[SShooterZ]

Personally, I'm loyal to the best price. Whether it be on the WWW, Walwart or the local gun shop, that's who gets my business.

I refuse to pay 25-40% more for the same gun to "support" my local gun store. If he wants my support, he needs to become more competitive.

Also keep in mind, that Walmart really is only selling a limited selection compared to what a lot of shooters are looking for. If everyone wanted a Reminton 870 Express and/or a Sam Walton 1100, then Walmart would be a problem.

 

[Red-Leg]

I prefer to shop where the guy behind the counter at least knows his muzzle from his butt.

The problem is that for many out there this place simply doesn't exist, particularly for the new shooter. Even in a fairly large city, I can count the number of shops on one had that aren't staffed by rude @$$holes. They may know one end of the gun from the other but if you aren't up to "their standards", you're treated like an annoying piece of $hit.

The true service oriented shops are extremely hard to find and you know what? Wal-Mart hasn't hurt them. You wanna know why? Because once that high school kid gets that Remington from Wal-Mart he's not going to be able to get much more from them in the way of accessories or ammunition. For that, he'll have to go to the Internet, the @$$hole at the closest "gun shop", or spend the time and money hitting dozens of shops in the area to find the one or two that may be worth giving your money to.

In this industry, I'm betting that if more shops weren't owned and staffed by jacka$$es Wal-Mart wouldn't sell nearly as many guns.

 

[HuntNshoot]

I have to go with the cannon-cocker on this one. I've had the same experience. Gun shop owners must all have done apprenticeships in autoparts stores or the Post Office. Good hunting and good luck.

 

[Scoupe]

Less than helpful gunshop owners/employees are a recurrent theme on all of the gun related boards I frequent. I have to agree that in my experience I find poor-to-downright-rude customer service to be the norm. Why?

I think that in this day and age more shops are run by "gun people" than "business people". A guy looking for a good small business to get into will pass over the retail firearms industry pretty quick once he sees average profit margins, the potential legal hassles, and the ever present Federal oversight of his potential business. That leaves the "gun guys" to own and run the shops.

While many of my closest friends are gun people, most of them are not customer service oriented to begin with, let alone after a few years of dealing with a very picky, opinionated and often mis-informed buying public. Every customer wants it now, wants it cheaper and wants his nose wiped and hand held as well. Add to that the he wants a discount for everything he buys from the first purchase forward.

Poor Mr. gun-guy/shop owner did not expect this. He expected all the other gun guys to come over, ogle his great taste in inventory and beat his doors down to buy it at full MSRP. So when the one millionth tire kicking, dry firing, muzzle sweeping, militia wanna-be tells him he can "Get it cheaper at Wal-Mart", he shuts down inside. It ain't what he bargained for and he ain't having fun anymore and he's tired of dealing with all the ninnies that grace his doorway. He doesn't see he created the problem, or ignored some of the most basic tenents of small retail business/customer service.

I'm not saying it's right, in fact it's a disservice to the gun crowd in general. Having been in a small business before - for the wrong reasons, this is what I think is behind a lot of the poor service we see at gun shops.

 

[asylum keeper]

I just thought about it and I have not bought any of my guns on credit, all have been cash or gifts.

 

[capitalistpig]

Why buy at Walmart??

Just picked-up a Winchester Model 70 Black Shadow .30-06 with cheap scope for $135.00 on clearance. Seems to be a no-brainer there.

Walmart also has no-charge lay-a-way if you're not inclined to whip out the plastic.

And the A-holes at the local shop couldn't cut it at Walmart---that's how bad they are.

 

[ron73644]

I hear you!! I see both sides. You must live in Elk City, Ok.

 

[toivo]

Wal-Mart can sell cheap for many reasons, mainly:

1) volume sales
2) low wages
3) lack of service

All three factors go hand-in-hand. They hire unskilled and pay low. That's why no one at the store knows anything about what they're selling, or if they do it's just by chance. Their job is to stock the shelf, not to educate the customer about the merchandise.

This is the wave of the future in retailing. There's going to be low-end and high-end. If you want to talk to somebody who knows something and to get some service both before and after the sale, you're going to have to pay extra for it. What's disappearing is the middle-level retailer. You'll have McBlueblood's Shooting Sports charging more than list for high-end guns and MegaloMart selling zillions of increasingly shoddy products at rock-bottom prices.

Look for more and more low-end guns in response to the price pressures of the big box stores. I'm not talking about the urban myth of "Wal-Mart guns"--I'm talking about 870 Express vs. Wingmaster, Maverick vs. Mossberg, Henry vs. Winchester, etc. I'm not judging the morality of it--if it's what the consumer wants, it's what the consumer gets. Price is going to trump everything, and there will inevitably be consequences for quality. That's just the way it is.

Wal-Mart draws the most heat because they're the biggest and most visible, but the same thing is true of Amazon, etc. Small and mid-size retailers are an endangered species across the board, and if you like them, you'd better enjoy them now because they won't be around much longer.

As for the local retailer who doesn't offer good service, well, he's just committing commercial suicide. It's his only tool of survival, and if he chooses to ignore it for whatever reason, he's doomed.

 

[mike100]

Of the 4 gunshops in north san diego and north Co that I frequent, i'd give at least a B+ grade on even their worst days. Only one is a small regional sporting goods chain.

