So You Own A Gun Store

[ArfinGreebly]

Let's pretend.

Some of you own (or work in) gun stores.

Imagine that I'm going to open a gun store.

It's not close enough to where your store is that it will ever be competition, so you're secure in helping a new shop owner get the best advice you can give.

So . . . I'm the new (apprentice) shop owner, you're the established (journeyman) shop owner, and I've come to you for advice.

What to stock? What to avoid?

How to encourage new shooters? How to discourage bad choices?

How to make the PR atmosphere in my local area more favorable to the idea of a gun store in the community?

How to advertise? Where to advertise?

Locations to avoid? Locations to prefer?

Interaction with customers?

Features that the shop should have?

Stuff I forgot to ask about?

Go on, I KNOW there are a bunch of you out there.

Let's have some of that experience and wisdom.

I don't know the first thing about running a gun store, so I'm trusting you.

You have a shot at a legacy. "Yup, everything I know about running this store and everything that led to my success I learned from Ole Clem, who runs a store in the next state."

(While I'm at it, some of you customers might want to throw a couple of one cent coins in here, too.)

Alright, tell me what I need to know.

 

[RancidSumo]

I know that I don't like stores where everything is kind of piled around in a big mess. Went to one like that in Salt Lake, took me quite a while to navigate around the assorted junk.

 

[fletcher]

I do not own or work at a gun store, but here's my customer's perspective on it (you probably already know most of this then).


What to stock? What to avoid?
Stock guns that are popular amongst enthusiasts as well as the regular stuff. I hate going in and seeing nothing but 1911s and Glocks. Where are all the good pocket-pistols? The CZs? Econo-guns?

How to encourage new shooters? How to discourage bad choices?
Make it easy to rent/try a variety of guns. Maybe a semi-annual "new shooter day" where all the staff comes in and new people can try a few guns for $20 entry or something. Assuming it doesn't have a range also, just try to be educational when helping them choose a gun. Point them to resources, let them know that you can call the store any time with questions.

How to make the PR atmosphere in my local area more favorable to the idea of a gun store in the community?
Hrm, that's a hard one. To blissninnies, doing something to help the police would come across as good. Not sure what, though.

How to advertise? Where to advertise?
I hear advertisements on our local talk radio / AM station. Might want to look into that. But, word of mouth is your best friend.

Locations to avoid? Locations to prefer?
The closer to your customers, the better. Can't really get more specific than that with what's given.

Interaction with customers?
I'm fine with a "Hi" or "How's it going?" upon entering the store, and "let us know if we can help or you have any questions" sort of thing. Chatting them up once in a while helps, too. I'm more likely to make a purchase if I know the owner/employees are good people.

Features that the shop should have?
I like big glass cases with tons of guns in them. Good lighting, an open look to it (can see everything, and everyone, from the counter) would be nice.

 

[loud-mouth shnook]

Having been on both sides of the counter, my big peeve is the "I know more than you" syndrome. You've seen 'em. The loser who abuses hapless customers or employees with his "expertise". Seen it on both sides of the aforementioned counter.

It seems as if some gun shop patrons feel threatened or resentful toward gunshop employees because they think they, themselves, should be the ones behind the counter. So then, the game is on, as far as those types are concerned.

Also, when coming into a shop, one sometimes meets up with an "expert" clerk who simply "can't be bothered" with answering the questions from someone who is currently at the stage of learning that the "expert" once was.
C'mon, how hard is it to NOT be an a-hole???????

As far as the knowledge thing goes, one of my very favorite things about working at a gunshop is when the real-deal "beentheredonethat" veterans of shooting come in. At that point, school's in, Jack! I've had the privilege of receiving advice and metric tons of information that came as a result of the experience of this kind of man. As far as I'm concerned, this sort of education is priceless, it's becoming more and more scarce all the time, and these men should be considered national treasures.

IMO, the best gunshops are almost what the Victorian Brits used to call, "men's smoking clubs". A place where the honorable, trustworthy, no BS type of guy could go and commune with other like-minded individuals. I'm sure many a Bull$#!+ artist was inspired to legitamacy by the desire to be accepted. Either that, or they stayed away for fear of ridicule.

Obviously, there are many more pieces to a retail business besides what I've mentioned, but I'd think such an aspect like I've described would lend an extra amount of credibility to shopping at such a place.

 

[Dorryn]

This should be a no-brainer, but clearly common sense isnt common: Avoid sexism and dont hire sexist employees. Women shoot too.

I can barely get my wife to come into gun stores with me anymore since one trip to my favorite store resulted in one of the (all-male) staff asking if she was there to, "see the puppies," that were being sold, rather than a firearm.

 

[Juna]

What to stock? What to avoid?

Avoid the crappy guns (Bryco, Jennings, etc.). Stock good guns, and a wide variety of them. For example, too many shops carry every Glock model ever made and yet have never heard of a CZ 75 or Bersa Thunder. Don't only stock high-profile (Glock, Sig, H&K, Beretta, Colt) guns, but other less known but good ones (CZ, XD, Bersa, Kel-Tec, etc.).

How to encourage new shooters? How to discourage bad choices?

