Gun store/range issue

I have a funny way of dealing with people like that. You see/interact with a lot of those types at car dealerships too.

When I was wanting to buy a new, yet cheapish car with decent performance that wouldn't break the bank or the tank, I wanted 20+ MPG in the city, I went to Honda in Dothan, AL. I will NEVER buy on the first look. Guns, cars or boats, I never buy that day. I always take the time to research, shop and research some more. But this Honda dealer had the car I wanted, a 2009 Civic SI coupe, and I had the cash to buy it. BUT, I wanted to drive the Accord Coupe, a Fit, the CivicSI sedan and the SI Coupe. You know, see which one fit me the best.

I drove the Civic SI sedan, the Fit (what a horribly slow car!) and the Accord Coupe. I told the guy I wanted to drive the SI Coupe. He said, and I quote:

Look buddy, we've already ran out about $15 in gas letting you buzz all around town trying different cars. You HAD to of had the car in mind that you wanted, so I don't understand why you keep going to different vehicles. Make up your damned mind and then come talk business to me.
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Incidentally, I had the same problem with a gun dealer in Ozark, AL when I wanted to test fire three of their rental weapons. I DO NOT pay for range time or ammo when I'm test firing five rounds through a prospective purchase.

This guy also got frustrated with me, he had no other customers nor did the car dealer guy.

In both instances, I bought from somewhere else, then went right back to them to show them they really DID lose a sale. I'll explain it to them and then leave. The Honda Dealer in Dothan. I went back out there in my brand new, stickers still on it, dealer temp tags and all, and showed him the 2009 CivicSI I had just purchased along with all the trimmings. Bra, window vent visors, sunroof vent visor, all weather floor mats and this car only had 25 miles on it when I signed the paperwork. His car in Dothan had over 200. I showed him the car, the bill of sale and then said, loud enough for the manager and finance manager to hear:

"Your ** attitude and telling me to hurry up and make a decision or let you go see to other customers lost you a sale buddy. I STRONGLY suggest that next time, you let the customer CHOOSE which car they want after test driving everything on your damned lot and YOU be patient enough to let them! It IS a $20k car and I can't think of too many intelligent people who do not make an informed buying decision before plunking down that kinda cabbage. By the way, you are an **."

That gets them every time. I did the same with my XD 45 and XDm 9mm. Took BOTH of those guns to the gun dealer in Ozark just to remind him that when a customer feels nice and at ease in a store, and isn't treated like they are just ruining your day by pulling you away from the TV for 15 minutes while I look and hold different weapons, but when that customer feels like he/she has found a friendly, yet knowledgeable store, they will spend their money there.
 
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No, you're not being overly sensitive. The salesperson was being rude. If the salesperson was the owner, don't spend money there any more. If the guy was an employee, talk to the owner.

It takes all kinds to run the world and *some* folks think they're all that 'cause they work with firearms. Unfortunately I've run across my share of those myself.
 
that depends..

It depends on how much of the salesman's time your taking up.
If you've handled a few guns & he's coping an attitude, I'd go elsewhere.

But, If you're there for an hour trying every gun they have 2-3 times while he has paying customers to deal with, I could see him getting a little annoyed. Keep in mind that while you are looking at a gun, he cannot help, or talk to anyone else for safety reasons.

At the range near my house they get really busy on the weekend (1-2hr wait every week). So if I want to look at something I go during the week when it's slower. Usually getting better service in the process.
 
I had a relateable experince at a local gun store last year. The rudeness of the clerk(s) I dealt with cost the store a sale and allot of future business. I wrote an email to the owner and my have single handedly changed the way they do business. A week after writing email I went back and the store was completely different. I was greeted at the door, salesman was polite and attentive and no one was pushy with the sales. I still don't shop there unless I really need something but it was nice to see they made a change.
 
How long were you looking and how many guns did you have him take
out of the case?

I'm in sales and know you can't say stuff like that to customers.

However, if it's BUSY in the store and there are people that "want to buy" can politely suggest "they sleep on it", "browse the website" or "think it over."

Equally, it's common courtesy to not "excessively" browse during busy times. Go by there when it's slow and EVERYONE has a little time to kill.

In regards to your OP, he shouldn't have said that though.
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About 6 or 7 within 10 minutes. I was looking for a .45 compact for my next gun.

I had things in mind already that I wanted to see, and listed them.
 
Well, that is a perfectly acceptable amount of time to browse and ask questions. I'm in sales and have been almost my entire life. The best thing to do is simply not deal with that one person. Don't let a single idiot ruin your OVERALL experience and opinion. You said the guy with the S&W was cool. Buy from him or someone other than the second rude person.

Heck, there is one gun store I shop where the owner isn't exactly my favorite guy (rudeness) BUT the rest of the staff is great and makes up for it! And even at my favorite gun store, there are a couple of guys that I "just don't mesh with" for no real reason (some people just don't naturally "vibe" with each other) that I prefer not to have serve me. Different (or too similar)
personalites just don't "click" together. Which is why it's good to have different types of people on your sales team. (So that you CAN have someone to match-up with and best serve each customer.)

Anyway, I am sorry to here you had a bad experience at ANY type of retail store. It's the personal service and ability to physically see/handle/try-on/etc the product that gives the edge over simply buying on-line. It is the job of the salesperson to provide that service to the customer. Equally, I hope (and I can tell the OP does) should a person provide aforementioned services well; a customer will reward them with their business (instead of just touching and feeling everything) and then buying online because the price is a few dollars less. (Of course, the price should still be "competitive" with the market.)

You pay for service and convenience. If people and places don't do that they won't be a successful as fully possible.

Best of luck.
 
