How to run a gun shop--IMO

[SSGSAD]

Ok, I read all the posts, till page 5, then I jumped to the end. I have been in some kind of customer service, since I was 13 years old. I do not want to threadjack, but I must tell a true story. (at least it was told to me, as a true story).
I used to work for a guy, that owned the business. He always wore a white shirt, and blue work pants. Anyway, the story is, that he and his wife went out car shopping. They went to a dealership, and no one said a word to them. They then went down the road, to another dealership, where they were waited on, and treated well. He traded his car, and paid cash, for the two cars, that they drove home.
Like I said, it was told to me as a true story. Take from it what you will.
Look at all the threads, complaining about one thing, or another. It all boils down, to CUSTOMER SERVICE. NO, we do NOT have a "crystal ball" to look into, and know what every customer wants. I just try to treat a customer, the way I want to be treated ..... YMMV .....

 

[Hohn]

Nothing personal, but people who have payed way too much money for a degree, without working in the real world, seeing how things work, before they are handed the reins to a company, are ruining american mfg. and business today. I know they aren't all that way, but I'd say the majority are, by the way, your customers would be served quickly, for the short time you were open, because very few people that buy guns regularly would shop there.

Actually, I didn't pay a penny for my undergrad degree, and I won't pay a penny for my MBA. Insert snide remark about getting my money's worth here, I suppose. Gotta love scholarships!

I've run groups of 60+ people and multimillion dollar budgets rather successfully, actually.

Now I'm working in a job as a self-taught engineer doing work that normally requires BSME or MSME and I only have a poltical science degree. I'm now performing the role of people with twice the work experience.

You might want to consider that your generalizations are just that-- generalizations.

 

[Hohn]

It all boils down, to CUSTOMER SERVICE. NO, we do NOT have a "crystal ball" to look into, and know what every customer wants. I just try to treat a customer, the way I want to be treated ..... YMMV .....

Exactly. Well stated.

 

[mima07]

"Those who never want to buy anything are not likely to pay the $5 at all and will go mess with some other shop.

$5 is low enough that folks who aren't necessarily buyers but are serious lookers can still afford it. It's just enough deterrent to filter out the very bottom feeders."

I work in retail--not a gun shop-- but retail is about sales and service.
Sales means a reasonable, agreeable price; if the product is too high priced customers will go elsewhere.
Quality of merchandise goes along with price. Cheap(shabby) made goods guarantee no return customers.
Service? That's the difference between big box retail and small, individually owned shops.
Every person who walks through the door, calls or emails the store is a potential customer. This is where a small shop can have the advantage--through service to every person who visits your store. As the owner/associate you have only a few minutes to establish a good rapport with a person coming to your store. They may not buy today but later will remember the time, respect and help offered at your store. You can't buy such inexpensive advertising as positive word of mouth recommendations.
It's always about the customer--not your time or convenience. Good retail and service is not about picking the pockets of the easy buyers.

I have to wonder what business school taught you to refer to potential customers as 'bottom feeders' and encourage them to 'go mess with some other shop'.

Retail is hard work and requires good people skills. Liking and having a respectful attitude toward people is a necessity in small business.

 

[the1kidd03]

I've never run a business. I'm finishing up my MBA, and I have some ideas that have occurred to me, but I'm not any kind of expert. You might think it presumptive of me to think I know how to run a gun shop. That's OK.


The problem with most gun shops is that they do a terrible job of separating coonfingers from shoppers and real buyers. How can you tell the difference? Appearance? Past transactions? None of these are reliable indicators. Why do you need to? Segregating your client base is good for analytical purposes is ok, but doing it physically and restricting access does nothing but hurt the business. First, it cuts down the number of POTENTIAL buyers you have. Personally, I wouldn't spend a dime in a store like what' described here and I've spent a great deal of money at the better stores. Those which don't take care of ALL their customers, I don't return to. This demonstrates the second point all be it that every decision a business makes leaves an impression on the consumers. That impression can and will have a dramatic impact on business. Major corporations spend MILLIONS on campaigns JUST to "show" their POTENTIAL consumers that they "care" about them and value them because they know it is vital to the business success in the long term.