Be patient, open minded, and kind. I like the shop owner who greets me and tells me to let him know if I need help. I don't like pushy sales people, and very little can turn a person off more than a salesperson who can't be bothered by your newbie question. Everyone was a rookie once, so keep that in mind.

Be prepared to answer commonly asked questions like the "9mm vs. .45 question" without rolling your eyes or making a new shooter feel like a dumb ass. Don't try to sell them the most expensive thing you have b/c they're ignorant. For example, don't try selling them a Mark 23 SOCOM as their first pistol when a Ruger P95 might fit the bill and their budget better.

How to make the PR atmosphere in my local area more favorable to the idea of a gun store in the community?

Tough one. Advertise pro-gun statistics (e.g. how many times a year firearms are used in self-defense). Host police functions. Focus on education rather than putting out ads that try to stress the tacticool accessories and the degrees of lethality of various ammunition. Educate people on how you're making their community safer, not more dangerous.

How to advertise? Where to advertise?

Advertise with education in local newspapers. Don't talk about knock down power and one-shot stops in your ads in the public press, as they're likely to perpetuate the negative association of guns with violence. Educate about self-defensive firearms statistics. Emphasize the competitive target shooting aspects. Emphasize target shooting as a sport that takes discipline and skill, just like every other sport. Maybe have one night a week for group discounts at the range or one night where you can pay $X to shoot a bunch of different guns. Have a ladies night. Senior citizen night. Put coupons in the local paper.

Locations to avoid? Locations to prefer?

Put your shop in the suburbs or in a nicer area of town. Too often guns are associated with bad areas of town. Plus, being in a bad neighborhood will make people think you're selling to gang bangers (even though you're not). If you're in the suburbs, you can look more like an upscale institution.

Interaction with customers?

Patience, kindness, education. You will be asked newbie questions by new shooters. They will be questions you've been asked a million times before, but how and if you answer them may significantly impact a new shooter. I've been made to feel uncomfortable about asking questions at certain shops b/c the guys behind the counter have a holier than thou attitude and act like you're a total dumb ass who's bothering them if you ask something basic. They forget that they didn't always know the answer.

Don't be a salesman, be a person who's encouraging new shooters and tailoring choice of guns to their needs. If you're trying to get a sucker who's never fired a gun before to buy your Barrett .50 BMG rifle so you can take that trip to Tahiti you've always wanted, you're not doing anyone any good but yourself.

Also, be willing to be educated by your customers, as many of them stay on top of new products available more than some shops. I've been in the situation where I asked a shop owner if they carried the new XYZ model, and they tell me there is no such thing offered that they know of. When I suggest politely that I've seen XYZ elsewhere, they persisted that there was no such model and I must be mixed up.

Take women as seriously as men. My wife doesn't like certain gun shops b/c they treat her like used car salesmen treat women--like they don't know anything and like they're somehow less intelligent when it comes to guns. My wife knows more about guns than most men I know. Don't turn off large groups of potential customers by sexism or any other discrimination methods.

Features that the shop should have?

Ideally, an attached shooting range. Well-lit glass cases full of guns, and other guns that are out for people to handle. Enough staff people to reduce wait times. Organization of guns so that the Glock 26 isn't next to the USP while the Glock 17 is on the other side of the room. Rifles and shotguns organized well. No ridiculous policies of checking your gun at the door only to have it locked and walked to the range with you by an escort (a la Bass Pro Shops). Don't require drivers licenses for a person to use the range with your own gun.

Stuff I forgot to ask about?

Maybe either have a gunsmith or refer to a reputable one who does work for you. Service the guns you sell or maybe have a contract with someone who does. Allow a time period for returns or exchanges. Maybe have some sort of guarantee of customer satisfaction.

 

[jpcampbell]

As someone that did own a very successful gun store let me say that going in with proper financing and lots of business classes is more important then any other thing. Next is picking the proper staff, You want knowledgeable people that are polite and that can handle their ego's, many customers are not knowledgeable about guns but they don't like being talked down to.
You don't make much from new guns their is little mark up on them and if you buy from only a few distributors you will only get deals on slow selling models. but you do need to carry several models of what sells in your area, I had a section for shotguns, one for hunting rifles another for black rifles, another for plinker's and varmint guns. I had lots of used guns along the back wall marked up high enough that I could let them haggle me down some everyone like to haggle and they feel like you care about them. No one ever bought a gun used or new that I didn't give them a box of Remington shells and a target I had printed with My store info all over it, donated several hundred to the local range as well. It was already figured into the price any way. If a customer bought over $400.00 I gave them a hat as well and if its for a kid they got a cammo T-shirt with our logo on it
keep the isles open and clean lots of light on the merchandise, in each section the customer is surrounded by the accessories that go with that type of gun. You will make more on consignment guns, Most money is made from the accessories of shooting, and hunting, ammo, scopes, reloading supplies, calls, scents, videos, decoys, tents, camping gear etc... cloths are a big mark up, carry lots of large sizes, If you have room and know of a good smith bring him in the extra traffic he will bring in is well worth having him in your shop, I would put my high end guns in his section and was able to ask a higher price for them, something about people willing to pay more from a smith. I would stay away from having an indoor range between insurance and the cost of building it you will have a long time before it is paid for. Get involved with the community, sponsor or have hunter ed classes in the store before or after regular hours when they complete the course give them a cap or T-shirt with your logo, donate a few range bags or some other item to the police dept. Sell hunting and fishing licenses, have a bulletin board to post customers pictures, join and donate to hunting groups like ducks unlimited, etc... thats a start, running a store can be very rewarding of a nightmare.

