Gun snobbery...

[ScotZ]

I gave up on friendly service from brick and morter gun stores long ago. The cliche of the old grumpy guy became reality. I couldnt care less why they choose to be downright unsociable. I have heard every excuse in the book. The fact is I am polite,I deal in cash and wont even try to buy local anymore. They have proved they have no time for me and my occasional shotgun,handgun,rifle purchase. I have one guy that does all my FFL stuff but he doesnt have a "shop". Grumps of the world unite because your world is getting smaller and smaller.

 

[pmeisel]

There are friendly, nice people, and grouchy, hard to like people in every line of work.

Usually the nice people get more business. But not always -- sometimes they are incompetent. And sometimes the grouchy person is so good people are willing to put up with him.

I think I am off to the art dealer forum to see if they have anyone like the Duke there.

 

[John-Melb]

Many years ago I was browsing at a certain gun store near where I lived, during my visit I asked the dealer a question, he rather gruffly replied "If you want information, go to the public library".

A couple of days later I visited the store again and purchased a box of .22 cartridges, the dealer noticed at the time there was quite a bit of maney in my wallet.

As I went to walk out I noticed an old Mauser on the rack and asked to look at it, telling the dealer I liked it, I laid it on the counter, and then asked to look at something else.

By the time I was finished, he had dollar signs in his eyes and there was a pile of stuff about a foot high on his counter.

I then reminded him of his public library coment and said that I don't buy from rude people, and left the store.

Over twenty years later, I still see that bloke at gunshows, he now greets me every time, he and the Governor at work are the only people I know who call me "Mister".

 

[MikeKeyW]

When I was in the biz I treated everyone with the same courtesy I would expect if roles were reversed. I just don't get the elitist attitude some have, but it's found in just about every business. I vote with my feet, they can take me out the same way I came in and without my wallet having left my pocket.
Kel Tec or Korth, Savage or Krieghoff, we all started somewhere and a fellow gun enthusiast is something to treasure, not treat with disdain. I like walking into a gun store, not a boutique, I want to smell Hoppes #9 and leather, coffee and a touch of smokeless powder too along with the rhythmic cycling of a progressive spitting out round after round. A Norinco SKS sitting next to a Colt Sauer Drilling, Ravens and Pythons, new and used, Mil Surplus...
Ah, the good old days. Anything like that in Miami anymore?

 

[coosbaycreep]

I have yet to go to a gun shop anywhere at anytime where I felt like the employees actually WANTED my business. Most of the time, they follow me around or watch me like a hawk as if I'm going to try and steal one of their overpriced sporterized Mosin Nagants or beat up winchester 94s.

I'll admit, I pretty much look like a homeless drug addict, and if I were them, I'd watch someone who looks as impoverished as I do more closely than less impoverished customers too, but at least two of the shops I go to know me well enough to know that I'm not some thief. In fact, one of the shops I go to, I bought 5 or 6 guns from in about a month and a half, and I'm easily recognizeable. Still, they treated me like a thief every time I went in there. There's only been a few times I've ever been in there when I didn't buy something, and I usually walk out with a gun when I go, but they still can't seem to figure out that I'm an honest person who doesn't frequent their shoddy little gun store to steal things or waste time.

I don't needlessly fondle their firearms. I don't go into BS or ask dumb questions. I don't go in there unless I'm looking for something or have money and a desire to part with it if I find something I like. Basically, I'm the kind of customer they should be trying to attract, instead of all the deadbeat yokels who are usually only there to jibber jabber about hunting or Obama.

I wouldn't have bought as much stuff from these people as I have, but there's not any shops that are really any better without driving a long ways from where I live.

I did buy from a Portland area shop at a gunshow recently that had the best selection and prices I've seen so far, so I'll probably just make the drive or buy private party from here on out.

Come to think of it, I can't think of any category of people who I've met that are as rude as gun store employees, with the exception of maybe used car salesmen. I'd rather spend time with a dentist or a lawyer.

 

[bps3040]

People who treat others poorly, especially in a business situation, don't deserve the support -- or the business -- of others.

It's quite simple, really: If your local gun shop treats you poorly, find another shop that does not. Better yet, tell the local shop that you believe you are being treated poorly and that if they wish to continue receiving your support, they'd better improve their customer service and their attitude. Even if they don't, or even if they can't, you at least will give them a heads-up about the reason why you are heading for greener pastures. That way, they can't say that they weren't warned; their eventual downfall will be wholly on themselves