How do you give your most valuable, serious customers fantastic service by not wasting a crapload of time on tire-kickers that want to shoot the breeze and do little else? Why do you not want to give them ALL fantastic service? Why does a man who doesn't want to spend money today deserve less than he would if he plans to spend money tomorrow? EVERYONE is a POTENTIAL customer and money spender. It's up to the business to turn them into a customer and spend their money by leaving good impressions with excellent service.

I think you can do it by charging for time. If I am a gun shop owner that has good advice to offer and lots of different guns for you to grip and fondle to find what works best for you, then that time is worth something-- to BOTH of us, proprietor and customer alike. In theory it sounds ok due to the reason you've presented behind it, but it's not practical. First, while there is an ever growing number of first timers, the majority of customers are repeats and not necessarily in need of assistance which is again dramatically reducing your POTENTIAL client base. Secondly, guns feel different when holding them, then when shooting them. Especially for newbies. You will not effectively be able to help them to the extent you are proposing here with any amount of training if you don't actually get the customers behind the gun and firing it. Even if it were possible to SOME degree, you would have to spend a great deal of time on training your employees working at a range with first time shooters to be able to give THAT level of advice. I've seen TOO many GOOD gun shops sell women those crappy little 38s, for them to come to the range and hate the recoil and heavy triggers so much that they next to throw it down and swear off shooting forever. Then, convince them to keep on trying with something smoother like my M&P.

So instead of trying to make money on selling guns (cranking up prices), you sell guns at lower prices and sell SERVICE to make up the difference. They sort of go hand in hand. You will have to spend time and inherently money to get that kind of service out of your employees. You will need to recover that cost somewhere.


How would you like to go to a shop and not have to wait in line as much, if at all? To not fight some other customer for attention? To KNOW that you are going to get individualized service? Sounds great, but the better shops around give you that level of service already. It just takes a consumer that realizes the world doesn't revolve around him in a busy shop and be patient. I've been in Bradi before when you could hardly take a step anywhere, but I had several guys ask me if I needed help. I've spent a LOT of money in there over the year, but that day I was just browsing to see what kind of trade ins they had. If I had been expected to pay for that, I'd never be back and will go to the competition right down the road.

It takes a change in how you look at the business. You are not a 'gun shop' per se, but rather a 'personal defense consultant'-- and like other consultants, TIME and expertise is what's for sale. The problem here is that the average person behind the counter is NOT a consultant or well trained to these means in any way. There are exceptions that I can think of, but they are few and far between. Again, being able to achieve THAT level of service out of an employee will cost you more and thus increase your prices.

Here's how I'd work it. First, you have to split the store into two parts: the 'gun' part and the 'everything else' part (ammo, holsters, powder, whatever).

Then you set up a refundable cover charge for the gun part. Come on in and look all you want for $5. But you will waiting in line behind those folks that paid $10 for an actual appointment time and individualized attention. Expect good service, just at slightly less priority. Again, you're offering an unecessary service for an unecessary charge when you consider your competition offers the same thing for free. You need to corner an aspect of the market which allows you to be able to charge more because your competitors can't offer the same thing.

The customer that is actually interesting in buying will pay the $10 because it's cheap for the vastly improved experience when spending a big chunk of cash. Those who want to look around can still do so, just expect potentially less service for $5 if you don't buy anything. I'm interested in buying every time I go in a store. I will not however, pay for an opportunity to buy.

Those who never want to buy anything are not likely to pay the $5 at all and will go mess with some other shop.

Price your guns and ammo at competitive prices so people know that it is SERVICE they are paying for. IOW, no $700 Glocks.

