heh... it's annoying, I know.
There is no doubt that ANY firearm (or anything else for that matter) has an epidemic of Fanboy-itis.
While equally common (I suppose) both in a gun store and on a range with others, I particluarly dislike them in gunstores.
As I see it, Fanboy-itis has fused itself with the modern sales philosophy and has become an unholy abomination.
By modern sales philosophy, I mean "benefits selling." I've been in sales (investments) for 16 years and in that time, I've read a lot on philosophies and techniques. The previous "sales philosophy" was "Features selling." You saw that a lot in the 1950's where they would overwhelm you with a list of all the features of a product. But you WANTED that type of selling. It has evolved into benefits selling where you sell what those features can do to make your life better. You may not even mention the feature by name.
In the mental position of the modern salesperson, they are taught to be a "guide" to help a customer find the right product to meet their needs-- to be an expert reference for that customer.
That sounds great, doesn't it? It means well. It really does. The problem we run into is "benefits selling" salespersons that AREN'T experts in the area. Those are the ones that have a basic pitch that they toss at everyone for the one or two products that they DO know. They find a way to make the benefits and your needs meet the product that they DO know.
The product that they DO know is the one that they have and like. Thus the Age of Features Selling gave way to the Age of Benefits Selling which has now stepped aside for the new Age of Fanboy Selling.
After all, if you don't have the right logos on you, you just don't matter and you clearly don't get it.
"Oh Lord, won't you buy me a XD40... all my friends have Kimbers... I must make amends...."
Now, when I set my mind towards a firearm, I start researching it. On paper, I get to be fairly knowledgable about specs and such before I ever go in a gunstore. Sure, I don't have the "feel" for it yet, but that is why I am in a store.
The problem with this is that you learn enough to KNOW when you are being lied to by some salespersons. Typically, if they would shut their mouth and let me gain the information I need, they would sell the gun. But once I get lied to, the sell is lost. Oh, I will still fool around with a few guns while I am there. He'll likely show me half a dozen. But this encounter will not result in a sell. I'll go to someone else and When they say "Can I help you?" I just say Yes. I'd like to buy that _____. He probably thinks he just made the easiest sell of his life. He doesn't know that he just picked up the sell someone else lost.
On Glocks.
Great little guns. I've had handguns since I was 16 years old. (I'm 36 now) My first was a Ruger Security Six .357 Magnum. When I "traded" to something else, I gave that to my Dad and he still carries it. I got a Colt Peacekeeper .357 Magnum. I never really liked it and it was not a "carry gun."
In 1994, I got a Generation II Glock 19. I still have it. I've carried it for YEARS. It's comfortable to carry. It is reliable as long as you don't "weak-wrist" it. It isn't anywhere near the accuracy of the Ruger Security Six I used to have-- but oh well. The Glock was my first jump into the world of Semi-auto handguns-- I figured that it was the nature of Semi-autos verses Revolvers (with long 6" barrels.)
Ignorance is bliss. I just assumed that all semi-auto handguns were about the same. Since I had my Glock, I really got out of the "handgun market" and went to other things.
And then there were the Fanboys. My uncle was one of the worst.... Not only did it have to be a 1911A1, but it HAD to be a Colt for it to matter. Then there was a good friend who is a career LEO. It HAD to be a Sig for it to matter. And the list goes on....
After carrying my little Glock 19 for 13 years, I no longer carry it.
I wanted my wife to keep a handgun. I took her to some gun shops so she could get a feel for what she liked. Truthfully, I expected to be getting her some type of small revolver. I decided to let her get used to shooting a handgun so I took her out with the Glock 19.
She decided that she liked it better than any other gun she had been exposed to. She asked if she could have mine and for me to get another gun. How could I say "No?"
Since I knew that the Glock was great for carry and that I would use it if we needed a more comfortable carry gun, I set my sights on other handguns.
Never liking to spend more than I have to and yet still looking for reliability with HP rounds, I opted to get a Rock Island Armory 1911A1.
OK... NOW I get it why there are a lot of 1911 Fanboys. Those things are VERY comfortable in your hand. They shoot nicely. I can say without a doubt that I am FAR more accurate with my RIA 1911 than I am with my Glock 19. It probably has to do with the weight of the frame.
Of course, I've already encountered the Kimber and Colt Fanboys who sneer at my RIA. OK... whatever. From what I can see, and from all I've read of others' experiences, its a solid handgun.
I shouldn't even begin with the AR verses AK Fanboys. Or the Remington verses Savage Fanboys.
It's OK to like the gun you have. It's OK to be excited about it.
It's NOT OK to believe that one gun is the "One gun to rule them all."
It's NOT OK to spout fan-ism and criticisms of things you have no real knowledge about.
It's NOT OK to sneer at those who don't make the same choices you made. That's just plain being a horses ass.
