Another Horrible Gun Store Story

[romma]

Honestly, if it wasn't for the fact that I live 50 miles from a real gun store, I would never have stepped foot in this little podunk shop. Having had prior experience from a past encounter there already.

My story:

Okay, So I wanted some good hollow point ammo for my Walther PPK/S, and Wally World doesn't carry that up here. I happen to be stopping by a friends house that lives less than a mile away so it works out logistics wise.

I walk in, am immediately met with gruff demeanor bordering on suspicious, and my attempt to disarm the salesman/owner with my pleasant charm did not win any favor with the owner.

While I approach him and explain all I want is a box of ammo, he is telling a young customer to "hurry up, I don't have all day to show you guns"...

I interjected on the young customers behalf and told the owner "how do you sell guns if you don't like to show them"? "Aren't you in the gun business"?

At this point I should have told the id to go to Newington, but then again there I was right beside him myself.

Anyhow, my coment Completely ignored, He begins looking for the ammo I requested and can't find any in my caliber... I didn't realize .380 is such an uncommon caliber these days ... No Hollows., not even FMJ was available, which I already have plenty of anyhow.

So the owner says he'll order some and it will be available on Tuesday.... I just walked out shaking my head in disbelief...

I sincerely hope I never go back there again, but 50 miles is a long way to go for ammo. I guess I could order some and ship it though.

 

[serrano]

Cliff Notes.

Owner wasn't friendly enough for your tastes, you insulted him, he then offered to order what you wanted.

 

[Sato Ord]

It makes you wonder how some places stay in business. I''d plan my trips so that I could make the extra drive worthwhile and leave that person to do business without me.

 

[romma]

Owner wasn't friendly enough for your tastes, you insulted him

I in no way insulted him, I was lighthearted in my attempts to get him to realize he had a customer shopping for a gun. As I pointed out, I had other similar experiences in the past in this shop.

In fact, many people complain about this shop but there is no where elso to go.

My coworker that sits directly across from me went in to look at Kahrs one day to the same shop and was told they didn't have any.

While the coworker was looking through the shop he saw not one, but two Kahrs, when he left the store he pinted out that they had two in stock and the owner shrugged, and never attempted to get off the stool he was sitting on to show him either one.

 

[jimmyraythomason]

romma said:"In fact, many people complain about this shop but there is NOWHERE ELSE to go".
This is likely the only reason he is still in business.

 

[coondawg47]

"In fact, many people complain about this shop but there is no where else to go".

This is exactly why they act the way they do, they have the market cornered in you neck of the woods. They won't change unless a competitor opens up to draw their business away.

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[romma]

This is exactly why they act the way they do, they have the market cornered in you neck of the woods. They won't change unless a competitor opens up to draw their business away.

Bingo!

 

[30 cal slob]

Pfffft. Next time head over to Forest and Field in Norwalk. Then report back.

 

[h0ss]

In my experience, ammo in small gunshops is more expensive than you can usually get it for online.

As far as common calibers go, the only place ive seen ammo cheaper than online is walmart, but like you said they dont always have what you want.

That is what i would do. Stick with online ammo purchases. If i were actually going to buy a gun, 50 miles would be a small price to pay for a good gun price and good service. But then again, i dont buy guns a few times a year (or more) like a lot of people on here.

 

[Old Dog]

I'd have a thousand more posts in this forum if I reported every one of my negative gunshop experiences ... I think we're all agreed that it's a crying shame that so many gun retail business owners and employees routinely display an appalling lack of courtesy and knowledge (not to mention business sense) -- but the fact is -- it's crystal clear none of these idiots peruse the internet gun forums, or we'd see drastic improvement nationwide.

Why bother starting threads about bad gunshops unless you're gonna name names? It does no one any useful service for all of us to continue venting about this stuff unless we're gonna steer business away from those places that don't serve our community in positive ways.