 

[Regolith]

As a customer, I would have to say my biggest pet peeve about gun stores is a lack of prominent, easily read information about the guns in the display case.

Specifically, prices and model information are not displayed prominently enough. Most of you know what I'm talking about: The little hand written price/information tag that is tied to a trigger gaurd and not facing the right direction, the tiny print on the tag on a rifle along the back wall and behind the counter, etc. Makes it a pain to do comparison shopping, when you can't even see prices or model numbers without asking someone behind the counter to flip the tag over or to read off the information.

 

[coelacanth]

I think jpcampbell covered most of it. . . . . .

but if you are starting a small operation or space is an issue then you have to prioritize your inventory. Your customer base in a given location should help you decide what type of merchandise to carry but what will sell and what won't is always a bit of a gamble eh? You must absolutely stand behind what you sell even if you end up taking it in the shorts. Most customers will know what you did on their behalf and reward you for it with additional opportunities to recoup a profit. Aside from impeccable business ethics the best thing you can do in the PR arena is to institute a free or low cost shooter/hunter education program for novices and/or kids with little or no experience around firearms. Partnering with the NRA may make you more political enemies locally than you care for but they are deep in the resource department when it comes to shooter/hunter education. The store I go to would fit comfortably in the washroom of a mall theatre complex but I go there because they have impeccable business ethics, they stand behind what they sell, they will special order anything I want, they are friendly, helpful without being intrusive, knowledgeable, and they have a sense of humor. I'm not a gun shop owner and I don't play one on the internet but I'm getting too experienced ( old ) to do business with people who forget the Golden Rule.

 

[sig226]

First thing: go to the other stores in the area and the ranges. What are people shooting? That's what they're buying. Is your area big on hunting or self defense or target shooting - what kind of target shooting?

People will travel a pretty good distance to get to a gun store they like, so there being other shops near or far is not really an issue, unless the distance is excessive. I've had plenty of people drive 50 miles to me.

LOCATION in all caps. Signage is a big help, especially if the location allows the sign to be seen from a busy road. We have a sign that faces I-95 and it draws a lot of attention. A yellow pages ad is essential. Perhaps your local clubs have newsletters and sell advertising. These ads are relatively cheap and they're targeted to your exact market. The downside is that they may only publish quarterly, and they may have a long lead time to place the ad. You won't be able to advertise special sales in such media, since the timing will be too far in advance. You want to tell people that you're there, and tell them what you sell.

A wholesaler called Davidson's operates Davidson's Gun Locator. Type in your zip code in the gun locator and it will tell you all of the dealers they use in your area. You can specify how many miles distant. if you open an account with them, they'll put your shop into the Gun Locator. Someone buys a gun through them, pays a deposit based on your margin and sales tax, plus any fees, and they ship the gun to you. The customer comes in and pays the balance and takes the gun. You get billed for the gun, less the deposit, thirty days later. It's the closest thing I've ever seen to free money.

You need to have a range, and you need to ensure that all ammunition fired there is purchased there. That's where you're going to make your money. You can get ammunition for close to the same prices they pay at the marts, excepting special deals they make with a wholesaler. You'll be a buck or two over the marts, but pretty much everyone knows that you haven't got their buying power. A few people will get angry at this policy and leave, but most will accept it. You'll spend upwards of $20,000 to install a nice range and you need to make a profit on it. Reasonable people understand that. Besides, when was the last time you tossed a steak to a waiter and offered to pay ten bucks to sit at the table while they cooked it? If there are a lot of free shooting ranges in the area, or clubs, this might mitigate against a range operation. That depends on whether people are satisfied with those ranges.

Two other important things about a range: If you're selling the ammunition, we used to get 180 days dating out of AccuSport and Remington. We were established and sizeable customers, but imagine turning that ammo purchase for six months before you have to pay the invoice.

Next, a range will allow you to demonstrate firearms with customers. No matter how much you talk the thing up, people want to shoot one before they buy it. Of course, they can't shoot the new guns. They won't be new anymore. But if you have the same one, or something similar (G19 vs G23) and let them fire a few rounds, it makes an indelible impression. Even if they decide they don't like it, they'll come back.

Your customers will tell you what they want by purchasing it. When everyone comes in and asks to see the new Super Ultra Blaster by Super Duper Ultra Blasters, Inc., be careful. Just because they want to see one, it does not mean they want to buy one.

This list is so obvious that I shouldn't waste your time reading it, but you did ask . . .

