So . . . Are the People at Your Local Gunshop a Bunch of Jerks?

[CoRoMo]

So . . . Are the People at Your Local Gunshop a Bunch of Jerks?

Nope, not all of them, but many are.
The ones that act jerky are usually sick and tired of their shops being used as museums. Or maybe they just get a lot of jerk know-it-all customers that do nothing but bother them and tell them that they don't know what they're talking about.

 

[skoro]

The two local gunshops I do business with are a real contrast. The nearer shop is staffed by a good bunch of guys who are pretty knowledgable and friendly. But three months ago, they just flat stopped handling FFL transfers.

Another shop on the other side of town gladly does transfers. But it's staffed by several crusty old farts who act like you've interrupted them during a scoring drive in the Superbowl whenever you walk in the door.

I'd like to do business with the friendlier shop. But they've decided for me that I have to go elsewhere.

 

[Zundfolge]

The ones that act jerky are usually sick and tired of their shops being used as museums. Or maybe they just get a lot of jerk know-it-all customers that do nothing but bother them and tell them that they don't know what they're talking about.

True, I'd probably become pretty surly if I had to deal with some of the folk I see shopping in gun shops.

 

[Knightrider03m]

The people at my gun shop always try to sell me something that always cost much much more than what I was looking to buy.

 

[RP88]

mine are tolerable. You have fire a flare gun indoors to get their attention at times, but once you do, they help you as much as they can if you are actually looking to buy something, or aren't an idiot.

 

[PT1911]

mine are awesome... I spend hours up there just talking guns...

 

[TCB in TN]

It just depends. A couple of shops here are basically filled with jerks, while one is really good and easy to deal with. I have bought a few used guns from the jerks, but the vast majority of my business is with the guys who take good care of me!

 

[Javelin]

Been to many gun shops all over the country for many years.

It is hard to find one that offers good customer service. Most (not all) gun shops know they can spit in your mouth and your going to come back... enter the great internet shops that do offer customer service.

 

[Big Daddy Grim]

Depends on the shop there is one place I will not go here in town crappy service and prices, unless your one of there favorite customers then the prices are a little less crappy and the service is better.

 

[KaintGetwright]

Ala Dan, I was looking through this thread intending on posting about Simmon's. As soon as I saw your name and post I knew exactly who you were talking about. I'm in Vestavia but don't mind making the short trip over there to pick up a gun or ammo. Really is a great store.

 

[alemonkey]

The local shop I frequent the most (Nebraska Gun) is great. The owner is friendly and knowledgeable. I've bought a number of guns from him. His prices are reasonable, in fact they're often just as good as what you see advertised on the internet.

 

[CapnMac]

I used have a really great shop--but you had to know the owners, who had set up a shop to store their inventory between shows. And, they had a hard-earned impatience for people trying to low-ball their prices.

Sadly divoce messed that all up. My other good shop, still is a homey sort of place, but the owner has been shifting over to archery instead of firearms, which is a shame.

We do have a "jerk' store in town, though. Which may explain why they have ammo in the shelves (that and the huge markup). Oh well, is what it is.

 

[cmccmc]

I'm a dealer and feel your pain...

I feel your pain because I am a customer too. I have been to many dealers that thought I asked to bed their daughter when I really asked to see the shinny gun on display in the case in front of them.

I am a dealer. I try hard not treat customers poorly. It is sometimes hard when you are very busy and "that guy" walks in to keep you off task regaling you and who ever else may be there with tales of coon huntin' and that time he accidentally shot himself in the pinky toe!

If I have learned anything it is you can not judge a customer's buying habits by appearance. My best customer smells like a foot and wears dirty clothes. He has purchased 6 or 7 guns in the 7 months I have been open. He disagrees with everything I say and always has a better story than the one I just told. Yeah, he is "that guy". But, he gets to see all the shinny pretty things in my case he wants to see. He stinks, he is annoying and he pays my bills! In short, I am lucky to have him. Lucky and grateful.

 

[hometheaterman]

Seems like quite a few guys are complaining of stores like my local one. Then you the guys that run the stores complain and even sometimes customers that Wal-Marts came in and ran them out of business. I hear this is a lot of industries. Well, if they offered fair prices instead of trying to rip of their customers and didn't act like jerks to them Wal-Mart wouldn't have run them out of business. It's just that the local mom and pop stores well, most I've dealt with want to rip the customers off and make a ton off of them so when Wal-Mart comes in with fairly priced stuff everyone goes there. Not Wal-Marts fault it's the mom and pops shops fault. Even most people wouldn't mind paying a tad more if they offered good service but when they are dicks most people would rather go to Wal-Mart and save money all while not dealing with that.

 

[ShadyScott999]

Nope, they are employed guys that try to help the lowest common denominator. Do they know everything? No. Can they help me? No. I will assume the anyone who would post here is a gun connaisseur. Most likely, there is no $12.00 employee that can help you. They are working. To most of them it is a job. Just remember that.

Scott

 

[Duke of Doubt]

cmccmc: "Yeah, he is "that guy". But, he gets to see all the shinny pretty things in my case he wants to see."

How well I know the feeling. Most of my best clients aren't exactly men I'd introduce to a female cousin I liked.

