Why it's so hard to be a good gun salesmen

[Guest lostpass]

I agree with this guys take but I think he asks the impossible.

If you watch that you'll see a guy who knows something about guns and knows a lot about gun salesmen. And dammit, he's right about everything he says. But he puts the post impossibly high for a gun salesman. His basic message is "you better know what you want" before you go to gun shop but leaves no wiggle room if you don't know what you want.

We would all like perfect, unbiased, customer service but I don't see how the guy behind the counter can pull it off.

[peejman]

As usual, internet gun experts expect way too much of the kid making $8/hr behind the counter.

[Jonnin]

I do not expect too much from a salesman. Honesty is up top. Stop trying to sell me a glock would be second. After those 2 I can live with most of the rest of it.

[hipower]

From the standpoint of his topic, I really don't think he addressed the question of what it takes to be a good salesman, but he did a pretty good job of listing several types of salseman we all encounter in our searches for the perfect gun.

I will say I enjoyed his videos. They seemed to be fairly accurate and unbiased; reasonably informative, and done in a clear manner. Pretty well-spoken type of guy who seems to know what he likes and conveys it rather well.

Perhaps no Hickcock45, but I'll give him an edge over at lest 70% of the armchair commandos who usually do these videos.

[daddyo]

I do not expect too much from a salesman. Honesty is up top. Stop trying to sell me a glock would be second. After those 2 I can live with most of the rest of it.

This. And if they don't know the answer to a question, just saying, "I don't know, but I'll find out" would speak volumes and drive his credibility rating up about 100% with me.

[gjohnsoniv]

The first question in sales should be what is your intended purpose for product "x."

[Jonnin]

The first question in sales should be what is your intended purpose for product "x."

Somehow, I do not see that question as going over too well with a lot of the gun owning community! I agree with you, but I know too many paranoid gun owners to recommend this as a good idea for the poor sap behind the counter.

[gjohnsoniv]

Sorry, I was meaning elsewhere, not necessarily in a gun store. I should have clarified.

[mav]

I would add one more to the list. Beware of the overly-sensitive insecure or jealous twerp. I can deal with all of the other types, but these really get on my nerves. These are the type that will automatically assume you are a snob if you have or want to buy something nice and/or expensive. They will start criticizing everything about it based solely on the price of the item.

"Why I can't believe you paid that much for that. You could have bought four of such and such, and they are just as good. With the money you have left over you can buy a bunch of ammo or get more training."

Unfortunately, you run into these types everywhere. The topic doesn't even have to deal with guns.

The bottom line is do your research, ask some knowledgeable friends, and buy what you want and enjoy it.

[gjohnsoniv]

I would add one more to the list. Beware of the overly-sensitive insecure or jealous twerp. I can deal with all of the other types, but these really get on my nerves. These are the type that will automatically assume you are a snob if you have or want to buy something nice and/or expensive. They will start criticizing everything about it based solely on the price of the item.

"Why I can't believe you paid that much for that. You could have bought four of such and such, and they are just as good. With the money you have left over you can buy a bunch of ammo or get more training."

Unfortunately, you run into these types everywhere. The topic doesn't even have to deal with guns.

The bottom line is do your research, ask some knowledgeable friends, and buy what you want and enjoy it.

Or the opposite even though I think he covered them. The ones who look down at anything that isn't extremely expensive.

[mav]

Or the opposite even though I think he covered them. The ones who look down at anything that isn't extremely expensive.

Yes, that was covered. That is a snob.

[gjohnsoniv]

That's what I thought but couldn't remember.

[Mike]

Why is it so hard?

The customers...

[Jonnin]

I do not think I have ever had the guy selling me a gun tell me it was overpriced! Being somewhat verbally obnoxious, I am sure I could trick such a guy into admitting they were ALL overpriced by 25% or so with a few well timed observations.

[k9wh91984]

I would say be honest with the products and what the said products intended use is for. The average joe blow at a gun shop knows about 12% of what we people know on this site. I especially get agitated though when someone at a gun shop is trying to lie to me about a gun or ammo choice. I also love it when a gun shop employee ask me why I need Federal HST ammo or Winchester T series ammo when I ask why they don't carry it lol my answer is because I want the best and if LE use it, I should use it too

[gregintenn]

Why is it so hard?

The customers...

We have a winner!

I have a friend who owns a gun store, and honestly, I don't know how he makes it through the day dealing with the multitude of morons who walk in and out his door. He has plenty of good customers as well, but the ones you remember are the loudmouthed know it alls, and the people who stop by every few days to work the actions and dry fire every gun in the store, but never buy anything.

