consumer thoughts about gun shops

[Marauder2003]

Bought my first gun from a gun shop. Bought my latest gun from Turners because they had the one I wanted now. All other pistol and long gun purchases were through my local FFL. Also did a PPT to my boss using the FFL. My FFL also put together an AR15 for me. He handles lower purchases for my neighbor.

I like my relationship with my FFL!

[bountyhunter]

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,

Based on my experience and that of everyone in this thread, it's not abnormal. It's SOP.

[bbodybill]

"Vote with your wallet" Turners comes to MY mind ...

[sl0re10]

What the gun stores with poor customer service really have to fear is new competition.

yep; seriously... reading about how bad 70% of lgs are makes me think maybe there is room for another one....

[CAL.BAR]

It's supply and demand. In my area of South OC, there might be 4-5 gun shops within 25 miles in a city with a population of hundreds of thousands. If there were a gunshop every other block like Starbucks, the customer service would be a lot better. Let's not even talk about shooting ranges. Even fewer of those than gun shops.

[roflwizard]

I was there for the transfer with the OP and it was a big waste of time for not just us, but the other guys trying to do a transfer too. I asked how much longer the wait would be and the counter worker proved to be useless and gave me the run around.

I'll be pleased to not spend my money at their business again. Too bad, because i was dang near close to buying a gun while i was there! Guess i'll just keep an eye open for another shop with the same piece.

[NorzelKid]

Discount Gun Mart on Morena has the same policy of pushing PPT's to the back of the line, and they even have a big sign over their counter proudly proclaiming this, along with the fact that they won't start a PPT within so many minutes of their closing time. A while ago, I was there one Friday evening picking up a gun, and I saw two guys come in to do a PPT. Rude Sales Clerk points to the sign, tells them they will have to wait, and then proceeds to help everyone else who arrives after the two guys. One of the guys finally says, "Hey, my friend here drove all the way down from L.A. to sell this gun to me, is there any way we can get started on the paperwork?" Rude Sales Clerk smirks, says he has to follow the policy, and continues to ignore them. I could tell Rude Sales Clerk was trying his darnedest to push the clock until the magic time when he wouldn't have to help them at all, because it would be within so many minutes of their closing time. I left shortly after that, and didn't see whether they eventually got to do their PPT, but I strongly suspect that they didn't. For a while, DGM got all my business (did all my shooting there, as well as all my gun and ammo purchases). However, after seeing the way those two guys were treated, I haven't been back since, and I will never go there again for anything.

[Merc1138]

Based on my experience and that of everyone in this thread, it's not abnormal. It's SOP.

SOP for Reed's? Maybe. SOP for every other FFL in the area, of which there are at least a dozen? No.

If people think a half hour for a PPT is normal because they've only ever done business at Reed's or TM, then now they know there are other places they can go.

Kerley's
Annie's Guns
Bay Area Gun Vault
Sportsmen's Supply
Mil-Spec Armory
Metal Dog Tactical
Red Skull Tactical
Castello's
US Firearms Co.
Eddy's Shooting Sports

That's 10 off the top of my head. Oh, and I can't forget places where you simply make an appointment do your business and leave(so no waiting)
UG Imports
Digital Instincts
Roger's Relics
SJ Gun Trader
MP Arms

So that's another 5, for 15.

If you really need more and you're willing to drive:
J&R Sports Supply
Solar Tactical
Dom's outdoor outfitters
GFOS
Bullseye Castro Valley
Lokey Firearms

And I didn't even cover the peninsula, north bay, and northern east bay, also left out at least 1 cop shop and a general sporting goods store not including Big 5 and Dick's locations. There are a TON of FFL's in the area that should be more than happy to take someones business if Reeds and TM don't want it. Just about the only reason I can think of to be stuck going to Reed's or TM, is that most of the places I listed are closed or do not accept appointments on a Sunday. Beyond that, there is no shortage of places to take your business in the area. Some suck, some have other issues, some I've never been to. My point is, that playing the "woe is me the poor consumer with no choice" in that area is ridiculous.

[emtmark]

That^^^

[I Swan]

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.

A very true statement. Sink or swim. Change and adapt to the market forces and changing customer base or drown. I've seen stores suffer or go under that can't understand that panics and panic buyer are not a substanable customer base. Even during panics stores can suffer because it can be hard to get product to gouge people on in the first place.

The traditional old white man gun buying base is dying off quickly and you can only sell so many guns to them. This is especially true in CA.

[Mitch]

The traditional old white man gun buying base is dying off quickly and you can only sell so many guns to them. This is especially true in CA.

They don't even have to die! I'm an old white male and the way my eyesight is going I reckon I only have another ten years or so of shooting left, if that. Now, I'll probably continue to play with guns even after I can no longer shoot them accurately, but I am weird that way.

[Pyrite]

I don't know either of the shops but do know one thing.

The shop that has the widest SELECTION of inventory doesn't have to care about transfers.
Sales of inventory will carry their beans.

Fact of business.

[I Swan]

They don't even have to die! I'm an old white male and the way my eyesight is going I reckon I only have another ten years or so of shooting left, if that. Now, I'll probably continue to play with guns even after I can no longer shoot them accurately, but I am weird that way.

Also true. Hard to shoot or buy or own a gun while you're in a nursing home. I plan on selling most my guns when I'm around late 50's to early 60's if I make it that far. Figure it will be a very nice chunk of change as I suspect I will own 500-600+ guns by then.