Amen. I am self-employed.... every time I lose a customer I go out of my way to find out why. I want...no, I need to know.
Where I live, a local radio celebrity, owns a gun shop. I have been there twice. I choose to spend my money elsewhere. I like him , just not his employee/sales tactics. I went in there and asked to see a gun. The sales guy told me. " I will show it to you, but I do not see why. I can see you cannot afford it"...... I was shocked, lol...still am. So I said " what do you mean? Is that your sales pitch??????? He said "No"... tried to get him to talk more, but he just blew me off.
One of my customers, knows I am into guns, like he is. So, we are talking guns and he tells me out of the blue... about "XXXXXXX" gun shop and when he went in there,lol, the salesman said he would show it to him, but it was obvious that he could not afford it.. He said, here I have the cash in my pocket and he is telling me he did not want my business.
Another gun shop, John's guns in Bastrop... I went in to say Hi. I had seen his store and justed stopped in. He made my wife and I feel like we were lifelong customers. I was there for 45 minutes.....lol, he even gave me a hat and asked me to visit him at the next gun show. He and his wife were great. When we left, I told my wife I am buying my next gun there. So, he will get my business.
Business XXXXX lost 2 customers. Multiply that. Eventually that will catch up with a business. My partners and I go out of our way to please our customers.....best advertisement is a happy cust., worst and most vocal, a unhappy one.. They are not always right, but normally keeping them happy is a heck of lot cheaper than losing their business and everyone they know's business.

 

[B yond]

I'm not sure what causes it, but I've noticed an "I know better than you do" attitude in a lot of the shooting community lately. It's not just the gun stores, it's spread to the range and THR too!

 

[VegasOPM]

If they don't treat you right- let the owner know it and don't come back. There are too many good people out there to put up with silliness. Even when I lived in backwoods Missouri, I was always able to find a gun store that I liked. Some of these stores are thinking they don't need to be nice, since there is business a plenty. That won't last forever- so remember the places that do treat you with respect.

 

[Lumpy76]

The internet is great! I would support the locals if I did'nt get an attitude every time. Shops are few and far between around Chicago. Find a nice FFL dealer and have them sent.
If they are all jerks, I don't care if they all go out of business!

 

[chuckusaret]

We have the same here in West Palm Beach, Florida. Most of the shops have a "if you don't like it go elsewhere" attitude and I have. I only buy at gun shows or thru Gun Broker. com. I believe the local shops should make a profit but the prices have gone thru the roof ie $18.50 plus tax for 50 rounds of 40 cal WWB, thats $5.00 more than Wal Mart, and their gun prices are the same, and in some cases above the MSRP. Most shops want over $400 for a LCP , I guesstimate that is over a $135 mark up. The firing ranges are the same plus you have to use their overpriced cheap ammo. If Obamanation doesn't destroy the gun world the ammo and gun dealers will.

 

[azhunter122]

Yeah, I know what you mean. There's one gun store in town that pretty cheap but the guy is a complete butt. So now I buy from another store but their prices generally seem to be a bit higher but their selection is much larger.

 

[TexasRedneck]

Mebbe ah'm lucky - or mebbe my skin is thicker, but I've only come across bad shops twice in San Antonio over the past 30+ years - an' one of them isn't in business any longer.
One I've traded with the longest is The Powderhorn. I've always been made to feel welcome (then again, I've also spent well into mid-5 figures in there over the years) . Knew Bob before he passed away, and his son David runs the place now.
Went by Dury's the other day. Hadn't been there in 5 years, because the last time I was in and trying to buy a gun safe with a very nice budget, I couldn't even get the time of day. Others kept telling me that it was an anamoly, so I finally decided to give 'em another try.
Still not sure if I'm glad I did or not - as I walked the cases, I spotted a SWEET 686 w/2 1/2" barrel well below what I'd seen anywhere else....so it followed me home....

 

[bonedust]

there are WAAAAAY more snobby customers than snobby gun shops. i promise. we get tired of it on our side of the counter too...

 

[TexasRedneck]

I can understand that....but when I walk in, I have something you want - $$$. You MIGHT have something I want. I'd bet you'd rather have what _I_ have - and to get it, you'll have to treat me respectfully.
Now, if I walk in with a 'tude, I deserve the benefit of the doubt. If I continue to show the 'tude, you have a choice - run me (and my money) out....or get my money and hope I never darken your door again.
A perfect example is a customer I have that I abhor - an' it's no secret around the office. Despite that, they've been a customer for 9 years now. One day the Operations Manager asked me why I sold to them when I disliked them SO much. I pointed out to him that I sold to him at a higher margin, and they paid their bill each and every month - so in effect, each month this "dumb Texan" screwed the "Smart Northerner".

 

[jbkebert]

One of the local gun shops near me is just a great place to go. Seems like there is as many chair around as at a barber shop. Only problem is everytime I go in there I get stuck shooting the #### with them for at least 30-45 minutes. I went in a short time ago and was looking at a Colt Delta 10mm the guns a little rough but the price is good. So while I am looking at it he says hey watch the store while I go the restroom. He comes out then goes to the back then does something else. All the while I am standing there with his gun in my hand. Might of looked bad had a LOE walked in. He has at least when I have been there been extreamly pleasant with anyone that comes in. If a question is asked that he doesn't know the answer to he ask if any of his patrons possibly do.