My response would have just been something like this:

"Am I keeping you from something - because if I am, please let me know, I'll be glad to leave..." "Just to let you know, I've purchased two guns from this store and plenty of ammo and accessories - if you no longer want my business, just tell me.

The bottom line is the sales guy was rude.....but many "sales guys" are rude and you just need to know how to politely not take their crap. Don't back down and simply leave. I don't believe that you need to go get the owner either - you'll be preceived as a cry-baby. If you say something like I wrote above, you're throwing the ball back in his court - making him tell you to leave (which he won't do). If he doesn't tell you to leave, then the sales guy has no alternative other than to shut up and keep handing you guns to look at. That's really what you want at this point, right?
 
Man that is a bad experience. Being rude on the internet is expected, but in person should never happen.

If it is any consolation, I just got a P220 SAS Carry in as a trade. If you are interested in doing business with a gun dealer that won't treat you that badly - email me. sales@goingquiet.com
 
Every time I see threads like this or hear stories about other people's similar experiences it underscores for me the reason why so many people buy online.

Gunshops are alot like a church, they aren't neccesary to learn what you need to know, but the right one definately helps. A bad experience however can keep someone from ever going back.

I have been turned off by several gunshops that will never get my business because they were rude or lazy. If/when I go to a gun shop it's because I enjoy being surrounded by like minded people and want to see something different.

It pisses me off when I ask about something (like the US made Mosin I've been looking years for) and get told, "there's no such thing" with a look of disdain. I own more guns than most gunshops, instead of trying to denigrate a very knowledgable customer that shop should have tried to learn something from me instead of "teach me" a lesson.

The last time it happened I got my revenge though. I asked to look at an SKS and it was labeled Chinese. It was actually a very nice Russian and I got it for $225 OTD.
 
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I might have been tempted to have them write up a couple of guns and just as you're getting ready to actually pay say "Naw, I changed my mind. Might have been different if you treated me with the respect I deserve, but now I will go to (another store). Oh, I might add that I will be happy to tell all interested parties about this special experience. Hope you learned something today"! Make sure all in the store can hear you, then walk out.
 
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Yeah I had a similar experience there. This guy gave me the hard sell after looking at two handguns "we have the best prices around. Don't bother looking elswhere cause you won't find it cheaper". He didn't want to walk to the other end of the case so he started talking me out of the guns down there. I am guessing the margins were higher on the guns he recommended.

I know who you are talking about. He was there as well asking the salesperson waiting on me if he needed anything (as in to make the sale). I won't be back.
 
I complained in the store today.

I first spoke to the employee who was originally helping me. I asked for one of the owners. The employee I spoke to today said he was probably just joking around.

The owner was doing some stuff, and I spoke to him after my range time.

The owner apologized and said that he will talk to the person.

He said he probably was trying a sales technique to "close the sale". I told him that I didn't like his sales technique.

I have a lot of respect for salesmen. I am a proud salesman. In fact, I have a company of salespeople. Next week we launch an office in Maryland, which will make it our 4th state.

I would never tell someone **** or get off the pot, especaily someone that I don't have a relationship with.

I do feel that I have gotten good service at the store/range. I am there a lot. I know most of the people there pretty well.
 
There has been someone or another pushy at the local range/store here too. But, most of them have been weeded out. Beyond those couple of examples, I've had nothing but great service. I'm glad to hear that you got the situation handled!
 
CMichael

I would never tell someone **** or get off the pot, especially someone that I don't have a relationship with.
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I hear ya, I've done sales a few times, and honestly I don't like salesmens, that's why I buy my gun's online and skip the middle man. I send it to an FFL that does transfers, and boom, I'm out the door with no hassle of the wheel and deal ****.

TBS, I go to the range and talk to people that are shooting gun's that I might be interested in, and let them shoot some of my "Cool unique" guns a few times, and boom, they (Most of the time) offer to let me shoot there gun.

To this day, I have shot over a 100 different cool handguns, and a few rifles.
 
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Many years ago I was in a well known gunshop on the Berlin TPKE in Berlin Connecticut. I had just gotten my income tax check and was out to buy a new toy. I was probably 23 or 24. So I'm looking at a .357 Brushed Stainless Desert Eagle. I asked the guy if I could take a look at it (cause I do have small hands and wanted to see if I could hold it comfortably). The guy looks at me like I have horns growing out of my forehead as says, "Really? YOU'RE gonna buy this gun?" I took out what amounted to be about $4300 held it up so he could get a good look at it and said, "No. I WAS going to buy it, but I think I'll go where people aren't condescending D|cks." So I went to the old Meriden Trading Post and bought an AR.
 
I am always mindful of the salesman and other customers. I tell them up front I am comparing today but will take my time to make a decision. I ask them to pull whatever I am considering to compare them, then tell them if they have other stuff to do I'll be okay and will ask questions after I've played with them. It helps if you have a pen and notebook to write pros/cons/questions.

I haven't been asked but I would offer to let them hold my drivers license if they had concerns. Might help that I shop at a local family owned gun store and they have seen me in there a bit.

I hate the look at one gun, give it back, then look at the next gun. I have to have them side by side. Also, I have a rule that I do not buy the same day I compare. I chew things over and sleep on it. I get buyers remorse if I rush things.
 
I have a rule that I do not buy the same day I compare. I chew things over and sleep on it.
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I do this with any purchase of more than $100.00. Heck, I do this with plenty of stuff that's less than that! Never be in a hurry to spend all your money, right?
 
It happens all over.Went into a bar with some friends and after 30 minutes we all decided that the bartenders shi**y attitude warranted us to leave.I told the manager on the way out that we were there for a birthday and were prepared to spend an obscenely large amount of money,just not there now.We went right across the alley to the competition and consumed for 5 hours all they had.Great place,great staff,great time,and we made sure that bar 1 could hear and see us having a great time.
 
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