Improving my LGS

>>33334062
Knowledge, SURPLUS MOTHERFUCKERS, odd shit (I'll buy ammo I've never seen because fuck it, it's cool) and also reloading supplies.

Call me a moron but nobody ever seems to have any surplus rifles or pistols anymore.

File: ][onpk l.jpg (27KB, 480x360px) Image search: [Google]

27KB, 480x360px

>>33334062
Just BE NICE. I'm so tired of walking into a store, stand around for 10 minutes waiting for the employees to finish their conversation and then get treated like they don't want my business.

Fuck, it's the reason I tend to prefer the nearby sporting goods store over my LGS for ammo because at least they'll take my money with no attitude.

>>33334074
Surplus is pretty hard to buy into at this point. Most of the golden age of surplus shit is long gone.

I've got fucking everything when it comes to reloading. My shop's bullet section is almost as large as the ammunition section, and I try to keep at least 10 pounds of every powder in existence on the shelf.

>>33334102
I realized a long time ago that customer service is just about the only real advantage of an LGS. We set up a "lounge" in front of the gun counter and encourage customers to come in, drink coffee, and shoot the shit all the time. It's about the friendliest environment we could make it.

>>33334062
I like when the store is clean, everything is clearly marked, the prices are reasonable and the employees are attentive without being intrusive.

For products there's not much you probably don't already carry, decent holsters, flashlights, mounts ect.

>>33334074
You don't see surplus because it's mostly gone. In about 20ish years there will be no more caches left.

>>33334062
Try a promotion related to FFL transfers?

>>33334062
Product differentiation. Carry interesting stuff that the big box fags don't consider. Good deals on used guns are also a huge draw for me personally. Seeing unreasonably priced used inventory at a lgs really rustles my jimmies, but I'll come back to a place with reasonable prices and a revolving used gun selection.

>>33334129
My grandfather (the business owner) wouldn't sign off on a promotion like that, and I get why.

Shop is located less than 2 hours from Mexico border and local city is full of gangbangers; he doesn't want to transfer guns to the riffraff.

>>33334062

Undercut online retailers by 10 percent and don't use the gay cash discount excuse to overcharge by 3-4%. Take the hit and run an honest business.

Maybe jig and tool rentals for 80% lowers?

>>33334147
>go bankrupt for reasons
Okay.

>>33334102
This. Have friendly, non-dick employees who actually have an idea of what they're doing (customer service) and what they're talking about (sales/know your products, etc).

Good selection (and i don't mean 600 1911's), and for fuck's sake if you're keeping long guns behind the counter, have the price tag facing outwards and the name/model big/bold enough so i can read it from the other side of the counter.

Also, keep non-shit hours. This "closed on saturday and monday, open til 2pm on tuesdays. but 5pm on sundays and wednesdays and thursdays. only open on friday if it's an equinox or solstice" shit has to stop.

File: 1479447813257.gif (1MB, 234x280px) Image search: [Google]

1MB, 234x280px

>>33334062
Do you guys do any gunsmithing? Maybe that'll help.

>>33334147
Yeah dude, just let me sell guns for less than I pay for them.

If I undercut buds by 10% I make a fantastic -$90 dollars.

>>33334062
>What does /k/ look for in a good LGS?

>reasonably priced FFL transfers
>well priced defensive ammo primarily Gold Dots and HST's
>a wide selection of the less "common" guns like HK's, Berettas and not-shit AR's instead of Glock and S&W (not bashing Glock or S&W)
>friendly and knowledgeable people behind the counter that aren't there to push you into buying a .40 S&W Shield and calling you a homo for not wanting a 1911
>doesn't sell serpa holsters

>>33334166

Maybe you're a shit businessman then. If you're buying guns for retail and then selling them for the same, how do you make any money? Learn how to find guns for cheap and then sell them for retail. Are you that dumb? No wonder your business sucks.

>>33334062
Does your shop also have a range? I've watched all my local shops close when the shop with the range opened up . If you do have a range, have promotions to bring more shooters in.
Carry fucking everything. I hate when I go to shop to fingerfuck a gun and they don't have it.
Carry lots of AR shit and lowers.
Carry AKs other than american made garbage.
Make sure the staff know fucking anything, and that they're not spreading false and possibly unsafe information to naive customers. This gets to me the most. I've corrected clerks as they were talking to a customer cause I couldn't stand what they were spreading.
Bulk ammo at a price that I can't find online cheaper.
Custom kydex maker always available.
Gunsmith on hand. An actual gunsmith, not just some guy that can build an AR and take down a glock. I mean an actual gunsmith.

