How to run a gun shop--IMO

[Spike_351]

You sir have your first customer! When I walk into any store, be it a gun shop, clothing store or grocery store I know what I want so being forced to wait for service because someone is just looking pisses me off and wastes my time. I just purchased a new gun at (gasp) Gander Mountain because the local owned shops did not have what I wanted and "could not" order it for me. I had to take a number and wait ~20 minutes to spend a good deal of money, pissing me off. However, the people who worked there were nice, polite, friendly, worked quickly and thoroughly to complete the transaction. In short if waiting times for serious buyers was eliminated at a place I'm spending hundreds of dollars I would be a repeat customer.
I do my browsing online, at gun shows and at the shooting range.

I did it your way once,.shopping around online and such, and I ended up with a gun I hated so if me taking time to ask questions and look bothers you then oh well tough luck, either suck it up and deal with it or find another way to purchase your item.

 

[fastang50]

Interesting. Some will pay $15 to get in a show and spend the same in gas to get there and yet the idea proposed is shot down. Entertainment vs. ... what?

 

[Streck-Fu]

Can I get change for $7.50 to post here?

 

[giovani]

I believe this gun shop model could work, but probably only with high end firearms not run of the mill glocks and mossbergs.
But then you would be dealing with a totaly different clientel than you find at an average gun store

 

[No2rdame]

You don't need business school to tell you to treat every customer that walks into your door like a king/queen...they may drop a bunch of dough in your store that day, or their kids may eventually drop a bunch of dough in your store in 20 years because you always treated their parents right.

Exactly. There are times when I may be window shopping today in anticipation of buying in the future. You burn me now and I most certainly won't do business with you again, even if it's years down the road.

When we were building our house we needed to buy furniture for it. An unnamed store blew us off and treated us poorly because we were just looking that day, not actually buying. As a result, they lost a VERY large sale when it did come time to buy.

 

[edporch]

Why would I pay $5 and be a "serious" customer, ready to buy, just to find you don't have what I want in stock?
(and no, "I can order it for you" doesn't fly with me)

 

[SideArmed]

Interesting. Some will pay $15 to get in a show and spend the same in gas to get there and yet the idea proposed is shot down. Entertainment vs. ... what?

A person is free to run their business as they see fit. But find me a gun shop that offers the selection the 1500 has, as well as their competitors being 15 feet away. There is a hell of a lot better chance of striking a deal or finding what you are looking for at the 1500 in one stop, then driving around all day to 15 different gun stores.

 

[Zephri]

Sorry.

It takes at least $2.50 to post in this tread.

FINALLY! I can post! Aw crap times up

 

[Sfrandolph]

Tell you what, you set up a gun shop using your "plan" and then contact me after you have been in business for five years. Why? Because you won't be in business in five year.

 

[searpinski]

But I would spend two-dollah fitty
And I would spend two-dollah fitty more
Just to be that man who spent five-dollah to take view upon your showroom flooOOOoooOOr

(Proclaimers - I'm Gonna Be (500))

 

[Mounty09]

If I spend $5 to get in your shop you better plan on putting up with me for the entire day.

 

[Wesley929]

Good luck with that, OP.

My

Sorry.

It takes at least $2.50 to post in this tread.

Can I get change for $7.50 to post here?

If you have $7.50 in any combination of bills and change you don't need to make change to come up with $2.50 to post in this thread. You already have it.

 

[longbarrel]

If the store had great stock, a good smith, and knowledgable staff, I would pay $5 to shop. And if I purchased, I would get it back. It's worth $5 to not have to deal with goon dicks.

 

[Dustzilla]

I did it your way once,.shopping around online and such, and I ended up with a gun I hated so if me taking time to ask questions and look bothers you then oh well tough luck, either suck it up and deal with it or find another way to purchase your item.

Obviously you ignored my other two browsing methods ie. gun show and shooting range. I learn more from sharing guns with people at the range than I do from most trips to the gun shop. I have met some very knowledgable staff at gun shops; I have also met people who shouldn't open their mouth on any subject.
I think the OP has an idea that would serve a niche market such as my self. My time is very precious to me and I don't want to waste it because somebody wants to hangout at a gunshop. I had my wife and seven year old daughter with me, so waiting over 20 minutes to buy what I KNEW I wanted because people wanted to browse was maddening.
I understand browsing really. Maybe people could hold colored flags to indicate their intent? Green=buying, Red=browsing, Yellow=possible sale
To me Bradis does a great job and I like giving them my money because of it, however their stock was nonexistent when I needed it this time...

 

[anifong]

If the store had great stock, a good smith, and knowledgable staff, I would pay $5 to shop. And if I purchased, I would get it back. It's worth $5 to not have to deal with goon dicks.

 

[LANShark42]

As long as your policy is well published, and I could avoid your store like the plague, I'd have no problem with it. I doubt gun owners, especially those in the conservative midwest, would ever accept such a model.

 

[rhino]

I've never run a business.

And there you have it!

When I worked for an owner of a gunshop, one of things I learned about his success was that he treated everyone pretty much the same way and with respect. Sure, you had to wait sometimes, but for everyone who gets irritated waiting for a tire kicker, there will be several who will greatly appreciate being treated well. A lookey loo today might be a hugea** spender tomorrow.

 

[PX4me]

... I'm not any kind of expert.

Upon reading your entire post, I'd tend to agree. Might want to get your money back on that MBA.

I've never heard of this idea anywhere in retail. That's probably because it just wouldn't work. The fastest way to turn away a customer would be to charge for browsing. It's business suicide plain and simple.

 

[Brandon]

Looks like he has the idea from down under....
Just looking fee charged by Australian store

Here is a great homework assignment, see what happens with this business in 6 months, a year, 18 months, 2 years and so on... after 2-3 years I would guess you have your answer.

 

[nucone]

So, is that the type of crap they teach in business schools and MBA programs today? Having owned and operated a specialty retail and service business for 11 years, Pareto's principles apply to all businesses and not just gun shops. Qualifying a client is something you learn how to do very quickly with a few short questions applicable to whatever business you are operating. What you suggest is the death knell of a retail business. Retail businesses thrive on foot traffic and adding a toll booth at the front door would practically eliminate that traffic and will kill the business in short order.