misANTHrope
Member
Oh, another downside to working at a gun store is that you'll see a lot of stuff that you need... You might find that your part-time income is largely offset by all the great deals you see at work that you just can't pass on.
Working in Gun Stores, Fun or Folly?
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Standing Wolf
Member in memoriam
I enjoyed the work, nearly all the customers, and teaching; the owners were another story altogether.
What is your tolerance for working a retail sales job? That's what a gun store clerk is: retail sales.
I did it for a few weeks a couple years ago. It wasn't bad, overall, but it did remind me of why I swore I'd never work retail again.
For me the downsides were the combo of the retail schedule and the occassional difficult or just plain strange customer.
The upside was honestly trying to help people pick the best gun for their needs and talking guns with the other clerks when it was slow.
The money was nothing much to speak of, but the employee discount was nice.
If you can tolerate retail, it can be a fun job. If you have a low frustration thresehold, I'd look elsewhere.
I did it for a few weeks a couple years ago. It wasn't bad, overall, but it did remind me of why I swore I'd never work retail again.
For me the downsides were the combo of the retail schedule and the occassional difficult or just plain strange customer.
The upside was honestly trying to help people pick the best gun for their needs and talking guns with the other clerks when it was slow.
The money was nothing much to speak of, but the employee discount was nice.
If you can tolerate retail, it can be a fun job. If you have a low frustration thresehold, I'd look elsewhere.
To me there's a lot of difference between a "Gander Mountain" type store that has a corner for selling guns and an actual gun store where their main line of business is selling guns.
I wouldn't but was offered a part time job at a gun store. The darker side of working in one is the store/employees are always on nearly all federal/state/local agencies list of closely watched businesses.
I think a question to ask yourself is whether you sell a gun or guns to a person one day for cash, then a couple of days later the same person comes in and buys more guns for cash.
If it raises some flags but you go ahead and sell the second time around they you probably will make a pretty good sales person.
If it raises a flag and you decide not to sell and get a supervisor to sell the second time around guns, Then you should probably pass on the job.
What does happen and the LEO's catch a person committing a crime with a gun sold by you, you will like be in court or at the very least questioned. You don't get paid for those appearances, it's on your time.
I wouldn't but was offered a part time job at a gun store. The darker side of working in one is the store/employees are always on nearly all federal/state/local agencies list of closely watched businesses.
I think a question to ask yourself is whether you sell a gun or guns to a person one day for cash, then a couple of days later the same person comes in and buys more guns for cash.
If it raises some flags but you go ahead and sell the second time around they you probably will make a pretty good sales person.
If it raises a flag and you decide not to sell and get a supervisor to sell the second time around guns, Then you should probably pass on the job.
What does happen and the LEO's catch a person committing a crime with a gun sold by you, you will like be in court or at the very least questioned. You don't get paid for those appearances, it's on your time.
Ha ha ha ha!
OK, honestly, it depends on the store.
As Standing Wolf mentioned, who the owner is will make a big difference.
Of course your fellow employees, who you will be with all day long for 8-10 hours a day possibly 6-7 days a week, will make an even bigger difference.
Like some other forms of retail sales you will be on your feet quite a bit.
And the pay is laughable, so being retired is an advantage...
Like with any other job it can be great or a nightmare, but if you can afford to walk away it will not be too bad for you.
OK, honestly, it depends on the store.
As Standing Wolf mentioned, who the owner is will make a big difference.
Of course your fellow employees, who you will be with all day long for 8-10 hours a day possibly 6-7 days a week, will make an even bigger difference.
Like some other forms of retail sales you will be on your feet quite a bit.
And the pay is laughable, so being retired is an advantage...
Like with any other job it can be great or a nightmare, but if you can afford to walk away it will not be too bad for you.
kentucky bucky
Member
It seems that there are alot of gun store workers and owners that act as if they hate their jobs. Either that, or they hate dealing with people on a daily basis. There was one guy locally that acted as if he hated guns. He was a nice guy until you talked about guns and he would change. This has happened to several of my friends also. We're not being a pest either, just normal gun shop banter. Many gun shops around here have ridiculous prices also. It is almost like the don't want to actually sell them, just let folks look at them. alot of these guys go to gun shows and take it with them there too!
Wes Janson
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I think the ATF angle is blown out of proportion, but that may also vary depending on your location.
The biggest thing as I can see it, besides attitude, is dealing with the idiots. The ex-SEAL snipers. The gangstas who want themselves a gold Desert Eagle. The jackasses who come in and waste an hour or two of your time, then say they'll be back later to buy the stack of stuff they picked out..and who never return. The clueless morons who point loaded weapons at you even though "Oh I was sure I'd unloaded it". The just-plum-crazy types. The idiot criminals who try to buy a gun even though they should know by now that they're not going to pass the background check (luckily not too many of those numbskulls out there). The merely ignorant who have their opinion and their edukashun and know what's what, thank you very much.
The question is..can you deal with those types without giving in to the inner desire to instruct them to proceed to Acheron?
The biggest thing as I can see it, besides attitude, is dealing with the idiots. The ex-SEAL snipers. The gangstas who want themselves a gold Desert Eagle. The jackasses who come in and waste an hour or two of your time, then say they'll be back later to buy the stack of stuff they picked out..and who never return. The clueless morons who point loaded weapons at you even though "Oh I was sure I'd unloaded it". The just-plum-crazy types. The idiot criminals who try to buy a gun even though they should know by now that they're not going to pass the background check (luckily not too many of those numbskulls out there). The merely ignorant who have their opinion and their edukashun and know what's what, thank you very much.
The question is..can you deal with those types without giving in to the inner desire to instruct them to proceed to Acheron?
Many gun shops don't get a lot of customers in the door on an average day. They might get a little busy on Saturday, but the other days are often slow.
If you can find a shop like that, with a friendly and responsible owner, I don't see a problem. If I were retired, I'd work for minimum wage and a generous employee discount.
If you can find a shop like that, with a friendly and responsible owner, I don't see a problem. If I were retired, I'd work for minimum wage and a generous employee discount.
3KillerBs
Member
Former waitress and gift-shop clerk replies,
"The range ammo is over here, the reloading supplies are over there, and I've got the defensive ammo behind the counter. Which one can I help you with?"
I have considered the possibility that, when my littlest one is a bit older and my gun knowlege is somewhat larger, seeing if my local gun shop had a part time position because I'm good at retail sales.
Retail sales is murder on your feet and back though -- gotta wear really good shoes. And if you're really working you spend 3/4 of the time cleaning and redoing the displays since customers tear through them and leave them a complete disaster several times daily.
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