What are your show pet peeves?

[EricRoyce]

My company went to our first gun show this weekend and we couldn't have been happier with the sales. We hit our quota within the first half of the first day. I was just wondering what some of your pet peeves are from vendors at gun shows so I can better train my employees to avoid these mistakes.

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[308]

The only thing I can think of is an employee who jumps to conclusions about the customer standing in front of him/her assuming they are not well informed. One other is the use of profanity. I took my wife to a shop out in our area (Sandy, Oregon) and the jackwad behind the counter couldn't stop f-bombing while he was helping my wife with a holster. We have never been back and will never go back because of that one incident. Plenty of other shops around town nowadays.

 

[Caveman Jim]

What 308 said, treating gun buying customers like they are idiots because they are not as knowledgeable in the gun world. Education done right is KEY!!!!
And trying to sell above and beyond what a customer wants..... hard to justify buying a Kimber if they cannot afford one......

 

[Member 5605]

Humility goes a long ways.

 

[Member 34319]

Only peeve I have against gun shows when I used to go to then was the prices. Not sure if that has changed over the last three years since I've gone to one. It always saddened me to see folks that likely don't do their own research getting raped because they don't know any better.

Then again I never tried to bargain or see if these vendors would go back to a reasonable price. I just saw the 100-300 dollar over normal price on the tag, and walked away.

 

[PrDubi]

My peeve is customers telling me they can get that item for cheaper and better.
I had one customer tell me that and then buys it....it was a custom tactical belt..
Comes back to us in half a year and buys out belt that is made.
Same with products.

Go buy it cheaper and if you feel it is better..good deal...

 

[slimmer13]

Getting muzzle swept

 

[308]

Getting muzzle swept

Yeah, that and the customers finger going instantly to the trigger.

 

[Diamondback]

Nazis. I hate those guys on a level that makes Indiana Jones look warm 'n' fuzzy toward 'em...

 

[Sgt Nambu]

Yeah, that and the customers finger going instantly to the trigger.

Yes, I get that. However, I ask if I can drop the "hammer."
If permission isn't granted, "thanks, have a great day!"
No trigger test, no purchase, vendors, buy some snap caps!

 

[Just Jim]

Put price tags on that are easy to read and keep them turned right. Smile, ugly drives people away. Doesn't matter how you feel, the people walking by want a friendly face. If lots of people are just walking on by then check your fly

 

[Mike Honcho]

For me, congestion at the tables (not sure how one goes about solving that), and in general lack of quality products (this is more or less pertaining to accessories and optics) . I understand the demographic in the area dictates what a vendor will sell, but for the love of god some of us will drop the money for a genuine aimpoint with a larue/bobro/adm mount.

It would be nice to have some of these on hand for the consumer who is looking for more than another Chinese knock off optic.

Then there is prices, the sooner some vendors realize that they do in fact need to be competitive with internet prices the sooner gun shows will become popular again.
From my point of view why would I buy 10 pmags at a show for a 180 dollars when I can get them online for 140 plus shipping?
In the world of smart phones and constant internet access, people are slowly becoming a little more informed of what a good price point is.

To be honest the last gun show I attended in Oregon was at rickreel around 4 to 5 years ago, it became apparent that (for the reasons mentioned above) that they were no longer worth my time and money to attend. I did how ever go to the Tulsa gun show 2 years ago and it really was a breath of fresh air.

On a side note, I always did enjoy people watching at the shows, every gun owner stereotype under one roof.

 

[Diamondback]

Speaking for myself, before I do anything handling a weapon I make the appropriate request first. "Could I take a look at XYZ? Would you please open the action and Show Clear? Excuse me while I check Clear myself just for safety... Would you mind if I try the bolt/slide/equivalent? Do you have a snap-cap and would you mind if I checked the trigger?"

Of course, once done, the return is "I'm going to open the action and Show Clear, would you please check and confirm Clear status? Thank you, have a nice day." Generally a little politeness and a lot of attention to safety go a long way in my meager experience.

 

[DuneHopper]

My two petpeeves when the guy you know who Iam talking about has to talk loud enough so every one knows he knows what he is talking about. It can be a seller or a buyer but always happens its just annoying because there are areas of expertise at these shows I also go there to see and find stuff I do not know about. Love to learn.
Two, is prices I enjoy going to the shows usually it me and the sons both are older and can buy there own so its an event and we usually grab lunch. But I seldom have found a great deal on anything remotely new. Now on older stuff I have done well got a nice mint 12GA stamped Winchester / Sears and was about 40 years old for 90.00 shoots awesome . Things like that but new stuff I seldom find anything new that is priced any different then Cabelas or a local store.