>>33334175
Yeah dude, totally. A local gunshop has the same buying power as a huge warehouse retailer.

Buds gunshop sells pistols for $40 dollars more than the average gunshop can buy them at warehouse prices.

I don't sell anything retail price. I don't buy anything retail price. There's less than a 15% markup on every gun in my shop.

File: 1464647991950.jpg (155KB, 700x714px) Image search: [Google]

155KB, 700x714px

>>33334062
Do you guys have an online store?

>>33334157
>Good selection (and i don't mean 600 1911's), and for fuck's sake if you're keeping long guns behind the counter, have the price tag facing outwards and the name/model big/bold enough so i can read it from the other side of the counter.
This, fucking this. I hate straining my neck, leaning over counter to see a tag that's not even facing me. Also hate when they carry 600 1911's but not the gun i'm trying to find.
>>33334173
>>doesn't sell serpa holsters
This, same with uncle mikes.

>>33334211
Nah, but I'm building an online shop for our oddball ammunition. We kind of specialize in finding the hard to find cowboy loads and weird ammo.

>>33334221
I'm actually looking into a new holster source at the moment. I've bought a few 1791 holsters and I used to carry Tagua shit.

Any recommendations?

>>33334211
This. It might be a hassle, but it makes a big difference. There's two LGS in my area, and though I like one of the owners a bit better, I'm more likely to go to the other since he has a website with their inventory.

Maybe that's a dumb reason, but I like knowing they have the gun without having to call, or them being mistaken on some small feature like it being DA/SA when I wanted something else.

>>33334289
gonna third this, having an online presence can really make a difference.

>goupon
>run promotions with boy scout troups
>if you teach classes like defensive carry leave business cards at hair salons
>bumper stickers of your store name and decal, order for like 50 cents in mass, sell for a dollar, they will sell
>get large tv, play gun reviews demolition ranch type shit from youtube, as people are shopping they'll look up and be like damn! thats so cool I want that gun/ammo
>get one of the car lot dancing inflatable things

>>33334258
Like I stated here >>33334197
Custom kydex

>>33334316

he's trying to run a guns tore not a Gamestop /v/.

>>33334327
He's not wrong though. The bumper sticker thing is a bit cringeworthy, but there's a lot of dumbshits that eat that stuff up.

>>33334062
>it's slow for everybody around this time of year.
no it's not. it's tax season and people are buying like crazy right now.

>>33334062
>be close to online prices for guns
>price match reputable online stores like buds
>only sell ammo "slightly" overpriced, like 10% higher than what's considered reasonable
>offer free installation when people buy accessories/modification from you
>offer bulk discounts for ammo and reloading supplies
>stock distributor exclusive edition guns
>tell your staff not to shit talk about brands they don't like, especially if you stock it yourselves (retail 101 stuff)
>remove your "no loaded firearms" faggot liberal sign from the window (if you have one)
>be open on a Sunday
>sell guns for people on consignment

That would be a dream LGS for me. I know some that are close, but no single one ticks every box yet.

>>33334359
Slow for everyone in my area. There's no seasons on and most of the business is local ranch guides and tourist hunters.

>>33334327
running a business is running a business, its all about people knowing your store exist. you want your store name to come up in a story about where a guy got a good deal. You want other mall ninjas to ask other mall ninjas what that sticker is next to the HK sticker. All those middle age women that are slightly interested in getting a concealed carry permit cause the "world is scary now a days", guess what, they all look at groupon religiously and trust anything they read at their salon. People are impressionable. I watch the review of civil defense liberty ammunition, guess what, I suddenly want a box.

>>33334139
Where's your shop, OP? If it's in AZ, I could see making a trip down south sometime soon

>>33334123
>Over time gun store slowly turns into cafe
>5 years later some Jamal thinks he should hold up a Starbucks full of white girls for some apple products
>Ashley, and Karen fill him full of 45 STOPPIN' POWAH
>Everybody claps

>>33334106
>>33334126
Don't say that.
I just want to live in denial and ask where it all went...

>>33334258
>Any recommendations?

Raven Concealment, Safariland and maybe even some Stealth Gear stuff. Try to become a distributor for Raven Concealment.

