How does a gun shop earn your loyaly?

How can a shop earn your loyalty?

  • Good customer service

    Votes: 82 70.7%

  • Personal relationship with the staff/owner

    Votes: 26 22.4%

  • Having what you want in stock

    Votes: 20 17.2%

  • It's all about the price... lowest wins

    Votes: 22 19.0%

  • Convenient location

    Votes: 11 9.5%

  • I make no promises... this is business, not friendship- no loyalty

    Votes: 19 16.4%
  • Total voters
    116
  • Poll closed .
I'm a reloader and target shooter. If you aren't too far away, have what I need, and treat me and others with respect I will be a loyal customer for many years. I understand the business end of it as well. Profit is important,
but don't try to kill me.
 
By doing what the Evil Pawn Shop Guy does for me.

He has a money back guarantee on anything I buy from him.

For example, I am leery of buying a used semi-auto,,,
I know how to check out a revolvers functions,,,
But with semi-auto pistols, I am clueless.

So I'm looking at a Beretta 85,,,
I tell him my fears and he told me,,,
"I'll buy it back from you if it's a jam-o-matic.

I am certain if I buy a used gun from him and it doesn't work,,,
He will buy it back from me for the same price.

The day he sells me a lemon and will not buy it back,,,
Is the last time I ever go into his store.

Aarond
 
When I was in Kodiak, I had 4 choices for gun purchases. The base exchange, Wal-Mart, Cy's, and Mack's.

Base exchange had some of the better prices, with no city sales tax, but also had a rather limited selection. Also, none of the employees were very knowledgeable. More often than not when I went in there, I would wind up helping them show a customer a gun, answering questions the customer had, even helped the clerk fill out the 4473 form a couple times.

Wal-Mart had the worst selection, and the worst sales people. I don't think I ever bought a gun from there.

Cy's had a grumpy old owner that was set in his ways. If you asked about anything, from reloading supplies to ordering a particular gun, he would tell you "Well this has been working just fine for me for 40 years, this is what you need." Pardon me, but I want what I want and if you won't sell it to me, I'll get it somewhere else.

Mack's is the cream of the crop in Kodiak. Very helpful staff and very knowledgeable. They openly admit when they don't know something, and when they don't they call the gun counter manager or the owner. They run the sportsman's association/gun ranges. They do what they can on prices, reasonable for Kodiak, though a bit higher than Lower 48 prices. That's fine with me, I'll gladly keep them in business. I became good friends with a couple of the guys there, and they always bent over backwards to get me what I wanted. It was the one store I always stopped in to buy something, every time I went to town. Even if it was just a box of .22's or a bolt of 550 cord. I spent thousands upon thousands in that store in 3.5 years, and it was worth every penny.

Loyalty is everything in a small town business that wants to survive, you've got to give me a reason to come in and spend my money. Mack's did that and more. Not just friendly sales people, but friends and mentors behind that counter. I can't wait to get back there.
 
Those with the best prices win. I might frequent one shop more over another one based on their staff, but low prices win in my book.
 
Those with the best prices win. I might frequent one shop more over another one based on their staff, but low prices win in my book.
Click to expand...

More to this than just price.

Personally, I believe in my sig line from Gucci....
 
I've been patronizing one particular shop for about twenty years. At first, I was an occasional customer, buying an occasional rifle, but after my brother died in 2006 and I inherited several of his rifles, I became very close to them because they gave me good trade-ins for the rifles I didn't need.

When I retired in 2007, I started shooting almost full time. About three years ago, I decided to accumulate some revolvers. This particular shop has always called me when they got something in I might be interested.

About a year ago, I mentioned that I was looking for a 3" Model 65. Two weeks ago, they called me, telling me they had five, and I could have my pick; first refusal. I chose one and got a very good price. Today, I got a great deal on a shooter grade Model 19-4, with a four-inch barrel.

I don't expect huge discounts, and I do what I can to help their business. I refer customers to them, and have never ask for a discount; only their best price. The same day I bought the Model 65, I mentioned that they had four others for sale on a blog. Within two hours they sold three of them to one customer in Oregon (I live in Michigan). The next Monday, I got thanks from them, for the referral. That's all I needed.
 
Good Customer service and reasonable prices are the top 2 factors for me. I will drive an hour to a gun shop if they treat me right and have good prices, even willing to negotiate unlike other stores who are firm on the sticker price.
 
I got a guy I go through and he has treated me well he is honest and straight forward about the price no hidden fees he tells me what it will cost from point A to point B I know him personally and have dealt with him on many occasions he locality helps but honesty is worth everything with out being arrogant. I tell him what I want he finds it, he does not try to sell me something I don't want. Honesty is everything
 
With a very tight to nonexistent gun budget; price is key to where I take my business. I do my research before even setting foot in the store. The only thing I do is feel it to make sure I like the feel and then buy it if I like the feel. I have bought from big box stores to itty bitty local stores. The only time service plays a role is if I stand at the counter for too long without being acknowledged, then I will walk out. I will however usually give that shop a second or third try-- because price is key.
 