THR has a sub-forum for reporting experiences with firearms (and related accessories) sellers, buyers, on-line and retail ... I recommend that if you have a negative experience with a retail establishment, report it there, accurately, by name.

 

[1911Tuner]

It was lighthearted in my attempts to get him to realize he had a customer shopping for a gun.

Or you may have walked in on a "customer" who'd been there for two hours, asking to handle every weapon that he had in his inventory before he buys a box of .22s or a bottle of oil...or nothing at all.

When you work at a gun shop for a few months, you develop a feel for spotting the buyers from the flat busted...the gawkin' curious...or the bored window shopper killing time until his dentist's appointment.

 

[briansmech]

name it....

 

[briansmech]

Quote:
It was lighthearted in my attempts to get him to realize he had a customer shopping for a gun.

Or you may have walked in on a "customer" who'd been there for two hours, asking to handle every weapon that he had in his inventory before he buys a box of .22s or a bottle of oil...or nothing at all.

When you work at a gun shop for a few months, you develop a feel for spotting the buyers from the flat busted...the gawkin' curious...or the bored window shopper killing time until his dentist's appointment.

can't really side with you on that one. customer service is customer service. if you "develop a feel for spotting the buyers" blah blah, what i hear is you develop a prejudice. i dunno how many times i've "developed a feel" for spotting dopes in sales who've "developed a feel" for not wanting to have to actually work to make a commission....

if your annoyed by a customer that takes two hours, but doesnt find anything they like, try delivering pizza. you're guaranteed a few bucks around every 30 minutes or so.... sounds like you feel anyone that walks in and asks a question owes you sale, honestly. no offences, just my opinion that you're losing sight of what your job is...

hope this gun shop goes under, honestly. the salesperson sounds like he'd flip a mean burger....

 

[romma]

If i were actually going to buy a gun, 50 miles would be a small price to pay for a good gun price and good service

Yes, I do go to Newington for my guns, but like I said, all I wanted was a box of hollow points. Since I was in the neighborhood, it seemed logical to stop by.

BTW, as another poster pointed out the name of the shop is RONS GUNS.

 

[jimmyraythomason]

I am a browser when it comes to gunshops/stores. I will likely visit a shop several times and not buy even a box of .22s. If the owner/employee is courteous to me, when I do drop $1500.00 for a new gun, guess where I drop it! Yes I have done it many times,usually once a year. If I am treated poorly,I don't even browse there.

 

[1911Tuner]

can't really side with you on that one. customer service is customer service. if you "develop a feel for spotting the buyers" blah blah, what i hear is you develop a prejudice.

I'll have to beg to differ on that one. I have no predjudices concerning customer service...as long as a customer is a customer.

However...If what you have is a repeat or compulsive gun fondler...which this one may have been...then you tend to get a little short. This is especially true if he wants to handle every gun as he comes to it. Some people can rust a gun by touching it. If the counterman is having to wipe down every gun that the fondler handles...it starts to get a little old after the first 25 or 30 wipe-downs, and he probably has other fish to fry besides indulging some Walter Mitty type in his fantasies.

Ask me how many rags I've worn out while trying to prevent rust from forming on the shop owner's new guns.

Ever seen a sign over the magazine rack in a newsstand that says: "If you want to read it...buy it first." Ever wondered why? The buying public is funny about paying new prices for used merchandise...is why.

As for the "blahblahblah" part of your response...I would suggest that you stick a little closer to the middle of the High Road. Condesension isn't the way to make friends and influence people. That gets real old real quick, too.

 

[jimmyraythomason]

Gun fondlers are usually younger with limited funds and big eyes. They will one day have money to spend on their guns of choice as well as the ability to shop where they please. If a shop owner has alienated them,he has lost a customer and likely all of his friends as customers as well. Showing guns is part of the job if that irritates the shop owner,perhaps he is in the wrong business. As I have said,I may shop a store several times before I buy but I WILL buy and so will they,eventually.

