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rant about houston gun shops

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  • rubberdown

    New Member
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    Feb 13, 2009
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    I am starting to become agitated by all the BS currently going on at pretty much every gun shop around town. I went to purchase a shotgun, and was listening to sales folks feed people obviously new to guns lines about how you wont be able to buy a shotgun soon, Obama will take care of that, etc etc. I realize that some laws may come into effect pertaining to collapsable stocks and the amount of rounds your firearm can hold, but literally every shop I went into, except one who is a sponsor of this forum, is basically full of crap and feeding off fear and ignorance to sell things. Now, I understand the concept of supply and demand, being a sales person, etc, but shops are basically flat out lying about what may or may not happen to folks to get them to buy guns. Are other people witnessing this as well? Does this seem wrong to other people, or am I just being a sensitive sally? I witnessed the same thing soon after 9/11 and was offended by that as well. I mean seriously, "your anti-terrorist headquarters?!?!?!" In any case I am waiting to get my firearm purchased from CDNN at my FFL for literally half price shipped and with FFL fees of what I saw at local shops. They were WAY over MSRP. CRAZY!
    Military Camp
     

    Gentoo

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    Jan 11, 2009
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    I totally agree with the OP. It is disgraceful, and as I said in another post, makes us as a community look like fools.

    Frankly, I don't understand how many gun shops stay in business. When I see local stores selling rifles at literally twice the price of everyone else, I have to wonder where they get their business from. Are there that many people so ignorant they cant go to gunbroker or spend 10 minutes on the net finding a dealer who will ship at a lower price?
     

    jfrey

    Active Member
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    Apr 8, 2008
    419
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    Coastal Texas
    Houston gun shops

    I personally only shop at one store in Houston. Their prices are a little high, but they have stock not found in other places. I normally go in and see the same salesperson if he is working. I have been in there when he wasn't in and some of the other guys aren't very friendly either. My father-in-law went in there one day to buy a pistol and the sales guy acted so disinterested we walked out empty handed. This is a customer who can afford anything in the store without asking the price. I had to really work to get him back in the store and I made sure ahead of time that MY guy was there that day.

    Most of the time I shop in Victoria or Wharton. The selection isn't the same but the prices are better on what they have.
     

    redneckinmontrose

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    Nov 16, 2008
    40
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    Reference 1st Freedom April 2009

    I realize that that I might receive my mail before some people. However as you are responsible firearms owners and undoubtedly NRA members, if you would please read the article beginning on page 40, you will see the point of the shop owners rhetoric.

    Will they hang us one by one or will we all stand together?
     

    Peter M. Eick

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    Mar 9, 2008
    124
    1
    Houston
    I think the key thing is to buy from the same place and the same salesman and develop a relation ship with them. I always go to the same 2 stores, Fountain and Collector's and buy from the same salesmen every time. I have been doing it that way for almost 20 years now and by doing this I feel I get preferential treatment.

    They know that if I am there, I am there to buy and not waste their time. They know I will pay cash and it is all about price. Most of the time I get pretty decent discounts on the list price but there are times that I knew I could get it cheaper so I passed. Nothing personal, just business and they knew it.

    So my question back to you, how good of a customer have you been to the stores? How much repeat business do you give them?

    Just some food for thought.
     

    CJS3

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    Nov 30, 2008
    117
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    Katy
    When you treat people like crap, they don't care if you hang by yourself.

    Local retailers act as though they don't need you as a customer. I understand reacting badly when you perceive walk ins as only there to get a demo before they buy off the net, but in the current sales situation, that should'nt be a factor. Everything is running off the shelves, and the retailers should be building a future customer base with back orders and add on sales. Instead they are too busy having a break to talk to you, or "that's not my section, and I don't know when he'll be back", or there's no money for me, selling that add on.

    I was treated VERY badly at a long established Houston chain a few years ago, and I 've gone back about every two years, just to see if things have changed. They haven't. They were recently named in a civil suit regarding a slain police officer, and I hope the widow ends up owning the place.

    Stand together or hang alone? If you stand for something, and WANT to have someone to stand with you, then treat them as though you want them there.

     

    navyguy

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    Oct 22, 2008
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    DFW Keller
    Only once did I have that said to me at a gun shop. I looked the guy right in the eye and said, well "I guess you better update your resume" He looked back at me like a deer in the head lights. :p
     

    kingofwylietx

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    Feb 29, 2008
    1,424
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    DFW area.....Wylie.
    I feel fortunate to not have experienced any bad manners at gun shops. I have had to wait for my turn, or be a little assertive to get immediate help, but nobody has ever been rude or disinterested in my business. I wonder if most of this is caused by just a few bad salesmen?

    The next time somebody tells you it's not their job, immediately ask to speak to the manager. He should clear things up very quickly as to who should be doing what.

    There are a lot of employees that don't understand their job is not a short list of duties, but rather a responsibility to help the business succeed and prosper.
     

    txjustin

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    Mar 8, 2009
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    Rosenberg
    I personally only shop at one store in Houston. Their prices are a little high, but they have stock not found in other places. I normally go in and see the same salesperson if he is working. I have been in there when he wasn't in and some of the other guys aren't very friendly either. My father-in-law went in there one day to buy a pistol and the sales guy acted so disinterested we walked out empty handed. This is a customer who can afford anything in the store without asking the price. I had to really work to get him back in the store and I made sure ahead of time that MY guy was there that day.

    Most of the time I shop in Victoria or Wharton. The selection isn't the same but the prices are better on what they have.

