Gun store rudeness?

[Carter]

If the OP lived in Charlotte, NC I would assume he had been talking about Hyatt's Guns Shop. They have the rudest salesmen behind the counter. I've only met one guy that I actually thought was helpful there but I can't remember his name.

I second that. In my experience, larger stores are ruder because they don't need to butter you up to keep your business, they get enough without it.
My gun store, however, gives candy to my gf's baby, let me "play" with high dollar guns I'll never be able to buy (and they know it), take time to talk about nothing in general, and so on. Great people. Some of them can be "a little" opinionated but not rude about it. Their shop is called Eagle Guns in Concord, NC.

My experience with Hyatts in Charlotte was terrible.

 

[Jon_Snow]

I've been in bad stores and I've been in good ones. It's really kind of a toss-up. While I don't think rudeness is acceptable, I can sympathize with teh guys working there. I worked at a knife store for a little less than a year in college and while the majority of customers would be great, you'd get a lot of people who would come in, play with all the merchandise, never buy anything, and spout the most ridiculous 'information' ever. My personal favorite was a guy who came in, asked about a katana we had, pulled it off the rack by reaching over the sign that says 'don't touch without supervision', then when I asked him to put it down he told me that katanas can cut railroad cars in half and that they were quenched in the blood on the japanese slaves. Dealing with people like that day in and day out really wears on you. I tried to be nice to everyone but ended up spending more and more time in the back working the engraving machine.

 

[boatme99]

Guess I'm lucky. Here in Tenn. I haven't run across a single rude or indifferent person in any of the shops I've visited.
Florida, however...there's a famously rude store in west Palm Beach.

 

[The Highlander]

I've had poor experiences as well. I think part of it has to do with the fact that I'm a grad student and I think they might feel that I'm not a serious customer. Their loss.

 

[Dentite]

While I do believe that customer service in general is going downhill, I agree that when it comes to gun stores/gun counters there is a disproportion of horrible customer service. Sure, I've had some good service, but plenty of bad as well.

 

[BLACKHAWKNJ]

I've had only one bad experience in 38 years of visiting gun shops here in NJ, in that case the owner (?) looked up from his afternoon TV when I walked in and then went back to his TV. Rudeness by sales help is a managerial problem and is best dealt with by informing the management and if they are rude to you tell them you will take your business elsewhere. My biggest peeve is know it alls behind the counter, i.e. "S&Ws are great-Colt are junk!"
, etc., etc., gun store commandos, foulmouths, people with poor gun handling skills, people whose manners need polishing.

 

[Pistola]

They do act this way in the 1 gun store in my town. (kinda rude)

 

[wishin]

We have two. One is very good in the customer service area, the other is okay. My wife was going to town one day so I asked here to pick up some 6.8SPC. I wrote it down because she's not gun savvy. The okay store argued with her, saying that she must have gotten it wrong since they never heard of that cartridge.

 

[Arkansas Paul]

There are a lot of gunshops around here. Sure there have been instances where the person behind the counter could have been nicer, but you learn where those places are and do business with the ones that are nice to you.
There's a store in Little Rock, Ft Thompsons, that I went into probably 20 times before I ever bought anything. They were very nice, and let me handle anything I wanted to without once acting annoyed. When I was ready to buy something, I went to them. You take care of stores that take care of you. Besides, they're usually about the lowest prices around too.

 

[Bubba613]

Gun shop employees being rude? Say it aint so!

As mentioned, a fair number of people come from LE and military backgrounds, not really the friendly customer-oriented types.
And then there are the customers. For every nitwit salesman story I hear I also hear about 10 rude customer stories.
Like the guy who wanted to do a transfer and then was indignant with the receiving dealer that his gun hadn't arrived yet.
Or the guy who bought a gun at a big box store for his wife and then wanted to trade it after she discovered she didnt like the gun. Fine, except he wanted full retail value with sales tax for it.
Or the guy who bought an extended magazine for a Ruger P-series, told it would only fit a P-series Ruger and then brought it back because it didnt fit his Astra Model 70.
Or the guy who emailed about 15 different times asking about setting up a rifle for longer distance shooting and then telling me he could get the Savage rifle I had for $50 less from WalMart.