[clipslinger]

I sell firearms. I am pretty good at it as well. I gotta say this, vent a little. There are customers who know nil about the industry, or firearms in general, they dont want to know. They only want something to protect, plink,play with. I try to fill the bill with their budget and needs. There are those who come in just to show how vastly knowledgable they are and how much overpriced your inventory is, cause Bobby Joes house of weapons has it listed in the Shotgun news for 200.00. Thats the going rate for everything from Glocks to Hi-Points. I just grin and nod and show them every gun in the case they want to see. I know they are not going to buy so why do I do this? Other customers see what we are doing, if someone watches me spend this much time with the tire kicker, they will start asking questions or wanting to see what said tire kicker is looking at. Bottom line NO MATTER WHO IT IS! They all deserve my attention and so I make lots of sales. No B.S. just good customer service. The guy who just sits behind the counter or ignores the customer...I Love him cause they leave his shop and buy guns from me.

[Ebow1]

It's hard for me to be a good gun salesman, due to the costs involved in opening a gun store.

[Chucktshoes]

I sell firearms. I am pretty good at it as well. I gotta say this, vent a little. There are customers who know nil about the industry, or firearms in general, they dont want to know. They only want something to protect, plink,play with. I try to fill the bill with their budget and needs. There are those who come in just to show how vastly knowledgable they are and how much overpriced your inventory is, cause Bobby Joes house of weapons has it listed in the Shotgun news for 200.00. Thats the going rate for everything from Glocks to Hi-Points. I just grin and nod and show them every gun in the case they want to see. I know they are not going to buy so why do I do this? Other customers see what we are doing, if someone watches me spend this much time with the tire kicker, they will start asking questions or wanting to see what said tire kicker is looking at. Bottom line NO MATTER WHO IT IS! They all deserve my attention and so I make lots of sales. No B.S. just good customer service. The guy who just sits behind the counter or ignores the customer...I Love him cause they leave his shop and buy guns from me.

Absolutely the way I go about things as well. Doing things this way also helps turn some of those tire kickers into buyers.

[Caster]

Why is it so hard?

The customers...

Just hit the nail with a sledge hammer!

If you think a woman in a shoe store or an old man at a used car lot kickin' tires is bad.....There's NOTHING or no one any harder to please, more anal, stubborn and generally preferring to stand around humhawing with their thumb up their butt than a guy buying a gun in a gun shop. There are people who spend less time deciding over which HOME to buy than people with guns. I hate shopping for guns because of the other customers. I make it a point to call around for availability and be ready to buy the instant I'm there and have it in my hands.

Some people will stare at a gun forever, leave, come back and stare some more. Like it's going to grow breasts or make them a cup of coffee if they stand there long enough.

I HATE rude salesmen. It should never happen...but, YOU deal with the public sometime. I don't blame them sometimes.

[McAllyn]

I don't sell guns, so I can't speak to that side of it, but I tend to buy a few from time to time. As a customer, I try to be polite, moderately informed, and have in mind what I'm looking for ahead of time. I don't like to waste a salesman's time, and I'm not the "shoot the bull" type of guy, anyway. I'll try to make a little chit-chat while the BC is running, but usually, I just walk around looking at things on my own and let the salesman handle other customers while I'm waiting.

With lurking so much in the stores, I get to hear first hand what some of the customers say, and, frankly, I don't understand how some salesmen don't absolutely lose it. Having been one of Mike's customers, I can tell you for sure that the night he helped my ex-wife and I, I still don't know how he didn't reach across the counter and beat us both with whatever weapon was close at hand.

Mac

[gjohnsoniv]

I sales we all have customers we would like to beat, I've come close several times.

[Guest FiddleDog]

It's a shame that he never met "the good guy." This is the person that loves guns AND loves people. He or she listens carefully to what a person is looking for, provides options...understands that $400 and up is a lot of money for anyone to consider disposable income, and, at the end of the day, wants to make sure that he or she was able to help you find what you're looking for...even if it means sending you someplace else.

Come to think about it...I haven't really run across many of these people either.

I see retail/customer service in the following terms:

A salesperson concentrates on closing this sale.

A good salesperson concentrates on closing your future sales.

A great salesperson concentrates on closing your future children's sales.

[Will H]

This story reminds me of the guy in the local gunstore that told me the Beretta CX4 rifle I was looking at took two different types of magazines... Beretta and Glock. Same gun, both magazines. It was funny really.

[LI0NSFAN]

You can tell what type of gun sales guy by asking "what do you carry and why" It will let you know if he try and sell you what you are looking for.