Why do gun shops get away with it?

I may be unusual in that I can only remember being in one dedicated GS-Carter Country. I remember they were always polite and helpful, even when they knew I wasn't a buyer (too young for a get bit of my trips there).

The other big box stores have been fine. Service has been good to meh, but never bad.
 
I always test the sales person knowledge of weaponry by acting like I know nothing. I sit back and let them either excel their self or give them enough rope to hang their self on trying to make a sell.
 
I haven't read every post in this thread but Rifleman 1776 kind of touched on it. A gun store is a business, it will be more successful if the owner is a good businessman. He doesn't need to be a great shot or avid hunter. Being interested in guns is helpful, but not critical. Good business principles and practices are much more useful. I owned a printing company (successfully) for 28 years, I didn't know a thing about printing when I bought the company, it was failing at the time. I knew bunches of pressmen that thought they didn't need that guy up front and started their own shop. I don't know of one that succeeded. As I always say however, its their business and they get to run it however they want. The customer will decide how long they get to do it.
 
Nothing but pleasant and professional service at my gun store. So far I've bought three pistols and two rifles from them. Consistently $80 to $100 less than chain stores and usually beat Walmart by ten to twenty. Haven't gouged on ammo during this crunch either. I'm pretty sensitive to bad customer service, working in and having owned a small business. If they are rude, vote with your feet!
 
I find two types of LGS - well...three if you count big box stores.

Type one is the store that's been around for a long time run by a guy - maybe with some help. He liked things just the way they were. Knowledgeable people would come in looking for a hunting rifle...he'd show them what he had and help them make a choice among those that fit what the buyer wanted when he came in.
But that's shifted - at least in most urban and suburban areas - to people buying a CC weapon. They don't know what they want. If he isn't willing to help them work through that they'll leave without a sale and so he gets bitter and that becomes a downward spiral. He doesn't care for the black plastic crap (as he sees them) guns. His is a totally different mindset. The business deteriorates into a clubhouse for the owner and his buddies. When I as a stranger walk in I'm not made to feel welcome - but rather as an interruption.

Some of these LGS seem to exist mainly so the owner can keep an FFL and do the gun shows. Nothing wrong with that - but they aren't really in the "store" business.

At shows You have to shop from vendor to vendor to get your deal - not really work down a particular vendor. I've seen LCP's on tables at the same show range from $300 to $399 and they all sold. I've seen M&P Shields range from $+-450 to $699 - and again - they all sold.

Type two is a newer LGS run by people who do care about good service, employee training, keeping a clean well stocked and nicely presented store. They offer classes - they take the time to work with novices. They are good at working with women. They're locally owned just like Type One shops - but by totally different people.

Big box - I don't shop them enough to comment.
 
I pick customer service over anything, my local gun store Black Dog Firearms here in Soldotna, AK is very friendly. I can go in there and just talk with the guys about guns with no intention of buying anything and they know this but they will talk with me show me guns and be polite with me. Gator Guns and the Impact Area offer better pricing but there customer service is terrible. So when it comes time to buy a new gun I will go to Black Dog, I don't mind spending $50 extra bucks and its worth all the time Ive spent there just BSing with the guys.
 
In my area, I've seen a break in the trend of rude gun store clerks. It's owed in part to the standard set by one of the more popular shops in the area that has excellent service.
 
Mixed bag around here. There are 2 places I'll never return to but service at the others depends on the individual clerk. Some act like they've got better things to do than wait on customers and especially answer questions. Probably want to appear as experts but really aren't.
 
I don't tolerate poor service, nor jerks. It's too easy to take my money elsewhere, or just go online and have things shipped to friendly FFLs.

That said, I have been fortunate in finding gun stores in the last few places I have lived, where employees are both pleasant and knowledgeable.

As the manager of one put it, he hires salespeople who were good at sales and customer service; he figured he could teach them all they would need to know about firearms as time went by. That approach seems to work well for him.
 
I drive an hour if I want to buy a gun. The store is big, clean and brightly lit. The employee's are nice, polite, friendly and professional. The one guy I usually deal with knows who I am and enjoys talking about his area of knowledge, shows off guns happily and has fun talking to my Dad (who will talk your arm off given half a chance, but is knowledgeable and means well)
The other two, which are much closer to home... Well...

The newer one is mostly ex mil, all combat/tactical bordering on tacticool (which I like) but the last time I went in they had one female employee who was dressed unprofessionally (mall ninja wetdream) and the very prominate Dillions-esque calender on the wall which was very offputting.
No, correcting that. I was so mad I wanted to spit.

The other, well, if you ain't one of the established good 'ol boys who inhabits the store, you get treated like a nusiance or outright ignored. The owner makes more money on the safes then he does the guns for a reason. I will buy some stuff from him, but not guns.
The last time I went in there, I got stared at like I was some alien creature. It was annoying.
 
I've only been to three locally.

1) Cabela's. Someone told me this particular Cabela's (Glendale AZ) is the largest gun counter in the US. I'm not sure if that's true but it's a zoo. Even with a dozen clerks on hand, they are always overwhelmed with what appears to be brand new gun "needers" looking for Glocks and Kimbers.