>>33334062
Why I don't go to gun stores:
- Nearly everything is SIGNIFICANTLY overpriced. I'm not going to pay +20-40% on everything in the store just to "support my LGS."
- Rude employees. Don't belittle me or act like I'm wasting your time. You're in retail, 9/10 people ARE wasting your time and the other 1/10 are people like me walking out with full wallets. Pretend 10/10 are me and that won't happen.
- Customers < Friends. If I'm standing in front of one gun for 5 minutes and you can't take a conversation break to make a sale, why the fuck are you paying for a business license?
- Transfers costing more than $25. Seriously, blow me. You aren't even filling out the paperwork or doing the background check, I and the FBI are.
- "Can't get that." Bull shit fucko, you can order anything on the internet and chances are even if you aren't a dealer for a particular brand you can still get dealer pricing from a distributor. Let your fingers do the walking, or my legs will.
- Open 4 days a week from 11:30 - 3:30. If you can't keep a shop open for an entire business day, don't have a shop at all.
- Won't haggle on used guns. Your profit margin is thin on new guns, fine, but you won't even buy a used gun unless you push the previous owner's shit in, so don't give me the hairy eye when I won't pay $650 for a shredded Taurus.
- "Nazi marked" West German PP, "rare" S&W 686, "special color" 10/22, "hard to find" Nugget, "bring back" Chinese SKS, etc. Nigger, a 1969 Walther PP isn't a rare NSDAP party gun Hitler used to an hero, it was made in France by Manurhin. I ain't paying $1,666.66.

So I guess just don't do those. Out of maybe 35 gun stores within 60 miles there are only 2 which I will visit, the only 2 that don't do any of those things.

>>33334390
sounds like a shitty place to open a business

>>33334664
I didn't pick it.

The upside is that business is killer from late august to january.

File: 20170201_204031.jpg (3MB, 3512x2984px) Image search: [Google]

3MB, 3512x2984px

>>33334616
You're so fucking right on all of those points, took me years to find an LGS that actually cared about people's business

>Turned 21 and visited a new shop, employees were awesome and let me fingerfuck some 1911's while just being really nice about the questions that I had. Then the owner comes out and plays happy birthday for me on a bugle, then gives me and my dad each a nice multitool for free. It's nothing that I ever expected, but they for sure have me as a customer for life.

>pic related my bday present

>>33334231
Have a fucking online inventory of everything you have and update it immediately. Make it slick and easy to navigate but not shitty or fancy.

All these goddamn fudds hardly ever have an online section and they never keep it updated. Like, how hard is it to list which guns you have and how many? From Glocks to milsurp, I want to see what you have online without having to call you at your stupid short hours. If I see something I like, then I will call or go in

>t. guy who called every fucking gunshop in AZ on a Friday afternoon looking for an SKS

It's all in the staff. If they have basic social skills it makes it infinitely harder for the average joe to walk out empty handed. If the clerk is outright rude or ignoring them it makes it a lot easier to justify buying plinking ammo at the walmart or cabelas down the road. That probably isn't an issue for yourself, since you have the self awareness to ask what to do to improve your store, but it's something to keep in mind for other staff you may have.

A lot of the people in this thread are saying what is basically "have every gun in existence in stock at all times" but I have a much more jewish alternative. When someone walks into the store and says "do you have x?" Instead of telling them "we can order that for you and charge you much more than most online stores" tell them: "we can order that for you to finger fug and if you don't like it, then we'll just keep it in stock and you won't be out money for a gun you didn't want" Chances are if it's an uncommon gun and they're asking for it by name and caliber, they already made the decision to buy it, but they couldn't find it on the interjew.

If you want to get into elder god tier jewing you could save expensive defensive rounds boxes and match grade round boxes and handload them.

>>33334849
Well we have a floating inventory of about a thousand firearms, so it is a little difficult to keep an online record of it.

I could probably do this sorta thing for used guns, but keeping the entire inventory online would never get approved by the owner. It'd take a shitload of time to set up and it's a security issue when you're as close to the border as I am.

>>33334984

Stocking guns based on a single customer maybe deciding to buy it isn't a good plan. Typically, if I get at least two different customers ask about the same gun I'll put one on the shelf, otherwise I'll offer to order it.

>>33334616
What's significantly overpriced in your eyes? My shop typically comes in around 20 to 60 dollars over what you'd find at Buds or Cheaper Than Dirt.

If I say I "can't get that" it means that all my distributors are out of stock and the manufacturer is backordered. and I'll say so. This shit happens CONSTANTLY. I've yet to find a distributor or manufacturer that can actually keep popular shit in stock. I'm a stocking dealer for Colt, Ruger, S&W, CZ, Benelli, Weatherby, Henry, and Howa alongside nine distributors and there's still shit I can't ever find for people.

>What can I do to make the shop better?
Sponsor Australians for green cards.

You might not make the shop better, but you'll make the community bant-, err, better.

>>33334616

Change your name tripcuck you're a fucking embarassment. I bet you're as much of a turbo liberal as Michael Gross anyway.