 

[DammitBoy]

I guess living in the deep south spoils a guy on the behavior he tends to run across. Most folks around here were raised to have good manners and it extends into our gun stores.

The most I've ever had to complain about was being ignored by the staff because they were busy jawing with their buddies. Most places I frequent, they know me by name and greet me when I walk in the door.

 

[raveneap]

I have three small gun shops within a 30 mile radius of home. And there's a fourth much closer. Many years ago I went in to the one much closer. Asked for a price on a particular gun. I was told he couldn't quote a price unless I ordered it. I thanked him, walked out, and that started my business with the aforementioned three. Over the years since then I've bought many guns, both rifles and handguns. And not one of them was from the guy who gave me that ridiculous answer.

 

[ozarkgunner]

I have seen a few instances like this. Just this past Friday I stopped in a gun shop down the street from me looking for some 22 ammo. Apparently the regular salesman/owner was out or in back, so the gun smith was out front. I told him what I was looking for and almost immediately said that I shouldn't use that type, that he would never use it, etc. He started to recommend other types but I said no, I want this particular ammo. I got fed up with him and left.
I will be stopping by again later to speak with the owner and let him know what happened and that the other gentlemans opinion was not wanted or appreciated.

 

[General Tso]

At first I thought that this was just an isolated incident, but the more gun stores I visit, I can't help but notice that many of the employees that I encounter have very poor customer service skills. Some are outright rude, like you're wasting their time by shopping; others are so arrogant that if you dare question what they say, you get talked down to like you're an idiot. In most other customer service businesses, it's very professional with a customer-oriented attitude, but it seems like people that work at gun shops feel that they are somehow above it all. Has anyone else felt like this?

That's why I buy online.

 

[qwert65]

Just this weekend my buddy who is just getting into shooting ( I've taken him about once a week for a month or so) Decided he was going to purchase a Ruger 10/22 here in VA (his offical residence is NYS). I told him don't go to Wal-Mart give your money to the local guys.

The first store which had no other customers in the store said they weren't allowed to sell to NY residents. I asked them to just look up the regs(this was after my freind had pulled out the cash so they knew he was serious.

The second store was polite but didn't have any and tried too talk him into a different model(they were cool though and I bought some ammo there) Dicks said they couldn't sell it to him bc of store policy(guy was also nice and said go to WM. So we went to Wally World and he got his rifle.

Point is I can't believe a store who has a customer with cash refusing to make a sale. If they were really busy I could see not having time to double check. Then I hear about how "everyone runs to Wal-Mart"

 

[LibShooter]

Apparently the regular salesman/owner was out or in back, so the gun smith was out front. I told him what I was looking for and almost immediately said that I shouldn't use that type, that he would never use it, etc. He started to recommend other types but I said no, I want this particular ammo.

That doesn't sound rude. That sounds like a knowledgeable guy offering some advice.

 

[KodiakBeer]

For every nitwit salesman story I hear I also hear about 10 rude customer stories.

This! Having been on the other side of the counter, I can attest to how obnoxious gun customers can be. We sold specialty ammo and guns that you couldn't get from Wally World and if you didn't know the customer you really had to ask questions or educate (in a friendly way) about things like +P+ pistol ammo or high pressure .45/70 loads so people didn't hurt themselves. Most of the time they knew exactly what they were doing, but sometimes they didn't. And sometimes they bit your head off for asking... Waaaaay too much testosterone gets carried into gun shops!

That's no excuse for carrying your anger over to the next customer that walks in the door, but I can understand how it happens.

 

[Enachos]

Carter,

Glad to hear you have had a really good experience with Eagle guns in Concord! I read your last post about Hyatt guns and I completely agree with everything you said. As I stated in that previous thread... I always go to Eagle Guns or Gun Works when it comes to ammo or anything gun related. Also I just purchased a Draco pistol from Eagle Guns which they even lowered the price on to $400 just to keep my business. I love that gun shop. They are the friendliest gun people and are always very helpful. I've never been let down by them.

