Gun Shops VS Mattress Strores (mild rant)

[sturmruger]

have been in good and bad gun stores and while i know it wasn't sturmruger's intention to imply that all gun store owners or employees are as bad as the one in his example, i'd like to offer up an example of my own.

I do not believe that all gun shops have these issues. I have several shops within 30 minutes of where I live now that are great places to visit and do business with. Here in our neck of the woods a huge amount of people purchase their guns at Gander Mountain or Sportsmens Warehouse.

 

[roo_ster]

An Embarassment of Good Gun Shops in DFW

The problem is "experts" trying to sell things. Car guys can't sell cars. I know I wouldn't be able to sell someone a ford focus if there's a honda civic 3door in the next row. Likewise gun guys can't sell guns. Could a die hard glock man sell a highpoint to someone without a snide comment? Could anyone gun guy sell someone a jennings if there's a bersa in the next case? Gun shops need staff who are helpful curtious and not that knowlegdeable about firearms. Anything more than a mild interest is a liability not an asset.

I disagree. There is no gun that is perfect for all customers. If your customer can not afford the Bersa, the Jennings might be the best product for them. Same with the Ford Focus/Honda Civic. The idea is that sales guys meet the customers' needs, whatever they may be, while working within constraints (price, size, etc).

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In response to the original topic, I am truly blessed to have so many fine gun shops in the DFW area. My wife and myself are both treated well, even if I tell the guys behind the counter that I am just looking. You want to run me off? Treat my wife poorly. I'll never again darken your door.

Some of my favorites:
Jackson Armory, Dallas
Bullet Trap, Plano
Gunmaster, Plano
Mike's Gun Room, Richardson
SPS Guns, Carrollton

There are other good ones, but these are the ones I have spent the most time at.

 

[bofe954]

I just found this thread. I have to say I am amazed that I have shopped at the same gunshop as Oleg. I found Gunstop a little while ago and quit looking at other shops. They have moved but their number is the same as Oleg posted.

They have special ordered an 870P for me when no one else knew what they were, they even gave me a good trade in price on a pistol while doing it. They also did a transfer for me on a revo I picked up from this board.

They are the only dealer in MN that regularly carries Colt. They occasionally have pizza in the store. They regularly have the guns that people rave about on this board ie old colt revos, old S+W's, pre 70 series LW commanders. They carry a full line of EBR's. They have a huge selection of Dillon reloaders and all kinds of reloading components.

I drive by a dozen other gunshops to make my way out there. I imagine that their prices would be slightly higher than Sportsman's Warehouse on common stuff. They can get and regularly have uncommon stuff and I would happily throw them a few extra bucks on the common stuff for the pleasure of looking at all of unusual things they carry, and the oppurtunity to purchase one here and there.

If your gunstore sucks, quit going there. Somewhere there is a good one. It is worth the effort to find one and worth the extra effort to get there, and they need your business.

 

[Moonclip]

This is the key, and it's a common problem with "hobby" businesses, such as comic book shops and computer parts stores. In a larger sense, it's the reason most startup businesses fail: the owners don't have a business plan or any retail/sales experience. On the other hand, I doubt many people open mattress stores because they want access to all the latest mattress models at wholesale prices or the ability to sleep on a different mattress every night.

very good point that I notice commonly. also I bet most mattress stores are the owners primary income while I have noticed in gun shops that in many cases with the poor attitudes, poor stocking of merchandise, ect. the owner has another income of sorts usually or they would never make it on the gun shop alone. Usually someone is retired and running it as a hobby or the spouse has a good full time job or something.

This of course does not apply to the chains as much but they have more buying power and will many times diversify their product lines with fishing gear and other such things.

 

[poppy]

Interesting thread. I have also pondered the whole customer service thing in the gun industry. BTW, I send my wife to buy the mattress, and she sends me to buy the car.

I thought that I had found the perfect gun shop, but... It started by meeting the owner at his table at a gun show. I liked his product selection and he seemed to have decent prices. He gave me his card and when I happened to be in his area on business I stopped in. I asked if he had the new S&W Sigma 9mm, no, but he would be happy to order it for me. This was in the good ole days of the Brady waiting period, so he gave me a price and I said do it.

