How to run a gun shop--IMO

[WebSnyper]

Ok, so I'll admit I read about half way through this, and then gave up trying to catch up on the entire thread.

That said, don't some shops effectively accomplish this by setting up certain hours that are by appointment only, etc? I believe Indy Gun Safety and some others do this.

I'd think for the most part, if someone setup an appointment then they are fairly serious.

All that said, I don't think I could get into paying just to shop. I don't go to the 1500 for several reasons, one of which is not wanting to pay admission to buy something, the other reasons all deal with not wanting to have a dozen guns pointed at me at any given moment, deal with parking, etc.

 

[Spike_351]

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.

You made not have paid a penny, but I ber our taxes did, assuming it was grants of course, that money has to come from somewhere......

 

[DoggyDaddy]

Wouldn't work for me. Many times I have stopped in a shop "just to look" and wound up buying a gun. Not going to pay 5 or 10 bucks just for the opportunity to see what's for sale.

 

[Big Ram]

It will also narrow down your clientel a lot. If you're a good salesman those walk ins and lookers turn you can turn into buyers. I wouldn't shop at a gun shop if I ha to pay to look. I'm not going to buy a firearm without doing research and weighing my options and I certainly won't pay to do so

 

[Duke Short]

How to run a gun shop ????

Well I need to bump up my post so I am allowed in the buy sell trade area but I wouldn't count this one either Fenway. YOUR IDEAS IMO WILL NOT WORK !! I can only equate this to explaining to people why I ride a Harley-Davidson. Nope I don't do that either.

 

[westside bengal]

I have some ideas that would help the OP with his business model. But I would have to charge $5 to tell him.

 

[Jordan]

What I would like to see is manufacturers creating non-functional demo units that gun shops can order and have on display in an easy walk up and try manner.

Think of it like digital cameras at a department store. Put a chain or wire on it so it doesn't walk away and cost the store money to replace it. The gun would "work" in all the ways people like to see other than actually launching a projectile for safety reasons. Make the demo units free or low cost to shops subsidized by quantity orders.

I think it would be neat to walk into a gun shop that has no glass cases; where there are a couple of demo units of every gun they offer with some kind of signage indicating price, stock on hand of each weapon, and a few pertinent details. Then the "lookers" can look all they want and not tie up counter folk.

 

[LarryC]

Are you sure about that? Or do you actually mean that you were a professional (i.e. paid) and that your job title or description was "engineer"? A lot of people are legitimately engineers and paid to do it who are not Professional Engineers.

Indiana and every other state in the union has Professional Engineer licensing. To call yourself a PE means that you have one of those licenses, which you obtain by first completing the Fundamentals of Engineering Exam to become and Engineer in Training (EIT). Then, depending on your discipline, you have to apprentice with another PE where you work, and finally take the licensing exam(s) and pass them. Then you become a PE.

Here's some info for you: PLA: State Board of Registration for Professional Engineers

You, of course are correct sir. I wrote my reply then tried to "Edit" it and somehow both the original and corrected copy remained on the site - Sorry!

 

[Hohn]

You made not have paid a penny, but I ber our taxes did, assuming it was grants of course, that money has to come from somewhere......

You are absolutely correct. There's all the difference in the world between one person not paying for something and it truly not having any cost.
Nothing is free. Things don't make themselves or get spontaneously done. A person has to make something happen, and they have to experience some opportunity cost to do so.

I'm saving a good bit of money to try and help my kids pay for college when they are older. I assure you this money that may be "free" to them was not "free" to me!

Great point.

 

[Hohn]

What I would like to see is manufacturers creating non-functional demo units that gun shops can order and have on display in an easy walk up and try manner.

This is brilliant. No wonder they haven't thought of it.

It should be so hard to have guns on display with no firing pins and inerted (plugged) barrels. Let some one feel the grip without handling a real gun capable of shooting real rounds. Let them feel the trigger and dry fire all they want with no firing pin in.

For those manufacturers like Glock that have only 6 basic grip sizes, it would be a particularly good idea. 6 demos in a store to feel every single grip in the brand lineup.

 

[Hemingway]

This is brilliant. No wonder they haven't thought of it.

It should be so hard to have guns on display with no firing pins and inerted (plugged) barrels. Let some one feel the grip without handling a real gun capable of shooting real rounds. Let them feel the trigger and dry fire all they want with no firing pin in.

For those manufacturers like Glock that have only 6 basic grip sizes, it would be a particularly good idea. 6 demos in a store to feel every single grip in the brand lineup.

All the manufacturers (or gun stores) have to do, is simply insert one of the yellow blade-tech training barrels into the display guns. Completely safe and fully operational (other than being able to accept rounds in the chamber).

 

[jedi]

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.

I do believe some very high end store (ie. jewerly, lamborghini USA, etc..) it is 'by appointment' only which is very close to the OP is proposing. I don't recall the auto store in San Francisco I walked by that had that on their front door but do recall seeing some very nice cars in there.

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.

Agree for the vast majority of retail items but depends on what OP's gun stop has? Is he tailoring it to the one of a kind, build rifles or to the general masses who want a GLOCK?

Hohn, I say go for it, dude. At least you're trying to do something. If it works, it works. If it doesn't, at least you can be proud you tried.

Too many people bad-mouthing those that are trying new stuff these days.

People probably thought nobody would pay $15 to walk nut to butt through the 1500 to look at test tubes, used copies of Poor Man's James Bond, Nazi memorabilia, $50 pistol mags and some fruitcake claiming to be the official U.S. Marshals armorer. But, the line's out the door every time.

$5 is a small price to pay to gain entry into a place that's free of internet commandos.

^This!

OP I'm with Hemingway on this one. Don't listen to the masses! You do what you want with your 'hypetetincall store'. It either works or it does not. In either case you will have learned from the experience and it will make you a better business savy person. 20 years ago people would have laughed at the notion of bottled water or paying for TV. Yet look at the masses that pay to drink "bottled" water and those that pay for cable TV.

Get use to the negative comments in life. Most people don't have the imagination to realize their dreams and most when faced with the constant "no you can not do that/ or it's impossible" won't challenge that mindset or themseleves and make it possible.

Never give up!
There is nothing impossible to him who will try. – Alexander the Great

 

[TEK]

gun store is about the last retail business I would ever want to own.

liquor store would be up there at the front of the list.

as for running one, I'd opt for "neither"

 

[jgreiner]

Part of the buying experience IS coon fingering. So I don't think you can segregate people into two categories. Some just don't BUY that day.

I coon fingered a VERY nice 10/22 last Thursday, and I am STILL kicking myself for not buying it ON THE SPOT.

 

[jgreiner]

gun store is about the last retail business I would ever want to own.

liquor store would be up there at the front of the list.

as for running one, I'd opt for "neither"

I'm just the opposite. I would dearly LOVE to own a gun shop.

 

[Hohn]

Even though I've caught a lot of crap in this thread, there was a LOT of really good commentary mixed in with it.

You have to take the good with the bad. That's because that's usually the only way to get it.

No benefit in life is unadulterated.

I've always been the guy that asks the dumb question that everyone else was afraid to-- only to later have people tell me they learned something from my asking it.

Some ideas are inherently bad for all conditions. Others are bad for some circumstances and good for others. Others are just too fuzzy to evaluate.

I'll never own a gun shop-- at least not anymore, hahahahahaa. But I still find these kinds of discussions interesting. Hopefully, everyone got their money's worth, whether that's from making incisive criticism, personal attack on me or education in general, or what have you.

Peace.