Frustrating experience at a gun shop...but I understand

[neededausername]

I went to a gun shop that is about 40 miles from home today because I was out that way. I was looking for a Mosin and didn't see any on their display, so I asked one of the guys if they had any. He looked at me and said yeah we just got a case in. I asked the price and it was fair, so I asked to look at them. He looked at me and said "Nope". I told him I was ready to buy, and he still said "Nope".

They had just received them and hadn't even opened the crate or entered them into their inventory. I understand, but was just frustrated. Oh well I'll go there tomorrow and pick one up.

 

[dawico]

Sounds like they didn't have time yet to pick through them and overprice some of the nicer ones. That is pretty bad customer service if you ask me.

 

[neededausername]

No, they hadn't even opened the crate, he was just letting me know they had it and it was going to be in stock. I understand that they have to inspect and log into inventory everything they receive before they can sell it. I'm not upset, just frustrated.

As far as overpricing all of them are going to be the same price, it's a good shop. A 91/30 for $99.00. I can get one online for $69.00 but would have to pay shipping and transfer so it's a fair price.

 

[shiftyer1]

If it was bad customer service he would have left it at nope and not explained why.

Most of the time the boss checks things in and when he says it's ok they get put on the shelf. Theres a process that needs to be followed or things get lost or not done.

If you go to walmart and they're out of your brand of whatever product, but a truck just came in, try to get an employee to unload the truck JUST for you.

Most clerks probably lie so they don't have to listen to the begging, at least you know to go back tomorrow and try to get first pick.

I've had a m44 and am currently looking for a sporterized one, good luck, hope you find a good one!

 

[neededausername]

I called later and they are 91/30s which is what I want. I'll be happy to go there tomorrow and buy it.

 

[shiftyer1]

91/30's are the same rifle the barrels just longer than an m44. I like the shorter barrels but thats just me. If I come across either model with a full grown stock at a reasonable price...........i'm gonna grab it My only complaint is lop.

 

[Cryogaijin]

I was in Great Northern Guns up here in Anchorage, looking at a Glock 20. (I was waffling between that and the witness 10mm.) One of the sales people had the gun out of the case for me to look at, and I was holding a target on the floor away from everyone.

The shop cat decided to walk through my sight picture, so I moved my sight away from said cat. The owner of the shop then jumped all over me for pointing a gun at the shop cat.

Needless to say I did not buy from them.

 

[1911Tuner]

Most of the time the boss checks things in and when he says it's ok they get put on the shelf.

There it is. The boss/owner trusts no one other than himself to be sure that the bound book is accurate and correct, because if somebody drops the ball, he's the one who pays.

 

[cskny]

It seems like it was an attitude problem, something that many gun shops seem to have trouble with.

All the guy had to say was 'I'm sorry sir, I can't let you see them because they are packed in a crate still and not in inventory' instead of 'nope'....'nope'....

Would you expect and accept a walmart employee saying 'nope.....nope.....' when you asked a question like that? No.

 

[Gouranga]

It sucks but like you, I can totally see the shops POV here. They need to check them in, account for them, inspect them, etc. Who knows they may have someone else who has been asking for them and they promised him one. It sucks but it is what it is.

 

[stonecutter2]

I understand why they couldn't sell one, but that direct and baffling response is something that I dealt with in a local shop, until I found one where the employees know how to socially interact.

Seriously, how hard is it to explain the situation right off the bat, than just saying "nope" twice.

It just makes me feel like I'm wasting their time until i bug them enough to bother with me.

 

[ZCORR Jay]

It is a bummer you couldn't pick one up then but it's good you realize they have steps they have to take before they can sell them. Chances are they wanted to sell one more than you wanted to buy it. The nopes may have been a little blunt and an explanation why could have been better presented but everyone has their own personality.

 

[suzukisam]

this was somewhat brought up in another thread. I understand that gun shops have to be stern with people. I mean, I have been in local shops before and seen a whole group of gang bangers asking to hold everything that looked like some they used to rob someone in grand theft auto(video game). so I would be stern with those types too. But the general arrogance of SOME shop owners/employees is a little irritating. even bass pro, or cabelas is worse here! it's like I'm an idiot if I ask to hold a gun. After a few minutes of asking technical questions about the piece, and finding out I already know more than they do, I just usually leave. I would never look at my customer and just say NOPE!

