28 comments on “My Message to Gun Store Employees Everywhere”
Absolutely dead on. Being from the suburbs of Chicago, the closest thing to a gun shop near me is a Bass Pro Shop. It can be a kind of irritating experience listening to their employees trying to move merchandise. I in particular remember a 20 something year old guy who walked in and wanted to buy a Colt 6920, which Bass Pro carries. The store employee then proceeded to try to convince this gentleman that a Bushmaster AR-15 was a superior product. Needless to say, I wanted to scream.
I had a similar experience to this when I was visiting a friend in Sterling, IL. He had been told by an employee at a gun store near him that the rate of fire of an AR-15 needed to be kept at 8 rounds a minute when shooting steel cased ammo, or the weapon would explode. I still have yet to convince my friend that this is bullshit. In his mind, since I am not a gun store employee, I don’t know as much about firearms as they do.
Lol, as a customer, I wholeheartedly agree! The one I recently visited, a small shop with hardly any interesting inventory, snubbed his nose at me after I mentioned that the guy I’ve been using for gun transfers charged $5 bucks less, but lives a bit further up the highway. “Then go to him and save yourself $5 dollars,” he says. Truth being, I wouldn’t have minded using the guy for transfers, but his assholiness attitude lost my business right then and there.
Long ago, another shop with an indoor range, I had just bought a P220 .45ACP. I was in a hurry, so I quickly asked for “.45 Speer Gold Dots, Please.” As I recall, the chubby young man had a smarmy grin on his face as he handed me the ammo. It wasn’t till I got home did I realize he handed me .45GAP. Who in there right mind hands someone .45GAP when they ask for a box of .45? They also lost my business.
Lol that was great. You mind if I post that on some forums. Shootersrelam and AR15?
I go to diamondbacks like once a week for a few boxes of 9mm and a brick of 22 and I swear they still don’t know me when I walk in. If they do they sure don’t act like it. I’ve bought my Sig 226r from them, took my 2nd CCW from them, transferred 4 lowers through them… Along with a few smaller purchases.
2nd amendment on the other hand are much more friendly and while they don’t remember my name they know I come in once every week or so…
I don’t like going in to many of the gun stores around here. The guy at R&A is pretty nice. I am friends with some small FFLs, but they don’t have storefronts.
Amen, Andrew! I drive an extra 30 min to use the nearest outdoor range rather than use the nearest indoor range. The guys at the indoor range are complete douchebags. I’m refuse to pay to be treated like crap! The only way this place survives is it doesn’t have competition nearby.
The reason a lot of gun store employees are dicks is probably because a lot of gun store customers are fucking idiots. Similar to customers encountered anywhere else, except other customers don’t dry fire guns while they’re pointed at you.
Yeah, I’m around Detroit. When I’m dealing with a newer store/employee I make it a point to ask for a pistol so that when they hand it to me I can pull the magazine, verify it’s clear myself, and ask them if they would mind me dry firing to feel the trigger spring weight. It seems like a small thing, but it immediately sets me apart from the other customers who look at it with their finger on the trigger, look down the barrel, and then ask if it’s loaded or not. Also, if it’s a gun I’ve never seen before and really can’t figure out just by looking, I go ahead and ask. They seem to appreciate that.
True story here, I saw a clerk hand a customer an AR that still had a magazine in it. Before doing anything else (like looking at the right side of the rifle to check for cartridges), the customer managed to hit the bolt release and pull the trigger while negligently pointing the barrel at his friend’s head on his left. The clerk didn’t say anything, the customer didn’t say anything, the friend didn’t say anything, and the customer’s father didn’t say anything. I just left because I didn’t want to be around once the gene pool started getting cleansed. That shop/range has a reputation of being a laughing stock, so I’m generally happy to avoid it.
Interesting….in a blog about snarky gun store employees, here is one who describes his customers in the most disrespectful of ways. You probably have no clue how much business you have lost for ever, because of your loathsome attitude.
B3
Out
Great vid. I know too many people who have the same opinion, myself included.
I am not the most knowledgeable guy when it comes to guns, but I know enough to be safe and ask questions to fill in the blanks. I can’t imagine going in to most gun stores uneducated about the whole process, I can very easily see why people would get turned off so quickly.
