What qualities bother you most about businesses which sell firearms?

[Speedo66]

One local gun store put me on ignore when I walked in the door. One normally has to go into a Harley-Davidson shop to get that kind of attitude. I guess when I went into the Harley shop I wasn't dressed enough like a pirate to suit them, no idea why the gun shop ignored me unless it's just general policy. Done there, and with Harleys too.

Another shop lost my business when a woman walked in and said her husband had died and wanted to sell his gun. She opens a case and there's a like new wooden stocked Ruger 1022 in there, with a decent scope. They tell her the whole package is only worth $20, and she takes it. If they hadn't already filled out my Federal form and called it in I would have walked, but they never saw me again.

Small hobby type shop with odd hours, reeked of cigarette smoke and hate. Went there when he was the only one who had ammo some years ago, haven't been back since.

What is it with gun shop owners?

 

[salt&battery]

Say what?

have an adult read it to you

 

[mjsdwash]

yea, we had a store that was open for a few months. Typical NW washington shop, way high prices, nearly everything over MSRP, exceedingly poor selection, specializing in tacticrap. Unusual for NW washington shops, the customer service was awful. The one nice part, they were willing to special order accessories, rather than tell me about how I can do it myself on the internet. But the fake operators really stood out. Who would think that so many Seals, Rangers and Recon operators would settle right here?

 

[mjsdwash]

bad attitude from behind the counter is a major one. I used to go to a place that was openly hostile to almost everyone. The owner was a former comp. shooter, so if that was your thing it was a great place. Everyone else was an annoyance. He had the best prices on guns, well below MSRP, descent, up to date, and regionally proper selection, excellent selection of reloading components, at the best prices within sixtyfive miles, reloading and gunsmithing tools, and some common parts. But the shop was nearly always empty because the hostile attitude. I was in there a few times for reloading equipment, and someone would come in with a common "Im looking for a home defense gun" type thing. He always had what I would consider very good advice, and never pushed a product the customer didn't want. But that air of hostility just shut the place down.

 

[BillBloggins]

Customer service at a box store gun retailer is unique- uniquely bad in that there are some clerks that do not grasp basic human interaction. I have found over the purchase of many guns the best route is to immediately stop dealing with a troublesome clerk as soon as negative behavior comes up. Just tell them you need someone else to help you. There is no sense in continuing the transaction with a doorknob- you need to come out of the transaction satisfied as after all you are what makes their business tick and you are the one that will be dropping a considerable chunk of change. The idiot will just rile you up and you may walk away from a gun you want. You do have a choice in who you deal with, and if "Sparky" is getting in the way of your purchase it is time to move him aside. You are there for a gun not an attitude.

It always amazes me that there are a percentage of dolts that actively drive customers away- if left uncorrected these idiots will drive a business under.

 

[tarosean]

Lack of selection...

nothing will make me walk out of a shop quicker than a sea of black plastic...

 

[John Joseph]

Gun shops have changed over the past few decades, and generally not for the best. IMHO.

 

[CraigC]

One normally has to go into a Harley-Davidson shop to get that kind of attitude.

Never experienced that either.

I guess when I went into the Harley shop I wasn't dressed enough like a pirate to suit them...

Hmmm, perhaps it was the attitude that YOU walked in with???

 

[CraigC]

Weird double post.

 

[I6turbo]

Conversely, I'm sure dealers have a quite a few gripes and complaints about customers too. Probably many of the same.

Exactly. Can you imagine some of the customers a lot of store personnel have to put up with? Like the ones who come in and think that they are owed a particular type of coddling treatment on the "qualities" that are the choices in the above poll?

The only thing I need from a gun store clerk is for him/her to safely hand me the gun that I want to see, then put it back when I'm done. I try not to mind too much if they state their opinions, don't have the guns that *I* want, don't have their store organized the way *I* might prefer, or don't provide any other special snowflake treatments, safe spaces, or trigger warnings for me.

 

[george burns]

It seems like ,my opinions were amoung the top 3, so I guess most of us feel they are over priced. How can a store sell a Shield for $600.00 when they are half that at just about any online gun store, plus they are giving $75.00 rebates on them bringing them close to 2-210.00 in real money. It's just extermely annoying to even go in and see the markup, so I really don't. The only time I look at a go in at al is to look at something I want to buy online, "if they even have it" which is rare. The Gun store in My area of FL, stopped selling revolvers completely.
How you can do that is beyond me, not even a 38. It's as if they really don't care at all about the gun business, it's more like they buy whatever the distrributer has on sale.