 

[Funderb]

get a couple ffls and start your own shop!

 

[1911Tuner]

If I am treated poorly,I don't even browse there.

Nor will I, and I don't blame you for that at all.

The browsers aren't the problem. Not even the guys who want to handle a gun or three, ask questions, and discuss various features of the weapons. Those are legitimate shoppers, and likely potential repeat buyers.

It's the ones who want to hold them all...often snapping them like cap pistols while pointing them at imaginary bad guys that damage guns...or drop them...and drive away real customers that happen to walk in on the scene. And, they don't have to be barely past adolescence, either.

My whole point ...directed at the OP...was just this:

"Don't be so quick to judge the counterman. You were on hand for about 10 or 15 seconds of the interchange. You don't know what took place for 30 or 45 minutes before you arrived. Base your decision to patronize the shop on how YOU are treated on a 1-1 basis, and not how he responded to you after you put in your 2% of a buck based on what you saw and heard as you walked in. Customer or no...that's a real good way to draw a rude response or even an offer to hit the trail and let not the door strike thy backside as thou goest through it.

 

[novaDAK]

Ever seen a sign over the magazine rack in a newsstand that says: "If you want to read it...buy it first." Ever wondered why? The buying public is funny about paying new prices for used merchandise...is why.

I know I sure wouldn't buy a gun without handling it and looking it over first. But then again, when I go into gunshops, I have something in my mind to look for already, and if they don't have it, then I'll just take a quick glance at what else they do have in stock. But I only ask to handle a gun I'm actually considering possibly buying, not stuff I can't afford or wouldn't seriously buy.
I'm 19, but I do know how much of a pain the "window shoppers" can be so I make sure I'm not one

 

[DrewH]

So you wandered in, butted in and made a wiseass comment. How do you know the previous customer had not been in there three hours looking at guns? Anyway kind of rude.

You then walked out when he offered to order something for you he did not have in stock.

Did you say no thanks to his offer, explaining why, or just walk out?

I side more with the counter clerk on this one based on your description. Much more so if you just walked out.

 

[Old Dog]

Another side of the coin ... when I moved from one area of my state to another (only about 45 miles as the crow flies, but in the strangeness that is Puget Sound, about 145 miles and three hours away including ferry rides), I went looking for my New Local Gun Shop ...

Found a little (by my standards) storefront establishment, wandered in and was totally unimpressed by the selection of new guns, used guns and especially, the uninspired customer service (and there were two or three guys behind the counters with only a couple other "customers"). I soon left, after not finding anything I couldn't live without and feeling a tad miffed that I was pretty much ignored. Not a "horrible gun store story" by any means, but not very positive and I didn't think I'd ever go back to this place.

However, I've since visited the store (since it's pretty much the only dedicated gunshop within 30 miles of where I live) and had several satisfactory interactions with the store's owners and staff, finding them much friendlier and more patient than I'd first presumed ... not to mention that their stock of both new and used handguns (my chief interest at this time) improved substantially (not a huge inventory, but covers most bases with Taurus, S&W, Kimber, Glock, SA, SIG and H&K). Further, their prices seem to have become more competitive with the nearest Sportsman's Warehouse and the next-closest dedicated retail gun store.

So, I guess what I'm saying is, don't always be so quick to sit in judgement of any retailer. First impressions, of course, can be dead-on accurate, but sometimes, further experience may pleasantly surprise and gratify one.

 

[tmajors]

the bored window shopper killing time until his dentist's appointment.

Hey now! To be fair I say up front I'm killing lunch time!

 

[romma]

Customer or no...that's a real good way to draw a rude response or even an offer to hit the trail and let not the door strike thy backside as thou goest through it.

1911 Tuner, did you fail to read, or miss the part about the contemptous treatment from when I walked in the door of the place?

Did you not read the about my past experiences there? I suggest better attention to posts maybe in order!

Maybe sometimes a HIGHROAD poster can be taken at their word...