-They treat me (and my son) like we were the most important customer they've ever had
-They offer solid advice on hardware, ammo, cleaning, etc. It is only a matter of time before I figure out that they were right :) and I was wise to trust their advice
-They always have time to answer questions, even if it's my 9 y.o. son asking :D
-Taking the time to show me the basic field strip of a firearm that I'm considering
-The fact that their shop is only a 10 min drive from my house - well, that's the icing on the cake :D
 
The same qualities that cause me to take my car to the same mechanic year after year: knowledge, customer service and prices that I can afford.
 
I would imagin it's all about finding the lowest price.
Affordability.

If a gun shop has a New Bersa 380acp handgun for $329
And another shop has the same Bersa model for $299
Or you saw it on gunbroker.com for $260
HELLO!!!!
People today like knowing they got a good deal.

And that applies too almost anything, and everything today.
 
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For me it comes down to the service I get.

If I ask a question about a firearm or other product, and you don't know the answer..........tell me you don't know and try to find out. Don't make something up, figuring I am an idiot and will believe anything you tell me.

If I am there to look at a specific item, don't try and sell me on something else, just because it is YOUR favorite.

If you are behind the counter, and can't immediately come help me when I walk in cause your with another customer or on the phone, a nice greeting and "be with ya in just a minute" instead of just ignoring me or at least making eye contact and giving a little wave to make me aware you know I am there go a long way to helping me be patient and wait for your help so I can spend money in your store.

If I ask your opinion on a gun, holster, ammo, scope, etc, and you haven't used said item, let me know that instead of saying what you think I want to hear. Honesty goes a long way.

I gladly pay a little more to be treated like a customer, instead of just another sale, and give my repeat business to those that treat me well, while price comes in second.
 
Customer service is the make-or-break item on my checklist. I am willing to wait my turn, quietly and patiently, and I never argue over stupid little details... all that I ask is that you make it clear that you will get to me and that when you do it'll be a friendly "hi, what can I do for you?" instead of "what do you want?"

It is too much to expect to be treated like the best customer the store's ever had; I am not going to be a frequent shopper and I won't be buying high-dollar items very often. It is not too much to expect to be treated like a human being instead of a mark. You're providing a service, and just like any other service if it is of a higher quality I'll be willing to pay more for it. If I can afford the higher price, I'd rather give my money to the store that appreciates the business more.

I don't care how good your prices are, if you pass me over so you can go talk to somebody who came in after me- no matter how much more money you think they'll spend- I will walk out the door and take all of my future business with me. That is inexcusable. If you walk away from me without excusing yourself, I will walk away as well. If I have already heard your sales pitch and declined to be up-sold, I will walk away if you press the issue. If you act rudely toward me or anyone I walked in with, I will leave- everybody has bad days, and that'll excuse a little irritability, but it will not excuse getting in my face or talking down to me. I don't treat people that way, and I won't tolerate being treated that way.
 
My local gun shop has a great staff. When a new gun comes out they have meetings to get all the info on them so there isnt any miss information.

HONESTY is key. i can smell some B.S. a mile away and i have been in shops that tell you a line just to get cash out of your wallet.
 
New guns are priced pretty much the same at the dealers near me. When it comes to used iron it is up to me to decide if I want the piece at the price offered. So all in all, as long as the dealer doesn't treat me like I'm an idiot, makes an effort to sell me what I want at a price I feel is reasonable, they will get my business. My favorite shop went out of business years ago and I haven't yet found a comparable shop. I've been using my second favorite ever since for handguns and used iron, and a friendly big box joint for new long guns. A willingness to order in the ammo I want is a plus.
 
Six parts total, for me.

3 parts customer service
- Do not ignore me
- Do not talk down to me
- Do not act irritated that I'm taking up your time

2 parts price
- Have a reasonable (but worth your time) FFL fee. I think 25 is reasonable.
- Don't charge MSRP or a similarly insulting price. It assumes I haven't done my research and I find that irritating.

1 part ruthlessness
- This IS capitalism. Guns are a big investment. For the $500 for a typical gun, I could save up half the money for a nice, large HDTV, or buy a modern game console or Blu-Ray player with a stack of movies or games. If you aren't the best package, you don't get my money.
 
There's a local shop I always check first for the gun I want. They know me by name and when I come in they always pull out the rugers they just got in :) one I said I'm loom for a ****** the guy told me I'd be better off finding on at a gun show for a better price. He gave advice that would save me money knowing that someday he would have the better deal. If they don't have the gun I want or can't get the gun I want, I at least do the transfer through them.
 
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