Rude Sales People

K

KMAX

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I am researching new pistols I want to buy soon. I have decided on a 9mm. I had thought about ordering online or going to a big city, but this morning I had decided to support a local gun shop of which there are few within 50 miles. I drove out to a small shop in the next town, about 10 miles. I was looking at and holding a Springfield XD9. I pulled out a pen and notepad to write down the info to compare to other models that I may like. The "salesman" turned around to a guy sitting at the computerand said "Here go the price checks." Computer guy," Need a price on something?" Salesguy,"No. I'm just getting tired of people getting price checks." I said, "Well I don't want to tire you out so I'll leave." I walked out and swore to never set foot in that store again. That is one less store in risk of getting any of my business. The guy said on my way out that he would beat anybody else's price on whatever gun I wanted. When I make a purchase I not only expect the item I purchased, but at least a little respect for my patronage of the business.

The sales person was not the business owner. He was not there. I have not decided if I should call the owner and tell him or not. I probably will. It has cost the owner a customer and I am pretty sure he needs all the customers he can get. It is a small shop.
 
A lot of gun shops hire friends and family to work there and many of them are obviously not very customer service oriented. Having said that the process of consumers visiting brick and mortar stores to checkout an item and then buy it online is a growing irritant for many businesses. There are even WEB site now that support this behavior and as a consumer I guess I can understand the motivation. While this was not your intent they really had no way of knowing that. If it were me I would give them another chance and see what their price is. Who knows you might develop a long term relationship and if they are still jerks – well at least you know for sure.
 
What does "here go the price checks?" mean?

Were you going to compare it to other models in the store?

Regardless, rudeness by salespeople should never be tolerated. I'd send the owner a letter, explaining how you went out of your way to give custom to a local shop, and why they lost your business, permanently.
 
If you have it coming, take it like a man. If not, don't!

I must admit that I am "Rude Clerk" receptive. I'm not rude and when faced with a clerk who is, I smile to myself. After that, I am never aggressive but do go into an assertive mode. Eventually It gets the job done and most of the time, I walk out with no negative feelings what so ever. ..... ;)

I learned this from my Ex-Wife who use to conduct Assertiveness Training courses.

I understand they take us by surprise but it's always best to head these things off when they happen so be ready. I never bother with letters or phone calls, afterwards. ... :)

Be Safe !!!
 
When I was selling guns, as much as I desperately wanted to at times, I never got rude with a customer.

One guy I so badly wanted to strangle the first time I met him, I mean he was a TOTAL ass, turned out to be one of my best customers.
 
The shooting industry lit discusses this kind of issue at times. Not that it is unknown to them - seems to go with specialty stores.

I've had crap like that at the coin or cheese store.
 
Rude sales reps? I like 'em...The ruder the better. Whenever I find one I try to take up as much of their time as I'll afford then buy a lot of nothing from them. Never found the need for a letter as poor sales performance will generally weed them out on a case-by-case basis. No skin off my nose really; I'll buy it somewhere else.

I do have one personal exception to this though. There is one particular LGS in town in which the swollen-headed owner may handle some customers. The fellow is rather obnoxious and has a well known reputation regarding his poor attitude and pricing. I just simply refuse to walk through those doors.

Added : You are the buyer; You have the money; You have a choice. Use that power to your advantage. As much as I like "the" LGS, if their poor practices or pricing closes their own doors then so be it. I'll just go next door.
 
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Grow some thicker skin... and still try to support local businesses. :)

One must remember that the mom-n-pop shops are nearly run out of business. We should recognize that some resentment will be present. Heck, most of us will buy on-line to save a single dollar. ***?
 
Grow some thicker skin... and still try to support local businesses.
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I'd suggest you are incorrect.

The whole point of trying to support small local businesses is because they bring other intangibles to the table, such as improved service. When we're dealing with commodity items (the gun you buy from Big Box Store A is the same gun you can buy from Small Local Shop B), that's the only thing that differentiates them- the fact that the small store can provide a more personal level of support.