The pistol came in with one 17 rd mag with a coupon to send in for the second mag. He explained that it might be either a 17 rd or a 10 rd, no way to know. I paid with a credit card (no extra charge for using) and left. I no sooner got in the car than I had to go back in and compliment him on not charging extra for the card and not keeping the mag coupon for himself. The second mag came and it was a 17 rd, so like I said I thought I had found the perfect gun shop.

Over the next couple of years I bought a Russian SKS and 4 more handguns from him. He had the SKS in stock, but he ordered all the handguns and I didn't even ask for a price ahead of time. He even gave me 5 boxes of Lawman 9mm ammo on one purchase. It was some kind of promotion, which my purchase didn't exactly qualify for but he did it anyway.

He later tranfered a handgun in for me that I had purchased at a live on-site auction out of state and didn't charge me anything. Like I said, the perfect gun shop.

For various reasons, I only visited his shop a few times over several years without buying anything. I had gotten hooked on attending gun shows and was able to exercise patience in finding good deals from private sellers instead of scratching my itch at his shop. Besides his shop being 20 miles away is no longer convenient to drop in on.

Now this shop was the perfect gun store only because the owner is an honest man, with fair prices. There was always guys hanging around the shop regardless of time of day or day of the week. I made no attempt to hang around and talk guns. I knew what I wanted walking in the door and he ordered it for me. Other than the SKS, I never came close to buying anything he had under the glass, and he had a pretty decent selection of new and used guns, just none that caught my fancy on any particular day.

If I wanted to talk guns with someone besides my shooting friends I would go to one of the chain stores. I have also worked at two different stores (including Dick's) and I did it to feed my habit. As a store employee, I enjoyed talking guns, because that's one of the reasons I worked there. I didn't care if I ever sold a firearm (no commission), and that has been my experience with other chain store employees.

Unfortunately the traditional gun shop IMO is a dying breed. The margins are so low and there are so many hobby FFL holders around that customer service is not the answer. I think the best answer that I have read on this thread is the one about the combo gun store, target range, book store, coffee shop. poppy

 

[Chrontius]

I realize many will say your mattress and gunshop experiences are completely anecdotal.

However I have seen the exact same thing when buying furrniture
attentive, friendly, knowledgeable, willing to haggle or add features.

Many but not all gun shops Elitist, rude, not helpful or wanting to answer questions.

Is it something about the culture of gunshops?

Is it the commision rate on furiniture VS guns?

Is it because armchair mattress nuts don't hang around furniture showrooms bending the sales persons ear about spring compression ratios and thread count without buying anything?

I don't know but you have raised a valid question.

I dunno... I'm lucky to have two very good shops nearby, and one that feels like a used-car dealership.

(snip)

As for markup, every business has the things that are marked up and the things that have a razor margin. Just ask anybody who sells computer equipment. The margin on hard drives and inkjet printers (just to pick two items) is almost nonexistent. The margin on cables is ridiculously high (you *REALLY* don't want to know how much they marked up that USB cable you just bought ...) It's part of doing business.

Yes, you do. They're usually offered for $2-3, employee price. See if you can find a friend who works at CompUSA, or hoard your free cables that come with printers and such.

 

[newfalguy101]

I read a post here on THR that a new Glock costs around $70 to make
all things considered, labor, materials overhead.

Glock then wants a profit so they sell to a dealer for ??? $275

The dealer has to pay the bills so he marks it up to $550

Or the pawnshop buys an unfired glock from joe blow for $75 (not making this up)

The same gun is on display the next day for $475

The cost of doing business is very high in the gun arena I suppose.

If you ever find a place offering NEW Glocks for $275, let me know cuz I will max my credit card buying as many as I can!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mark-up on NEW guns is VERY minimal, someone posted "trying to make a living on 10-20%", try 3-5% and you will be getting closer.

Oh and my business IS my hobby which is the way I plan to keep it