I don't care if the client is the President of the Optimist Club; if he is slow pay and small time he waits, while the convicted extorter, reputed dealer, alleged racketeer and suspected hitter gets his phone calls answered even at 3AM, assuming he's throwing around cash and referring other clients.

 

[hometheaterman]

Shady Scott the sad part is in my dealings with the local ones one employ is great. I would glady deal with him no questions asked if he worked somewhere else or had his own shop. Another one is pretty darn good and I wouldn't have a problem with him either. It's the owner that is a dick. In most of the stores I've had bad experiences with it's the owners I have a problem with.

A local stereo store here is like that. I loved dealing with them as one of their employs was great and always went above and beyond to help me and worked with you on the prices. When he quit or got let go of or whatever went down. I'm not sure I just know he is no longer there I started talking to the owner mostly when I went in. He had super high prices and didn't want to work with you on them. He was not super friendly and just made it so I'd rather go somewhere else.


A local tint shop I had the same kind of problem it was the owner that was causing the place to be bad.

I've had bad luck with a lot of local shops in this area. In other areas I've had okay luck but not in this area. It's almost always the owners that are the jerks too.

 

[cmccmc]

Walmart = Fair Price??? Ha.

Your dealer's price is = to Walmart's Price!

Yeah, that's right. I get ammo and firearms from my distributor for about the same price as I could get it from Walmart.

Thank the heavens Wallyworld doesn't sale handguns!!!

Dealer's can't match Wally's price or we would be out of business.

 

[hometheaterman]

I've seen a dealer or two where the prices are only a dollar or two more a box on some ammo so why do the rest of the dealers need to be 5 to 10 dollars more? Is your dealer price really the same as Walmart sells theirs for? Honestly?

 

[cmccmc]

yeah!

Shotgun shells are almost to the nickel the same. Handgun ammo can often be cheaper at walmart. I buy Winchester White Box at Wallyworld cause it is sometimes cheaper.

If walmart moves the ammo to the end cap (aisle)and puts the red sticker on it... oh my is it cheaper!!!!

Rifle ammo is usually within a dollar of being the same as my distributor price.

If makes sense if you think about it. I buy from a distributor because I am small and can't buy pallets at a time. Walmart is huge and buys direct. My ammo arrives via UPS theirs via a Semi!

We purposefully do not carry the guns Walmart carries if at all possible.

Walmart frequently sells shotguns for 10 or 15 dollars cheaper than I can purchase them from my distributor.

 

[zeebo419]

I have had a mixed experience in my small town. We have about 3 gun stores and I have had good and bad experiences at each. It seems to be more about the individual employees than the whole store, but I will say that the most polite and efficient sales person I have dealt with to date was the sporting goods clerk at Wal-Mart that sold me my Mossberg 500, somewhat ironic really.

 

[Apollo]

We've got a local shop that everyone knows as "that shop." Seems they get all the local police sales so they figure that they already have their bottom line covered and don't have to worry about sales. I walked in and nobody even paid attention to me. I wasn't even sure who the empolyees were!

But strangely enough when I called them on the phone they were the nicest people so far. So who knows?

 

[sm]

Heck if I know.

I done moved out of state, and not real sure where a gun shop is, much less if the folks are jerks.

Understand, I live in a such a small town in a rural area, we ain't even got a dot on a map. The closest town to me, with a real store of any kind, is about 15 miles away. I am so excited to see stop lights and I forget to look for gun stores.
I play with the automatic door opener at the grocery store when I go to town...


*smile*

 

[Davek1977]

My local shop rules. Yes, the prices are bit higher than I'd like to see on mos things, but in my exeprince, thats the "starting" price, and is negotiable. Also, I've literally been going to this shop since I was 10-12 years old. I've yet to cross the threshold, and not been called...by name...by the owner. That in itself wouldn't be amaizing, but this has been going on for 18 years now! Sometimes I have occaSion to vist the shop 1-2 times a week, other times it may be months before I stop by. I orignally started shopping there becasue it was near my grandparents house, and I could walk there. What amazed me is, after moving away from the area, and not having been in the shop for about 4 years...I walked in and was greeted like I'd be there yesterday! THAT made me feel important and appreciated, esepcially since I'm not a "big ticket" buyer usually. I strongly recommed any gun enthusist check out Teton River Traders in Ft Pierre, SD. Its not huge and doesn't have an endless inventory, but typically, they seem to have whatever it is I'm looking for at the time.

 

[BlackHand1917]

When dealing with gun shop people I try to be as charitable as I can. They do have to deal with a lot of screwballs and half-educated experts. Still, its no excuse to be rude and unfriendly. Hey, I work in a prison and somehow manage to treat murderers, theives and riff-raff with a modicum of courtesy; the guys in the gunshops can too. Actually, I think things have gotten better in recent years.

Back in the eighties I used to shoot at G.... Rifle and Pistol Range in ......NJ. The place was presided over by a crabby, ill-tempered, cigar-chomping ex-NYPD cop with a nasty little dog that would nip at the heels of customers. After awhile, once you got used to him, his crabbiness became more amusing than offensive...I miss the guy!