Went to Bass Pro yesterday...

[Moon]

I mean he asked if the 308 rifle was full auto and when the guy told him it was semi auto he had a blank look on his face. He didn't understand what semi auto was. He also asked how the double barrel 12 gauge worked

It's one thing to be interested in firearms if you were never exposed to them growing up but you don't waste a salesman's time when they are incredibly busy just because you are too lazy to do the research on your own.

I really didn't feel like talking to the guy and he caught on so he left me alone. He then started asking Wes questions while Wes was trying to get people taken care of with paper work. You would think that he would realize not to distract someone when filling out gun purchase paperwork.

That shit would drive me up a wall and make me collect little doll pony's if I had to go through that all the time.

One of the many problems the 2A community faces is that it needs to bolster its ranks. Guns are intimidating to people that have not spent any time around them, and so are gun shops/gun counters. Rude service or rude guys hanging around in the shop do nothing but harm to the 2A community.

If the line at BP is too long, that's on BP, not the customer that is potentially buying a first firearm and maybe voting against an anti next election. And I think Smokey would do a better job of helping a newbie understand guns in general than the newbie could learn on the internet.

As for Wes, there's no hope. Even if he could tell people how to fill out their paperwork, he couldn't do that and chew gum at the same time... All kidding aside, if The Gun Shop isn't the kind of place that someone can feel comfortable going into and asking questions, it isn't going to be around for anyone. And I want The Gun Shop around. It's a great place.

It is highly likely that in our lifetimes, it will be about as easy to buy a handgun as it currently is to get a CCP -virtually impossible. The people that can change that future are the ones that are going into BP and The Gun Shop, asking questions, talking to the other customers. It's up to us to convince these people that gun owners aren't jerks.

I think, in general, the 2A community does a lousy job of public relations. Instead of treating new, potential gun owners with a range of disdain to tolerance, we should be bending over backwards to foment interest in joining the club.

Every time a gun-grabber reads these anecdotes, he or she gets a thrill up the leg. Gun ownership, in the end, is not going to be about the law, or a proper observance of human rights. It's going to be about public opinion. The easiest members of the public to influence are the ones that are dipping their toes in the water.

That's my two cents, anyway.

 

[jpo183]

I understand if you are the sales guy and you have lots of people waiting however if you are that worried about the line a very easy thing to do is:

Listen guy you are asking some great questions and you seem to be rather new with firearms, and Id like to spend sometime helping you through this process but I also have this giant line, so here is what I would ask you to do, lets look at 3 types of guns then stay up here and listen to some of the guys buying or looking as well, you will learn a lot and can also ask questions.

Show him a rifle, a shotgun and a pistol. Explain the main differences and what each is best used for then talk to other customers while he listens.

I understand you cant take all day but you also need to be an ambassador and teacher. Like many have said, I went into a particular shop to look, look and more look. I eventually purchased alot there because they helped out.

If you are in the line maybe you could do the sales reps job and answer some of the basic questions, it isnt only the sales guys chance to help a newbie.

I love just talking to people and you would be surprised what you learn from them in the process.

 

[frdfandc]

Working in the retail industry as well for almost 7 years, there are a couple different types of customers.

1. Those who do research and still don't understand until shown - the hands on type. Easier to understand once shown in person how something works.

2. Those who do research and buy exactly what they want - the golden customer

3. Those who don't do research because it's easier for them to ask questions in person

4. Those who don't do research, are just curious, and have zero interest in purchasing.

I call No.4 PTW's.

Professional Time Wasters.


Fortunately there are a few questions the salesperson can ask that can limit the number of questions that the customer asks, hence saving time, allowing to serve more customers.

1. What kind of research have you done?

This question is usually followed by one of 3 answers from the customer. I'll call these C questions.

C1. I was at another store

C2. I was talking to my buddies (shooting, cycling, etc.). Meaning I like my current item, but want something different, or want to change a feature/function.

C3. I was looking at "X" item online.

Now the response question to C1 would be....

Why didn't you purchase it there?

Response question to C2 would be....

What are you not satisfied with your current item?

And response question to C3 would be....

What features did you like about item "X"?


Now once a salesperson has figured out what the customer is looking for, then the salesperson can ask what the customers budget range is.

