Gun Shop Malpractice?

Status
Not open for further replies.
A couple of times, I see buyers who seem to be new into handgunning and ask the employee many questions. I can't help but like to help out especially when the employee runs out of answers. At times, I politely ask if I can make recommendations but many times, the employee who knows me just tells the buyer, "Ask him, he knows alot about guns." I actually get a very positive appreciative comment from the buyer. But I never like to second guess the guy behind the counter. It's not polite and sometimes insulting.
Click to expand...

This is acceptable if I know you- But there are only 3 or 4 I know well enough to not mind. I hope you're one of em :D
 
Try suggestions in all settings, not just a gun shop.

In the supermarket butt in on a customer and butcher and suggest a "better cut of meat"
Stop by a car dealership and recommend what you like to a customer and salesman.
Set down at a desk of a Investment Officer and preach the virtues of FDIC insurance.

My point is we may know better or we may think we know better but we are not in the position to do that. If you know engough to make suggestions over the clerk then maybe you should consider opening your own shop. Untill then let them go about their business
 
What tennjed said. Also, those of you that do it bc of your concern for human life, go to your local car dealerships and suggest to the buyers to take a defensive driving course or offer to do it yourself. Careless drivers kill many more people than careless gun owners.
 
That's not always true, as I had a investment counsler fired for selling annuities to 80+ year old widows in NY. He got a much larger commission. They convinced my mom and aunt 98 this week, to purchase an annuity, that locked their money up for 6 years with stiff penalties for early withdrawal. They were stealing to make it short.I notified the bank president and he agreed they should be taking distributions now not buying annuities.
So please don't tell me that "professionals" know better. I traded 12 hours day for 13 years. I now every vechicle, and product, out there for intrest bearing stocks bonds funds insurance etc, The woman at the bank told my mother "you should listen to your son on this, he knows a lot more that we do. They only sell their banks products for the most part. So you can'r make a ststement like that because it's false.
Plus they never told them that their money was no longer insured. My mom never puts anything in a non FDIC insured account, butthey get greedt and for 1 or 2 points can make a life changing mistake from information given by the so called professional.
My dad used to say, look at a mans shoes you can tell a lot about man, a nice suit covers up a lot of things.
 
The customer may not always be right, BUT he always writes your paycheck, by spending money on goods or services you have for sale.
 
If the customer ends up with a gun that is too big, too small, etc and does not meet his needs, whom will he blame for his mistake? Hint, it isn't the internet.
 
If the customer ends up with a gun that is too big, too small, etc and does not meet his needs, whom will he blame for his mistake? Hint, it isn't the internet.
Click to expand...

If he got what he asked for and he's honest, he'll blame himself.
 
I did this very thing ONCE.....woops....the customer liked my opinion and the gun store didn't have it in stock. The customer came into the store with every intention of buying a gun that was on the shelf I opened my big mouth and the customer left without spending a dime. Even though the shop owner actually agreed with my recommendation he promptly showed me the door and refused to sell me another gun for a very looong time. We have since mended the fences and he insist that I pay sticker price for guns until I make up the difference I cost him that day. To this day if i'm standing around shooting the breeze with him and ANYONE walks in the door he tells me well I gotta get to work and I'm SURE you got somewhere else you got to be...Point is keep your mouth shut...
 
Last edited:
gym said:
That's not always true, as I had a investment counsler fired for selling annuities to 80+ year old widows in NY. He got a much larger commission. They convinced my mom and aunt 98 this week, to purchase an annuity, that locked their money up for 6 years with stiff penalties for early withdrawal. They were stealing to make it short.I notified the bank president and he agreed they should be taking distributions now not buying annuities.
So please don't tell me that "professionals" know better. I traded 12 hours day for 13 years. I now every vechicle, and product, out there for intrest bearing stocks bonds funds insurance etc, The woman at the bank told my mother "you should listen to your son on this, he knows a lot more that we do. They only sell their banks products for the most part. So you can'r make a ststement like that because it's false.
Plus they never told them that their money was no longer insured. My mom never puts anything in a non FDIC insured account, butthey get greedt and for 1 or 2 points can make a life changing mistake from information given by the so called professional.
My dad used to say, look at a mans shoes you can tell a lot about man, a nice suit covers up a lot of things.
Click to expand...
i understand where you are coming from, but we are talking about 2 different things. You know the customer and their siruation and what you are describing warrents you to report it.

I am talking about a 3rd party woth no prior knowledge of the customer envolving themselves in the conversation
 
If the customer ends up with a gun that is too big, too small, etc and does not meet his needs, whom will he blame for his mistake? Hint, it isn't the internet.
Click to expand...
The customer said that he'd done some on-line research, and he thought a Ruger P-89 was just the thing he wanted. And that's what the gun shop owner sold him.
Click to expand...
I'm sorry...what was the question again??
 