Rifles:
heavy barrel .223, .308
hunting .243, .270, .308, .30-06, .30-30, .35 Rem., Marlin 1894 .357 Mag, 300 Win. Mag, the .300 Winchester Short mag is also a good seller. The .17s move well, too.
AR 15
10-22, Savage bolt .22, youth .22s
possibly youth centerfires

Shotguns
870
Mossberg 500 get blasters or combos, or both, depending on what people shoot in the region.
NEF single shots can be excellent for customers who haven't got a lot of money, and they have a good selection of youth guns. We preferred the 28 gauge for the actual shot gun, as it made a better pattern than the .410 and the kid would do better shooting it.
Over unders and side by sides: are your customers using these? If so, I've been told recently that Stoeger guns have gone to seed. Since I haven't handled one in a long time, I can't say if that is true. Should you carry the expensive stuff? It's your market.

Handguns:
Glocks. All manner and form.
S&W: M&P, 686, 60, 500 (they sell) 629 if you think you've got a .44 Magnum crowd.
Ruger: Single Six (great first gun, especially for parents to buy for kids) all manner of Mk IIIs, SPs, GPs, and you'll have to decide if you want to sell teh single actions. They do sell. People love Blackhawks, especially the .45 and ,44 calibers.
Kimber - good selection of 1911s
Springfield - good selection of 1911s to complement the Kimbers. The Smith and Wesson 1911s and the Sigarms 1911s are also selling well.
Sig Sauer - you have to ask?
Ruger semi autos sell, although they aren't sexy, they're inexpensive and plenty of people just haven't got the money for the fancy stuff. You don't need a showcase full of them, but a couple of the polymer ones and a P90 or a P345 will keep customers who couldn't afford the more expensive stuff. It will also show customers that not all guns cost six hundred to a thousand dollars.

Cowboy stuff - if there is an active SASS chapter around you, it might be worth the investment to cater to them. And people love lever guns - they're classics. That Marlin .357 is the closest thing there is to a perfect rifle IMO. You can target shoot it with .38s, in the pistol range, cheap cheap. You can kill deer with it. You can kill bad guys with it.

Cleaning stuff should be stocked for all the calibers, not just the ones you sell. Having a 6mm rifle brush doesn't cost much and satisfies customers. Hoppes will cover you on pretty much everything.

High end cleaning stuff sells. We sell lots of Pro Shot stuff. Dewey is another excellent brand. Some people will come in looking for it, others will upgrade to the better equipment after a while.

Eyes and ears are good sellers, especially if you have a range. We also sell the disposable foam plugs in the plastic pouches for $1.00 per, sometimes we give them away. Good profit.

Knives: what you can sell depends on the area, but most people expect to find knives for sale in gun stores. Spyderco, Buck, and Kershaw have good selections. Cold Steel and Benchmade are excellent higher end products, there are too many to list. Carry sharpening tools. Hand stones and bench stones sell well, whether they are actual stone or diamond types. Just make sure you have them. They're a good add on sale and people will come in looking for them. They might see something else while they're there.

Optics:
If you carry Leupold and Bushnell, you'll have solid brands with good reputations and excellent customer service that will cover every price point until you get to the NightForce stuff. This depends on how much you plan to sell scoped rifles. We mounted and bore sighted at no cost if they bought the scope and the mounts from us.

Manufacturers give away catalogues. Any customer who expressed an interest in an item but did not buy should have a catalogue with your business card to take home. Keep the catalogues in stock at all times. Sell gun locks. Don't give them away. The freebie ones are garbage anyway, and why would you give away something you can sell?

Should you teach shooting classes? Yes, especially safety classes. If you can have a separate classroom, make sure you have it. Even if you run Eddie Eagle programs and people who hate guns bring in their kids, it makes a positive impression that they otherwise would not have.

Now that I've mortgaged your house for the third and fourth time, if you really want to know the margins, pm me.

A word about letting "the guys" hang out at the gun store: When I got my first job in a gun store, it was in New Jersey. In New Jersey, you have to have a permit to buy a handgun. I can't tell you how many people I saw walk up to the counter waving a pistol permit and get ignored by the staffer who was chatting up his buddy about their latest hunt/rifle/whatever. The customers often ended up leaving. Talk about telegraphing, these people were sending Western Union and smoke signals and shouting, "Sell me a gun," with a bullhorn. It's nice to have pals who want to hang around and shoot the breeze, and we all have fond memories of such places, but business comes first.

 

[230RN]

I've owned a retail store (electronic surplus and parts).

1. Try to get a storefront that is on the South side of the street. Sometimes the sun coming in a South-facing storefront is a bear.

2. I've found a couple of stools around the counter for customers to sit in is a big benefit to customer relations, and they will often take care of each other with chatting while you go help another customer who's wandering around. And you'd be surprised how often having them just sit around gassing reminded them of something they needed and would result in an additional sale. Kind of a "cracker barrel" philosophy, I guess. I even had customers who knew the store help other customers a number of times!

3. Whenever the annunciator rung, I assumed it was the King of the World who just entered. Everybody's money is green.

4. Whenever I was dealing with one customer and another came in, I'd clearly acknowledge their presence and say something like, "I'll be with you in a moment." They usually say something like, "I'm just looking," but they seeme to appreciate the attention. After about a minute or so of dealing with the first customer, I'd ask if I could see what they other one needs "--You mind if I check out what this other guy needs for a second?" Kind of a co-processing thing.