 

[azrocks]

A recurring problem I have with the "big box" stores is that everything is broken up into departments, and there's nobody around in the department I want to buy something for. So I go wandering around until I can find an employee who can page someone to the right department. Someone eventually shows up, but they don't have the key to the ammo cabinet, or can't sell a firearm, or whatever. And after half an hour or so of trying to get someone to sell me something, I'll wander back home.

Most of the "sales associates" could care less if you buy anything; they get paid either way.

I'd say that's (one of many) strong arguments for supporting small business.

 

[CraigC]

Exactly. Can you imagine some of the customers a lot of store personnel have to put up with? Like the ones who come in and think that they are owed a particular type of coddling treatment on the "qualities" that are the choices in the above poll?

The only thing I need from a gun store clerk is for him/her to safely hand me the gun that I want to see, then put it back when I'm done. I try not to mind too much if they state their opinions, don't have the guns that *I* want, don't have their store organized the way *I* might prefer, or don't provide any other special snowflake treatments, safe spaces, or trigger warnings for me.

Yep. Anybody who deals with the public is dealing with idiots. I would hate to be in the business of selling guns for a living.

I don't think I'm "owed" anything when I walk in a gun shop except the respect that should be given to any customer who has done nothing to be treated otherwise. However, having a good relationship with your LGS is beneficial for both parties. That starts with addressing many of the concerns here. Personally, I really don't care about political or racial rants, as long as I don't get a neo-Nazi "you and me, we're the same!" vibe like the army surplus store in the movie "Falling Down". I don't need my sensitive butt kissed but when I'm spending my discretionary income on something I do because I enjoy it, I want it to be a pleasant experience. The less unpleasant it is, the more likely I am to do it more often. Not like checking out at Walmart.

 

[george burns]

Honestly that is why all of my businesses, I had people on commission, the better they did the more money they made. There should be some kind of quota over which you get a bonus in a large store, otherwise workers have no incentive to sell. And in mom and pop stores it's to the owners benefit, "as in any business" to be friendly and knowledgable to everyone.

 

[Speedo66]

Never experienced that either.
Hmmm, perhaps it was the attitude that YOU walked in with???

Yup, it must have been me who managed to shut down two H-D shops, an independent and a franchise. Couldn't have been the attitude that most people weren't "genuine" enough for them, i.e., not enough tats, leather, etc., for them to pay attention to you. Or maybe many people felt the same way and avoided them after one visit.

In any case, since I doubt you were ever in either of those shops, you really wouldn't know.

 

[CraigC]

Yup, it must have been me who managed to shut down two H-D shops, an independent and a franchise.

A wise man once said that you often find what you take with you. Something to ponder when generalizing about folks who "dress like a pirate".

In any case, since I doubt you were ever in either of those shops, you really wouldn't know.

Never can tell. I've been in dozens of HD dealerships and have never been treated the way you describe. Nor do I "dress like a pirate". The point being, maybe the experience you had was heavily influenced by the pre-conceived notions you walked in with regarding people who "dress like a pirate", whatever that means.

 

[Old Dog]

The qualities that bug me most about businesses that sell firearms are the exact same qualities that bother me about any retail businesses. Alas, none of these qualities stop me from shopping at my local gunshops, as I am a dedicated consumer.

Firearms retailers haven't exactly cornered the market with regard to poor customer service, poor selections of goods, and everything else on the OP's list (with the possible exception of "an overly tactical feel," whatever that is, and the "crusty gun shop curmudgeons" [a group to which I may belong].)

 

[Girodin]

It seems like if all the business I frequent gun store staff is in general rude, unprofessional, and it never ceases to shock me some of the BS I hear from them. The rude unprofessional behavior does seem to be much more prevleant in guns stores versus other places I shop. I also find it funny when any product they don't stock is explained away as being junk. This has included things like accuracy internationals, steyrs, and all variety of high end gear. Those are all the biggest turn offs. I also picked over priced. I like to support a local business but I'm not going to pay way more than I can get something online for. A reasonable amount more sure. There are a many gun stores around here I wouldn't dream of buying a new gun from for that reason alone. Their horrible staff just seals the deal.

