I tried to buy locally.

[amd6547]

I never use the local rip-off shops.
My rifle club has it's own FFL and does free transfers for members, including the NICS check. In fact, I am permitted to use the FFL to ship my own firearms via US mail if I sell one.

 

[rbernie]

Remember, when a gun shop goes out of business, that is one less dealer to do FFL transfers. The fewer FFLs, the higher the price of a transfer goes.

Until folk see all the money to be made doing transfers, get their FFL, and the competition drives the price back down.

Supply and demand is funny that way.

 

[blacksmithsc]

You know, I'd like to support the local economy. I'll go to the locally owned hardware store and give him 10-20% more than if I'd gone to Lowe's or Home Depot. I'd rather buy at a locally owned gun store, but around here their prices are a lot higher than I can get a gun on gunbroker.com. Here's an example. I wanted a Walther P22. I went to the three local gunstores, one had them. $499 cash price, 3% extra for credit card, 6.5% sales tax. I thought that was a bit high so I looked on gunbroker. $285 NIB, $20 shipping, no extra for credit card (although a lot of dealers do charge extra for that on gunbroker), and $25 for my FFL holder to receive it. So, $546 locally vs. $330 off of gunbroker. $216 buys a lot of CCI mini mags.

 

[Guns and more]

The bottom line is: What have you done to earn my business?

 

[Landor]

I also like to try and buy local but I to must admit that the local shops make it hard. There is one place I have bought four pistols from. Their price was high but I like to support the locals. There a a few other gun shops in the area but their attitudes suck. I am not sure why gun shop employees are like that. I know they are all not like that but a lot are. There is one shop local to me that will insult you across the room like you are not even there. Unbelievable. I have access to one gunsmith and they want $50 for an FFL transfer. I found a guy for $25. Most of my guns come from the internet now.

 

[Bubba613]

The bottom line is: What have you done to earn my business?

And my bottom line is: what have you done to deserve my attention?
I spend much more time, money and effort to get you in the door than you spend getting in the door.

 

[Duke of Doubt]

Yeah, I laugh my behind off every time I run into a client or potential client with an entitlement attitude. Like I'd even WANT him as a client. My fee doubles on the spot for them. And if they walk, hey, I got what I wanted.

Whoever said the customer is always right was a customer, and not one I'd want. Life is too short to deal with jerks.

 

[jimmyraythomason]

"Life is too short to deal with jerks." You're SO right about that! That is why I take MY business where it is appreciated.

 

[Landor]

Where I work we have sales people that think they know it all. Then they come talk to use tech people and they realize they have barely scratched the surface. There are those that think they know and those that know. Just because you work at a gun shop does not mean you know it all. If you work at a gun shop and come home and do more gun related stuff, then go to bed and dream about guns and then wake up and go to the gun shop then you are my kind of salesman and I would buy from you. Anything less is just another person that thinks they know. I don't know everything about guns but I know what I want and I am the customer. And weather you know it or not, I am always right.

Sorry, this is just my opinion.

 

[Duke of Doubt]

And it's wrong.

Anyone walking into my office who thinks he's always right gets thrown out.

And I've got more business banging down my door than I can handle.

 

[Landor]

Thanks to Obama being president elect..

 

[Duke of Doubt]

I'm not a gun dealer, you know.

 

[Landor]

This is not my forum and I really do not want to cause a war on here. So with that said. We disagree on how business should treat the customer. I will do my very best to help them and sell them something you will throw them out the door. I am done with this thread.. Good luck in what ever business you are in.

 

[Bubba613]

Landor, those are high standards. You would be amazed by what I don't know. On a good day I can tell a short action from a long action.
But I will be the first person to tell you, look this is beyond what I know about. I know some folks I can ask or I can send you to this website and you can find out. My impression is as follows, but I could easily be wrong.

I think most people appreciate that and understand that I can't be expert in everything in this field, which is awfully big. They probably don't appreciate people giving them a line of bull when they obviously don't know what they're talking about.

Not that that ever happens in gun shops, Iknow.

 

[jimmyraythomason]

I will agree that the customer isn't ALWAYS right,Technically. I had a small shop in the late '70s early '80s. One Saturday in October,a man came in to buy a box of 12ga "high brass" to take to a turkey shoot. While I was ringing him up he spoke glowingly about his prize "turkey gun", a DAMASCUS twist double!!! I told him he could not shoot these shells in that gun! He laughed at me when I told him it could blow his gun up. He bought the shells and had the gall to bring the pieces to me to "put it back together"!!!

 

[ojibweindian]

And my bottom line is: what have you done to deserve my attention?
I spend much more time, money and effort to get you in the door than you spend getting in the door.