5. I, too, learned an enormous amount from my customers, even though I've been an electronics nut since shortly after my birth... and don't be afraid to admit you do not know something. They are always pleased to explain it. But if you know they're wrong, don't debate it. A simple, "Hm. How about that?" will do.

6. A liberal (not "door-matty") return policy is helpful (on guns, this may be impossible, I know), and any dollars you may lose on someone bringing stuff back will be repaid in customer relations and new future business. (And don't get overly sticky about receipts.)

7. A significant portion of my desk time (after store hours) dealt with government paperwork: sales taxes and tax-exempt organization paperwork, etc, etc, etc.

8. Be prepared to work more than 60 hours a week. Keep a cot in the store.

9. I had a shotgun behind the counter which would blow through the plywood counter front at groin height, and a cocked and loaded firearm in the safe. I figured if they got me that far back in the store, chances were excellent they didn't just want cash.

10. When I left the store, I would leave the register open with $50.00 in cash sitting right in it for any break in and grabs at 3AM.

11. On saturdays, make sure you have double the change you would ordinarily need in the register. You'd be surprised how many folks will buy five bucks worth of stuff and and hand you a C-note. It sure beats sending them off to an ATM down the block.

12. I used to close Sundays, and looking back, I think I would have been smarter to close mondays and stay open sunday afternoons.

13. I almost always had customers waiting around for me to open at 9:30 AM. Be there on time. I've opened the store without shaving and no tie, just to be there on time.

14. It pays to park in front in your own parking area so the place does not look deserted or closed.

15. Don't be afraid to 86 a customer you strongly suspect of shoplifting, even if you have no hard proof. Negative PR may result, but in my experience, there was no negative effect on the cash register tape, and it allowed me to deal with other customers without having to also watch the one suspicious creep. I only had to do this twice. It was a big store, with many nooks and crannies and bins of small parts. No accusations, just ask them to leave and not come back. Do not give a reason. (Your opinion on this may differ, but that's what makes horse races.)

16. While it is in the nature of a surplus store to not have stuff in shiny new boxes, I tried to keep the place as neat, well-lit, pleasant, presentable, and as organized as possbile. I generated most of my signs on the computer and an ancient (almost the first) laser printer. And, Arfin, I'm sure I don't have to tell you this, but spelling on the signs is important. "SAIL! SPESHIL THIS WEEK OLNY" does not cut it.

17. Do not "take" money from the customer until s/he's done dealing it out on the counter. That's why they call it a counter. And do not put the customer's money in the register until you've dealt out his change and everything is OK. (Otherwise: "Wait a minute. I gave you a fifty, you only gave me change of a twenty.") When a customer wants to change another bill while you've got the register open, make it a second transaction, and re-open the register for that one. Watch for when they shuffle bills around... "Oh, wait, I've got a twenty here, give me the fifty back and fifty-two cents." Act stupid in these fast-change artist type dealings, and add it all up on paper right there if you have to. These folks want you to feel stupid if you question them on their change shell-game rigamarole. Tell them, "OK, I'm feeling stupid today..." and write it out and add it all up and show them the paper.

18. Specific to my store area, which had a lot of power outages: keep a salesbook around so you can continue to do businees while the power's out and the register isn't working. (Most registers have a release lever to open the drawer when there's no power.)

19. Good luck!

Upshot: I had customers who would drive all the way out to my suburbs from Denver to avoid bying stuff from a major electronics parts store in downtown Denver with known supercilious customer relations. And most of the commercial licensees at local radio and TV stations were frequent customers.

de wd0xxx

 

[MT GUNNY]

Here is my 2 cents

I dont know about your state but I enjoy handiling the rifles instead fo having to ask to see this one or that one .... IE dont put them behind the counter.

Dont have books and papers on the glass counter covering the $1500.
Murchandice!!! I want to see what I might buy!!

Dont tell me what I want I will tell you. If I know the costomer well then you can get away with it sometimes.

Make shure everyone on your staff aknoleges the costomer even if he cant help them at that moment, Whitch brings me to, make shure their is someone at the counter at all times.

If their is a question you cant answer dont bullcrap your way through it,
ask! If the costomer asks a stupid ? answer it!!

someone said previous , try to have a selection not just one ore two brands, more than likely you will buy from a distributore which enables you to get all kinds of brands.

Dont tell a customer you cant get somthing, try first then try again,

Why do shops put Binos behind glass? thats stupid!!

Dont assume the costomer dosnt have any money!!!!!!!!!

Offer a Lay away plan thats resonable, and use it to help sell!!
Im sorry mister seller I cant afford it now, Well sir I have a layaway plan....

Related Item selling, ask the costomer do you need a : cleaning jag , brush, oil, solvent, scope, ammo , sling, bipods, scope cover, reloading dies.......

If you have More than one of a paticular firearm dont have them all on display
That creates a reason to buy now. They think its the last one you got.