 

[Carter]

Glad to hear you have had a really good experience with Eagle guns in Concord! I read your last post about Hyatt guns and I completely agree with everything you said. As I stated in that previous thread... I always go to Eagle Guns or Gun Works when it comes to ammo or anything gun related. Also I just purchased a Draco pistol from Eagle Guns which they even lowered the price on to $400 just to keep my business. I love that gun shop. They are the friendliest gun people and are always very helpful. I've never been let down by them.

I was up there the other day and mentioned you. Told them about our Hyatt adventures. They had some bulk 5.56 military rounds, don't remember what kind, but it was 1000 rounds for $300 some. Check it out if you're up there anytime soon.

 

[Fatelvis]

I have noticed the same thing. I've probably visited 25 gun shops in my life, and the majority of them had that attitiude. I've noticed that the bigger chains that I've visited have clerks that are more polite and courtious. I figure thier bosses make it clear to them that the customer should be treated well. All gun shops that I know of are privately owned, and the owner has nobody to have that talk with them.
Maybe they should!

 

[Publius1688]

This thread reminds me why I buy all my handloading components, 99% of my accessories, and do much of my firearm research online.
I see both sides of the story----I've worked specialty retail, also- and the bizarre things customers come up with never ceased to amaze me. And, I've been treated rudely in the retail environment, too. However, gun shops are no ruder than your average retail establishment, or nicer. BUT---the fellow customers I see in gun shops are, on average, a little more likely to be 'out there' than the customers in say, Woodcraft, another place I frequent.

 

[fprintf]

I think it might depend on the day and time. We have a local gun store here in CT that is by far the largest in the State. On several occasions I have been in there and been treated rudely. However thinking back on it, the rudeness seemed to be when they were really busy. This was right after Obama won the primacy and the place was a zoo. They didn't have to sell guns, really they were just order taking as quickly as they could fill out the paperwork.

And yet a few weekends ago I went in on a Sunday morning and it was really slow in there. All the guys were nice as could be, helped me pick out a holster (including picking through a few shelves full) and ensure that it fit well before sending me on my way. They even took the time to talk to me a little while while I shouldered a Ruger 10/22 and Marlin 795 in prep for an Appleseed.

 

[wvshooter]

For some reason this seems to be normal. In defense of gun store clerks/owners it seems that guns sometimes attract shoppers who just like to stand and talk all day even though they may have nothing meaningful to say. I'm sure working behind the counter for a couple months would give most of us more perspective.

At the same time it's a shame there are so few owners/clerks who have any interest in providing helpful advice and too often have a condescending attitude.

 

[wobble]

My experience has been mixed. Actually, in one gun shop I visit often because it is nearby, my experience depends on the person who is behind the counter that day. Some days I get the good friendly helpful ones, some days the bad ones.

But looking at it from the counter guy's perspective, you've got people coming in all day who want to look at and handle your guns (because they enjoy it), but 90% of them don't buy. They're just daydreaming. After a while, wasting your time 90% of the time gets to you, I suppose.

I've also been in stores where a customer was obviously trying to impress the sales guy with his knowledge of a particular gun, which he probably already owns, and has no intention of buying. The sales guy's eyes were rolling back in his head and I wasn't being waited on.

 

[DasFriek]

I just had an experience at one of my favorite shops that i left immediately and just went straight home as i was done with the subject for the day i was so upset about how i was talked down too.

I live outside Columbus Ohio and deal Mostly with Vance's and its sister store Buckeye Outdoors. Always treated well and i even have my own personal clerk ill ask to wait on me when he has a chance and i can skip taking a number and waiting as he knows the only time i ask for that is when im definetly walking out with a gun that day. Id take a number like everyone else but it just messes the system up if i do in that circumstance. All other times i take a number and wait like everyone else.
The guy is patient and knows what i like and i can pick a gun out 3x faster with him waiting on me.

Thats at Vances, But about 2 weeks ago at Buckeye Outdoors i took a number and waited and got a younger guy to wait on me.
I told him " I need a scope with the most magnification i can get for $200-$300 for my .22lr benchrest gun and preferrably 24x-32x"
He looked at me like i was an idiot and told me a .22 doesnt need any scope over 9x and i was making a mistake in doing so.
Then continued to act like i was wasting his time the whole time he waited on me. I said thanks and id look elsewhere.

Sure ill go back but he wont be waiting on me anymore.