Dealers treating you like a "KID" ????

D

DannyO

New member
This is a spin off of a post I just read over in the Rifle forum. FRONTSIGHT! was at a gun show looking to make a purchase of a $1300+ rifle and didn't feel he was taken seriously by the dealer because of his age.

I have also run into this a few times. When I left the military I was 22 and wanted to get a pistol. I started looking for a Beretta and visited several shops. I found that most of the sales people I talked with didn't really seem interested in pending too much time with me. Then I found the store that I currently shop at. The salesman is the owner and he would spend days answering questions about any pistol I was interested in. Now in every store I've been in I need to show my permit to handle any weapon. I have a concealed carry permit in MA. While not impossible to get it still is not easy. I would think that after seeing my permit they would realize I am serious about making a purchase....not the case.

Well to make a long story short the dealer that was willing to help me out and answer a few questions has seen me quite a few times in the past years. He knows when I come in I'm going to buy something. I'm not much of a browser. I do me research on the net and TFL then go and see him for a purchase. My question is how many of you "Young Guns" have run into this?

Why are young gun buyers treated this way? I know the other shops in my area have lost a considerable amount of money from me.

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"Some people spend an entire liftime wondering if they made a difference. Marines don't have that problem."
Semper Fi
 
Sounds from your post that you may look young for your age. Had the same problem myself. Was still being "carded" at 28-29. Now, at 46, I view it as a blessing - just hope I can continue to appear ten years younger as time marches on... Bottom line, don't sweat it, even with proof-of-age, some dealers may view you as simply a "tire-kicker" since a lot of younger people don't always have the discretionary income for major purchases. Personally, I won't deal with anyone that won't take the time to answer my questions without seeing the color of my money (of course, if they have several customers in the shop, that's different).

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"...and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one."
Luke 22:36
"An armed society is a polite society."
Robert Heinlein
"Power corrupts. Absolute power - is kinda cool!"
Fred Reed
 
I'm 25 and that used to happen to me a lot.
Most people just assume that I know nothing when I usually know quite a bit about what I'm looking at.
Now I mostly buy from a guy who often ends up asking me advice. He doesn't BS and gives me good deals.

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Abandon your animosities and make your sons Americans. Robert E. Lee

Beware the three D's: The dumb, drunk, and deranged.

chadintex@hotmail.com
 
19-year old drives into a Porche dealership driving an old Nova and starts looking around -- 9 out of 10 sales people will ignore him. Same 19-year old drives into the same dealership driving an almost brand new Vette, 9 out of 10 sales people will jump him trying to make the sale.

When you walk into a gun store, people judge you by your appearance. The STEROTYPE is that younger buyers have more of an interest in guns but do not always have the money to make the purchase.

Enjoy your youth
winkanim.gif
because the other side of the fence is NOT greener.
 
22;

All the time;

It pisses me off. :mad:

On a side note.. after reading FUD's post..
If you want respect, you have to show you want it. I can remember being very much younger.. and tagged along with my dad to a dealership to get some work done on his truck. He was standing around the service bay for some time and nobody paid him any attention. He figured that since it was gonna be in the shop a while (gettin' the clutch replace), he was going to remove some "personal items" from it. So he reaches behind the seat to remove a Springfield 1911a1 and places it behind his back in his waistband.

To shorten this story up a bit.. I have never seen so much respect given to ANYBODY at a dealership in my life. Nobody screamed "Hes got a gun!", but boy were they waiting on him hand and foot. I was in car-dealership heaven, gettin chocolate milk and another donut every 10 minutes.

He bought several vehicles from that dealership since then, as they remembered his face for many more years to come. :D

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God, Guns and Guts made this country a great country!

oberkommando sez:
"We lost the first and third and now they are after the Second!(no pun intended)"

[This message has been edited by KaMaKaZe (edited September 11, 2000).]
 
However, you all will eventually "out grow" this attitude with gun dealers. In 20 years I'll be ... er ... much older ;), but still not be taken seriously because I'm a woman! :rolleyes: I know, not all gun shops are like that, but most of the ones around here are, especially the 2 that I can get the best deals at. The thing that really ticks me off is that the one shop that seems to give the most attitude is also run by a woman.

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Remember: First you pillage ... then you burn!

[This message has been edited by Blueyedog (edited September 11, 2000).]
 
I agree that most young guys might browse the gun shops but in each I have provided my pistol permit. I'm not complaining just asking.

BTW the store I shop in now treats me right. I get to see stuff that is not in the display case. I get calls when items come in that I might like.
The other day a guy was standing at the counter talking with the owner. He was the typical gun store type. He's there every few days giving you unneeded advise on purchases and letting you know that no matter what you shoot he's got one better. Well he asked me what and where I shot. I replied " This and that, here and there". Then I went about picking up ammo, targets etc. The whole time this guy is talking with the owner and the owner stops the guys ranting and rattles off half of the stuff I've bought from him and says "why don't you leave him be he's not much of a talker, Oh and by the way Dan the .308 match ammo you ordered is in".

I really thought it was great that he remembered the stuff I had bought and knew me well enough to know I didn't care for this guy. That is the kind of service that gets you repeat business.

FUD: I went to a car lot a few weeks back driving my 88 toyota. My wife and I were looking at a 00 Durango. No one came near us. Sales people were running to the older people. We went across the street and bought a 00 Blazer and drove back through the Dodge parking lot with a :D .