If there is a store within a hundred miles or so, you better have resonable prices!! Try to match the prices not beat em!! (unless their rediculous)

Know where the rifle range is..

If a little kid ask a question answer it nicely, He is a future customer

 

[jpcampbell]

lucas flesher
I have to disagree with you on having your guns out for inspection I can't tell you the times I have heard CLICK as a gun is dry fired. It also gives the staff the chance to open the bolt or slide or cylinder on all guns before they were handed off to the customer, this jester seems to get their attention centered on safe gun handling in the store.
Also the optics are kept under glass so they ain't dropped try finding out who dropped the $400 binocks or whos kid unscrewed the lens when you don't know who was handling them.

 

[yhtomit]

1) I hadn't thought of this before, but what Regolith said is hugely important. Other than gun stores, I have a parallel addiction to books and bookstores; one mark of a great bookstore is that (at least) employees have left notes around the shelves indicating their favorite books, comparable authors, etc. The place where I shoot in Philly is esp. bad in this regard -- can't even see the price (they keep the tags down) without asking per-gun. (This, they lamely claim, has to do with preventing straw purchases. Just like sheep bladders may be used to prevent earthquakes.)

More information is intriguing! (Not just with guns, but Hey, guns aren't cheap -- I want to know just what I'm getting into with each one.)

2) Be nice. Some gun stores specialize in haughtiness, one-up-manship, condescension, eye-rolling, heavy sighing and couldn't-be-botheredism. Others are forthright, friendly, helpful but not annoyingly hovery. It's a hard balance; if you KNOW that a customer is deeply misguided on some important fact or other, it's not in everyone's nature fo deflect stupidity (real or perceived) gently enough that the right inner child breaks out. Try to anyhow. In the event of an issue on which reasonable people might disagree, don't try to push your opinion as unassailable fact, and err on the side of caution in evaluating whether something is or is not your opinion. Customers may want you to spar with them on points of doctrine (the best ammo, the best kind of action, the safest safety, plastic v. metal, what's the "ultimate home defense weapon," etc.), on some of which you might hold strong opinions. Don't get sucked in to useless arguments, because the sulking-out customer may tell his 10 friends about what a jerk you are, and how you sure tried to show *him* up, etc. No good!

In fact, I'd say that most gun stores I've been in could you some training at Timothy's Advanced Institute of Customer Relations, in which they would study facial expression, body language, word choice, clarity of speech, and useful polite expressions, such as "Hello," "Can I help you find anything?" and "Why don't you take one of our cards? We might get in that 1911 you're looking for, and would be happy to let you know over the phone, so you don't waste gas money."

3) Include some conversation pieces -- interesting or oddball things on display, like unusual pistols or other weapons, ammunition displays such as the ones that Hornady has sent out to some shops as promotional material, etc. Old gun ads, whatever floats your boat.

4) Involve customers somehow -- if you'll be selling to hunters, have some space for triumphant photographs. If there are local shooting leagues or clubs, encourage them to post event flyers in some appropriate part of your store.

5) Appreciate the lurkers. I know I've rarely bought *anything* at a gun store before I've been there a few times, and if the place is annoying or a turn-off, that means I'm probably never going to hang around long enough to get to that stage. Once I've bought and been happy with the service, I'm likely to buy more, and generally have. It's not an official, planned policy on my part -- just the way things tend to actually work, IMO. Visits 1-5 may be browsing, fondling, wincing, comparing, lingering things that bring you (shopowner) no profit and some degree of work (answering endless, possibly idiotic questions), but visits 6 and thereafter will probably mean a rung-up sale (even if it's small) every time.

5) Give whatever discounts you can, even if slight -- feels good to be part of an "in club." I'm sure margins are thin, but on a $500 purchase, even a 1% discount (NRA membership! Senior Citizen! Female-American! Straight-A student!) means a celebratory pint of ice cream or something.

6) Have a web site. Keep it current, even if it says nothing more than (but please, NOT any less than):

- your shop's name, clearly spelled out (crazy, but many businesses don't even get this part right)
- your address(!) -- also oddly missing from many business websites. Even better, a map, or a link to a map provided by something like Google Maps. Even *even* better, supplement the map with human-friendly written directions from various directions, complete with times, distances, landmarks and hints. ("We're right across from the firestation, across from the free public parking lot.")
- your phone number, fax number, and (for *your* good rather than the customer's) an emergency number. If someone sees burglars trying to enter your store, you're going to want to know about it.
- your hours, and days closed or open other than normal hours. Please. Please do this. Please don't not do this. Really. Not a joke. Anyone who's driven an hour at current gas prices to find that a given store follows banker's hours can understand this. Observe National Pickle Day by closing shop? Great -- just tell someone about it. Hours, opening days, and exceptions should be there in big bold print.

(Even better, I'd like to see an RSS or other feed online that says when you get new inventory, when you might have an otherwise unannounced sale, etc.)

7) Coffee is cheap, and builds confidence -- one local odds-and-ends / warehouse sale / liquidator in Harrisburg (called Ollies) has an urn in the corner with a sign announcing free hot coffee, and urging caution, since hot coffee is hot. And lately I've noticed this at some of the nicer oil-change places, too.

