consumer thoughts about gun shops

[M1NM]

When you transfer a car in Nevada like other states you have to get a VIN check. It's handled by auto repair shops for a state mandated very low set fee. In order that they don't push you to the back of the line they included as part of the law the inspection must take place within 20 minutes of arrival.
Maybe the PPT/DROS law could be ammended.

[TS77]

Ask to buy a bore brush, then request a ppt first.

[Sousuke]

When you transfer a car in Nevada like other states you have to get a VIN check. It's handled by auto repair shops for a state mandated very low set fee. In order that they don't push you to the back of the line they included as part of the law the inspection must take place within 20 minutes of arrival.
Maybe the PPT/DROS law could be ammended.

In all honesty, if I had to wait an hour and were still not being served I would probably go ahead and contact CA DOJ and tell them they refuse to do PPTs 'in practice'.

[xxINKxx]

I don't get why certain shops don't want to follow the law or help gun enthusiasts buy guns. I'm sorry CA makes us go through FFL to buy a used gun.

I went to Ades in Orange once (after that lady purchased it and the shop moved to chapman) to do my first ppt (this was a couple years ago) and got the same treatment. Although the store had zero customers, the lady owner was reading a magazine, other guy eating Mexican food in the corner, and an old geezer walking around cleaning.

Told us it would be an hour befor I was able to be helped.....wtf??? And said to go to the army navy store down the street. That place no one was working that day at the gun section to do any sales. No other gun shops in the area had a short line like ades and was lined up. So we came back and said wede gladly wait (looked around, no customers) They were quite anoyyed. Even the young guy whined saying they make no money on PPTs. Took no more then 10 mins to do it and I was gone.

Last time I ever stepped foot in that shop. I posted my experience on here and the owner messaged me a long rant saying they are far too busy with estate sales to deal everyone coming in with PPTs and its time consuming blah blah and its a big hassle with paper work and they have to lock up the gun, put it in thier inventory sheet. Basically was making excuses why they didn't like doing PPTs. I replied something along the lines of then I guess you shouldn't own an FFL. Got another long reply, didn't even bother reading it.

Now I realize most gun shops first concern is a profit.

[Merc1138]

Ask to buy a bore brush, then request a ppt first.

Not sure what you think that would accomplish. Knowing how Reed's operates, they'd send you to the rental counter to buy the bore brush(if they were busy with the register at the sales counter) and then tell you to go right back in line for the sales counter to handle the PPT.

[Mitch]

The other customer looked at us, told the employee that we were there first, and the employee just replied, "Yeah, but they're doing a PPT". This happened 3 times.

Holy crap. One time would be all it would take for me to walk the **** out.

[onelonehorseman]

The way I see it, and maybe not all will agree . . . . .

The last several years have been a very fat time for many gun shops to be in business. In many cases, as long as they could get inventory during the shortages (guns and ammo), they could make a nice profit. Some customer oriented shops have kept their service at the "A" game level, just like they did when business was more lean. Others seem to have decided that they don't need to waste time catering to every customer as they will still make plenty of $ regardless. The latter group probably don't believe that the firearms business will ever be slow again, so why worry if they lose a customer here or there. But if the NRA, and other groups, do eventually succeed in reversing the significant anti-2A laws that have driven much of the gun buying frenzy of recent years, this situation could eventually change. Buying may subside a little and inventory will be plentiful again. The shops that crap on customers now, will likely be the ones who will have trouble keeping their businesses going then. The ones that treat every customer like they matter now, will continue the success that they have earned and deserve.

[Mitch]

But if the NRA, and other groups, do eventually succeed in reversing the significant anti-2A laws that have driven much of the gun buying frenzy of recent years, this situation could eventually change. Buying may subside a little and inventory will be plentiful again. The shops that crap on customers now, will likely be the ones who will have trouble keeping their businesses going then. The ones that treat every customer like they matter now, will continue the success that they have earned and deserve.

It's not political scares that have been driving sales (at least not for the last 18 months), but a massive increase in the popularity of guns and shooting. This may or may not continue.

What the gun stores with poor customer service really have to fear is new competition. At least here in SoCal, more new gun stores have appeared in the last decade than in the previous two or three. And the newer gun stores are making themselves more appealing to the new gun buyer, who is increasingly young, multi-ethnic and even female.

So yeah, go ahead and chase those young guys and women out of your stores. The good times will continue to roll until your customer base of old white guys finally kicks the bucket.

[onelonehorseman]

It's not political scares that have been driving sales (at least not for the last 18 months), but a massive increase in the popularity of guns and shooting. This may or may not continue.

True, in part, with regard to shooting popularity.

But, for example, the end of SSE in CA last year certainly seems to have resulted in a buying frenzy that otherwise would not have occurred during that same period of time here.

And the recent talk of banning M855 ammo certainly drove a quick frenzy of ammo hording that resulted in short term inventory shortages, and allowed some shops to double down on their profits with extra mark-ups.

So it seems there are multiple drivers to the strong firearms related market at present.

I do believe that the smart businesses will continue to treat every customer as important, as if the market was lean. And eventually they will be rewarded for their far-sightedness and dedication.

[bountyhunter]

What process takes 30 minutes? A PPT takes 10-15 minutes tops, any more than that(like targetmasters and their extra paperwork) means the shop is doing it wrong.

The consumer has no way of knowing if they are doing it "wrong", they are at the mercy of the shop. Point is: if people are waiting hours, it means the shop is intentionally not putting enough resources on it and they do that by design.

[bountyhunter]

The way I see it, and maybe not all will agree . . . . .

The last several years have been a very fat time for many gun shops to be in business. In many cases, as long as they could get inventory during the shortages (guns and ammo), they could make a nice profit.

They could NOT get inventory. Reeds was starved for ammo for a while and had cut staff there. What ammo they had was ridiculously expensive and often sat on the floor for weeks.

[Freedomfighter007]

Vote with your wallet! Don't spend money in places that don't support the community! Spend it places that have great customer service, good prices, and who treat PPT as potential clientele.

Seems someone could swoop in a clean up handsomely since many LGS have become complacent in their monopolies. Kinda makes you wish wal-mart sold guns again.

[Freedomfighter007]

It's not political scares that have been driving sales (at least not for the last 18 months), but a massive increase in the popularity of guns and shooting. This may or may not continue.

What the gun stores with poor customer service really have to fear is new competition. At least here in SoCal, more new gun stores have appeared in the last decade than in the previous two or three. And the newer gun stores are making themselves more appealing to the new gun buyer, who is increasingly young, multi-ethnic and even female.

So yeah, go ahead and chase those young guys and women out of your stores. The good times will continue to roll until your customer base of old white guys finally kicks the bucket.

Good point! Well said!

[Merc1138]

The consumer has no way of knowing if they are doing it "wrong", they are at the mercy of the shop. Point is: if people are waiting hours, it means the shop is intentionally not putting enough resources on it and they do that by design.

While that is true about a shop not bothering to put the resources into it, educated consumers with experience at more than 1 shop do exist. Informing people that taking ridiculous periods of time to process a PPT(I'm not including waiting behind other customers) is abnormal, along with an estimate of how long it should take lets more customers become aware and make a better informed decision in the future if they have to do a PPT.

[uechikid]

Antioch Armory is bad in that regard as well. They only do PPT one day per week and you have to make an appointment that usually two weeks out.