-- John
There is no doubt that ANY firearm (or anything else for that matter) has an epidemic of Fanboy-itis.
While equally common (I suppose) both in a gun store and on a range with others, I particluarly dislike them in gunstores.
As I see it, Fanboy-itis has fused itself with the modern sales philosophy and has become an unholy abomination.
By modern sales philosophy, I mean "benefits selling." I've been in sales (investments) for 16 years and in that time, I've read a lot on philosophies and techniques. The previous "sales philosophy" was "Features selling." You saw that a lot in the 1950's where they would overwhelm you with a list of all the features of a product. But you WANTED that type of selling. It has evolved into benefits selling where you sell what those features can do to make your life better. You may not even mention the feature by name.
In the mental position of the modern salesperson, they are taught to be a "guide" to help a customer find the right product to meet their needs-- to be an expert reference for that customer.
That sounds great, doesn't it? It means well. It really does. The problem we run into is "benefits selling" salespersons that AREN'T experts in the area. Those are the ones that have a basic pitch that they toss at everyone for the one or two products that they DO know. They find a way to make the benefits and your needs meet the product that they DO know.
The product that they DO know is the one that they have and like. Thus the Age of Features Selling gave way to the Age of Benefits Selling which has now stepped aside for the new Age of Fanboy Selling.
After all, if you don't have the right logos on you, you just don't matter and you clearly don't get it.
"Oh Lord, won't you buy me a XD40... all my friends have Kimbers... I must make amends...."
Now, when I set my mind towards a firearm, I start researching it. On paper, I get to be fairly knowledgable about specs and such before I ever go in a gunstore. Sure, I don't have the "feel" for it yet, but that is why I am in a store.
The problem with this is that you learn enough to KNOW when you are being lied to by some salespersons. Typically, if they would shut their mouth and let me gain the information I need, they would sell the gun. But once I get lied to, the sell is lost. Oh, I will still fool around with a few guns while I am there. He'll likely show me half a dozen. But this encounter will not result in a sell. I'll go to someone else and When they say "Can I help you?" I just say Yes. I'd like to buy that _____. He probably thinks he just made the easiest sell of his life. He doesn't know that he just picked up the sell someone else lost.
On Glocks.
Great little guns. I've had handguns since I was 16 years old. (I'm 36 now) My first was a Ruger Security Six .357 Magnum. When I "traded" to something else, I gave that to my Dad and he still carries it. I got a Colt Peacekeeper .357 Magnum. I never really liked it and it was not a "carry gun."
In 1994, I got a Generation II Glock 19. I still have it. I've carried it for YEARS. It's comfortable to carry. It is reliable as long as you don't "weak-wrist" it. It isn't anywhere near the accuracy of the Ruger Security Six I used to have-- but oh well. The Glock was my first jump into the world of Semi-auto handguns-- I figured that it was the nature of Semi-autos verses Revolvers (with long 6" barrels.)
Ignorance is bliss. I just assumed that all semi-auto handguns were about the same. Since I had my Glock, I really got out of the "handgun market" and went to other things.
And then there were the Fanboys. My uncle was one of the worst.... Not only did it have to be a 1911A1, but it HAD to be a Colt for it to matter. Then there was a good friend who is a career LEO. It HAD to be a Sig for it to matter. And the list goes on....
After carrying my little Glock 19 for 13 years, I no longer carry it.
I wanted my wife to keep a handgun. I took her to some gun shops so she could get a feel for what she liked. Truthfully, I expected to be getting her some type of small revolver. I decided to let her get used to shooting a handgun so I took her out with the Glock 19.
She decided that she liked it better than any other gun she had been exposed to. She asked if she could have mine and for me to get another gun. How could I say "No?"
Since I knew that the Glock was great for carry and that I would use it if we needed a more comfortable carry gun, I set my sights on other handguns.
Never liking to spend more than I have to and yet still looking for reliability with HP rounds, I opted to get a Rock Island Armory 1911A1.
OK... NOW I get it why there are a lot of 1911 Fanboys. Those things are VERY comfortable in your hand. They shoot nicely. I can say without a doubt that I am FAR more accurate with my RIA 1911 than I am with my Glock 19. It probably has to do with the weight of the frame.
Of course, I've already encountered the Kimber and Colt Fanboys who sneer at my RIA. OK... whatever. From what I can see, and from all I've read of others' experiences, its a solid handgun.
I shouldn't even begin with the AR verses AK Fanboys. Or the Remington verses Savage Fanboys.
It's OK to like the gun you have. It's OK to be excited about it.
It's NOT OK to believe that one gun is the "One gun to rule them all."
It's NOT OK to spout fan-ism and criticisms of things you have no real knowledge about.
It's NOT OK to sneer at those who don't make the same choices you made. That's just plain being a horses ass.
-- John