Cheers,

Tim

 

[M2Pilot]

Juna says "avoid crappy guns"

I think you should stock a selection of inexpensive (not necessaryly crappy) guns. Support our 2A rights by making gun possession possible for those who may only be able to afford an expensive gun. I guess my liberal side is showing.

 

[M2Pilot]

You might also want to offer CCW

classes. In Nc you must take a CCW class before getting a CCW permit. A friend of mine does this at his shop. He also also offers CCW classes to LEOs & significant others at steeply discounted prices. Seems that LEOs are a good group to cultivate in this business.

 

[Kimber1911_06238]

jpcampbell, you seem like the kind of guy I would be more than happy to support with my patronage. If you owned a shop around me and did everything you mentioned in your post, you'd be a millionaire in no time. and I am completely serious about that.

 

[buck00]

What to stock? What to avoid?

Have a decent amount of mil surplus at a reasonable price, you'd be surprised how much it fires up the imagination and encouarges impulse buys. And don't just have one beat up, overpriced SKS that everyone has over-handled for months on end. Have a whole rack of Yugos or Mausers at a good price so you can move them- and thus get good word of mouth in the process.

When it comes to prices ask yourself if you'd like eggs every day, or a chicken once a week.

How to encourage new shooters?

Be friendly, don't act arrogant or annoyed a newbie has come in. Go with a low-pressure sales approach with a new guy.

How to make the PR atmosphere in my local area more favorable to the idea of a gun store in the community?

Have a big sign offering discounts to LEOs and military. When people see this they think of you more as a good citizen rather than a gun-nut.

How to advertise? Where to advertise?

Internet internet internet. You would be amazed how much a web site will do for you- even a basic one with some pics, your number, and directions to your store. Plenty of times I'll see a name and address of a gun store online, but I have no idea if its worth my time to go there. Advertise specials on your web site and update it regularly.

Locations to avoid? Locations to prefer?

If possible I'd avoid a crowded big city- less parking, harder to find, plus you might get undesirables wandering in. I'd put my gun store just outside of town near a major highway with good visiblility from the road.

Interaction with customers?

Someone already said it:

Whenever I was dealing with one customer and another came in, I'd clearly acknowledge their presence and say something like, "I'll be with you in a moment."

This is huge. I hate going into a gun store and being ignored.

However, a pet peeve is when the local good old boys sit around on stools for two hours after buying their one pack of ammo, and just chew the fat and gossip. Often the gun store owner is so engrossed in chatting he doesn't wait on non-regular customers.

Features that the shop should have?

Well lit, clean, plus give the place some character. Put a buck head on wall or a huge American flag. That photo of you from the service, now is the time to put it up on the wall- it's a conversation starter. Give the customers a sense of who you are and allow them to identify with you.

If possible- its nice when a gun store has a small range in the back to allow you to rent guns and try them out- but obviosly this is added costs.

And I can't stress enough- don't jack up prices. Sure you want to make ends meet- but the best way to do that is generate a high volume of business by moving guns and getting positive word of mouth about your good prices and good service.

Good luck.

 

[springmom]

I couldn't even begin to add to most of the nuts and bolts of your question; they've been answered quite well here. But a few musings from a woman who is also a shooter:

1) Respect your clients. I have been very fortunate in my experiences in gun shops. I've been talked down to once or twice, until I answered some question rather more completely than was expected, and got an "ok, YOU know your guns" (not necessarily true as a blanket statement, but at least I was no longer the "little lady" by the counter ) Young, old, male, female, poor, wealthy; they all have that second amendment right and they all deserve your best attention.

2) Used guns. You know, the used guns really need to be a little less than, say, $50 under the price for the same gun new. I can't speak to the profit margins turned on used guns, although I know that the stores around here buy low and sell high. So they lose my business altogether when I'm looking for a good used revolver, say...I'll just wait until the next gun show and pick something up there, for a better price.

3) Holsters and belts for women. I know, you're not going to sell as many of these as you will stuff for the guys. But if you become THE shop in your area that actually carries women's holsters, curved gun belts (you know, as in following a woman's shape instead of just a straight piece of leather) and other women's accessories like gun purses and fanny packs, you will get business. You'd sure get mine if I were in your area.

4) Classes. What sig226 said, and others too, was great. Teach classes. I'd give a lot to be able to go to my local range and take a defensive handgun class. I can do that if I drive 40 miles to southern Houston, yes, and I probably will one of these days. But the only range close to me only gives CHL classes (took my class there). Classes are a GREAT opportunity, and there aren't enough of them offered, at least where I live.

Other than that.... what they said.

Springmom

 

[Geronimo45]

What to stock? What to avoid?
Personally, I'd prefer a lesser collection of bolt rifles in most gun stores... but then, I'm not a hunter or a long-distance shooter.
Good quality AK-types (Saigas?), maybe a few FALs, and ARs, of course. Maybe Kel-Tec's SU-16.
As for handguns - definitely get the CZs, used Smiths, possibly Tauruses. Low price can be a big factor.

How to encourage new shooters? How to discourage bad choices?

