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Service or price. what do you want / look for?
44pinshooter
Member Posts: 1,049 ✭✭✭
Just something to get some feedback on. Just wondering.....
What is more important to you when buying a firearm. The price or the service?
My day job is manager of a firearms department. We stock and sell just about every thing that goes bang. We all want to save a few $$$ when we can, but at what point is driving to one of the X-marts to save a few dollars become the driving force in what you are buying. They can sell you stuff, but most can't even mount a scope or install sling studs. Not to even begin that most of the counter help can't tell you the difference between a deer or an elk.
Maybe this is a little bit of a rant, but the days get long when over and over, I hear that this store or that store has it at this price.
We will match any advertised price that is in a printed flyer. Yesterday, had a go around with a customer over the price of a scope. Some store was $20.00 less on the price, but charged $30.00 to mount and bore sight. When you buy a scope from us, the mounting and bore sighting is done FREE. He could not get it through his head, that saving $20.00 on the scope, but paying $30.00 to mount it, plus driving 32 miles one way, was costing him more. He left.
What do you guys say ?
H.C.Hawk
What is more important to you when buying a firearm. The price or the service?
My day job is manager of a firearms department. We stock and sell just about every thing that goes bang. We all want to save a few $$$ when we can, but at what point is driving to one of the X-marts to save a few dollars become the driving force in what you are buying. They can sell you stuff, but most can't even mount a scope or install sling studs. Not to even begin that most of the counter help can't tell you the difference between a deer or an elk.
Maybe this is a little bit of a rant, but the days get long when over and over, I hear that this store or that store has it at this price.
We will match any advertised price that is in a printed flyer. Yesterday, had a go around with a customer over the price of a scope. Some store was $20.00 less on the price, but charged $30.00 to mount and bore sight. When you buy a scope from us, the mounting and bore sighting is done FREE. He could not get it through his head, that saving $20.00 on the scope, but paying $30.00 to mount it, plus driving 32 miles one way, was costing him more. He left.
What do you guys say ?
H.C.Hawk
This discussion has been closed.
Comments
I've "fired" many customers in the 17 years I've had my store, and my business has never been stronger!
Merc
W.D.
And, honestly, I really don't care for the smaller gun stores and sporting goods shops. I can count on one hand the number of those that I have walked into over the years and actually gotten any kind of "service," or had a good experience. From what I have seen, unless you're one of their inner-circle regulars, many of them are abrasive and treat you like you're an idiot. And if you're just there to browse, you really get the cold shoulder.
Anyway, just my humble opinion. No offense to any of you storefront dealers out there [:D]
better to say I would like to look around in your store first and If
I don't see what I am looking for I will come back to the sales counter and ask you to come show me where you have that type of Item.If all you want is shot shells or a particular Rifle or pistol ammo ask for it but If you have a New rifle ask do you have ammo for my XXX caliber rifle that would be suited for hunting XXX. If you are looking at a display rack of used Firearms pick out the most uncommon weapon you recognize ans ask "could I see that Ssupergrade Pre 1964 Winchester model 70 Rifle. This will start the sales clerk off so he will know you know your guns and he will not try to B.S. you
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How do you expect some dummy to understand he is saving money buying from you?
When I need something more than just to save a few bucks I go looking for good service, and I pay for it. Such as picking up a gun shipment from an FFL. Pay them the $15 and buy the occasional box of ammo there too.
If I needed gunsmithing, that'd be a whole different question. Have not needed a barrel cut and re-crowned or a major repair on anything in many years. When I did I paid a good craftsman to do good work and received the result with a smile on my face and cash in my hand.
A question of what's needed and when, that's all.
Has anybody paid to have a scope mounted on a rifle? And if so, what was the charge? What would be a fair price for doing that?
OK...Nevermind
Wow, a 10 year old thread.... Seeing some of the names, especially WD's, brought back some good memories.
I just checked a couple of the old members profiles and they show being here in Feb 2019 and then nothing. I guess they were casualties of the board switching over at that time. Sadly, they didn't make the switch. Bob
Edit to add; Around here a simple scope mounting usually runs about $50 plus any parts needed. That also normally includes bore sighting that may or may not get you on the paper.
Thanks for your replies everybody. I really do appreciate them.
Happy shooting !
JRL
Welcome to the forums where all of your questions are answered. Even the ones you haven't asked yet. 😁
🇺🇲 "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants." - Thomas Jefferson 🇺🇲
We mounted scopes and bore sighted them for free. We usually gave a free box of ammo if they purchased both from us. This was in Williamsport, Pa. in the early 60's. Barons Sporting Goods.
I stand by my above answer from 10 years ago. Since then, if anything, I have only grown more inclined to avoid local shops. Even just for transfers, it is infuriating to deal with know-it-all snobs behind the counter who have no sense of customer service, and often even less knowledge of the products they're selling. Not to mention that prices at these places are consistently at least 50% higher than other sources.
In my most recent example, I picked up a new revolver at a local dealer. First, I got a lecture from the 20 year old clerk about how Ruger is garbage and I should have bought a S&W......how the Ruger will never last.....blah blah blah. Then, as he is holding my revolver and processing the paperwork in the computer, he proceeds to repeatedly cock and dry-fire the gun over and over and over about a dozen times until I finally got his attention and told him to knock it off.
In any case, I'm sure there are great shops out there. However, I have come to believe they are the exception, and I just haven't had the pleasure of coming across one yet.
Interesting. Your experiences are completely different from mine.
There are 3 shops in my area and each one of them is staffed top-to-bottom with helpful, knowledgeable people. At one yesterday, I got the kind of customer service and interaction that makes me think the shop could be a case study for how to treat customers the right way. Me and the rep were talking about scopes and the fella knew pretty much everything about each one, was happy to talk about his own experiences, the service from each company, etc. From suggesting similar items to chatting about usage to just talking shop, he clearly enjoys his job and wants to be there.
Service for the win. I'm willing to spend a few extra bucks when I know the staff is helpful.
🇺🇲 "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants." - Thomas Jefferson 🇺🇲
For me finding what I am looking for (I mostly buy older guns) trumps price or service. I mostly buy on GB and there is no smithing service here, nor is there in many gun stores. I know where to find a good smith, so the right item, then the best price.
Sorry, but I almost never buy at local shops, and never at Walmart. The K store no longer exists here. They simply almost never have what I am looking for and on GB I can shop all over the country from right here at home.
I gave you a promote for that nice GB ATABOY @He Dog
I have noticed some people are more prone to conflict in daily situations than others.
Sometimes they make bad customers, sometimes they make bad business people.
I would say the average gun store customer, in my opinion, has very little knowledge & the average Joe behind the counter thinks they know more than they really do.
Probably similar everywhere.
I know nothing.
This ......................
This thread is 10 years old; can we please let it rest in piece?
Neal
Yeah I agree Neal...