I remembered an interaction that smacked more of stupid business practices than sheer gun stupidity.
I was in a Wal-Mart store and asked the department manager (I knew who he was, as I've seen him there before) if I could check out the Marlin 336W they had. It was 8:20PM, and I know they do not sell either firearms or ammunition after 9PM. The manager told me he could not open the cabinet or allow anyone to handle any firearms because it was "too late" and, should a sale become likely, the background check would not come back in time. Mind you, the last two or three background checks I've undergone have been settled within ten minutes.
I told him they should have a sign to go along with the "no firearms or ammunition sales after 9PM" one that reads something like what he was saying, such as no firearms will be shown after 7:30PM or whatever.
So, he could have let me handle the gun, possibly liking it so much I'd make it a point to come back first thing the next morning and buy it, or he could have simply turned me off to the idea of ever buying one there again (I've bought two firearms there before, both admittedly inexpensive .22LR rifles.)
Needless to say, I do not have a Marlin 336W rifle.