Why are gun shop employees/owners predominately dicks?

[jwfuhrman]

The employees at Hillside in Roanoke are some pretty nice guys too. They don't try and push you towards anything, just offer their opinion and even state that its their opinion, and tell you that its really up to what you feel comfortable with.

 

[LarryC]

I don't really have many problems.
I have run into clerks and owners like you describe.
I personally can take control of MY buying habits and preferences and I'm not lame about doing things MY way.
I'm usually in a shop for a reason or specific item.
I do browse thoroughly because I seldom take a "grocery list" with me.
I'm always on the lookout for something that strikes my fancy or I've been looking for a long time.
I'm a bit older than most and not much surprises me or upsets me except for ex wives, bad booze, or politics so I'm good to go in most LGS and sales persons.

You and I are much alike. I have a thick skin - if someone told me a gun I wanted to buy is a piece of ShiX, I would tell him he didn't know what he was talking about and that I didn't ask for his opinion. Then do what I intended to do, browse the shop and check prices. If the prices are out of line - I tell them so and smile. I may make an offer if they are close enough to a reasonable price. If they don't take it, I really don't care. I do buy quite a few firearms. Think it was around 16 - 17 in the last year - don't sell any. I really can't recall leaving any GS in the last 15 years upset. May have left a few owners or employees upset but really don't care. I would say 99% of the time we all are reasonably happy after my visits (maybe their just happy I leave .)

 

[JetGirl]

Some gun shop employees are dicks. Some gun shop customers are dicks.

And there ya have it.

I'd like to point out that you never see gun shop employees on here talking about the dicks they have to deal with.

Thanks.

they won't B&M about customers because it's in their best interest not too.

Or maybe, some just have been raised better.
Manners 'n such.

 

[The Bubba Effect]

There must be something about working in a gun store that makes you really want to lecture people about

1: They don't make that and they never will (even though I have one at home and was hoping to pick up an extra while I was out).

2: I have been an officer for x years and I was in the army before that so if you don't think I know what I'm talking about you must hate America.


I think I have had more positive experiences than negative ones, but I have had my fill.

 

[browning84]

You are not alone.. i called one in northern indiana the other day asking about a dpms and he told me i would be paying for the name and that all the parts are exactly the same and he could build me one 200 dollars cheaper.. so i told him they sell at walmart for 587, and my cousin bought one 1 month ago in plymouth and he said "that is not true, i do not believe that at all". and i said it is .. look at the website and then HE HUNG UP ON ME.. I couldnt believe it

 

[Wolfhound]

I have had some really good experiences at LGS in my area.

However, there is a small part of the firearms community that seems to have the attitude that whatever they own/ are selling is made of pure gold and you should happily pay 100 dollars over retail for the blessed experience of allowing them to sell it to you. And of course whatever you own/ are selling is made of compressed fecal matter and is worth 1 dollar over scrap value but they are willing to do you a BIG favor and take it off your hands before it explodes.

I see this at gunshops and gunshows from time to time. It can be very amusing.

 

[HoughMade]

probably been posted before somewhere, but this seems appropriate:

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9t4ukIDRkxs[/ame]

But then again, maybe years of dealing with customers have driven them to it:

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZ5d2lnTkdo[/ame]

 

[Cemetery-man]

I frequent one of the Midwest locations up North (and I mean frequent) and there are only three decent guys in there. All the others (no generalizations. ALL the others) are watching the clock, avoiding the counter or running away the first chance they get. Been that way since before the banpanic too. I've had just the opposite problem as you I guess...I couldn't get one of those guys to talk me into a gun if I had a stack of hundreds in my shirt pocket.

I know exactly what you mean. I called Midwest 3 times last Monday asking if they still had a gun I was looking at the day before so I didn't make the drive up for nothing. The reason I called 3 times is because the first 2 salesman didn't even look and just made up a good excuse.

The first one told me that they never have had one of those. The second one told me they were all sold out and when I asked if they were getting any more, he told me they don't get to choose what guns they are shipped from the distributor. The third one (Bill) actually went and looked and said that yes indeed it was still in the display case and even said he would hold it for me until I could drive up and get it.

 

[FireBirdDS]

At the 1500 gun show back in October I asked a vendor if he had any DPMS stripped lowers, he then answered starting off with "I do not carry any DPMS products nor will I ever..." Before he could start into his "and here's why" rant, I cut him off saying "a simple 'no' would've sufficed", and that shut him up. If a vendor takes a condescending attitude with me, I will curtly cut them off in return.

 

[TopDog]

probably been posted before somewhere, but this seems appropriate:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9t4ukIDRkxs

But then again, maybe years of dealing with customers have driven them to it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZ5d2lnTkdo

Stereotyping; not just for kids anymore.

The whole problem is you have people dealing with people. There are going to be clash's, failures, disappointments and a lot of judging going on.

 

[Hookeye]

After 35 yrs in this stuff, I can honestly say the occasional crusty or punk behind the counter is nothing compared to the average customer.

 

[danielson]

@topdog
yup.. Its what makes this country great, we all have to right to be who we are.

 

[db1959]

I've never had a bad experience at Muidwest Gun Exchange whether the place was busy or not. I have seen some employees ignore a guy but in their defense that guy has a history of just wanting to talk and not buy anything.

 

[Manatee]

I've been in business for about 12 years, selling mostly competition firearms, but the defensive market picked up over the last year or two.

Personally, I enjoy selling. I like people and I don't mind spending a lot of time with a customer. It not only helps them get to know me, but it helps me know whether they might not be the person I want to sell a firearm to.

My only pet peeve is the guy who comes in to mine knowledge and then goes and buys a gun from a competitor at the same price. I've had a guy bend my ear for an hour in the shop, then call me with more questions. He then bought the gun from a competitor in Texas and had the stones to ask me to do the transfer!

It takes all kinds.

 

[TopDog]

@topdog
yup.. Its what makes this country great, we all have to right to be who we are.

Absolutely

 

[JimmyR]

I have gun shops that I try to avoid, and others I try to patronize as often as possible.

Orion Arms is one of the best shops in the area for selection, ammunition, and accessories. I'm in there on a regular basis for ammo if nothing else. It can be hard to get a salesman to you, especially if they are busy, but once they start recognizing your face, it speeds things up a little.

Falls City Firearms is my go-to for guns, since I trend towards older or used guns. Plus Rick is the owner/lead salesman/chief toilet scrubber, and actually encourages people to just come in and shoot the breeze. He has opinions, and voices them, and if you don't like it, fine. But his knowledge on older guns is beyond anything I have ever seen.

 

[Hohn]

Ask yourself this question:

If you had to deal with a typical gunshop customer all day long, how good would YOUR attitude be?

Now you know what WalMart checkers aren't the happiest campers; they have to deal with WalMart shoppers all day.

 

[danielson]

Ive worked at retail stores, and dealt with idiots all day, know what I do? I turn off that part of you that conveys your disdain for a person. Be friendly and helpful, or else get out of retail. You would not afford to pay your bills if not for those "idiots" Besides, thats all relative, every one of us, is an idiot in someones eyes.

 

[eSC]

Or maybe, some just have been raised better.
Manners 'n such.

Oh forgive me for having been raised to expect courteous service.

Is it that awful to point out the lack thereof on a board of like-minded consumers/retailers in hopes that it may open some eyes?

Or should I just shut the hell up and not let them know that they are walking away from sales?

Poor reputations like those of used car salesmen and lawyers are earned. Are you saying we should all help our merchants fall into the same category with "well mannered" silence?

.

 

[hopper68]

Go to any autoparts store or electronics store and you will see this is NOT a gun store only problem.