Share what you know ..... I know someone lost out on a commission.

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"Some people spend an entire liftime wondering if they made a difference. Marines don't have that problem."
Semper Fi
 
I'm 25, and I get this once in a while. Thats why I have my standard gunshop that I always frequent, they know me and know that I know my stuff. I don't have to wait to have someone hand me anything because I can just go behind the counter and play with whatever I want.

The owner knows that I'm not rich, but he doesn't mind. I buy at least a gun a year from him. And I've helped customers when his employees have been busy.

They call me their number 1 outside sales source because I am always talking my friends and accquantinces into purchasing guns.

I find that other gun stores judge you more depending on your dress than your age. Usually I'm a jeans and t-shirt kind of guy, and I get ignored at some places. The other day I was wearing my suit and went into a place that usually ignored me. With my suit one they wanted to be my friend. :) Go figure.
 
Blue, sounds like a familiar story. But most places I've been in they've been as friendly to me as they seem to be to the men in the shop.

My shooting buddy and I were at one place though. We were leaning on the counter eyeing the guns inside it (does drool harm handguns?) Every sentence I spoke, the dealer answered while addressing my companion rather than myself. I didn't let it get to me but you can be sure I noticed.

But there are idiots everywhere and that attitude while not wonderful is one I can live with. After all, my buddy and I were shopping together because I wanted his opinion.

pax

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"Is there anything wrong with a woman preferring the dignity of an armed citizen? I don't like to be coddled and I don't like to be treated like a minor child. So I waive immunity and claim my right -- I go armed." -- Longcourt Phyllis in Beyond This Horizon by Robert Heinlein
 
I once spent half-an-hour trying to convince an Amarillo PD sergeant that it was perfectly alright for me not to be in High School--namely because it was my 25th birthday. :(

As far as gun dealers go, I got so tired of being ignored at one, that I took out my badge and very ostentatiously laid it on the counter. The owner of the shop proceeded to give me a lecture on how much trouble I could get into by impersonating an officer. *sigh*

LawDog
 
If you read the gun retail press, you see that the industry knows that most retailers have little to no idea of marketing and
salesmanship.

I think gun stores have some of the worst
people in this area. They think that opening a store is all it takes - no - that's not true.
 
Happened to me many years ago. I wanted factory ambidextrious safeties for my Browning Hi-Power and asked specifically for it. The "kid" at the counter offered some aftermarket item saying, "This is what the Pros use." I told him, "No thanks. I'm only an amateur and I want factory products."

Wound up buying the safeties from Browning directly. I had written them a letter and they sent it directly to me with the bill following a couple of days later! Talk about a high class outfit.
 
Don't feel bad,At 46 I just had that happen to me not long ago while I was shopping for a new shop to frequent. Went to one close here to home and I was treated like I was bothering the guy. I was looking to have night sights installed on a gun and I even left the gun there with the guy for like 2-3 months with no action taken on his part. Got the feeling I was getting jerked off so I picked up the gun and took my business elsewhere. He seemed to act like I wasn't a worthy customer. The shop I found and frequent now is a total 360 degree turn around from the other guy. So don't feel your alone here I believe it will happen to everyone sooner or later ;)

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We preserve our freedoms by using four boxes: soap,ballot,jury, and cartridge.
Anonymous
 
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by loknload:
...is a total 360 degree turn around...[/quote]

Huh? :D ;)


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"...and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one."
Luke 22:36
"An armed society is a polite society."
Robert Heinlein
"Power corrupts. Absolute power - is kinda cool!"
Fred Reed
 
I'm well past er.. 35 yrs and most if not all my guns are higher end and I still get the cold shoulder at shops and shows at times..even where I'm known. I don't get it. Do agree that dealers NEED a BIG dose of marketing skill/class. Might help if the pay was improved for the help. Hard to find and keep good people for what most shops want to pay. The help at shows can often be friends helping out for dinner and some ammo/range time. It is a problem everywhere and not just age dependent. When you do find a good shop/dealer, don't mind paying a couple of % more on a gun, WE need to keep them in business.

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Be careful what you ask for..You may get it.
An unloaded pistol is a paperweight.
 
I'm a young college guy who routinely gets pigeon-holed by gun shop owners as just another punk looking to pick up a "gat". Which is quite understandable, seeing the poor weapons-handling and arrogant attitude displayed by the many gangster wannabe's of our age group. Who wants some punk muzzle sweeping them and dinging up their stock?

My technique: make a few well informed remarks to the guy/gal behind the counter. Ask him his opinion about the handling of the newest glock so-and-so, or if he thinks there is significant loss of muzzle velocity when pushing a .45 out of a 4-inch barrel. You know, detailed pseudo-gunnut type questions.

Let them know that gunshops tend to make your money burn a hole in your pocket. And ALWAYS observe the rules of etiquette. The worthwhile shop owners will eventually warm up. The others weed themselves out for you.
 
DannyO, which gunshop in the PRM are you going to? I'm in your age group, and I haven't had a problem at two of the shops on the South Shore.

Actually, I would _prefer_ your experience at a car dealership :). Every time I go, I get sales people sidling up to me every couple of minutes, drives me insane.
 
Trick is to find your one good dealer and stick with him/her. In the long run you'll save money because your a favored customer.
 
My FFL will talk me up for hours, and find out whatever he can about a firearm that I MIGHT be interested in.

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Dead [Black Ops]
 
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