I work at a job that blesses me with a bit of disposable income. What I expect from you is to try to sell me something, but not to have me feel as if I'm a burden, or leave me with some sort of unclean feeling.

 

[Landor]

I am 42. I was brought up in the business world and the old saying was "The Customer is Always Right" It is not a literal saying. What it means is treat the customer as if they are right. Not like they are mindless idiots, even if they are. Treat a customer with respect and they would gladly give you their money. Treat them like a fool and they will walk out the door, just like some people want. This is Business 101. It's all part of the game.

I guarantee you if you could setup two companies. One treats the customer as if they are right and the other does not. Which one do you think would be more successful. You do not have to know everything about the products you sell but you do have to have the guts to say you do not know, not give the customer a line of BS or treat them stupid because you don't have an answer.

That's all I am trying to say.

 

[Duke of Doubt]

Landor, that might be true if all else was equal. But all else is seldom equal. The better merchants have less time and inclination to flatter the egos of "tech people" and other clients. The worse merchants are desperate enough for the business that they'll spend a lot of time with you, and tell you what you want to hear. It's that way in most businesses and professions. The hazard to the customer is that he will prefer the service of merchants who spend time on him and flatter him, without knowing or accepting that the merchants who do that have the time and patience for that for a reason -- generally, a lack of business. The harried, cranky fellow who throws you out of his office for offending him in some vague way is probably the guy you should BEG to work on your gun/case/head/whatever.

 

[Coyote_Hunter_]

And my bottom line is: what have you done to deserve my attention?
I spend much more time, money and effort to get you in the door than you spend getting in the door.

Every person walks in your store deserves attention.

Why do I get the feeling that your customer service sucks?

Sometimes when I walk into a shop I just want to be left alone to browse. Other times I need help and/or advice or maybe just want to get to know the people running the shop. Might buy something, might not, but one thing is for sure - if I get the feeling I'm not appreciated the chances that I will EVER buy anything there go down dramatically.

 

[Duke of Doubt]

When I want to feel appreciated, I visit hookers.

When I want to shop for guns, I visit a gun dealership.

 

[John828]

Threadlock in T minus 10...9...8...7...IBTL

 

[Guns and more]

And my bottom line is: what have you done to deserve my attention?
I spend much more time, money and effort to get you in the door than you spend getting in the door.

You forgot, I'm the guy spending the money. If you feel customers are a pain, lock the doors and talk among yourselves. Enjoy!
I think I've said my peace. Enough.

 

[Coyote_Hunter_]

Landor, that might be true if all else was equal. But all else is seldom equal. The better merchants have less time and inclination to flatter the egos of "tech people" and other clients. The worse merchants are desperate enough for the business that they'll spend a lot of time with you, and tell you what you want to hear. It's that way in most businesses and professions.

Salespeople attempting to flatter me earn my disdain but not my money. That said, salespeople that take time to understand what I want and answer my questions (even if its an “I don’t know”) are much closer to a sale.

The hazard to the customer is that he will prefer the service of merchants who spend time on him and flatter him, without knowing or accepting that the merchants who do that have the time and patience for that for a reason -- generally, a lack of business.

Accepting the premise for a second, just how is this a hazard to the customer?

I, for one, don’t accept the premise, however. Companies with great customer service generally do much better than their counterparts who provide lousy service. Whether I’m buying a car, selecting a building contractor, seeing a doctor or whatever, I have no money for those that won’t take time to listen to my concerns and questions.

The harried, cranky fellow who throws you out of his office for offending him in some vague way is probably the guy you should BEG to work on your gun/case/head/whatever.

Like THAT’s going to happen…

 

[Duke of Doubt]

My premise is that competent professionals get busy because of their reputation for results, and don't have the time or patience for much hand holding, unless the customer/client is irresistably cute. If they are a little hard nosed, that has the advantage of scaring away the shrinking violets, who they don't really want to deal with if they can avoid it anyway, and attracting those clients who find a hard nosed professional a refreshing, no-nonsense proposition. Those types get on fine.

The guy who has all the time in the world and a deep desire to flatter and impress you, and hold your hand, and pay attention to your opinions, simply does not have enough work to do -- probably for a reason.

 

[CYANIDEGENOCIDE]

I have 2 gunshops I can choose from, the fuds and the mall ninjas. The fuds charge MSRP on everything and there is no negotiating. The ninjas charge flat percentage over cost, this usually works out to the gunbroker price, plus the cost of shipping plus the cost of the transfer. Buying online is great but only for the stuff I can't get from the ninjas. The fuds, well the hell with them! $400 for a .22LR savage fvt, or $1,799 for a used no warranty FAL. I won't even waste my time going into that store.

Yeah, yeah, store, power, saleries, overhead blah blah blah. I'm supposed to give you more of my money because you don't know how to manage your costs? Let me know how that works out for you.