 

[Bubbles]

Speaking as an FFL I'm going to disagree with the shop owner here. If I have a customer in the shop with cash in hand who wants to buy a gun that isn't logged in yet, there's no reason I can't log it in while he's filling out the 4473.

 

[clutch]

Why don't you get a 03FFL, commonly called a Curio and Relic license? I'm much rather deal with Aim Surplus than drive all over the state.

CLutch

 

[lightman]

I see the shops point of view but not their attitude.A little courtesy would have made it taste better.Bubbles has a good point,but it could depend on how busy they were. Lightman

 

[carbine85]

There aren't enough gun shops around. If these guys had more competetion thay would have better attitudes and better customer service.

 

[nosmr2]

That's poor customer service and I would not give them a dime. I have spent 20 years in retail. I've dug through 36 totes of misc printer ink to make a $15 sale to satisfy a customer from a freshly unloaded truck. I understand the checking in of merchandise process and inventory control. But "nope" is a BS answer and I would not give them my business in the future. "We just received a truck in, but haven't had time to process it right now, can you come back in 30 (or however many) minutes?" would have been the correct answer.

The key word here is "customer"

 

[makarovnik]

A lot of gun shop owners have big attitudes but so do many other business owners. And they wonder why sales are down at their particular store.

I just broke in to laughter when my local gun shop owner told me that if I failed a NICS check that he could just charge me for the gun and keep it. I said "Just try it and see what happens". Of coarse I would never buy a gun there again, I just go in for laughs sometimes to see his $250 Hi-Point pistols. What a joke.

 

[philpost]

He could have smiled, explained WHY he was unable to sell you one then and there, thanked you for continued patronage, and asked if you could come back tomorrow. My LGS once offered me free range passes because they had changed their closing times, and I showed up too late to shoot. While slightly frustrating, their kindness and willingness to try and make it right was appreciated.

 

[EHL]

I've purchased a gun or two before that weren't yet cataloged in the system yet, so they hadn't had a chance to put it on display. BUT, they filled out the inventory paperwork while I filled out the background check form. Guess good customer service is a rarity in gun shops. I've especially noticed this arrogance at the bigger retailers like Cabelas and Bass Pro.

 

[Jesse Heywood]

I will agree that the clerk could have handled it much better in many different ways. I probably would have pulled the cash out and waved it under his nose, with a comment about either sell it now or never. There are other places to buy guns.

A few months back I asked about buying some AA#2. The clerk said it would be in the next day. Went back and UPS left the daily shipment from Powder Valley. They opened the box and the lady pulled out my powder, scanned it in to inventory and sold it to me. I thanked her profusely.

 

[22-rimfire]

I have mixed feelings about your experience. One side of me says that a business has certain procedures that they follow before putting something out for sale. I probably would fall into that camp. The other side of me would say to myself that I paid the same price for each unit and the customer could have his pick after they were logged into my books.

I would want to inspect each gun and make sure it's what it's supposed to be, log them into my books, and then decide which guns I plan on putting out on display and the pricing. I would not necessarily charge the same price for each unit. Having a customer go through them first would make me uncomfortable.

I probably would have told you that you could look at them tomorrow or you could wait until after I have a chance to inspect them. Just because I paid the same unit price for each does not necessarily mean I will price every gun the same when they are military surplus. If you bought the entire case, I would just price them and sell them all together and you could take the risk. I would then order another case.

Jesse, buying a can of powder is different from a firearm. Every can will be priced the same. I would not have given a customer the opportunity to "wave cash under his nose".

 

[hnk45acp]

Jeez, how hard is it to say "We just got some in and will have them for sale in a few days. I can call you and let you know when they're available"

 

[Nushif]

Jeez, how hard is it to say "We just got some in and will have them for sale in a few days. I can call you and let you know when they're available."

I think that is the core of the problem in the rather poor average experience people get a their LGS.

Because the purveyor seems to think that his product is somehow "more deadly" and "more valuable" and "more rare" they seem to think that there really is no other place for a customer to go.
It's the professionalism syndrome, if you will. Because of the law, they truly are the only ones professional enough to sell you that gun. Especially when there is no other gun store close by. I'd wager it's worse the less LGSs there are in any given area.

"Nope. Nope." sound perfectly fine coming from someone who has perceived power. And depending on your area they do hold the reigns of the incoming gun market.