Gun Shops: Don't ya just hate em!?

[BimmerFreak]

Following up on a few comments in other threads about how people hate gun shops, I think it would be cool to hear from the masses about what they like or dislike about gun shops.

Don't like something about your gun shop? lets hear it!

Changes you think would benefit the customers? Tell us how!

Your insight will be good for us (industry types) to hear ways you think we can better serve our customers.

Rules: Please don't name shops specifically. Lets not turn it into a flame-fest, but a positive discussion about how we as an industry can be better.

Ok guys.....lets hear it!

[TGO David]

If you guys were just a little bit closer to Nashville or had a 2nd shop up here, that'd pretty much eliminate my only complaint.

[Guest GT_Rat]

They have too many damn toys I want to buy but can't afford!

[Guest ColdEspresso]

It really is a reflection of the owner and their staff. I like shops that support the shooting community (shooting sports, hunters, home defense). Sales people who are trained on the products are a big help. What I don't like are sales people who just pontificate on their gun knowledge or regurgitate articles from the gun mags or TV shows. My wife appreciates someone who will answer her questions without being condescending.

[creeky]

The only thing that has ever bothered me was poor service or a lack

of customer service. This hasn't really been the norm at most gun shops I have been to with the exception of one.

I'm a pretty down to earth and try to take things into consideration. Like the guy having a bad day, being new, or the shop being busy. I'll give a shop a couple of visits but if I notice the same thing again and again I'll stop going there.

I guess I am the quiet shopper. I don't bring anything to anyones attention at the shop if I feel the service is poor. That is my fault I guess, as it doesn't give them an opportunity to correct the issue. I usually just leave and don't go back.

But I am also loyal as a dog. If I perceive that they have even gone the slightest bit out of their way, then I am pretty much in for the long haul with them.

But like I said, it doesn't happen very often. Most shops around here are very courteous, helpful, and professional.

Not sure if this is helpful or not.

[G27]

My business, while not retail, thrives because I focus on a few key things:

1] It's not a hobby, it's a business - know your stuff! If you are going to operate a specialty shop (firearms), know the rules/regulations in detail. Know your product line inside and out. Be passionate about it and learn all the time.

2] Qualify the customer - if a client walks in wanting to purchase a firearm, qualify them in detail - experience, desired usage, etc. Asking a question or two generally isn't enough, especially for newbies. Only after fully quantifying the customer's needs should any recommendations be made.

3] Be willing to say "I don't know, but I'll find out". I've yet to find a shop where folks can't say "I don't know that". I tend to play dumb when I'm in the shop to see how folks will treat me, and most of them act as if they know the answer to everything. Hard to trust someone who isn't confident enough to admit they don't know it all.

4] Communication - EVERY email and/or phone call is answered ASAP and every client that walks in the door is treated as if they are the most important person in the world at that time - because they are. EVERY client is important, and word of mouth with make or break you regardless of how much you advertise. If I walk into a gun shop and have to stand there for 10 minutes because the three guys working there can't stop eating or chatting with the one client who's already in there, I'm walking back out and likely won't darken their door again. Don't smother people, but it IS a retail job.

No one in Memphis gets it right, IMO. It's very frustrating, as retail isn't hard when people stop considering themselves experts and focus on the fact that the client is the most important thing. If more folks would realize it's not a hobby but a business, better service would likely follow. Fair prices + superior service = successful business. It's not rocket surgery...

[G27]

I guess I am the quiet shopper. I don't bring anything to anyones attention at the shop if I feel the service is poor. That is my fault I guess, as it doesn't give them an opportunity to correct the issue. I usually just leave and don't go back.

Most people are this way and it's as it should be - it's not your job to tell the business what they are doing wrong. Their success (or lack thereof) will be determined by how well they follow the basic premises of retail business.

[Guest Revelator]

Agree with creeky. It really comes down to doing the simple, little things. Phone calls are huge. I love it when a place will call me after I've ordered something or if I turn in something to get fixed. I do not like it when I have to call them asking, "What happened with my..."

[Angus]

Joe..I like gunshop owners that can say..." Goooooo Navy"...heh!!

1) Just don't treat me like I am a dumbass. I already know that. I am new to this whole thing, I have learned alot though in the last few months.

2) Don't try to sell me something I didn't ask for. I said I am looking for a full sized .45, so why did you just hand me a 9mm, or even worse..some form of a compact carry weapon??

3) If I say I didn't like one of the weapons you have offered to me as an option, please don't continue to give me the stats on the gun. No means No.