I am lucky to know a few good clerks and wish there were more of them out there.
Let’s hope of few of the guys out there take your advice. Too many people are intimidated by guns, don’t be a douche and turn them off completely.
New gun or potential gun owners are like kids – they have to be taught…and who better to start them off on the right track than a gun store owner/worker. All the assholes do is turn away future supporters of the the 2nd amendment. From a business standpoint, they’re throwing sales down the drain, which is idiocy considering margins are crap unless your store is big enough to buy in bulk.
Spot on, Andrew. I almost think that you could open a successful gun shop marketed strictly on the rare selling point that “Hey! C’mon on in! We’re nice to people!”
Actually, that works. Maybe not using that as an advertisement, but word of mouth gets around. Of course, people will still find something to complain about.
As much of an annoyance as it is for most of us men who’ve probably all experienced this, I’ll bet it’s an even bigger issue for many woman brave enough to walk into a gun store by themselves.
People can become jaded in any profession, I think. Sometimes it’s the younger employees that are the problem, though – I would guess that they are looking to prove themselves and don’t want to admit that they’re wrong.
Andrew,
Thank you. Long overdue commentary regarding a group of people who imagine themselves to more than simply retail employees (this excludes the helpful and pleasant folks).
That applies to all people everywhere in retail sales. I’ll take it further and say it goes to treating people that way everywhere you go and are. I always say treat people the way you yourself would want to be treated.
I like the no nonsense approach and total honesty of the video.
Having worked at multiple gun stores I must say you are so right!! So many stores loose business due to being assholes. I have been treated like crap so often and I know what I am doing with a firearm. GREAT VIDEO
One of the big problems I have seen is a reluctance on the part of gun store employees to offer meaningful advise to novice customers. I once saw a worker showing a new shooter a Taurus Judge as an option for their first handgun, because it would be easy for them to learn to shoot.
I was mocked (behind my back, but I overheard) by two young employees for liking the Beretta M9 after using it on deployment. Everything they knew about guns they learned at the gun store or from magazines or video games.
I took a retail 92fs and ate the 10-ring out of a target at the full length of my local 75ft indoor range. Is there supposed to be wrong with them? I may not have a lot of pistols compared to some of your readers, but I have more than I can count on two hands and I’m pretty sure that I’d put the that particular beretta in the top few for accuracy and function.
ps, you probably should have challenged them to a 10rd showdown. draw, fire, 21 feet, 10 second limit. For honor.
There are lots of uninformed and misinformed folks in the world of guns (it doesn’t help that there are so many letters and numbers). I’m sure lots of people just don’t want to be wrong and many others don’t know the difference anyways.
Having worked in plenty of retail jobs, I’ve always found the root of poor service is at the management level. There are great managers/owners who just can’t hire good help or who aren’t great with training new employees, but for the most opart my experience has shown it is the manager’s attitude that has the trickle down effect.
I too have snickered many-a-times at the advice I’ve heard coming across the counters at gun shops. I was also offended at two employees making fun of a woman in the store behind her back who was asking really good questions and obviously new to guns.
I’ve also had the pleasure of patronizing great gun shops that really catered to women and newbies. Interestingly enough, I rarely hear internet ninja advice coming from the employees of these shop.
A typical scene is that of the guy who walks in after doing some research to buy, say a Kimber. The sales clerk, who digs say, Colt starts to extols the virtues of his favored gun. Up walks the other clerk who likes Glocks chambered in 9MM; and now the poor bastard who came in to buy a nice Kimber .45 is drawn into a full value discussion of Colt Vs Kimber Vs. 9MM Vs. Glocks versus Ford Versus Chevy. He leaves the store, no sale, confused and pissed off, as the store clerks continue the argument as they walk over to the soda machine, oblivious to what actually just happened.
Absolutely dead on. Being from the suburbs of Chicago, the closest thing to a gun shop near me is a Bass Pro Shop. It can be a kind of irritating experience listening to their employees trying to move merchandise. I in particular remember a 20 something year old guy who walked in and wanted to buy a Colt 6920, which Bass Pro carries. The store employee then proceeded to try to convince this gentleman that a Bushmaster AR-15 was a superior product. Needless to say, I wanted to scream.
