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Posted: 9/29/2004 7:11:28 AM EDT
[#1]
Little or no advertising, no website, etc. All word of mouth and referral. |
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Posted: 9/29/2004 7:12:54 AM EDT
[#2]
+1 |
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Posted: 9/29/2004 7:14:23 AM EDT
[#3]
WHY are so many
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Posted: 9/29/2004 7:30:54 AM EDT
[#4]
Agreed. A close friend of my fathers started a car sales consulting firm after he retired from the car business. He had been the president of a huge chain of dealersips here in Dallas, worked his way up from sales, had seen it all. One of the things he used to drill into his employees heads was, "Two wrongs don't make a right." The other was, "NEVER judge a customer by their looks." He would relate many stories of people who looked homeless, poor, come in and drop $40k cash on a car, etc. Some people will intentionally dress down when car shopping. He was a smart, serious, warm guy. One of the few nice people in the car business. I too have walked out of gunstores after nobody would talk to me, with fat wads of cash in my pocket. I've been told "We don't sell machineguns here. Those are illegal!" When inquiring about AR's etc. I've been told that it was illegal for an FFL to receive a firearm from a private sale [from another FFL] and transfer it to me. I wish some of these folks would learn a little salesmanship and courtesy. |
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Posted: 9/29/2004 7:48:29 AM EDT
[#5]
There's a couple of gunshops here in my neck of the woods that are GREAT, and there's a few that I'd send only the people I hated most to.
One place I wanted to transfer a weapon through outright LIED to me over the phone. It wasn't my first transfer, so I knew to ask detailed questions. I packed up the rifle, drove to the shop, and the SAME GUY I TALKED TO ON THE PHONE stood in the shop, in front of a few other customers, and lied his ass off about what we'd discussed. This was also at the same time I was looking into buying an M1A Scout-which they had in stock-so I told the guy, calmly, that he was a liar, he shouldn't deceive people, and that I had considered the M1A from them-I pulled out my wallet and flashed the $1500 I had with me-but that I wouldn't buy a paper clip from them now. I took my toy and left, went to another place where the prices area little high but their customer service is excellent. They'd transferred another rifle for me before and though it cost more than the place that lied to me, they took care of EVERYTHING, no questions asked. I've bought a Sig, SA 1911A1, Beretta 92FS and a Ruger .30-06 from them. |
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Posted: 9/29/2004 7:54:24 AM EDT
[#6]
Money. |
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Posted: 9/29/2004 7:58:42 AM EDT
[#7]
You are right, two wrongs make a left. |
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Posted: 9/29/2004 8:01:17 AM EDT
[#8]
+1 Interetingly, small businesses tend to offer both the best and the worst when it comes ot customer service. My local gun shop will bend over backwards to satisfy a customer...even if it means sending me to someone else who can do what I need if they can't....on the other hand, I have worked with countless guys who own their own business or several businesses "on the side" and their "business" really amounts to a leased closet and a fistful of business cards printed on their home pc... kinda like a grown-up lemonade stand. These guys give all small business owners a bad name. Sometimes I wonder if they have opened a "business" just to say that they have one, not because they are competent enough to make money at it. Ignore the man behind the curtain, caveat emptor |
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Posted: 9/29/2004 8:07:05 AM EDT
[#9]
I find the local shops have a FU price structure. They have high prices on everything, I guess hoping to get good margins on uninformed customers. There are probably a few less of those types around now with the internet, and most of those guys shop at Wal-Mart anyway. The local shops of course have the "good ol' boy" discount, but I hate not knowing whether the next guy who walks in is going to get a better deal than me.
There is a local pawn shop that orders guns for a fixed amount above wholesale, and I buy most of my stuff from them now. |
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Posted: 9/29/2004 8:18:35 AM EDT
[#10]
I've also done this. The shop had exactly what I wanted, the price was okay, and I was ready to buy. The clerk kept on talking to 2 old geezers, who obviously weren't about to buy anything; they were just shooting the shit, killing time til they died, I guess. Clerk wouldn't even acknowledge my presence, nothing. After 15 minutes of standing there, I ended up pulling out my wad of $1000, spread it out a bit, and said loudly, "well, since you guys won't assist me, I guess your shop isn't getting any of my money then". The Clerk still didn't even look my direction, though the old guys did. Their eyes bugged out. I left. Shop later went out of business. I went to the out of business sale, bought up some stuff, and told the owner that if his employees treated the rest of the customers the way I was treated, it was no suprise he was going out of business, and good riddance. He had zero clue. Didn't even want to know what had happened, etc. What an ass. And yes, I've worked in a couple gun shops, for about 2 years. Whew, what a bunch of morons the public is, by and large. And even worse, one of the stores had an indoor pistol range. |
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Posted: 9/29/2004 8:26:22 AM EDT
[#11]
Two wrongs don't make a right, but three left turns do! |
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Posted: 9/29/2004 9:12:04 AM EDT
[#12]
One thing that has always confused me about gun shop employees is that...they don't seem to be shooters! I never see them at the range, and in this community the gun people more or less know each other. They've never heard of events like IPSC, IDPA, or schools like Gunsite, Front Sight, Thunder Ranch, etc. I mean, hello! I've also had to educate gun store workers on new products coming out: e.g., the M1A SOCOM (they hadn't even heard of it), and the fact that Kimber has a "small hands package" available for its pistols, etc.