Honestly though..I havent been to Hero Gear do the the distance, but I have read enough to know that these would not likely be the case in such a fine establishment as yours...GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO NAVY !!!!!

Angus

[Eric]

Negatives for me:

1. Arrogance

2. To much discussion between employees and no attention to the customer

3. Made to feel as if I am not welcome

4. Lack of knowledge / making stuff up

5. Indoor range cost (Would like to see $10 per 2 hour session)

Positives:

1. Selection around town is great

2. Some places realize the importance of customer service and make me want to visit their store

p.s. Great idea guys, listen to the customer, that is impressive to me!

[BimmerFreak]

Great feedback guys, keep it coming.

(This thread is going to be required reading for my entire staff)

How things you consistently look for, but can never find at your local gun shop?

(dont bother mentioning that you can never find new Ed Brown for under 1500 bucks, or you don't understand why dealers dont sell new Glocks for 300 bucks out the door )

[Guest GUTTERbOY]

Condescending/arrogant people are probably my #1 complaint at shops. The condescension seems to take many forms- maybe it's the fact that I'm looking at a Taurus PT1911 instead of a Kimber. Maybe it's the fact that I don't know off the top of my head that a Glock 23 is a .40 gun. It might even be that I disagree with their opinion that .45ACP is the supreme man-killer, and anything smaller is just going to make the bad guy angry.

Then, as has been previously mentioned, there are the know-it-all folks. These guys always need to sound like an authority on whatever subject they're talking about, even if they're extrapolating from some 30-second TV bit they saw on the subject. Being confident in your knowledge is a good thing, but it's OK to say that you don't know or aren't sure about the answer to a question. In fact, that second one will almost immediately boost my confidence in someone, because I believe that they're trying to bestow knowledge upon me, rather than just trying to get their hands on my cash. And for the love of God, don't just outright lie to customers. You'd think this would be a given, but it's not.

These things kind of roll into my final point, where I think back to when I was just getting into shooting. I think that a lot of new shooters are very intimidated when they first set foot in a shop- they don't know anything, maybe they aren't sure what they're looking for, and if they then run into some brash Counter Commando who tries to tell them exactly what they need while overriding any concerns, things go south from there. Maybe they leave the shop empty-handed. Maybe they leave the shop with a gun they and up disliking. Maybe they swear off gun stores altogether, and start regarding them like used-car shopping, a chore that's necessary, but something to be approached with an adversarial spirit from the start.

In the end, there's a fine line between giving the customer advice, and telling them what to do. Some of them will listen to every word you say and take it as gospel, in which case I say you have a responsibility to make damn sure you're giving them good information. Others come in knowing nothing, and completely unaware of their lack of knowledge- they're the real challenge. Hopefully you can guide them in the right direction and repair their misconceptions, but there's a point at which you just need to give them what they want, even if you think they won't like it.

All this is the reason I don't work retail any more. People annoy the crap out of me.

[Guest db99wj]

My business, while not retail, thrives because I focus on a few key things:

1] It's not a hobby, it's a business - know your stuff! If you are going to operate a specialty shop (firearms), know the rules/regulations in detail. Know your product line inside and out. Be passionate about it and learn all the time.

2] Qualify the customer - if a client walks in wanting to purchase a firearm, qualify them in detail - experience, desired usage, etc. Asking a question or two generally isn't enough, especially for newbies. Only after fully quantifying the customer's needs should any recommendations be made.

3] Be willing to say "I don't know, but I'll find out". I've yet to find a shop where folks can't say "I don't know that". I tend to play dumb when I'm in the shop to see how folks will treat me, and most of them act as if they know the answer to everything. Hard to trust someone who isn't confident enough to admit they don't know it all.

4] Communication - EVERY email and/or phone call is answered ASAP and every client that walks in the door is treated as if they are the most important person in the world at that time - because they are. EVERY client is important, and word of mouth with make or break you regardless of how much you advertise. If I walk into a gun shop and have to stand there for 10 minutes because the three guys working there can't stop eating or chatting with the one client who's already in there, I'm walking back out and likely won't darken their door again. Don't smother people, but it IS a retail job.

No one in Memphis gets it right, IMO. It's very frustrating, as retail isn't hard when people stop considering themselves experts and focus on the fact that the client is the most important thing. If more folks would realize it's not a hobby but a business, better service would likely follow. Fair prices + superior service = successful business. It's not rocket surgery...