I had a similar experience to this when I was visiting a friend in Sterling, IL. He had been told by an employee at a gun store near him that the rate of fire of an AR-15 needed to be kept at 8 rounds a minute when shooting steel cased ammo, or the weapon would explode. I still have yet to convince my friend that this is bullshit. In his mind, since I am not a gun store employee, I don’t know as much about firearms as they do.
Lol, as a customer, I wholeheartedly agree! The one I recently visited, a small shop with hardly any interesting inventory, snubbed his nose at me after I mentioned that the guy I’ve been using for gun transfers charged $5 bucks less, but lives a bit further up the highway. “Then go to him and save yourself $5 dollars,” he says. Truth being, I wouldn’t have minded using the guy for transfers, but his assholiness attitude lost my business right then and there.
Long ago, another shop with an indoor range, I had just bought a P220 .45ACP. I was in a hurry, so I quickly asked for “.45 Speer Gold Dots, Please.” As I recall, the chubby young man had a smarmy grin on his face as he handed me the ammo. It wasn’t till I got home did I realize he handed me .45GAP. Who in there right mind hands someone .45GAP when they ask for a box of .45? They also lost my business.
Lol that was great. You mind if I post that on some forums. Shootersrelam and AR15?
I go to diamondbacks like once a week for a few boxes of 9mm and a brick of 22 and I swear they still don’t know me when I walk in. If they do they sure don’t act like it. I’ve bought my Sig 226r from them, took my 2nd CCW from them, transferred 4 lowers through them… Along with a few smaller purchases.
2nd amendment on the other hand are much more friendly and while they don’t remember my name they know I come in once every week or so…
The Armory has some cool guys as well.
Sure, feel free to repost it.
I don’t like going in to many of the gun stores around here. The guy at R&A is pretty nice. I am friends with some small FFLs, but they don’t have storefronts.
Amen, Andrew! I drive an extra 30 min to use the nearest outdoor range rather than use the nearest indoor range. The guys at the indoor range are complete douchebags. I’m refuse to pay to be treated like crap! The only way this place survives is it doesn’t have competition nearby.
The reason a lot of gun store employees are dicks is probably because a lot of gun store customers are fucking idiots. Similar to customers encountered anywhere else, except other customers don’t dry fire guns while they’re pointed at you.
Yeah, I’m around Detroit. When I’m dealing with a newer store/employee I make it a point to ask for a pistol so that when they hand it to me I can pull the magazine, verify it’s clear myself, and ask them if they would mind me dry firing to feel the trigger spring weight. It seems like a small thing, but it immediately sets me apart from the other customers who look at it with their finger on the trigger, look down the barrel, and then ask if it’s loaded or not. Also, if it’s a gun I’ve never seen before and really can’t figure out just by looking, I go ahead and ask. They seem to appreciate that.
True story here, I saw a clerk hand a customer an AR that still had a magazine in it. Before doing anything else (like looking at the right side of the rifle to check for cartridges), the customer managed to hit the bolt release and pull the trigger while negligently pointing the barrel at his friend’s head on his left. The clerk didn’t say anything, the customer didn’t say anything, the friend didn’t say anything, and the customer’s father didn’t say anything. I just left because I didn’t want to be around once the gene pool started getting cleansed. That shop/range has a reputation of being a laughing stock, so I’m generally happy to avoid it.
Interesting….in a blog about snarky gun store employees, here is one who describes his customers in the most disrespectful of ways. You probably have no clue how much business you have lost for ever, because of your loathsome attitude.
B3
Out
Great vid. I know too many people who have the same opinion, myself included.
I am not the most knowledgeable guy when it comes to guns, but I know enough to be safe and ask questions to fill in the blanks. I can’t imagine going in to most gun stores uneducated about the whole process, I can very easily see why people would get turned off so quickly.
I am lucky to know a few good clerks and wish there were more of them out there.
Let’s hope of few of the guys out there take your advice. Too many people are intimidated by guns, don’t be a douche and turn them off completely.
