Bad customer service?

[crash_6906]

OK guys, got a question. Say you call a gun store and ask if they have a gun in stock, they say they do, but they're boxed up, going to a gun show. You express interest in buying it and inquire about the price, to which they respond, "the guns are going to the gun show and not coming back". Is there some sort of logical reason for this? Or is it just bad customer service?

 

[Aimless]

No real logic, it is because the suckers who think there is about to be a massive gun ban are out in force at gun shows buying up everything in sight again. They can sell that gun at a gun show for more than you were going to give them most likely. Hurry buy your guns now before the gun ban and there gone forever!!!!11!!!1!111!. Find the gun you want online and find a place who does cheap transfers. No need to do business with fools like the store you called.

 

[Gacowboy]

AMEN^^^^^^

 

[LewisBrookshire]

Dealer's pay a good bit of money to have booths at shows. They obviously want to make the most of thier invested money and have the biggest and best booth they can have....the more guns they have at the show the better. Does not sound like bad customer service to me....especially if the gun is already boxed up and probably on a truck about to head to the show.

 

[timbgtm]

All makes business sense,but local businesses should take care of local customers(atleast give a price for product).If it was my store i would sell right them.No garantee it will sell at show..

 

[crash_6906]

Well I'm not a local customer but I was going to buy the gun over the phone by credit card. I guess frazier's tactical didn't want my business too bad

 

[Chuckdog]

I can see both sides of the coin. I used to work shows many years back, and know how packed things would be at times.

I also went by Frank's Guns in Lindale a few years back to get a Ruger. He had them all packed for a show. I told him that I would wait till the show, or see him the following week.

While Frank had great prices, and I really wanted the Ruger he had that day, I understood. I also found another one at a better deal the next day! So things have a way of working out for the better sometimes?

Some, not all gun show oriented dealers have a way of letting their locals suck hind tit at times. CD

 

[Morgan]

Phil from H&R guns was like that. I never understood it, until I saw them loading for a gun show. Friday around 12, they would start to load their trailer, and spend the next 5 hours loading. (basically the entire store) Then they would spend the weekend at the show and spend the first half of Monday unloading. I can see being hesitant to unload everything to find one gun so a customer can say "no thanks" its got a scratch in the trigger housing.....

 

[Billrube]

It's tough in these times to own a "gun shop" and try to make a living with it. There's not much profit margin selling new guns. From what I can see most dealers make between $50 and $100 profit off of one sale. You figure a basic shop pays $1000 month rent. Figure another $300 per month electricity.
That's thirteen rifles you have to sell just to pay those. When you start looking at paying salaries of three or four people the ante goes up quick just to break even.
A lot of small shops make up their volume at shows.
Case in point: local shop here in Macon. I had all my transfers done with them $25 a pop, bought several AKs/SKSs/Mosins and handguns from this shop. When I changed jobs, my hours were such that I could only make it to the shop on Fridays after 12.00noon. My first trip after starting the new job, they had the truck and trailer loaded, shelves and cases were empty. This was every Friday. So, needless to say I couldn't spend money with them even if I wanted to.
I completely understand their perspective; they've got a show in say...North Georgia or Savannah that's 3+hours away. They want to the truck loaded, get to the show venue, get it unloaded and set up so they've time to rest that evening. You start packing at 11.00am, get done around 2.00pm. Three hours puts you there at around 5.00pm. At least 3 more hours to set up and it's 8.00pm. Most of these venues have a time cut off in the evening too.
Should they have kept everything on the shelf until closing time on Friday so little ole' me can come in and look around? No, of course not.
But it should be noted that this shop is now closed and out of business.

I would love to run a gun shop. However, I would hate to try and make a living at it. That's why shops with ranges, or pawn/gun shops seem to be able to stay afloat better than many small shops.

 

[potenza]

you wanted a gun they had already sold? Maybe the new S&W Shield? They probably had it sold. Fraziers is a good place and willing to work with folks. I never have had a problem with them and never bought a gun over the phone from a local shop.