I replied.

We have know each other forever, he set down the customer's gun he had, and double checked the one I was holding, put it back in the safe.

He and I grew up in a time were it was often said :

If I ever get to where I think I know everything about something - take me out back and shoot me.

Meaning, one should always be learning, the only time one "arrives" is when they are born and when they die.
And we ain't too sure about the dying part...
 
I don't have time for someone who won't buy anything"
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Seems to be the attitude all over these days. I have to nearly beg to to sold!
Are you an order taker or a salesman? I'm sick of all the don't know don't care, I only work here attitudes. Do your job and do it well or find another.
 
I remember at the Sportsman's Warehouse that I was inquiring on the field stripping of bull barrel equipped 1911's after handling one because I honestly had no idea how to as I was only familiar with the traditional barrel-bushing type 1911's.

The guy at the counter proceeds to tell me something along the lines of "I don't know anything about 1911's, only tactical pistols", and points to the counter display of...1911's with rails. :banghead:

Another guy went on and on and on about Glocks and how he pistolwhipped his drunk brother at a party with it once. In places like that, its best to go in and out knowing what you want. Getting help is not really an option unless you find a knowledgable person, and those probably don't stick around for very long.

I have come across problems at dedicated gun stores as well, except rather than lack of knowledge, its proliferating their opinion as fact. I was inquiring about Walther P99C's once and one fellow told me they were junk and to purchase a Glock instead. I ended up purchasing neither from him.
 
I once had i guy tell me that 303 brit is an mauser action, you just got to smile to yourself and say, no more dificult questions for you:neener:
 
Nematocyst-870,

Not really...they just get promoted. It's amazing.

As for the good employees, many end up getting fired or not even hired in the first place. Besides being good, they must also be able to play store politics. Some can't or just won't.

-- John D.
 
sm said:
Cars, since they were brought up.
Mom and I picked out a car many years ago on a Sunday. . . lot owner we called, came 30+ miles to where mom lived, dropped the car off and said drive it a few days and mom did.
Click to expand...

Man, I feel pretty lucky where I live, too. I moved to where I am from Phoenix, where car dealers were terribly aggressive and many gun shop owners were rude and condescending. I love both gun shops in my town, and when we first moved here, we went to a local dealer to look at cars. The guy was fair and reasonable, and let us test drive the car over night. We never even took it back to the dealership, except to sign the paperwork.
 
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