Women friendly gun store
- Thread starter Warren
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Steve N
Member
After reading this thread, I asked my 13-year old daughter what she would like to see in a gun store:
1. Clean inside and out.
2. A large selection of handguns, rifles and shotguns in small hands friendly sizes
3. A CLEAN restroom.
4. A helpful women-friendly staff who are not taciti-cool or oozing machismo.
1. Clean inside and out.
2. A large selection of handguns, rifles and shotguns in small hands friendly sizes
3. A CLEAN restroom.
4. A helpful women-friendly staff who are not taciti-cool or oozing machismo.
30 cal slob
Member
any prospective customer of a gun store is going to be put off if service and responsiveness are not there.
multiply that by 10x if a woman, who might already be intimidated walking through the door, is similarly ignored.
fortunately, most shops i've been to are so crowded with well-meaning male gun nuts, by the time the dude/gal behind the counter gets to the female customer, said female customer has been offered 10,000 opinions.
lol.
multiply that by 10x if a woman, who might already be intimidated walking through the door, is similarly ignored.
fortunately, most shops i've been to are so crowded with well-meaning male gun nuts, by the time the dude/gal behind the counter gets to the female customer, said female customer has been offered 10,000 opinions.
lol.
Eleven Mike
Member
boredelmo said:
Where can I send my resume and photo, Warren?
My wife is standing in the kitchen making breakfast and I've asked her about this question.
She is very pro-RKBA, but I would not call her a "firearms enthusiast." She just tells me to get her what she needs and to teach her how to use it. This type of person sounds like the market you are going after.
Here is her take:
1. Female employee or two: A big plus for her.
2. Offering Firearms Safety and Defense classes specifically for women: Jenn tells me that many women, including herself do not feel comfortable asking questions in front of men, who are often percieved by the women to have more knowledge than they. She does not want to feel stupid asking questions.
3. Informational literature on the walls. This was a new idea for me, and actually sounds good. Some kind of stuff that list possible calibers, firearms for different purposes such as: Hunting, Defense, etc. It would allow her to do some thinking and prompt her to ask questions. She even mentioned that it would make it easier for wifes who may want to buy something to surprise the hubby with.
4. Keep it professional. Hitting on women is NOT going to make repeat customers. Macho posturing is going to send them out the door.
5. I had to laugh at this one-- Jenn has complained about this a number of times. If you really want to get some women's attention, have ATTRACTIVE accessories. Jenn mentioned once that she would have one of those purses with a holster pocket in it IF they were not all so UGLY. Some manufactures miss the boat in thinking that if they make a purse with a holster in it, they have women covered. You ever been shopping with your wife? They really take this purse thing seriously.
Anyway, hope it helps!
John and Jennifer
She is very pro-RKBA, but I would not call her a "firearms enthusiast." She just tells me to get her what she needs and to teach her how to use it. This type of person sounds like the market you are going after.
Here is her take:
1. Female employee or two: A big plus for her.
2. Offering Firearms Safety and Defense classes specifically for women: Jenn tells me that many women, including herself do not feel comfortable asking questions in front of men, who are often percieved by the women to have more knowledge than they. She does not want to feel stupid asking questions.
3. Informational literature on the walls. This was a new idea for me, and actually sounds good. Some kind of stuff that list possible calibers, firearms for different purposes such as: Hunting, Defense, etc. It would allow her to do some thinking and prompt her to ask questions. She even mentioned that it would make it easier for wifes who may want to buy something to surprise the hubby with.
4. Keep it professional. Hitting on women is NOT going to make repeat customers. Macho posturing is going to send them out the door.
5. I had to laugh at this one-- Jenn has complained about this a number of times. If you really want to get some women's attention, have ATTRACTIVE accessories. Jenn mentioned once that she would have one of those purses with a holster pocket in it IF they were not all so UGLY. Some manufactures miss the boat in thinking that if they make a purse with a holster in it, they have women covered. You ever been shopping with your wife? They really take this purse thing seriously.
Anyway, hope it helps!
John and Jennifer
kb2iaw
Member
it sometimes appears to me that in some of the larger stores (not walmart ) that the sales people seem to think that the guns they own are an impendage of theirs .............imo
-terry
Member
So many good ideas in this thread! I'm male, but I'd shop at one of these "Women's" gun stores in a flash.