Try to figure out where they get their ideas for guns from. Do they want the gun 'cause they saw it in The Sopranos or because they've studied it online?
Also: make sure your staff doesn't patronize female shooters. Ladies can handle the 'extreme complexity' of semi-autos. Revolvers are more reliable than autos, but new shooters seem to find semis much easier to shoot. Personal experience: A 13-year-old boy shot my 1911 one handed, and my 4" Model 65 (with standard pressure .38s) two handed. He could barely make a hit with the revolver, but wasn't doing bad at all with the .45.
Point out good and bad points of your weapons.

How to make the PR atmosphere in my local area more favorable to the idea of a gun store in the community?
Free beer?

How to advertise? Where to advertise?
Somebody mentioned the internet... so I'll mention FFL transfers. Get your shop's name listed with Bud's, with Auction Arms, with Gunbroker - so people can use your place to perform FFL transfers.

Interaction with customers?
You're there to help. You can probably teach 'em something, too - but make sure not to dismiss their opinions out of hand. Be polite and friendly, but not too bothersome.

Features that the shop should have?
Something (concrete barricade?) to keep cars from ramming through the front end of the building. I get the impression that it's a favorite technique for robbing gunstores.

 

[bogie]

Yeah - Make a drive-by... er... drive-in shopping event difficult. LARGE concrete planters if you can't set out rocks or plant big pipes.

Make sure you've got a good sign, and advertise. Can be as simple as a classified ad for a shotgun before duck season. Get folks used to the idea you're there.

Stools are good (one of the joints here sells 'em with gun company logos on top too...). A couch or comfy chairs probably isn't a good idea. You don't want Bubba to get too comfy. Sports Afield and Outdoor Life, conservation mags, Guns & Ammo, etc... Keep SGN and Gun List under the counter. But if someone wanders in with a copy, and wants that $250 price that they see in it, tell 'em you'll handle the transfer, and hand 'em a phone. Let 'em put it on their credit card, along with the shipping charges. And remind 'em of your transfer fee... The one in your counter for $265 may seem like more of a bargain...

Your window can be good sign space - Don't cover your whole window tho. Put your hours on your door, and stick to 'em. It's a business, not a hobby.

Carry a variety of stuff - The guy who can't touch that $2,200 custom 1911 may fall in love with a C&R Makarov... And be back every other paycheck for another C&R piece, or more ammo...

Guns aren't profit. Accessories and ammo are profit.

Don't charge a lot for transfers. It gets folks in the door. Remind 'em that you sell accessories and ammo.

Sell QUALITY. And explain why they don't want that $15 "cleaning kit," but that they'll be a LOT happier with a $25 setup that they'll use for the rest of their lives...

Ask your customers what they want to see. You may not make any money on a group buy of shotgun shells right before dove season, but when they come in to pay for 'em, make sure they get sold on clothing or cleaning stuff.

Keep your paperwork in shape. Do things the same way EVERY time. Make sure you apologize to the customers for any delays - They know it's the goobermint, but you'll look like the good guy, instead of the reason why they have to drive back in a day or so...

Be ready to order anything. And don't just stick with one supplier - nobody carries everything.

See my sig... I'm here to help, and my prices are beyond reasonable.

 

[GotGlock]

Here's te best advice i can give you, make sure you know what your talking about, so stick to what you know. If you know hunting, go that route, have some lever guns, bolt action stuff, etc.

 

[.cheese.]

Having been on both sides of the counter, my big peeve is the "I know more than you" syndrome. You've seen 'em. The loser who abuses hapless customers or employees with his "expertise". Seen it on both sides of the aforementioned counter.

I thought it was bad in gun stores.... until I was just reminded what shopping for a car is like.

I dealt with more know-it-alls who really knew nothing than I could stand. I got so fed up in a Hyundai dealership that I walked out.

 

[bogie]

Post photos of customers and their deer, etc... Won't take up a lot of sales space (maybe up around the ceiling), but will cause a LOT of goodwill and repeat business - people bringing their friends by, just to casually notice Bubba and Bambi...

Oh yeah... BIG safes. Visible. And used. Don't get lazy and leave the stuff on the walls and in the counters... Maybe some video cameras - either live, or real-surplus... Just make sure they LOOK real...

And spray and wipe the glass counter tops EVERY NIGHT. That makes it a lot easier to catch the bad guys when they break in and touch stuff. You can tells the cops, and TESTIFY, that it was a clean surface when you left for the evening. Side effect of the place not looking like a pigsty.

Get a coupla feather dusters, and dust stuff. If some merchandise isn't really moving, make it move. Ebay, gun shows, cost, whatever... It's taking up counter space for something that COULD be bringing in money.

Reinforce the hell outta the back door. Make 'em go through the front.

 

[Regolith]

Something (concrete barricade?) to keep cars from ramming through the front end of the building. I get the impression that it's a favorite technique for robbing gunstores.

Yeah, lot less risk that way. The last time I heard of a guy who tried to rob a gun store with a gun, he was shot several dozen times by the owner, a customer, and a uniformed police officer before he could even finish making his first demand.