 

[EricRoyce]

Thanks guys this has all been great feedback. We didn't raise our prices for the show, we kept them the same as they are online for us and in fact lowered most of them which pissed off other people selling 22LR which we sold out of. I'm not going to bend someone over for a 100 round box of 22LR which we sold for $7.99 and made plenty on just because the table next to us was pissed because they had it listed for $13.99.

Overall it went well. The guys took a lot of notes and brought them back. The only trouble they had was one couple that claimed that could get one box for less than we could get it wholesale from a local store. Every once and a while those people that try to get you to price match fake prices will pop up.

Here is a good one for the flagging.

 

[Bajablast]

Too much "SHOW", not enough "GUN".

If you were one of the 'Gun" related vendors, more power to you and thanks.

As for the multiple 'non gun vendors', this is the reason I quit going to Portland shows. That and the high parking cost. I'll stick to Hillsboro shows, or my local dealers.

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The world is full of Kings and Queens, who blind your eyes and steal your dreams. It's Heaven and Hell.....

 

[Mikej]

The only thing I can think of is an employee who jumps to conclusions about the customer standing in front of him/her assuming they are not well informed. One other is the use of profanity. I took my wife to a shop out in our area (Sandy, Oregon) and the jackwad behind the counter couldn't stop f-bombing while he was helping my wife with a holster. We have never been back and will never go back because of that one incident. Plenty of other shops around town nowadays.

What 308 said, treating gun buying customers like they are idiots because they are not as knowledgeable in the gun world. Education done right is KEY!!!!
And trying to sell above and beyond what a customer wants..... hard to justify buying a Kimber if they cannot afford one......

Or maybe I, I mean, THEY are idiots? Or just not in the know, newbies to firearms. As a seller it's your job to know the difference between a seasoned firearms enthusiast and someone new to firearms. Putting up with the idiot and giving good solid info will gain you a customer for life!
I dealt with one of those vendors at the OAC show, guy about bit my head off while I was just trying to learn about an old rifle I had and wanted to sell, trying to figure value as I had absolutely no idea. I was ready to walk out and another vendor said "How are you today?". I told him and he suggested someone at another table. Short of the story...The other guy was a sweetheart, answered all questions, and I walked outta the show with $4400.00 in my pocket, well, less as I was able to purchase the pre m-36 S&W chiefs Special I'd eyeballed from the guy that put me on the buyer! I WILL be seeing these two again if I have a chance and they were no where near PDX!

My peeve is customers telling me they can get that item for cheaper and better.
I had one customer tell me that and then buys it....it was a custom tactical belt..
Comes back to us in half a year and buys out belt that is made.
Same with products.

Go buy it cheaper and if you feel it is better..good deal...

^^^ That's just "People"! As I said above, it's your job to make people feel good about talking to you. If it really ticks you off and you respond rudely you can bet that person won't be back, unless you're the only game in town.

People can suck and Portland DOES suck, that's for sure, but that's where the money comes from unless you're independently wealthy.

 

[PrDubi]

It doesn't piss me off nor does it rankle me at all, if people can find it for cheaper. .go ahead...find it cheaper.

People fail to realize that it is an investment to sell at the show which cost me 150 to 250 for a table. Now I gotta make that up in the first day selling stuff

End of day...if you are complaining about prices....go to another table...

I work fine with customers who don't have a chip on their shoulders and are willing to talk it out nicely but my experience at the shows for over 30 years in Oregon, Washington, California and Arizona, there are people who really should have taken a class on etiquette and manners and maybe a bath or two and instead of spending it trying to find ammo, go top off your medication instead of telling me. I once at a show in Arizona had a customer who was just not having a great day, as he was trying to find medication prescription, I closed my table and we went looking for it in his hoarders vehicle. Found it after half an hour..he got his meds,came back to the show and proceeded to buy every survivalist item I had on my table which wasn't much but he was appreciative of my effort.
Respect comes with respect back.
Hell, I've lost sales on items I ran out off and I redirected the customer to my competitors that had it in stock at the shows. But if a customer is loud abusive and rude to me..it will be returned in equal change.

 

[Jeedia]

Mine is treat every cutomer like they are going to buy it. I have had around a thousand bucks ready to spend on a gun that the seller had in stock at asking price, and the sales people would either be Impatient or flat out rude so I would look else where.

 

[Diamondback]

Sounds like something Uncle Frank used to do: he'd deliberately put on his oldest and most worn clothes when he was going out to buy a car, to test the salespeople. If they bum-rushed him he walked off the lot, if they were courteous he'd let 'em start in about the finance guys and then whip out a wad of cash that would choke a horse, saying "I want to pay cash, in full, right here and now."