My thought,
have couches or seats and a table of gun info magazines available. Not "Combat Sniper" type of magazines, but maybe catalogs from major suppliers, Dictionaries of gun terms, almost anything reprinted from "corneredcat.com" (with their permission, right Pax?). No sales persons can talk to anyone in the chair. This gives everyone a place to be where they can just look up stuff, get answers to questions they think are too stupid to ask, and get a better idea of what they might want to look at.
Trust me, even though there are catalogs there, they will almost always buy their gun from you because they know they will have more questions.
Maybe a "New Women Shooter's" night at the range, sponsored by you.
Would it make sense to have a "Women's Section" of the store, so women could shop and ask questions apart from a swarm of commandos?
My thought,
have couches or seats and a table of gun info magazines available. Not "Combat Sniper" type of magazines, but maybe catalogs from major suppliers, Dictionaries of gun terms, almost anything reprinted from "corneredcat.com" (with their permission, right Pax?). No sales persons can talk to anyone in the chair. This gives everyone a place to be where they can just look up stuff, get answers to questions they think are too stupid to ask, and get a better idea of what they might want to look at.
Trust me, even though there are catalogs there, they will almost always buy their gun from you because they know they will have more questions.
Maybe a "New Women Shooter's" night at the range, sponsored by you.
Would it make sense to have a "Women's Section" of the store, so women could shop and ask questions apart from a swarm of commandos?
Manedwolf
member
Use of language and inappropriate familiarity.
I think one of the biggest turnoffs to women I've heard of, from women, is patronizing clerks who use language when speaking to them like "little lady", which is patronizing, indeed, or "hon" or "honey", which is absolutely inappropriate familiarity.
I think one of the biggest turnoffs to women I've heard of, from women, is patronizing clerks who use language when speaking to them like "little lady", which is patronizing, indeed, or "hon" or "honey", which is absolutely inappropriate familiarity.
Mr. Bruce
Member
How to be successful in business...
If you think you've got a hot concept that will really attract women to gun stores...
ADVERTISE!
Here in LA County I have only heard ads on the radio for Turner's Outdoorsman, the Glendale Gun Show, and the Utah CCW class at the gun show.
But those ads really made an impression. Big 5 has a Sunday flier in the newspaper and I always look to see what guns they're advertising.
Also advertise in the store with videos showing women shooting, cleaning, reloading, teaching other women.
If you think you've got a hot concept that will really attract women to gun stores...
ADVERTISE!
Here in LA County I have only heard ads on the radio for Turner's Outdoorsman, the Glendale Gun Show, and the Utah CCW class at the gun show.
But those ads really made an impression. Big 5 has a Sunday flier in the newspaper and I always look to see what guns they're advertising.
Also advertise in the store with videos showing women shooting, cleaning, reloading, teaching other women.
tinygnat219
Member
The store would probably be good to go with employees who didn't talk down to them, and treated them like... customers.
Accessories for Concealed Carry would be a good thing to carry, like purses, etc.
Concealed Carry "non-tactical" clothing would be a good thing too.
Accessories for Concealed Carry would be a good thing to carry, like purses, etc.
Concealed Carry "non-tactical" clothing would be a good thing too.
langenc
Member
I did not read all posts.
Knowledgable workers-inc women. Promote the shop to women. best advertising is still via mouth. Classes for women by women as has been suggested earlier. Womens night/afternoon-men not allowed.
Knowledgable workers-inc women. Promote the shop to women. best advertising is still via mouth. Classes for women by women as has been suggested earlier. Womens night/afternoon-men not allowed.
R-E-S-P-E-C-T........
Just treat us with some simple and commonplace RESPECT. Our money is just as green as yours, and our interest in guns is essentially equal to yours (in the sense that we want to shoot at all--and BUY guns, even).
Yes, I was already hard-wired to love guns so didn't need pre-convincing or a particularly gentle approach like some women might, but I still needed to be gradually educated in things about shooting, reloading, differences in handguns, legal issues, etc. The basics. And some fundamental shooting range tutorials in handling and accuracy in target shooting, too. The rest was just the cost of a membership at the range and me showing up there nearly every week to toss lead downrange and b.s. with my friends.
The worst thing a shop can do (and it HAS happened at one place here in Eugene) is to treat interested females like dumb-asses and talk down to them. They just want to learn about shooting and buy guns, for cryin' out loud!
And YOU (the shop) want to make money and build a customer base composed of BOTH genders (= twice as much money, right?). Take the time to genuinely inquire what your lady customer's going to use that gun for and show samples accordingly and appropriately.