Best of all, because the customer got great service AND a good price, they are likely to come back. It also makes it far less likely that you have as many people come in the door that just want to handle guns. These people expect the retailer to give them a bunch of time for free! Time on non-paying-gawkers vs paying customers is not equally valuable. Reduce the gawkers and give the real customers a better chance at the TIME that is so valuable.

$5 is low enough that folks who aren't necessarily buyers but are serious lookers can still afford it. It's just enough deterrent to filter out the very bottom feeders.

Competing purely on price is a loser. Anyone can call around and price check. You have to win on SERVICE. You can deliver to the customer a superior overall experience this is a much better VALUE. This is exactly correct. But, expecting them to pay for the opportunity to spend more money isn't providing that service. Service is dependant on consumer expectations. I certainly don't expect to be charged to decide on how much more money I want to spend and I'm sure not many other would either.

As any waiter will tell you, good service is worth money.

Your $10 customers get the best service possible, and the $5 customers get far BETTER service than they could get at any "free" shop because they won't have to compete with nearly as many lookie-loos for employee attention.


I came up with the basic idea for a music store because they are the WORST stores of all to deal with. Pity the guy trying to demo and buy a premium guitar.

My on the OP theories above in RED

 

[the1kidd03]

I have to wonder what business school taught you to refer to potential customers as 'bottom feeders' and encourage them to 'go mess with some other shop'.

Retail is hard work and requires good people skills. Liking and having a respectful attitude toward people is a necessity in small business.

Business schools don't teach people skills

 

[the1kidd03]

Actually, I didn't pay a penny for my undergrad degree, and I won't pay a penny for my MBA. Insert snide remark about getting my money's worth here, I suppose. Gotta love scholarships!

I've run groups of 60+ people and multimillion dollar budgets rather successfully, actually.

Now I'm working in a job as a self-taught engineer doing work that normally requires BSME or MSME and I only have a poltical science degree. I'm now performing the role of people with twice the work experience.

You might want to consider that your generalizations are just that-- generalizations.

Are we to be impressed? Do you think you're the only one?

I fail to see how your generalizing of others not having the same level of responsibilities or experience as you do is a lesser generalization than that of what anyone else has made. Regardless, you portray this thread as looking for constructive criticism, yet feel the need to expel condescension to others while portraying yourself to be a "better" man.

For someone who works in engineering I would expect more concise and professional written communication capabilities which demonstrate a basic understanding of the principals of communication (perception, interpretation, etc.)

 

[Racechase1]

The most amazing part of all this is, someone with a poli sci degree has a real job, which doesn't entail,"Would you like fries with that?".

If you wanted a sounding board, you found it here.

The 10,000 guns is an interesting idea. But only if they have what your looking for. If it doesn't, you wasted your time and money. How much do I charge you if MY time is wasted ?

 

[Hohn]

Are we to be impressed? Do you think you're the only one?

I fail to see how your generalizing of others not having the same level of responsibilities or experience as you do is a lesser generalization than that of what anyone else has made. Regardless, you portray this thread as looking for constructive criticism, yet feel the need to expel condescension to others while portraying yourself to be a "better" man.

For someone who works in engineering I would expect more concise and professional written communication capabilities which demonstrate a basic understanding of the principals of communication (perception, interpretation, etc.)

Wow, tough crowd. Rebutting being condescended to makes one condescending? Do you see a tiny bit of irony there?

I never said anything about being the only one. I wouldn't have even mentioned it, but for the superiority complex on display by those who wanted to discredit not just an idea for a gun shop, but discredit me personally, my own education, and even the idea of education itself.

I'm not any kind of expert, and I've never claimed to be. But I didn't roll of the turnip truck either, and people don't get the opportunities I've had by dumb luck.

 

[Hohn]

How much do I charge you if MY time is wasted ?

Hey, you came in my door, not the other way around.

But you won't make that mistake again, right?

 

[Hohn]

Business schools don't teach people skills

And obviously gun forums don't either.