    Wharton? Please don't say carrolls...they are sky high!
     

    DCortez

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    Jan 28, 2009
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    Houston, Cy-Fair
    Wharton? Please don't say carrolls...they are sky high!

    I almost stopped in there on Monday on my way back from Victoria, guess I lucked out that they were closed. Are they on par with Gander Mountain, or higher?

    You ever see that guy that sells metal art work down by loop 463?
     

    mortdooley

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    Jul 25, 2008
    269
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    Texas Gulf Coast
    The only problem I have with Houston Gun Shops is that there are not as many as there were a few years ago. As for some of the comments here I must say that in my experience Carters has always been fairly priced, well stocked and polite, Collector Firearms prices never looked like a bargain when I was there and I once saw one of their people offer a customer $100 for a high dollar bolt action. However lately I am guilty of buying from major dealers at gun shows and Academy rather then the local stores.
     

    jfrey

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    Apr 8, 2008
    419
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    Coastal Texas
    For reasons I can't explain, my wife seems to make good deals at carrols. I can't do near as well as she can. I think it has something to do with being the daughter of a car dealer, HaHa. What ever it is, I stop for the jerky across the road. Best I've found.
     

    GM.Chief

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    Mar 16, 2009
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    My wife and I are new to guns. We have been shopping around for several months between different shops and online. We tend to be the type of people who do our homework and try to learn as much as we can. We're well aware that there is so much you can't learn unless you just get out there and try, but we're also well aware of the fact that you can't beat experience. The first gun shop we went to was in Conroe to try and talk to someone with experience. We tried to go in during mid-morning hours on a weekday so that we wouldn't be taking up their time when there are other customers. Before we went in, we had felt we were ready to purchase a gun, but the whole time we were there the guy treated us like we were idiots. I understand that for them it's just a job, but that doesn't mean that it's ok to talk down to people "because you know it all". His attitude lost his company some sales. As far as using fear tactics to sell guns, I think that the mass population is worried enough without having to egg it on.
     

    dbgun

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    Mar 17, 2008
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    Houston, TX.
    The only gun shop I've bought from in the Houston area, has been Carter's Country in Pasadena & the SW Freeway. I guess I've been lucky, because I've always seemed to have good customer service. Of course I've been in there when they were extremley busy, and luckly I wasn't looking to buy anything. I can see where I might get some bad customer service then. If I get treated bad at any place, that I'm planning on spending money, I'll go somewheere else. Just my $.02
     

    Seabear1500

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    Mar 21, 2009
    316
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    Corpus Christi
    I personally only shop at one store in Houston. Their prices are a little high, but they have stock not found in other places. I normally go in and see the same salesperson if he is working. I have been in there when he wasn't in and some of the other guys aren't very friendly either. My father-in-law went in there one day to buy a pistol and the sales guy acted so disinterested we walked out empty handed. This is a customer who can afford anything in the store without asking the price. I had to really work to get him back in the store and I made sure ahead of time that MY guy was there that day.

    Most of the time I shop in Victoria or Wharton. The selection isn't the same but the prices are better on what they have.
    \\

    Most of the shops here in Corpus are really unfriendly and over priced. I was up in Housotn recently and on the way home stoped in at Carrol's and the next shop South. Both were very friendly and the prices at Carrol's were reasonable. Wish they were closer. Any other shops in that area I should check out next time?
     

    jfrey

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    Apr 8, 2008
    419
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    Coastal Texas
    SeaBear, the next time you are this way, stop in at Don's Firearms in Victoria. He is north of Hwy.59 on Hwy 87, in town. I have dealt with Don and his crew a lot and his prices are pretty wel in line with most other places. He has the biggest selection in this area. My wife gets better deals from him than I do. He always has hot coffee in the pot for customers too.
     

    Sneakyabn

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    Dec 9, 2008
    22
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    Pasadena
    Gentalmen,


    First, let me say thanks to all of you for supporting the gun industry right now in these trying times. Second, and I am in NO way condoning the actions of some Gun shop owners and employees. I am a Manager for a Houston Area Gunstore( one I won't mention since we are not a site sponser...YET), and I am appalued by some of the treatment that the general public recieves from some of these other owners/employees. This Gentalmen, is how I make my living, this is how I feed my family, why others in my industry can think they can hand out crap service and get away with it is beyond me. I try to provide as good customer service as I would expect If i were in the same position. There are a few shops in the area that do this as well. Again, I am in no way defending the others.
    However, In todays political and financial climate with everyone(including non "GUN" people) scrambling for everything they can get there hands on we all are getting bombarded with some of the most assinine questions and comments from such a wide area of individuals( we could write books on these and you still wouldn't believe them) it is hard to maintain a smile and up beat attitude sometimes, we are human after all. We have both good and bad days as well. We sometimes carry the problems we have at home and other places to work with us, we may not mean to but we do. Again I am in no way defending these people as I view them with as much disdain as you all do.
    I would like for all of you to remember a few things though. Remember the dealers out there that during this time that are price gouging people, both at shops ,Gunshows and the internet. We may not have the best prices on somethings but our mark up has remained the same since the big buying spree has hit. We have not and will not mark a Romanian AK up to 700 dollars as I have seen at the shows. Remember that yes you may be able to save 10 or 15 dollars on something over the net, but you still have to pay shipping and where do you take it when you can't install it or you have a problem with it. Remember shops that have been around for a long time and hopefully be around for a long time to come. And above all else remember that we are all human and all have our faults, and as "Gun people" we are all in this togeather.
     
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