If your shop is large and has the budget for even a PART-time female employee, that would be very cool.
Oh, and the part about the potted plants was cool, too. Yes.
Just treat us with some simple and commonplace RESPECT. Our money is just as green as yours, and our interest in guns is essentially equal to yours (in the sense that we want to shoot at all--and BUY guns, even).
Yes, I was already hard-wired to love guns so didn't need pre-convincing or a particularly gentle approach like some women might, but I still needed to be gradually educated in things about shooting, reloading, differences in handguns, legal issues, etc. The basics. And some fundamental shooting range tutorials in handling and accuracy in target shooting, too. The rest was just the cost of a membership at the range and me showing up there nearly every week to toss lead downrange and b.s. with my friends.
The worst thing a shop can do (and it HAS happened at one place here in Eugene) is to treat interested females like dumb-asses and talk down to them. They just want to learn about shooting and buy guns, for cryin' out loud!
And YOU (the shop) want to make money and build a customer base composed of BOTH genders (= twice as much money, right?). Take the time to genuinely inquire what your lady customer's going to use that gun for and show samples accordingly and appropriately.If your shop is large and has the budget for even a PART-time female employee, that would be very cool.
Oh, and the part about the potted plants was cool, too. Yes.
We have one of these at the local indoor range/shop and it's been one of the greatest things imagineable. We call it "the round table" (even though we got a newer, bigger table that's actually oval and not round any more). The range serves gourmet coffee all the time.
Woman friendly should be people friendly
You began your quest for a woman friendly environment with the best suggestion of all:
Please delete any stupid, sexist or inappropriate comments.
I have copied other suggestions made on this thread and added my own thoughts to them that would go a long way towards attracting me, as a female customer, into your store, such as:
Treat women like you are happy for their business and speak to them in a non condescending, non macho tone of voice – be professional and business like.
If you are opening a shooting range as part of your business consider:
• Blocking out time slots when mostly first timers can have the range so that they will feel less intimidated and less embarrassed about their skill level and more encouraged to practice to improve.
• All female conceal carry classes.
• The range I occasionally shoot at has a women’s (please drop the antiquated ‘lady’s) afternoon once a week.
For the store itself:
• Color, light and above all SPACE! So many stores I have been in I turned around and walked out of because they made me feel so claustrophobic.
• Require that anyone working the counter receive formal training in communication. That includes listening. It also includes never tell someone what they think or feel. I've stood at counters and had goofballs tell me, "You don't want that." I have stood at other counters and had the proprietor say, "I could sell you that, but there are some things you should know."
• Have a clean rest room (yeah, I know, I've never seen one either, but somebody has to start). So important that it should probably be at the top of the list.
• Gun cleaning class. (The sales associate who sold me my pistol did so by putting the gun in my hands and showing me how to disassemble the gun into its essential cleaning pieces and put it back together again).
• Have a large chart on the wall with a diagram of each major type of weapon, with labels showing the names of the parts.
The two things I want most (besides the clean and available restroom), however, are:
A place to SIT DOWN comfortably and wait for a companion to shop, for a busy sales associate to finish with another customer, to fill out the 4477 paperwork, etc.
KEEP THE PLACE CLEAN!! Oh my god I am so turned off by gun stores that look like a college dorm room or my grandfather’s old work shed. The dust, the dead animals, the old fixtures, the dull walls, the old shooting nick knacks (rusty old guns, ancient ad posters, etc.) tacked on the walls at random, the clutter, the disorganization of ammo and accessories, I could go on and on, but I won’t. Clean, bright, welcoming and friendly that’s it in a nutshell.
We women are 51% of the population, we have money and we shop and we could be encouraged to be more than 10 % of the gun buying population. Treat us like appreciated customers and we will return again and again.
You began your quest for a woman friendly environment with the best suggestion of all:
Please delete any stupid, sexist or inappropriate comments.
I have copied other suggestions made on this thread and added my own thoughts to them that would go a long way towards attracting me, as a female customer, into your store, such as:
Treat women like you are happy for their business and speak to them in a non condescending, non macho tone of voice – be professional and business like.
In shopping for my current pistol I ran into very much the same frustrating experiences. :banghead: I finally bought my pistol from a sales associate who took the time and effort to talk to me and sell to me.