All of this gives the impression that they don't give a crap enough about their jobs to know anything beyond what gun the owner wants them to push that month. +1 on the comment about asking an intelligent question to separate you from the pack. I also find good gunhandling (follow the 4 rules) helps a lot. |
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Posted: 9/29/2004 10:00:28 AM EDT
[#13]
My local stores tend to be decent although a little overpriced. I quit going to my favorite store after I bought my 3rd gun from them. They never seemed to comprehend that I was there to buy something. The only person who was willing to help me was the female clerk. She was very nice but didn't know shit about guns, and refused to look up prices for guns I was trying to order. Evidently they were willing to order a gun, have me put in a non-refundable deposit, and then tell me how much it was. I don't have a problem buying small items from them, but they did miss the chance to benefit from my gun habit, which typically yeilds several thousand dollars in profit per year.
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Posted: 9/29/2004 10:14:28 AM EDT
[#14]
Every gun shop in my area is a pain in the ass to deal with. I rank them right down there with pawn shops and swap shop louie types. They are uneducated back hill idiots that only know how to use a pricing gun to rip you off. If the gun came with 2 mags, they take one out and try to sell it to you extra.
Every gun is marked full retail. I finally found a guy that will order any gun I want for dealer cost plus 10%. He gets all my business and every one I know that needs a firearm I send to him. ..btw Sign in front of one of our bigger rip off gun store this week Romanian ak........$495  Bushmaster post ban ar............$995 Gun owner private sales are idiots too sometimes, they believe they should get what they paid for any gun they are selling. It doesn't matter that it has 1k rounds thru it and scratched up. Used guns are like anything else,used = less money unless it is a collectable or something. |
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Posted: 9/29/2004 11:18:17 AM EDT
[#15]
But three rights make a left. 
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Posted: 9/29/2004 11:22:43 AM EDT
[#16]
Two wrongs make a paycheck |
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Posted: 9/29/2004 12:29:50 PM EDT
[#17]
the worst is gun dealers telling people stuff is legal that isn't legal
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Posted: 9/29/2004 2:05:19 PM EDT
[#18]
How dare they charge retail. What they hell do they think they are doing charging BM prices? Who the hell do they think they are trying to make a profit? Gun biz rule is to sell at or below dealer cost but make it up in volume. Now what did you do for a living? I'm assuming you volunteer for the local communist labor party.
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Posted: 9/29/2004 2:12:40 PM EDT
[#19]
I am going to try to haggle a bit when I go to Starbucks...or...Texaco....or the Mini-Mart down the street....
I will keep you posted on the results. MT |
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Posted: 9/29/2004 6:32:00 PM EDT
[#20]
I've done buisness there and I agree, great folks to do buisness with. |
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Posted: 9/29/2004 6:45:20 PM EDT
[#21]
It is not just gun dealers, car dealers or retail per say.
I believe it is society as a whole that has gone done the toilet.  There have been countless threads on ARFCOM lately that have people ranting about the rudeness of society. BigDozer66 |
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Posted: 9/29/2004 6:55:21 PM EDT
[#22]
I got in a big debate with a pawn shop owner (during AWB) He told my friend he could put a folding stock on his mini-14,(Which was post-ban at the time) Luckly my friend took my word for it and waited. So thats how you spell "Gigity" Allllright! I cant believe I was put in the same bracket as used car sales-person, Real Estate laws forbid deception of any kind. If a Real Estate agent or Broker has intentionally mislead you in anyway, he has violated the law and can be fined or imprisoned. There is too much liability and legal tape for a Real Estate agent to be unethical. |
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Posted: 9/29/2004 7:04:55 PM EDT
[#23]
People in general are liars, cheats, & stupid asses.. You just think gun dealers are like that because that's what you deal with the most...