 

[Fenway]

hmmm

I hope Fenway doesnt start charging to browse the classifieds.

 

[Hohn]

Sorry, the 1kidd03-- I just got to read our post #105 response to my OP.

I gotta say-- it was well-stated and considered. And I know YOUR time in writing wasn't free. What do I owe you?

 

[Hohn]

Let's try this amendment to the OP:


What if instead of a "cover charge" you would offer a dedicated appointment time with guaranteed priority for a fee?

Say, I will block out 2:00 and drop what I'm going to attend to you for $10 or something...

Any better?

 

[Brandon]

negative ghost rider

 

[Hohn]

OK, how about I just run it like Bradis and take copious notes?

 

[ModernGunner]

Great! I've been to Cabela's several times and loved it. Your point?

BTW, ModernGunner, love your signature line.

Thanks, Hohn. My signature line is a quote from Stephen Decatur Miller in 1830 who was later quoted by Frederick Douglass in 1867 - "A man's rights rest in three boxes. The ballot box, jury box and the cartridge box."

My point was, Cabela's, et. al. is a direct competitor. Therefore, as a Buyer it's hard to justify paying $5 or $10 to get service (even if it becomes part of the purchase price) if one can 'lookee-loo' at Cabela's all one wants, fondle and drool over anything they want, then at some point, buy what they want at a very competitive price.

Whether that's Cabela's, Gander Mtn., Bass Pro, or a LGS.

As someone else noted, ANYONE can 'ring the register' if the Buyer comes in and just points and grunts 'gimme dat'. But it requires SALESMANSHIP to sell the 'lookee-loo' that's, in reality, a hesitant Buyer.

Ya never sell the 'steak', ya always sell the 'sizzle'.

 

[Hohn]

OK, that much I'll grant you.

But I think that basic concept I initially offered is well-established. Ever been to a theme park and seen them sell those "express" passes that let you reduce your wait to get on the rides? That's pretty similar to what the cover charge would be doing. People paying more to get preferential treatment, that's all it is. Why? Because waiting less time is worth something.

Granted, the gun buyer hopefully isn't waiting an hour or more like the theme park rider, but it's a similar idea. Note, too that the theme park rider has already paid just to get in the park! Then, they paid to cut the wait on the rides.

I've heard loud and clear that most customers reject the idea of a cover charge out of hand, and that's good feedback. But I don't think it's as strange as some others seem to think. People pay for the time of specialists all the time. People hire other people all the time because what they can do in their time is valuable.

I just had surgery three weeks ago. I hired an ENT because his skill was worth something.

Sounds like the gun biz is kind of its own animal, not like many other kinds of businesses. It's part car sales, department stores, and other kinds of sales all rolled into one.

 

[nucone]

Actually, I didn't pay a penny for my undergrad degree, and I won't pay a penny for my MBA. Insert snide remark about getting my money's worth here, I suppose. Gotta love scholarships!

I've run groups of 60+ people and multimillion dollar budgets rather successfully, actually.

Now I'm working in a job as a self-taught engineer doing work that normally requires BSME or MSME and I only have a poltical science degree. I'm now performing the role of people with twice the work experience.

You might want to consider that your generalizations are just that-- generalizations.

Now that you also claim to be a self-taught engineer as well, I certainly hope you are in compliance with your states laws concerning practicing engineering. In some states, claims you are making by the above statement would be a misdemeanor for the first offense and a felony for the second. Such violations would involve fines at a minimum and possibly imprisonment. Just saying - States require licensing of engineers for a reason.

 

[Hohn]

Now that you also claim to be a self-taught engineer as well, I certainly hope you are in compliance with your states laws concerning practicing engineering. In some states, claims you are making by the above statement would be a misdemeanor for the first offense and a felony for the second. Such violations would involve fines at a minimum and possibly imprisonment. Just saying - States require licensing of engineers for a reason.

EDIT: dupe post, please delete.