 

[hemiram]

There's a guy at one of the local stores and he just pushed the hell out of Xd's for a long time. Now he's on M&P 2.0's and for some reason, I don't find his latest sales pitch as obnoxious as the Xd one was. He reminds me of the guy at Costco who used to pitch plasma TVs endlessly.. He seemed to take it personally when I told him I didn't want a plasma and gave him my reasons. The XD guy is the same, he gets butt hurt when I pass by the M&P 2.0 guns in the case without pausing.

 

[kozak6]

Miniature tags. Salespeople are often busy or indifferent, so throw me a bone. Maybe I'll ask to see a spotting scope and use that to check the tags.

Tags tucked under the pistol in a case. Shows a lack of attention to detail. I would have bought that $500 HK45. I would have been too excited to dicker on the price, even.

Interrupting the ornery curmudgeon meeting. Sometimes, I feel like I accidentally intruded on a private social club merely disguised as a gun shop.

Outrageous prices. I understand that a brick and mortar store has rent, bills, employees, insurance, and all kinds of stuff. Fine. I'm not going to pay several hundred dollars over MSRP. What the heck, man? You know I have the internet on my phone, right? I'm apparently not your target customer, but come on.

 

[Speedo66]

A wise man once said that you often find what you take with you. Something to ponder when generalizing about folks who "dress like a pirate".



Never can tell. I've been in dozens of HD dealerships and have never been treated the way you describe. Nor do I "dress like a pirate". The point being, maybe the experience you had was heavily influenced by the pre-conceived notions you walked in with regarding people who "dress like a pirate", whatever that means.

I've been riding for 53 years. I've owned scores of American, European, and Japanese motorcycles, sometimes 5 or 6 at a time. I've been in many, many dealerships of all types in this over half century of riding. I don't need "preconceived notions" to know when I'm being ignored.

I've been shooting for longer than that, to get back to the original topic here. Same, I know when I'm being ignored in a shop, no preconceived notions required.

You said "Nor do I dress like a pirate". You then said "regarding people who "dress like a pirate", whatever that means". If you don't know what it means, then you just might be. lol

 

[Warp]

have an adult read it to you

I also have no idea what you are talking about or why you posted that

 

[Old Dog]

Too bad we have no gunshop owners or managers on this forum ... Evidently, a lot of gun-owners have many issues with the way these stores are run ...

My follow-on question to the OP's original questions would thus be:

Regarding the things that most bother you about the businesses that sell firearms, how often, if ever, have you actually voiced your complaints to the retailers' owners or management?

Argh! I don't dress like a pirate anymore, but I've been known to drink like a pirate do ... (apologies to Jason Isbell). (I did once wear a coat and tie into a Harley dealership and was ignored by the sales-people for half an hour before I left, ended up buying a Gold Wing, which proved far more reliable than any Harley I ever owned, to further derail this thread.)

 

[Corpral_Agarn]

I work part time at a range as an instructor. Mostly the weekly 'Free Ladies Night' and CCW courses.

Here's what I have found:
Many gun shops do not really hire people based on their extensive firearms knowledge.
Many gun shop employees are not really paid for their extensive firearms knowledge.
I hear all kinds of crazy misinformation being told across BOTH sides of the counter.

When I hear it, and I have an opportunity to quietly and professionally correct it, I do so. I do not expect the person behind the counter to be any kind of SME or guru. People with that much knowledge and skill are seldom getting paid minimum wage (or there abouts) to sell guns.

I can understand a young person repeating some myth or some such they heard somebody say once. They are young and don't know what they don't know.

One thing there is no excuse for is poor customer service. Period.
Another is fake operators and overly tactical folks.
Be real about your background and be professional.

 

[Solomonson]

You should always include an "other' category. How about guns stores that try to talk you in to buying what they have instead of what you want?

No. I wasn't looking for measure "other."

 

[jonnyc]

I've been teaching in a public high school for 23 years, and I did a bunch of stuff before that. My wife has been on my ass for all those 23 years to get a summer job, but I refuse to get the standard "summer job" with a bunch of high school kids. Can you blame me? Well, there's a new gun shop opening up about 2 miles up the road from school and a teacher friend recommended me to the owner, due to some military experience and a decent amount of gun knowledge on my part. Looks like I just may get the perfect part-time job I have been looking for.
My point? This thread has been a wealth of info for me and a good list of "Don't Do's". Thank you all!