If you are opening a shooting range as part of your business consider:
• Blocking out time slots when mostly first timers can have the range so that they will feel less intimidated and less embarrassed about their skill level and more encouraged to practice to improve.
• All female conceal carry classes.
• The range I occasionally shoot at has a women’s (please drop the antiquated ‘lady’s) afternoon once a week.
For the store itself:
• Color, light and above all SPACE! So many stores I have been in I turned around and walked out of because they made me feel so claustrophobic.
• Require that anyone working the counter receive formal training in communication. That includes listening. It also includes never tell someone what they think or feel. I've stood at counters and had goofballs tell me, "You don't want that." I have stood at other counters and had the proprietor say, "I could sell you that, but there are some things you should know."
• Have a clean rest room (yeah, I know, I've never seen one either, but somebody has to start). So important that it should probably be at the top of the list.
• Gun cleaning class. (The sales associate who sold me my pistol did so by putting the gun in my hands and showing me how to disassemble the gun into its essential cleaning pieces and put it back together again).
• Have a large chart on the wall with a diagram of each major type of weapon, with labels showing the names of the parts.
The two things I want most (besides the clean and available restroom), however, are:
A place to SIT DOWN comfortably and wait for a companion to shop, for a busy sales associate to finish with another customer, to fill out the 4477 paperwork, etc.
KEEP THE PLACE CLEAN!! Oh my god I am so turned off by gun stores that look like a college dorm room or my grandfather’s old work shed. The dust, the dead animals, the old fixtures, the dull walls, the old shooting nick knacks (rusty old guns, ancient ad posters, etc.) tacked on the walls at random, the clutter, the disorganization of ammo and accessories, I could go on and on, but I won’t. Clean, bright, welcoming and friendly that’s it in a nutshell.
We women are 51% of the population, we have money and we shop and we could be encouraged to be more than 10 % of the gun buying population. Treat us like appreciated customers and we will return again and again.
There have been some great responses to this. Here's my two cents, in order of importance.
1) Advertise. You'll fill a unique niche in your community if you do this. But you must let people know.
2) Light, space, cleanliness, color. A gun store does not need to look like a barn, or a shack, or a guy's den. Nor does it need to be decorated with 100 dead animals. I like to hunt and we have trophies, but that doesn't mean everybody likes them. AND YES, CLEAN BATHROOMS!!!!!
3) Female staff that will be professional, knowledgable, and friendly.
4) Male staff that will be professional, knowledgable, and friendly.
5) Women's classes, CHL classes, women's range times.
6) Women's clothing, CHL accessories (including purses).
I hope you end up actually doing this. It's a great idea.
Springmom
1) Advertise. You'll fill a unique niche in your community if you do this. But you must let people know.
2) Light, space, cleanliness, color. A gun store does not need to look like a barn, or a shack, or a guy's den. Nor does it need to be decorated with 100 dead animals. I like to hunt and we have trophies, but that doesn't mean everybody likes them. AND YES, CLEAN BATHROOMS!!!!!
3) Female staff that will be professional, knowledgable, and friendly.
4) Male staff that will be professional, knowledgable, and friendly.
5) Women's classes, CHL classes, women's range times.
6) Women's clothing, CHL accessories (including purses).
I hope you end up actually doing this. It's a great idea.
Springmom
The gun store I frequent the most & my range are pretty good when it comes to "woman-friendly" actions (On-Target - Murfreesboro, TN).
Brightly lit & nicely decorated makes a good 1st impression...now I'm not saying something out of "better home & gardens", but nice paint, organized, good lighting.
Seperate men & women's bathrooms...with the woman's bathroom maybe having a few of the "nicities" that men don't appreciate: lots of paper towels, toilet paper, lotion, air freshener AND CLEAN!!!
Women only events or "women's day" at the range w/ free range access
The biggest thing will be knowledgable, attentive sales staff. IF they are women, they need to know their stuff. Men don't need to be hitting on any customers & should be sensitive & trained on the different needs of women shooters.
Classes geared towards women & self-protection. Whether it be handgun classes or true self-defence classes - at least 1 instructor should be female.
Accessories for women shooters: holster purses; smaller holster to fit a woman's body better; range bags that aren't black, navy, or cammo; gun belts that will actually fit a woman and fit through the smaller belt loops of woman's pants!!!!
I, for one, will go out of my way to frequent a store - even if the prices are a little higher, if I am treated with respect, get ALL my questions answered, and have a variety of things to try out that are "geared" towards women.