Once that is established you have the following that the customer wants.

Use of item, features of item, cost of item.

Then the salesperson finds the item that fits the customers criteria the best.

This should only take about 10-15 mins. Not 2 hours.

Unfortunately, most companies want the salesperson to become the customers "best friend".

This is totally wrong. The salesperson is there to make a sale. But by finding the item that the fits the customer's needs/wants, the customer is happy and will usually be back.

More often than not, the customer and salesperson ends up wasting each others time. Customer is unhappy with the service he/she received, and the salesperson is unhappy because he/she had to deal with a PTW.

 

[Curmudgeon]

I remember stopping in at Freedom Armory here in PA a couple years ago, there was a 30-something woman at the counter asking the kind of questions that lead me to believe she had never been within 100 yards of a firearm her whole life. I wasn't there long, but I got just enough of a look at what was going on to get the impression that the guy behind the counter was taking his time with her and would be there until closing if that is what she needed.

That guy, and the shop, gained a lot of respect that day.

 

[MPDickerson101]

Back when I was searching for my first pistol (pre-internet), I spent hours in the book and grocery stores reading gun magazines. While that was great, there was nothing like holding a Glock, Sig, Colt, Beretta etc... in your hands to determine which one felt "right" to ME. All the reading and research in the world would not compensate for a hands-on evaluation.
I eventually made my rounds to the few gun shops in my hometown (Augusta, Georgia) where I was met with patience, understanding, and helpfulness from the dealers. I eventually made a purchase from them....and it was an informed purchase. I do not think that I ever monopolized the sellers time or was unconscious or inconsiderate of others in the shop doing the same thing that I was doing or making a purchase. We all have to start somewhere....
BTW - my first purchase was a Glock 23 back in '91. I still have her and will never part with it by choice.

 

[bama47]

I agree with this being said over and over here...you have got to let the guy learn. Line be damned, I'd rather have another well educated gun owner out there on our side!

 

[pleasant1911]

I am guilty too. thats how I got to hold and ask alot of stupid ass questions at bass pro, before getting my hoyt bow else where. The person behind me was probably like WTF is this poser doing, he doesnt even look like he hunts... The guy at the bass pro archery shop is nice man...I talk to some of those bass pro gun salesman, and they are not the people who you get information from. Your right, that kid probably would of gotten more information from the 1/2 page description from the gun manufacturers website, from the bass pro salesman. Its like pulling teeth with them. They dont try to sell you at all.

 

[Cyclone]

I had to run up there to grab an armorer's tool to work on assembling my CMMG lower/PSA upper. While standing at the firearms counter just looking I came to the realization that if I had to work there I would recreate the moving Falling Down.

There was a kid rocking a pink polo, khaki shorts and Sperrys asking to see and hold almost every type of firearm you could think of. I personally saw him hold a Remington 870, Bushmaster 308 AR rifle, a double barrel 12 gauge and one other long gun that I can't remember. To top it all off he was asking questions about every single gun about methods of operation, what they would be used for and how they were different from the other weapons.

I mean he asked if the 308 rifle was full auto and when the guy told him it was semi auto he had a blank look on his face. He didn't understand what semi auto was. He also asked how the double barrel 12 gauge worked



It's one thing to be interested in firearms if you were never exposed to them growing up but you don't waste a salesman's time when they are incredibly busy just because you are too lazy to do the research on your own.

i couldnt agree much as i was like that kid too. noob question just like what they say. years back there is no internet which you could really see and make a research of what your interested with and what not. now, even if we have all these info it is always a good better yet the best thing to do before making a purchase is to have the firearm seen in person, held and appreciate it. Wish Walmart has a firing range which you can test shoot it before you buy it....

 

[rico903]

I would only go to BPS knowing what I wanted to buy, to check their price. As far as learning anything, that's not the place. I bought an AR there and the process was painfully long. Talk about corporate America, damn. And I hate their computer BS. I've bought so many guns I can fill out the paper work in my sleep in no time. Doing it all on the computer is insanely slow. I finally told the clerk "you read it and I'll tell you the answers and you do the computer work or we'll be here all nite".
Having said all this, people have to learn somewhere so lets have patience with them. Though listening to the clerks at BPS I have to bite my tongue not to jump in and give advice.