2) LGS #2 - Tiny store. Seems stocked with mostly guns, not a lot of holsters and accessories...In theory what I'd think of as a good place to buy a gun. Only went there once. Asked the kid about "Paddle holsters for my snub nosed revolver". He went to the rack and started pulling out IWB, OWB, Jacket slot, even holsters meant for 1911s. Fail there. They had an M1A on the wall. I asked "Could I look at that M1A?" He said "Sure". I asked "What model of M1A is this? Standard? Loaded? Natl Match?" He said "I don't know, they make a lot of different models". Well, yes they do. I just listed three out of four. I'm thinkin' if he's at all interested in selling the thing with the 2100 price tag, maybe he could look it up in his records. Fail there.

3) LGS #3 - Pretty big store. Been in same location for a couple decades. Don't open till 11am. Sign on door says "No loaded weapons in store". I've been there maybe half a dozen times. Always seems like there's about six or eight employees, one or two customers. Two or three employees are always eating. Their monster sized burritos on the glass gun counter. None of them have ever taken the initiative to ask if I'd like to see anything. I have to ask them "Excuse me, could I look at that 1911?"


Just seems a LOT easier, IMO, to do all the research on my own, then buy at Bud's or similar online. Eliminate the wasted intermediary salesmen, I guess.


Sgt Lumpy
 
Last week I went to a small gunstore in lansing Mi close to where I was working at the time called Classic Arms. I was about to buy 50 115gr fmj 9mm bullets until the lady behind the counter tried to charge me $25 for them. These were just bullets not loaded ammo. I didn't buy them.
 
First, Gun stores..Like small Bars or Liquer Stores pay very expensive licencing fees just to stay open..They have high overhead and very small profit margins in order to stay open.. These are also buisnesses that rely on "SWEAT EQUITY" just to stay afloat. Most GUN ONLY stores don't last due to the federal regulations of keeping and having an FFL. ATF, FBI, Homeland Security...can and will enter at any time and shut a store down for a records review or site inspection. It is very difficult to meet all the requirements, and with On-line sales from larger corporate companies like Cabela's or Gander Mountain taking the sole ownership Dealer off the market by under-cutting prices through volumn, can you really blame them for "STICKING TO THEIR GUNS". Some more successful dealers also sell, Fishing, Camping, and general outdoor equipment for those who, A: May not be interested in Firearms, OR B: Could not obtain a Firearm under federal, state or local law..but,still enjoy outdoor activities. Like all of us they seem to lose sight of Customer Service due to uncertanty and fear of what may come next. This may translate into "Rudeness" or "Being Callous" (which really is too bad!) Because as you stated "I'll just go somewhere else!" The little Mom and Pop may be going the way of the Do-Do....!
 
ATF, FBI, Homeland Security...can and will enter at any time and shut a store down for a records review or site inspection.
Click to expand...
I'm unaware of the FBI or DHS having any such jurisdiction or authority. If a gun dealer wants to stay in business, he should not be allowing either of those agencies access to any of his records without a subpoena.

With some exceptions, the ATF can conduct inspections once per year on a given dealer.
 
I'm not sure if the proprietors of such stores offering horrible customer service are all that self aware.

Otherwise I could make a nice business doing business consulting/training for them regarding their image, workflow and customer service. First they'd have to see there is a problem or room for improvement though.
 
First they'd have to see there is a problem or room for improvement though.
Click to expand...

Hard to imagine that. In my limited experience they are firm in their belief that you - the customer - is the problem. They are also quite confident about their need to let you - the customer - know what's what.
 
Do you really think that the "Federal Government" can't shut down a "Licensed Shop" for an inspection. The ATF...gives permission to a "Firearms Dealer". The F.B.I. investigates the dealer and his/her employees....! The government issues the licence through "State" authorithy, but, it is still an FFL. This allows transportation of firearms through "Federal Authority" from one state to another.....Which falls under...Ypou guessed it......THE A.T.F. and the F.B.I.! and they can shut your opperation down by citing "Federal Statute". The "State of Issuance" can do the same, since the issuing state has governing control. The "Local Township" can do the same, since it has local control governed by the state. That is why FFL dealers must have certain criteria. And each level of the "Food Chain" gets a bite at the piece of the so called "Profit Pie"...through, "License Fees, Permit Fees, Taxes (Sales, Transport, Importatation/Exportation) and GOD knows whatever else...Mess around enough and the I.R.S. could "Hoist you by your own....You Know!....BOTTOM LINE LINE...Their place of of "Business" can be inspected by any "Duly Authorized" Law Enforcement Agent, for storage and safe-keeping of "Firearms, Ammunition, Explosive/Concussive Rounds, as well as other lethal or dangerous devices." Try Reading U.S.C. Title 18 Chapter 44...And tell me the first part does not establish the authority of the A.T.F., as well as other agencies. If dealers could set prices, and stay within budget they would be as popular as " Booze Shops" or "Truck Stops"! They have to maintain "PROFIT" with a balance of "PROFITABILITY".......otherwise they close.....Do you really want to see the "LOCAL SHOP" gone? What next? The local "RANGE"...(IF You can find one!) or perhaps the "Waffle House"...! After all...It kills just as many every year!! Don't know about you, but I could use a little help every now and again on things I don't know....I'LL pay a little extra to keep "Mom and Pop" alive.! That's knowledge you can't buy....IMHO
 
Last edited:
Many LGS with bad customer service and poor employee intelligence remain in business because most of them sell products that are in demand--namely guns, ammo, and accessories. Usually overpriced too.

Some of the big box stores like Bass Pro or Dicks can stay open because they have other non-firearms mechandise in the store than can keep them afloat even if they don't do well with guns.

In many cases gun stores are few and far in between, so one single LGS in a particular area will still draw business because its the only gun store in that part of town that may sell gear, ammo, guns, etc.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top