I agree with everything here except for the no one in Memphis gets it right, there is one or two IMO.

Another thing that needs to be done is a simple acknowledgement, when someone walks in the door, they need to be acknowledged. Even when a clerk is with a customer, they should say something, "hey how are you or hey, someone will be with you in a moment, and if they are not with a customer, a Hey how are you, can I help you. If you are very busy, keep looking up for those that are just standing there with that "lost" look. Say something every once in awhile that acknowledges them and that they are waiting. That one thing in my opinion is one of the most important things. You might be slammed, I might have to wait, but you acknowledged that I am there and will be with me shortly, I can and will wait as long as needed.

I have walked into other shops, walked down their counter of guns, right by several employees that were with other customers, most of them anyway, all the way to the end of the counter, turned, walked back buy these same employees and they never said a word.

Talk to the "customer" For example, when a couple comes in, and the guy speaks for his wife/girlfriend on what she should do, what she should buy, what she should carry etc. Acknowledge dude and speak to her, she is the one buying the gun, she is the one shooting, she is the one that you need to focus on.

Edited August 18, 2008 by db99wj

[Guest pjblurton]

For myself, being an engineer, I do MASSIVE amounts of research on a weapon and have a clear idea of what I am looking for before I darken the door.

I am still open minded however and am willing to listen to input from gun sales staff, as they have daily exposure to these types of things. Possible even had the chance to compare them side by side on a range...

Where I generally get put off is where the "glock nut", "Sig nut" or whatever type brand loyalty the seller has will state that the gun you have researched is crap and the only thing they have in the case that they will trust thier lives with is XYZ brand.

If they are all crap but this one, why are the others even in the case to be sold. Are those for the people you don't like?

[DWARREN123]

The only problem I see with a very few is customer service. I like most of them!

[BimmerFreak]

I have a saying (and if you have ever spent time in my shop, you may have heard me say it) "We don't SELL guns here. We shouldn't have to. What we do is listen to your needs, present you with options, and assist you in making the best selection that suites your needs"

We could really care less if you buy a Glock, Sig, or Smith and Wesson.

Its all the same to us. If you buy the gun thats right for YOU, then you have a better chance at having a total positive experience, which reflects back on us.

[G27]

I agree with everything here except for the no one in Memphis gets it right, there is one or two IMO.

The one I spend the most time at is far better than the rest, but I still find the employees grouped behind the counter chit-chatting more than roaming the floor asking folks if they need assistance. every time I've purchased an accessory at my favorite place, for example, I've had to carry it up to the counter to purchase/ask further questions about it. The employees are very courteous, but I feel as if I'm disturbing their conversations.

[I_Like_Pie]

1) The simple fact that some of them think that since they are a local business...you are somehow a traitor if you don't buy from them.

--and--

2) I swear that some gun shops don't know who their competition really is. If you own a shop you are not only competing with Wal-Mart, but Midway, Brownells, and any number of online retailers. Some of them really, really need to spend about 30 minutes online and see what they are up against. I am sorry, but if my local shop has something that I can get for 50% of what they are asking via online retailer...they don't stand a chance.

The margins are thin on actual firearms...there really isn't a price difference worth mentioning between local vs. anywhere else...a cardinal sin however is the thinking that one can screw their customers eyeballs out by charging huge amounts for everything else.

Good example...I can buy bulk 7.62 x 39 ammo at $180 per 1000 shipped all day long...That is $3.60 per box. How much are local shops charging for the same thing? Don't even get me started on reloading components/supplies.

[creeky]

No matter what business you are in (99% of the time), ultimately you are in the people business. You will have to interact with people.

That means you are building relationships with people. It may be a short lived relationship, say one sale, or it may turn into a long relationship where you are interacting with the person for years covering many sales.

So what makes for a good relationship? Trust. It is the foundation to which everything else stands. Next might be attitude, and so on. It's different for each person.

If I feel I can trust a vendor, that means his opinion will carry more weight, and when something goes wrong I reasonably assume they will work to help make the situation right. Not try and "give me the store", but do what is fair and honest.

People I feel I have a pretty good relationship with are the ones that pop into my mind when some asks "Do you know a good __________?" Be it Mechanic, barber, doctor who specializes in rare venereal diseases from Thailand, Brick layer, or Gun Shop. Because I won't tell someone about someone i don't trust.

(I also pay attention to the way other customers are treated.)