Maybe it is because of all the shops that went belly up in the late 90's around here which left only the ones that ran a good business.

I have different opinions than one particular old time shop, but have got some good advice on matters of which I wasn't familiar and some a very decent used SG.

Walmart still sells the cheapest birdshot for clays and light upland use. I will admit that i buy it in bulk there.

 

[ShootingStar]

I stopped at one busy shop in Florida. After striking up a conversation and leaning over the counter to check out a few guns, I asked to see one or two. The owner told me to come back behind the counter and handle anything I wanted. :shock: He didn't know me from Adam, and I was stunned! I didn't buy a thing, but as I left he told me to "come back anytime".

A month later a spent 1/2 hour fondling some of the guns, and chatting up the owner of a pawn shop with some semi- interesting stuff. Even though he had nothing I was really interested in that day, he obviously knew guns, I guess he knew I did too, and I think we had a good conversation. I've been back 3-4 times, and one day he'll have a gun that I've always been looking for. :wink:

For the most part, the true gun shops that I've visited over the last year have been friendly and at least somewhat helpful. I'd avoid those that aren't. Of course, start the conversation with a "Wadaya mean you don't stock the new Turkish Turd 600 :twisted: " or "Gimme your best, Wal-Mart beating price on the Piece-O-Crap Express?!", and you'll likely get what you've got coming. :roll:

 

[HuntNshoot]

Scoupe, I think you are on the money. Still, his business decisions are not my fault and I don't expect to be treated like something dogs frequently leave laying on the lawn.

SS, I wasn't including pawn shops with my gun shop comment. I met a great guy once who was managing a pawn shop. I got one good deal from him (and he beat the hell out of me on about four or five others) and we are still friends though he's no longer with the pawn shop. Good hunting and good luck.

 

[duxdog1]

I have bought several guns from local shops, pawn shops, gun shows and if you've read my posts here, Walmart. In fact my last 3 new gun purchases were from Walmart. Fact is nobody in my area sold the guns I wanted or would order them. Walmart either had it in stock (11-87 cammo Sportsman) or would order (11-87 Upland Special & 870 3 1/2" SPS). I could not find any of these guns cheaper on any of the internet sites or gunlist or anywhere else. Bottom line, if I wanted any of these guns, Walmart was my only option. Now, saving a bunch of money didn't bother me one bit. I dropped off a gun at my local smith this week, he now sells a large selection of guns I am interested in. I will pay more to buy from him in the future. He does excellant work & has access to a gun I want, he has earned my buisness, regardless if I have to pay a bit more. The point to my ramblings, I see and understand both sides of this argument. If I were wealthy, Walmart would NEVER get another penny out of me. However, I am a working class dog just working on a retirement so I have to be fiscally prudent.

 

[ShoottheBest]

I have bought several guns from local shops, pawn shops, gun shows and if you've read my posts here, Walmart. In fact my last 3 new gun purchases were from Walmart. I see and understand both sides of this argument. If I were wealthy, Walmart would NEVER get another penny out of me. However, I am a working class dog just working on a retirement so I have to be fiscally prudent.

Very well said!!!

 

[rmg1234]

Mike100 wrote:

Of the 4 gunshops in north san diego and north Co that I frequent, i'd give at least a B+ grade on even their worst days. Only one is a small regional sporting goods chain.

I have had the same experience with the local shops here in San Diego as Mike100 has. Most of my firearm have come from Turner's, a SoCal chain, or Discount Guns, an independent shop. Also all of my dealings have been with courteous, somewhat knowlegable folk. In several shops I have been in the guy I first talked to may not know much about the particular thing I am looking for but they have always been up-front about their lack of knowledge and if possible had another person come over and answer any question's. I can not compare this to buying at Wal-Mart though because Wal-Mart does not sell guns in California. I too though, buy lots of shells etc. there because of their low prices. I too have to watch my money and can not afford to pay more just because of Wal-Mart's reputation. I also shop at Home Depot instead of the little hardware store in town, rent videos from Blockbuster instead of the small video store next to 7-11, and buy my groceries from a large chain instead of the little independent store down the street.

Rick

 

[shotgun minster]

the last time I bought gun related items (ammo to be exact) from a chain store it wasn't worth crap. A friend of mine bought a lawnmower from a chain stroe and the carb was shot. He couldn't get service on it. Look at it this way. If you buy local yea ya pay more hut just consider it to be a "extra service fee." Now I don't know about the rest of you but I'd gladly pay more for the same product if it came with service. That's worth something too. At least in my book anyway.

 

[ron73644]

Do you live in a big town where you don't have to shop at Walmart so much? I know Walmart doesn't give service, but can your local stores beat Walmart's return policy?

 

[jhendri2]

The problem with around here, we only have one gun store close and one other 60+ miles away.

We have to rely on Wal-mart for nearly everything. I try to buy what I can from the gun store, but I'm not going to pay $10 more for a box of shotgun shells, it just doesn't make sense.

I agree with what everyone says about the folks at Wal-Mart not knowing which end is a muzzle, our local one is terrible.

It's really all we got though.

Jim

 

[danurve]

Oh Look ...
It's another Guns from Walmart thread :roll:

 

[tk9828]

No unions is one reason why they can sell cheaper.

 

[Customstox]

Competition drives out those who don't compete, whether the competition is Wal Mart or whoever. Wal Mart just makes a good target for those with poor vision and comprehension.