New gun or potential gun owners are like kids – they have to be taught…and who better to start them off on the right track than a gun store owner/worker. All the assholes do is turn away future supporters of the the 2nd amendment. From a business standpoint, they’re throwing sales down the drain, which is idiocy considering margins are crap unless your store is big enough to buy in bulk.
Spot on, Andrew. I almost think that you could open a successful gun shop marketed strictly on the rare selling point that “Hey! C’mon on in! We’re nice to people!”
jpr.
Actually, that works. Maybe not using that as an advertisement, but word of mouth gets around. Of course, people will still find something to complain about.
As much of an annoyance as it is for most of us men who’ve probably all experienced this, I’ll bet it’s an even bigger issue for many woman brave enough to walk into a gun store by themselves.
What is the cause of this type of behavior?
People can become jaded in any profession, I think. Sometimes it’s the younger employees that are the problem, though – I would guess that they are looking to prove themselves and don’t want to admit that they’re wrong.
How did you know about the shower?
Andrew,
Thank you. Long overdue commentary regarding a group of people who imagine themselves to more than simply retail employees (this excludes the helpful and pleasant folks).
The post script was priceless.
Regards,
A fellow Dutchman.
That applies to all people everywhere in retail sales. I’ll take it further and say it goes to treating people that way everywhere you go and are. I always say treat people the way you yourself would want to be treated.
I like the no nonsense approach and total honesty of the video.
I will also add never call a magazine a clip………
Having worked at multiple gun stores I must say you are so right!! So many stores loose business due to being assholes. I have been treated like crap so often and I know what I am doing with a firearm. GREAT VIDEO
One of the big problems I have seen is a reluctance on the part of gun store employees to offer meaningful advise to novice customers. I once saw a worker showing a new shooter a Taurus Judge as an option for their first handgun, because it would be easy for them to learn to shoot.
Spot on Andrew. Kudos. Reposted. http://arizonagunowners.com/index.php/topic,426.0.html
I’m surprised to hear that they treat each other with contempt as well as the customers.
I was mocked (behind my back, but I overheard) by two young employees for liking the Beretta M9 after using it on deployment. Everything they knew about guns they learned at the gun store or from magazines or video games.
That’s just one small example of many.
I took a retail 92fs and ate the 10-ring out of a target at the full length of my local 75ft indoor range. Is there supposed to be wrong with them? I may not have a lot of pistols compared to some of your readers, but I have more than I can count on two hands and I’m pretty sure that I’d put the that particular beretta in the top few for accuracy and function.
ps, you probably should have challenged them to a 10rd showdown. draw, fire, 21 feet, 10 second limit. For honor.
It is a disgusting (and apparently wide-spread) situation. Most of the gun shops I’ve been to have staff that is ignorant, surly or both.
I wonder if part of the issue is getting decent, knowledgeable people that are willing to work for only $xx/hr?
There are lots of uninformed and misinformed folks in the world of guns (it doesn’t help that there are so many letters and numbers). I’m sure lots of people just don’t want to be wrong and many others don’t know the difference anyways.
Having worked in plenty of retail jobs, I’ve always found the root of poor service is at the management level. There are great managers/owners who just can’t hire good help or who aren’t great with training new employees, but for the most opart my experience has shown it is the manager’s attitude that has the trickle down effect.
I too have snickered many-a-times at the advice I’ve heard coming across the counters at gun shops. I was also offended at two employees making fun of a woman in the store behind her back who was asking really good questions and obviously new to guns.
I’ve also had the pleasure of patronizing great gun shops that really catered to women and newbies. Interestingly enough, I rarely hear internet ninja advice coming from the employees of these shop.
A typical scene is that of the guy who walks in after doing some research to buy, say a Kimber. The sales clerk, who digs say, Colt starts to extols the virtues of his favored gun. Up walks the other clerk who likes Glocks chambered in 9MM; and now the poor bastard who came in to buy a nice Kimber .45 is drawn into a full value discussion of Colt Vs Kimber Vs. 9MM Vs. Glocks versus Ford Versus Chevy. He leaves the store, no sale, confused and pissed off, as the store clerks continue the argument as they walk over to the soda machine, oblivious to what actually just happened.