Brightly lit & nicely decorated makes a good 1st impression...now I'm not saying something out of "better home & gardens", but nice paint, organized, good lighting.
Seperate men & women's bathrooms...with the woman's bathroom maybe having a few of the "nicities" that men don't appreciate: lots of paper towels, toilet paper, lotion, air freshener AND CLEAN!!!
Women only events or "women's day" at the range w/ free range access
The biggest thing will be knowledgable, attentive sales staff. IF they are women, they need to know their stuff. Men don't need to be hitting on any customers & should be sensitive & trained on the different needs of women shooters.
Classes geared towards women & self-protection. Whether it be handgun classes or true self-defence classes - at least 1 instructor should be female.
Accessories for women shooters: holster purses; smaller holster to fit a woman's body better; range bags that aren't black, navy, or cammo; gun belts that will actually fit a woman and fit through the smaller belt loops of woman's pants!!!!
I, for one, will go out of my way to frequent a store - even if the prices are a little higher, if I am treated with respect, get ALL my questions answered, and have a variety of things to try out that are "geared" towards women.
Are you SURE that's how you want to word this suggestion? How about "New Shooter's Class for Women" or "Introductory Shooting Class for Women"? lee n. field
Member
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Accessible and clean rest rooms. (Guys like that too.)
Ya' know, I don't mind being called a "lady"... it's a polite term of respect in MY world.
Remember: All ladies are women, but not all women are ladies.
I'm also lucky in this respect: All three of our gun shops in town are VERY clean. Spotless, in fact.
The coolest thing of all: I've never--ever--been treated with disrespect by ANY (!!) of my guns shops, instructors, associates, new shooting acquaintances or anything/anyone. Of course, there's always a first time, but in over five years it just hasn't happened. I guess I'm just so cranky and mouthy that they don't mess with me. Whatever it takes, ladies... whatever it takes.
Geronimo45
Member
I'm shocked and astounded that nobody's mentioned this: a return policy. Apparently, half the fun in owning goods is found in returning them to the store - and gun stores usually have pretty rotten return policies.
Eleven Mike
Member
Good call. A woman shooter is someone who shoots women. "Woman" is a noun, "female" is an adjective.
I'm curious how many women are annoyed the by the term "lady."
How about
1. Free admission for women
2. Free drinks for women
3. Lots of young male staff in tights outfits
4. Male strippers
5. Large clean restrooms with couches and chairs
6. A separate little gift shop with T-shirts and knick knacks
7. Tables and seating with flowers on every table
8. Lots of candles
9. Lots of plants
10. Take credit cards with no extra charge
or
1. treat all customers with respect
2. keep the store neat and organized
3, have information and displays encouraging customers to read and ask questions
4. have nice posters and displays that feature everyday women using guns and gun related products
5. Have accessible and clean restrooms
6. Have women accessories - clothing, purses, ect...
7. have women and first time shooter classes available
8. be kind and positive
9. have good lighting and bright colors
10. decorate
1. Free admission for women
2. Free drinks for women
3. Lots of young male staff in tights outfits
4. Male strippers
5. Large clean restrooms with couches and chairs
6. A separate little gift shop with T-shirts and knick knacks
7. Tables and seating with flowers on every table
8. Lots of candles
9. Lots of plants
10. Take credit cards with no extra charge
or
1. treat all customers with respect
2. keep the store neat and organized
3, have information and displays encouraging customers to read and ask questions
4. have nice posters and displays that feature everyday women using guns and gun related products
5. Have accessible and clean restrooms
6. Have women accessories - clothing, purses, ect...
7. have women and first time shooter classes available
8. be kind and positive
9. have good lighting and bright colors
10. decorate
Heh. I promised myself I'd stay out of this thread ... 
... But a friend just walked in, glanced at my computer, and said, "Oh, that's easy. Just decorate it like a jewelry store."
Hah!
(I'm laughing ... but he was serious. Clean counters, a crisp-clean-tidy-professional look, and a well-groomed staff. Still cracked me up.)
pax
... But a friend just walked in, glanced at my computer, and said, "Oh, that's easy. Just decorate it like a jewelry store."
Hah!
(I'm laughing ... but he was serious. Clean counters, a crisp-clean-tidy-professional look, and a well-groomed staff. Still cracked me up.)
pax
FieroCDSP
Member
Clean shop, professional atmophere, no dead animals, and competitive pricing. Can't lose there whether geared towards men or women.
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