[Guest bkelm18]

Arrogance is one of them. Opinions is another. I don't want their damn opinion if I don't ask for it. I already do my research before going to the shop, so when I pick up a gun, I don't want to hear "Oh you'll like this one better" or "Oh, that brand is ****".

[creeky]

If I spend over a thousand dollars for a firearm I like to held after the sale.

They don't have to... it would just be nice.

[Guest sling]

I have a saying (and if you have ever spent time in my shop, you may have heard me say it) "We don't SELL guns here. We shouldn't have to. What we do is listen to your needs, present you with options, and assist you in making the best selection that suites your needs"

We could really care less if you buy a Glock, Sig, or Smith and Wesson.

Its all the same to us. If you buy the gun thats right for YOU, then you have a better chance at having a total positive experience, which reflects back on us.

Very true Joe. Your stuff pretty much sells itself. Not only are your prices incredibly fair but you're also honest with your trade offers.

Before i sold my remmy to you i tested the waters at another shop here in Nashville... i knew they would low ball me... and they did. You showed me exactly how much you paid for it from your distributor and offered that! Thats incredible!

Service in Nashville thus far i've found is just lacking. Granted they get a whole lot of people but my peave is when they forget about you and greet someone who just walked in the door and start helping them.

Dont forget about the customer who trusted you when they were told "i'll be right with you." I've left several shops because of this, never to return.

[csaxj3]

There is a certain shop south of Nashville, that I will NEVER go back to. While they may have everything, it is over priced, one of the owners is not that pleasant to deal with, and they have an attitude that is piss poor. I know I am only 25, but I happen to be in a position due to my job, that allows me to collect various toys. I purchased an AK variant from them, that was not functioning correctly, and took it in to see about switching it out for another one. They wanted $100 dollars just for a trade, thats lame, I'd had the gun for 3 weeks, and took it to the range once. When I was in Knoxville for school there were two main gun shops which would have taken it back no questions asked, or given me a refund. As a result of that I continued to do business at both shops, and purchased quite a few firearms from them. I have no interest in EVER doing any business with the shop in 37067 again, NEVER. Besides being a hassle to deal with they have a staff that is half stupid, some of them are on point, but a few of these guys don't know the difference between night and day. Since I live in Nashville now, I guess my only options for what seems to be a competent gun shop in this area are in Greenbriar (super nice guys) and Murfreesboro. Maybe there is a shop I am unaware of, but I DO NOT recommend going to the gun shop that resides in a former Catfish restaurant. I've spoken my peace.

[Guest sling]

There is a certain shop south of Nashville, that I will NEVER go back to. While they may have everything, it is over priced, one of the owners is not that pleasant to deal with, and they have an attitude that is piss poor. I know I am only 25, but I happen to be in a position due to my job, that allows me to collect various toys. I purchased an AK variant from them, that was not functioning correctly, and took it in to see about switching it out for another one. They wanted $100 dollars just for a trade, thats lame, I'd had the gun for 3 weeks, and took it to the range once. When I was in Knoxville for school there were two main gun shops which would have taken it back no questions asked, or given me a refund. As a result of that I continued to do business at both shops, and purchased quite a few firearms from them. I have no interest in EVER doing any business with the shop in 37067 again, NEVER. Besides being a hassle to deal with they have a staff that is half stupid, some of them are on point, but a few of these guys don't know the difference between night and day. Since I live in Nashville now, I guess my only options for what seems to be a competent gun shop in this area are in Greenbriar (super nice guys) and Murfreesboro. Maybe there is a shop I am unaware of, but I DO NOT recommend going to the gun shop that resides in a former Catfish restaurant. I've spoken my peace.

Oh lord i know who you're talking about i think...

[Guest hustle]

I've been to many gun shops, but I've made most of my purchases at only one. The only thing negative to say about it is some of the employees. I'm a female. Sometimes I go in, and they won't leave me alone, and treat me like I'm a moron. They ask me things like, "Are you sure you wanted the cleaner and not the oil? They look an awful lot alike." Or they ask me if I need help 20 times. One of the salespeople told me to get a carry permit the day I got my first handgun there. He told me that more rapes happen in our town than I'd like to think. I told him I was counting on getting one soon, and he said, "you better." Don't try to scare me.

Those crappy sales people are the only bad thing. The other sales people and the owners are just great. They were never condescending, and they treat me the same when I'm not with my husband. On my first gun purchase they showed me how to break down my gun, helped me do it one time, and told me how I could modify it if I wanted to. Even if they are incredibly crowded, they take plenty of time with the customer.