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Forums10
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Apr 29th, 2024
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Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 15,456 Likes: 86
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 15,456 Likes: 86 |
Myself and some other dealers have come to the conclusion that there are a group of people (a couple on this BBS that we know of. Even though we dealers are competitors, we still are friends, we know who calls all around on making inquiries, but not buy) that they are professional lookers. They email you about a gun, generally the email is this: I am very interested in that gun, do you still have it?
You reply that you do, and that's all you ever hear from them. Nothing.
I have made mention this scenario to my wife, hoping she could explain this.
Her reply was this: They like to ask about guns so they can tell their friends that they are looking at this gun from this dealer and checking about this other one from this other dealer, and maybe interested in this other gun that they saw and so on and so on.
This of course this is impressive to their friends and makes them feel that they are in the game. But they never do anything more that look.
John Boyd The problem is most dealers can't be trusted to list an accurate description...then there are some dealers that don't have the eYe to even see an accurate description.
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 11,384 Likes: 106
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 11,384 Likes: 106 |
The old Britcom Fawlty Towers's character portrayed by John Cleese owned a hotel on the coast of England. His main complaint was that the guests interfered with his ability to run the hotel. Variations of this theme cross many vocations. I've often heard teachers comment that it'd be a great job if it weren't for the students. Might have said that myself, a time or two.
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Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 916 Likes: 1
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 916 Likes: 1 |
The old Britcom Fawlty Towers's character portrayed by John Cleese owned a hotel on the coast of England. His main complaint was that the guests interfered with his ability to run the hotel. Variations of this theme cross many vocations. This gets a "Like" from me. 
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Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 2,862
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 2,862 |
I prefer wood to plastic, leather to nylon, waxed cotton to Gore-Tex, and split bamboo to graphite.
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Joined: May 2015
Posts: 355 Likes: 10
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 355 Likes: 10 |
Arrieta2,
While I sympathize with the frustrations of any man who's trying to make a living, I will say that working through "non-buyer shoppers" issues in the high end gun market, while obviously real, are easier than in other areas. Consider the real estate guy who has to personally ferry people around, spending lots of time (and even money). Or the Ferrari dealer who not only has to gauge the "buyer's" financial state, but also has to let him TRY OUT his product!
In my business I hate going through periods of interest with no traction, but it's the nature of sales. And I gird myself by thinking of how much harder those other kinds of sales are.
The economy is going nowhere but down, and will continue to do so until we flush the toilet of 5 decades worth of fake, Fed-induced cheap money "prosperity." And ALL boats drop when the tide rolls out.
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Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 6,495 Likes: 396
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 6,495 Likes: 396 |
It's the nature of sales. I suspect John may love guns and has found a way to make his living in that arena, but likely doesn't really like sales. At least not retail sales.
I have spent 34 years selling to retailers. While I've been in sales, it was easy to qualify my customers.....they had a store and were in business. However, I got to spend plenty of time watching good retailers work with their customers. Not a job I'd want but watching them work was amazing.
For the very best, as judged by the overall success of their stores over many years, no person was unworthy of their time and attention as they intuitively knew it is impossible to know when that person will come back and buy or what that person may say to someone else.
The world cries out for such: he is needed & needed badly- the man who can carry a message to Garcia
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Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 48
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 48 |
Yes, my experience with professional shoppers, one thing stands out, "if they talk a lot, they buy a little". The more questions someone asks, the more likely they are just lonely or bored and are not going to buy anything. I just love the buyer who emails.... "I'll take it" short , but sweet.
Rapidfire
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Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 6,997 Likes: 402
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 6,997 Likes: 402 |
Very good point James. I worked in a local gunshop some years ago and the proprietor treated everyone as though they might be a potential customer. We were chatting one night after the shop closed up and he recalled a story for me of a customer who came in wearing dirty overalls and no shirt. He mentioned the man was also quite dirty as though he had just finished work on a farm. The shop owner told me how even though the man did not look especially well off he bought several high end rifles with top notch glass on them. Not something you would expect. At the same time I have seen the very same shop owner tell tire kickers where to stick it. He would entertain real questions from potential customers all day long but had zero patience for the looky loos. Running a retail shop is not something I could do. I can certainly understand John's point.
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Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 4,085 Likes: 478
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 4,085 Likes: 478 |
Years ago I had a salesman "cold call" by phone selling ball point pens. He went on and on and I listened to his spiel which involved a lot of fast talking with a Bronx accent. He was good. After concluding, he asked "how many you want?" I told him "none." He chewed my ass out for wasting his time and all I could do was laugh and hang up.
As for not liking "sales", everything one does on a daily basis involves "sales" one way or another if it involves dealing with other people. Gil
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Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 1,639 Likes: 76
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 1,639 Likes: 76 |
I suppose I am one of the guilty ones. I have been calling around looking and pricing a Spanish 20 bore with long 29" or 30" barrels.
I have owned a lot of Spanish guns in the past and know all to well that the depreciation value is great on them and that is why I am still looking.
So sorry guys if I have upset anyone.
Mike Proctor
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