 

[DeathByCactus]

I never understood gun stores with unfriendly employees. If I walk into a place of business and feel like I am a "obligation" or something to just be taken care of and moved on out. I don't do business there. There has been a few places in Houston that are like this that I just don't go to anymore.

Then again, now that I found Talon Arms right down the street from me, I can order online and go pick stuff up there... Nice people they are.

 

[tunnug]

We had a shop out here that the owner had as a hobby and he couldn't care less how he treated his customers.
I saw this first hand a few times while I looked around and not seeing anything I wanted would walk out without talking to him.
I was pricing/looking for a gun that no one had on hand, so I decided to stop in and ask for a price. He tells me acting annoyed "I'll give you a price when you come in with money to buy it", I walked out and never set foot in that place again.
The guy was so bad that the place was always empty of people, some time later I read in the paper that someone beat him and left him on the floor of his shop, he lingered for about a month and died from his injuries, guess his treatment went to the wrong person, I don't think anything was stolen.

 

[altitude_19]

I ran into one such operation in Colorado (dealer thought 45 auto had no place as a defensive cartridge). I figured out the common denominator seems to be an inability to acknowledge that there is more than one method to competently defend oneself. The fact that you prefer .357 mag does not automatically mean the 45 ACP has no use. Maintain flexibility and a broad knowledge base that allows you to provide well-founded advice on assembling a defensive system to YOUR CUSTOMERS' specifications and you'll do good business. Start believing that your way is the ONLY way, and you've already started digging your business' grave.

 

[Mp7]

The combo of small genitalia and bigbore Firearms
sure has a lot of negative side effects....
.... unjustified arrogance being one of them.

 

[sernv99]

I assume if a shop is giving an "attitude", it's because they get alot of customers who are obnoxious, however that's the name of the game when you run a business that caters to the public. I always do my research before going to a gunshop so I can shut down the salesman when he starts to b.s. me with a stupid sales pitch. But I never go in with an attitude, always confident and friendly. If I feel the shop is a total waste of my time, I leave and go somewhere else to spend my money. Simple as that.

I only go to one shop near me. The owner answers emails, even if I send something to him on the weekend or late at night, he always provides me with help if I have a question about something. And his staff is real friendly too, very knowledgable.

 

[U.S.SFC_RET]

If you know your subject matter and the guy treats you like a fool then find a gun shop who doesn't
Gunshop dealers are people and sometimes they have a bad day. It is a vicious and competive world.
Customers who come in are rude. Customers are some of the rudest people on earth and frequently try to "educate" shop owners their own business.
If you are a stranger be polite. Don't make it a one time affair just because you have a bad experience.
Show your support. He has to deal with online competition. Harry's gunshop across town. He has to turn a profit just like everyone else. he pays the bills just like everyone else. Show your support buying your ammunition from him. You don't have to buy alot, just buy some.
Show your face and browse some. Once or twice a month. Become a regular. Buy a gun from the guy or set up a layaway.

 

[06]

If an employee of any place of business gives poor service or has a poor attitude then ask to speak to the manager or owner or get their tele #. One call or complaint will usually stop their crappy ways or get them the boot. There are too many wanting jobs now to put up with shoddy employees inept attitudes or product knowledge. Was at Sports Authority(national chain) last year and listened to a young salesman telling this single mom she needed a Casull for home defense. She could hardly hold the "hand cannon" up. Soon as he stepped away I explained what she really needed but he overheard part of it and got puffy. I asked him how many handguns he had and he said NONE. 'Bout that time an older gent came over and dismissed the dummy and I hope back to the ladies panties section. She ended up with a shrouded hammer 38 snubbie. We kept in contact and she now has her CC and a Kimber 45. wc

 

[colemanw]

pretty damn cool they are

 

[glassman]

I frequent a large shop that has a reputation for being 'snooty'. I admit there are a few counter guys who have atitude so I wait for the ones who don't when looking for something. I began my experience there by being seen every weekend to use the range. I didn't buy any firearms but my face was known to them. When I finally did ask to see something in the case, I introduced myself and shook hands with the guy. The questions I asked were semi intelligent and I listened to the answers with a neutral expression. From that point on, they wave or say hello and treat me well in general. I think my taking the first step and treating them in a good way has been reciprocated.

 

[Mk VII]

Went twice into a local store (bicycles) for some small thing. The guy was so offhand and rude about my requirements (which he didn't have) that I thought, "next time I have some big money to spend, pal, it won't be in here". And it wasn't. Met somebody else in town who had got the same brush-off from them, too.