View Full Version : Lost the love!!
stanlyonjr
03-18-09, 03:47
Anyone else really not feeling the love from firearms dealers these's day's? I get the feeling that any time I go in and purchase anything (ammo, cleaning supplies, ect..) that he really doesn't care if I buy from him or not. Is it maybe the economy stupid? One things for sure he can't keep any firearms or ammo in stock so he's got to be making money one way or another. Now if I buy something from an on-line seller I get emails thanking me for my purchase and one business went as far as to phone me and thank me for my order. There's a few guys in my home town that as of now I refuse to do business with. Many of my buddies feel the same way. Maybe its just my town. Thoughts?
we, from time to time, start a gun dealer hate thread, or at least rerail a thread into that. what you're experiencing is common across the board. gun shop guys are cock suckers, 8.5 out of 10 times.
you should check out the dumbest things ever heard in a gun shop thread... great stories. couple of my own in there
You get the good and the bad as far as gun dealers. Some care to build relationships with their customers. Others don't bother building a rapport and bank on having more incoming one time customers to facilitate their sales.
we, from time to time, start a gun dealer hate thread, or at least rerail a thread into that. what you're experiencing is common across the board. gun shop guys are cock suckers, 8.5 out of 10 times.
you should check out the dumbest things ever heard in a gun shop thread... great stories. couple of my own in there
yeah? and you should hear what they say about you?
as a group, in America, gunshop customers have to be among some of the biggest douchebags to walk the face of the earth. it balances out...
Robb Jensen
03-18-09, 07:35
I wouldn't take it personally. BTW most if not all of those 'thank you' emails are auto-generated.
For your local brick and mortar storefront dealer don't forget that the gun business is seeing a 40%-70% increase in business depending on the area and somethings are almost impossible to get. My boss is on the phone almost all day trying to get things to sell. We probably answer the question of "are you going out of business?", and "is the boss in the back sleeping?" about 100 times a day.
We're seeing about 65-70% more business than this time last year where I work. And about 1/2 of the people who are doing a lot of the buying are totally ignorant about guns and gun laws, and many of these same people drank the Kool-Aid and voted for anti-gun candidates. Believe me we are getting some really crazy questions etc, the gun business people are just getting tired........It's nothing personal so please don't take it that way.
Example: The other day one gentleman bought an AR and asked how to install the CO2 cartridge in the handguard! :eek: I honestly think he though it was an Airsoft rifle or something.
My boss said some guy asked about KAC Airsoft guns are the real KAC booth at the SHOT show. The guy honestly thought the real KAC made the toy guns. :(
This however DOES NOT mean that dealers and gunstore employees have an excuse to be rude or condescending. They should be grateful that they aren't feeling the recession.
Littlelebowski
03-18-09, 08:36
It's just like people. Rguns.net is making a point to ignore my emails and requests for info on an order made over a month ago but VA Arms readily and speedily took care of a friend of mine I referred to them. gotm4's boss usually answers my emails patiently but at 1-2AM since that's the only time he has to sit in front of a computer.
Lets face it...Its a sellers market right now with everyone trying to pick up guns, supplies and accesories to rathole for the future some of the nefarious shop owners don't feel they need to try very hard to make a sale and keep thier customers happy and coming back. They see it like.....If you or I don't buy it...then the next guy to walk in will.
I hate this kind of attitude and mentality that seems during hard times to infect even respectable shop owners and I make it a point when I run across such shops to remember how they have taken advantage of thier customers during the tougher times...and I refuse to give them my repeat buisness. Fortunantley these types seem to be the exception and not the rule in the Firearms market and usually manage to weed themselves out of the game in a short time.
During customer service training for a retail chain I worked for many years ago...the Trainer told us that a happy customer will on average tell one to three people of the good experience they had with a buisness...But an unhappy shopper will tell between ten to twelve people. And those numbers were back before the popularity of the internet....
I always like to give a shout out about Specialty Sports in Colorado Springs. They aren't the cheapest in town but are always the most polite whether you are buying or not. The owner always makes a point of thanking you and asking you to come back soon when you leave. That attitude is worth me driving 30 minutes and spending a few more bucks a gun for.
stanlyonjr
03-18-09, 13:15
I had no intention of starting a "I hate gun dealers thread". This was intended as an opinion thread. Everyone has the right to there own opinion thats all. I realize of course that there are good and bad in all types of businesses. It just appears to me to a little nastier than usual. I apologize to all the business members of this forum that go the extra mile. You are a credit to your industry and the business world. I am just stating a trend in my area. I tried to find a AR15 in my area and none of the gun dealers would give me the time of day.
I have noticed a bit on dissonance from the local gun store guys; it seems to have been slowly building over the past six months. It seems they are a little burned out and weary from talking about the threat of an AWB with 40 customers a day for six months. I can't blame them. I get burned out during busy times in my business. Most of the guys are still doing a good job. :cool:
Ghostface03
03-18-09, 16:35
Between myself and my fiancee visiting 3 local shops. Two out of the three were so nasty to people that I will not set foot in them again. I have been to a few that are ok. Good with the bad. Some online places I have dealt with are great. Bravo, Grant, Spike's, all good. A few will never get my business again.
my favorite is when you walk in and they just look at you. or the guy they're helping leaves, and you're standing there and they just look at you. couldn't possibly say "may i help you?" or even just a curt "next person" or anything. nope... let the customer be the one to speak first... don't make them feel welcome or anything.
It might be a good idea to keep on the good side of a few, however, as they don't HAVE TO do transfers.
It might be a good idea to keep on the good side of a few, however, as they don't HAVE TO do transfers.
This!
yelp i have been finding better deals on line I only use my dealer for transfers
I understand that everyone in the firearms and ammo business is overwhelmed since the election so I am willing to cut them some slack. They are now understaffed and short on product due to the huge volume increases and this can be very stressful.
I support my local dealers whenever possible if their prices are competitive. On expensive items the local dealers are at a disadvantage due to the Texas sales tax of 8% so I end up going to Grant or Bravo.
The one thing that makes me sick is the price gouging I have seen at a few local shops and the gun shows. I also can't understand their attitudes when you question their prices. I have a long memory and will no longer support the dealers who engaged in this practice.
stanlyonjr
03-19-09, 20:25
I use my local Pawn shop for transfers. They don't deal much in firearms so 25 dollars to them for transfer fee is strait profit. There very friendly and call me the second the gun arrives. All there paperwork is filled out before I get there and I fill in my part give them the money and I'm out! 5 minutes tops. Who could ask for more than that.
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