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Posted: 9/29/2004 7:06:23 PM EDT
[#24]
lots of folk are like that
guess they are just trying to take advantage of the buyers.... |
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Posted: 9/29/2004 7:07:33 PM EDT
[#25]
In Plano, Texas, we got 3 good gun shops. BulletTrap, GunMaster, Lone Star Guns. Frequent all 3 and don't see any of the BS stuff going on and they treat their customers well.
Maybe we are just lucky. wganz ¶ |
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Posted: 9/29/2004 8:09:08 PM EDT
[#26]
just out of curiosity, how many who have posted here actually work retail?
not just at a gun shop, but any type of retail? |
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Posted: 9/29/2004 8:10:16 PM EDT
[#27]
Not in this lifetime. In this case I am too good for that shit... |
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Posted: 9/29/2004 8:11:38 PM EDT
[#28]
here er, not anymore, but I did |
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Posted: 9/29/2004 8:18:10 PM EDT
[#29]
I have almost 20years retail experience.
That is nothing to brag about....only one of the jobs actually paid anything but I always enjoy helping people get what they need/want. MT |
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Posted: 9/29/2004 8:19:31 PM EDT
[#30]
Please remember, for most of you/us/we guns are a hobby. For the guy in the gun business it is his/her livelihood. The margins are slim and the competetion is fierce. Poor service is not a good way of doing business, but eventually it catches up with people and they change or go out of business.Think about this, how would you like almost any person to know the exact cost of what you make, sell, or create intellectually. Then be able to buy it off the internet for the same price or even cheaper than you sell the stuff for. I bought a bed awhile back. I asked the salesman what his best cash price was. He looked at me like I was crazy and said that was the best cash price. The manager was no help either. I know there is a large mark up in furniture, they have yearly 25 -50% off sales. The point is Some dealers like some people are cheating piles of crap, try to minimize contact with them.
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Posted: 9/29/2004 8:47:08 PM EDT
[#31]
I work in a shop as lead salesman so I gues this post applies to me. Prices are high because overhead is high and everyone wants a deal. Eveyone coming in the door wants some money off on a gun even if it is a smokin deal. We never ask a customer to pay more than on the tag, saying well the next guy in the door might offer more. Yes we are assh0les sometimes but so are the customers. I was called a fuc*ing idiot today because a company failed to ship 1 of a customers replacement parts and no longer offers the other. But I was the incompetent one in his mind. Or how about the umteenth time I have been belittled because I could not tell someone how much I would give them for their "3006" or "antique 12G" over the phone. Oh and we love the guys who come in just to let us know they can get it for wholesale +1% online, never factor in shipping charges then want it installed free if you match the price. So the blade cuts both ways. We are human as are you.
Oh and the gunshow dealears are usually assh0les I have to agree there. But they are there to make quick sales not establish a business relationship in most cases. CAVEAT EMPTOR when at shows. |
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Posted: 9/29/2004 11:10:11 PM EDT
[#32]
Easy 5 part answer.
1. Because the government regulations are shielding them from full free market competition. 2. Because the more you know about a subject, the greater the ignorance revealed. Familiarity breeds contempt. 3. Because the profession tends to attract a certain type. (present company excluded of course) 4. Because low volume leads to high margins, which leads to lower volume, which leads to bad attitudes. 5. Because you are looking at an endangered species. Thanks to the internet, they are obsolete. Between this board, and SGN, I am hardly even tempted to enter a gunstore. |
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Posted: 9/30/2004 5:59:46 AM EDT
[#33]
The only thing unique about most gun shops is that many of the salesmen seem to have a chip on their shoulder. I think they feel extra bold because they are either armed or have a weapon nearby. Otherwise they are often surly because they are performing one of the toughest jobs on the planet - retail sales. You just never know who is going to walk through that door. It could be Mother Theresa or Charles Manson or anyone in between. In my sad experience in retail in the span of a few hours I'd be dealing with hyperyuppies (guys who would kill their own mother for a dollar), very lonely people (the only people who would talk to them was a salesman), bullys (they knew you had to take their abuse), to mall rats. Anyway I'd rather be on welfare than do retail sales. And as far as a salesman lying, in our society it isn't lying if you had to say it to make money. Of course it should be!
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Posted: 9/30/2004 6:05:16 AM EDT
[#34]
I was going to say that around here there are no bad shops! There are some that are mediocre and the rest are great places to deal with!  I have a feeling that Texas as a whole is a lot better than many other States as far as gun dealers etc. go!  BigDozer66 |
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I mean, whats your personal rules and regs?