That's not always true, as I had a investment counsler fired for selling annuities to 80+ year old widows in NY. He got a much larger commission. They convinced my mom and aunt 98 this week, to purchase an annuity, that locked their money up for 6 years with stiff penalties for early withdrawal. They were stealing to make it short.I notified the bank president and he agreed they should be taking distributions now not buying annuities.
So please don't tell me that "professionals" know better. I traded 12 hours day for 13 years. I now every vechicle, and product, out there for intrest bearing stocks bonds funds insurance etc, The woman at the bank told my mother "you should listen to your son on this, he knows a lot more that we do. They only sell their banks products for the most part. So you can'r make a ststement like that because it's false.
Plus they never told them that their money was no longer insured. My mom never puts anything in a non FDIC insured account, butthey get greedt and for 1 or 2 points can make a life changing mistake from information given by the so called professional.
My dad used to say, look at a mans shoes you can tell a lot about man, a nice suit covers up a lot of things.
Click to expand...

Too bad Dad didn't tell you what a man's written words say about him. My apologies if English is not your first language.
 
CountryUgly said:
I did this very thing ONCE.....woops....the customer liked my opinion and the gun store didn't have it in stock. The customer came into the store with every intention of buying a gun that was on the shelf I opened my big mouth and the customer left without spending a dime. Even though the shop owner actually agreed with my recommendation he promptly showed me the door and refused to sell me another gun for a very looong time. We have since mended the fences and he insist that I pay sticker price for guns until I make up the difference I cost him that day. To this day if i'm standing around shooting the breeze with him and ANYONE walks in the door he tells me well I gotta get to work and I'm SURE you got somewhere else you got to be...Point is keep your mouth shut...
Click to expand...
Sounds like the owner is a real bastard not worth knowing or spending money with.
 
fallout mike said:
Why, bc some know it all customer costs him a sale?
Click to expand...
So some know-it-all customer cost him one sale, but gave the non-customer a real positive experience and made him think the owner cared about what was best for him and not just the sale. I wish I got the impression from my LGS that they cared about anything but selling me something.

Then again, if somebody refused to do their job and take my money in exchange for their products, I wouldn't feel the need to push the issue. Too many fish in the sea to put that kind of effort into it.
 
So, all of our guns are the perfect fit for us? I think most of us have guns that we think are , just alright. Let me come to your place of business and cside you to lose money out of your check and see how happy you are with me.
 
jimmyraythomason said:
Non-customers don't pay the rent regardless of how positive their non-buying experience was.
Click to expand...
Happy non-customers often come back and become regular paying customers. Unhappy customers are usually one-time customers.

But that's just my opinion. Everybody has the right to screw up as much as they want, I've got the right to ignore it.
 
Jimmy, that doesn't matter. Its the gun shops job to educate every potential buyer of every gun on the market. That's like going to buy a new chevy 4x4 and the salesman telling you that based on your needs you would be better off going down to the Ford dealership
 
fallout mike said:
Jimmy, that doesn't matter. Its the gun shops job to educate every potential buyer of every gun on the market. That's like going to buy a new chevy 4x4 and the salesman telling you that based on your needs you would be better off going down to the Ford dealership
Click to expand...
Only difference here between a car dealership and a gun store is that the Chevy gun store also sells Fords, Dodges, VW's, Honda's, and Toyota's.



Regardless, it would be smart to keep your mouth shut unless the dealer was giving some obviously dangerous information, like the story not to long ago about the clerk claiming it was okay to shoot .357 ammo in a .38 Special gun. If the buyer knows what he wants, leave it to the clerk to make a suggestion, not yourself. He's the one with the FFL, not a couple guys who heard about it on the internetz.
 
Am I the customer or the salesperson? Then butt out is my philosophy. MYOB.

I've had gun shop staff ask if I knew something or other about a particular model when I was just standing around looking at guns, but I didn't get involved in the sales pitch, price negotiation or anything else. If they want my opinion they can ask. They could pay me, but then I'd have to work.

John
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

38-45 Special
  • Locked
Best and worst experiences in a gun shop?
2 3
Replies
74
Views
4K
George Dickel
G
G
  • Locked
Dangerous customers in gun shops
2 3
Replies
51
Views
4K
rbernie
rbernie
Y
  • Locked
Gun Shop Safety Violations
2 3 4
Replies
76
Views
4K
ccsniper
C
M
  • Locked
Why are some gun store owners so cheap? (rant)
Replies
12
Views
1K
Monkeyleg
M
A
  • Locked
Gun Shop Owner And Son Die In Shootout Over $25 Service Charge
Replies
1
Views
751
Al Thompson
A
Back
Top