Why should we support the local business if the local business does not support the customer? The reason I pay more at my local shop is because I feel I get more- better service, service after the sale, etc. If they are going to be as uninterested and unknowledgeable as the folks at the big box store, why pay more?

One must remember that the mom-n-pop shops are nearly run out of business. We should recognize that some resentment will be present.
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Who really cares? So they feel squeezed. Tough cookies. Take it out on me and you won't see my money. At that point it isn't the big store squeezing you, it's you losing the sale because of your own poor practices. If the mom-n-pop store wants to continue to exist, they can remember they need to bring something to the table other than the dubious boon of receiving poor service at a higher price in a smaller building.
 
One of my first statements was that I was out to see what was locally available because I had decided to support my local gun stores. There are two stores and two pawn shops that deal in guns. Neither of the stores have all the models I am interested. I only intend to buy one gun of three or four possibilities. I know I can buy cheaper online, but never have in order to support the brick and mortar stores. I have before bought at big box stores. This sales guy didn't give me any motivation to buy from him. He started the rudeness when he saw my pen and pad. I went to the other LGS and a salesman spent quite a bit of time showing me the models he had that I was interested in and was not the least bit rude when I wrote down the info. I even told him I was going home to read up on the two I narrowed it down to. I thanked him for his time and he said,"No problem. Come back and see us." I felt good when I walked out of his store and I think that is part of what a gun shopping experience should be.

Thank you, Technosavant. You said a lot that I could not quite find the words for.
 
He should have opened up with "I'll beat any price."

Its not the customers fault he wanted to be a jerk.

Go somewhere else. That's the beauty of capitalism. You have choices.
 
Gawd... I hate the terms "capitalism" and "democracy". This country was founded as a "REPUBLIC"!! Why have so many folks forgotten that fact?? And, BTW, we're more of a "corporatism" than anything else... just a step behind China.
 
Unfortunately in my area I don't have that many choices. That is why I was giving them a chance in the first place. You are correct though. It is my money and I don't have to give it to them.
 
I have not decided if I should call the owner and tell him or not.
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I'd want to know if I owned the joint. Businesses would make more sales with courteous and knowledgeable salespeople. A good owner/manager will know this, and will act accordingly.

Technosavant has it right on the nose.
 
I have a place locally that is the same way. I asked for .303 because most shops locally don't carry it and they have a lrger selection of ammo than most. He walks over to the ammo wall, grabs 2 boxes and turns around and throws them on the counter. "That's what I got, you want it or not?" His entire mannerism was just rude. I said, "No, you keep it." and walked out. I will never go back.
 
Gun store counter employees are often $10 an hour goobs that think they are knowledgeable about firearms. Conversely, some very nice and knowledgeable people work in gun stores.

Instead of getting angry with the goober, I usually just humor them. For instance one time I ordered in a used Ruger Redhawk 5.5" .44 Magnum. When I picked it up at the FFL only employees were there, one of them a new guy. In addition to paying the stores FFL fee I bought a box of primers, a can of powder, and two boxes of Speer .45 Colt ammunition. When the new clerk ring me up, he informed me that .45 Colt ammo would not fit a .44 Magnum. :p I looked at him like he had just delivered important information and promised not to try it. :)
 
It's Been My Experience...

That rudeness is spawned by the inability to compete due to one or many reasons. In other words... rudeness is often the last cry of a dying predator.
 
Thick skin? Does that mean I have to put up with disrespect? Sounds like a recipe for passivity.

I don't know much about guns, but after many years of a variety of sales, I know a WHOLE lot about sales.

And those guys broke all sorts of rules with their passive aggression.

The whole point of sales is, well, to make a sale. Smile, nod, and make the sale.

I just went to my local LGS and I'll never go back. I walk in, and all the staff except the owner were eating lunch. Not one of them put their sandwich down for a minute to ask if I needed help.

If I had done that while I was working at my dad's cleaners (as a kid), he would've slapped me to the ceiling and grounded me until I hit 30. A better owner would've gone over to the clerks and said "I'm not paying you to eat, help him out or walk."

During the whole process of my purchase, never got a thank you or anything. Pretty much felt like they just wanted my money and for me to leave.
 
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