>>33335028
Get roll of barcodes and a USB scanner, barcode everything, put it in the database, scan out on sale. Cataloguing a thousand guns might take 15 hours, but it'd be worth it.

On the online system, if you don't want the entire inventory viewable, then maybe make a search that only pulls up ten or so gun records at a time. Any more, it'll give you options to filter the guns by, or just show "a sample of the guns we have In Store Everyday at LOW LOW prices... Everyday!™ :D"

Anything to help your web presence is probably worthwhile, even for people in the local area. I hate when I can't find any information about a local business.

Build parties if they buy a flat through you with a gunsmith on hand can make the average Joe build a parts kit instead of worrying about buying jigs and tools he might use once.
A free lesson thrown in is drawing first time buyers to my local fun shop, but they already have instructors and run competitions.

All of the things that we want will lose business.

What keeps gunshops afloat is pandering to tacticool mallninjas and 50% markup glocks.

>>33334139
South texas?

>>33334197
>this much autism
I can almost smell your unwashed, cheetos-stained fedora all the way from the counter.

Also, don't wear a trench coat in summer. it stinks.

>do you have a range?
>do you do gun smithing?
>do you have ammo?
>do you have cleaning supplies?
>do you have safes?
>do you have holsters, cases, bags?
>do you have optics and weapon accessories?
>are the costs of transfers reasonable?
>do you do free firearms defense and law classes for women?(seriously free classes for women always brings in a few)
>do you have glocks, savage rifles, mossberg shotguns, S&W Ar15s, WASR AKs, S&W revolvers, ruger .22lr firearms, and CZs?
>do you have well priced used firearms for sale?

>>33334175

>i don't understand economies of scale

>>33334316
All of these are good things, but also make sure you make fun of social justice warriors, and offer a class taught solely by females with only female students, bitches eat that shit up fast and hard.

>>33334153
Isn't renting out equipment to manufacture firearms illegal?
Wouldnt want OP's dog to get shot.

>>33335972
Manufacturing for others is. But if they use it themselves for themselves ie not for sale it's fine.

File: money god.png (16KB, 262x238px) Image search: [Google]

16KB, 262x238px

>>33334062
educate them, plaster the walls and counters with informative graphics on slavshit or just modern sporting stuff in general

a chart covering the basics is a good idea too.

if you want you can keep forgottenweapons videos playing on a loop on a monitor too

File: 1476151935360.jpg (23KB, 722x747px) Image search: [Google]

23KB, 722x747px

>>33334062
knowlegadle but open minded salesmen
>hey im looking to get this kind of gun
>what? Naw you want this instead sure its a few hundred dollars more but its better in my opinion
>no, Id really prefer that other one actually sir
>>dude, trust me, THIS is the way to go

then I spend 5 minutes trying to sell the salesmen on what I fucking want. Granted my closest store is full of fudds but still.
I feel even worse for the newbies or the women coming in here. Have some knowledge about everything and unless I ask for it or its a really shitty idea, keep your goddamn opinion to yourself

>>33335972
>>33336205
and you cna't just rent a CNC machine already programmed.

>>33336238
They probably figure they have a moral obligation to try to keep you from fucking up with $300 or $500.

>>33336222
Really OP, if you educate them, they can make a better informed decision on what they really want--and then you're in the right place at the right time.

>>33334062
good ammo. especially 10mm.

free coffee for everyone, and free range time for police.

>>33336238
arrogant salesmen are a turnoff. if i want half informed fud opinions i'll just come here.

File: 1488488794494.png (400KB, 604x533px) Image search: [Google]

400KB, 604x533px

>>33334062
You could also keep a list of people to notify when you get a big ammo shipment.

That way you can buy bulk and sell it for a profit while competing with online retailers.

I imagine that transporting it yourself would make it cheaper but I don't really know.

>>33334062
>What does /k/ look for in a good LGS?
Variety of firearms above all else is what will keep me coming. Interesting firearms like surplus stuff is a must to keep me coming. I realize guns are expensive, but try to cycle some stuff through(within reason) so it's not always the same guns I saw last time and the time before.
And a mountain of ammo not marked up too badly. I don't want to buy ammo by overpriced 20-30rd boxes, I want it by the 500-1000. Sell your 20-30rd boxes to normalfags for max profit, but keep the 1000rd boxes more reasonable.
I'm not as picky about accessories, but I want to handle and inspect the actual guns in person.
If you stock aks, don't just have the $500 wasrs, have at least a single arsenal or something on hand for the person like me.

I have 2 gun stores. One I use because they have cheap transfers and the store owner can do minor work quickly and cheaply. The other has a range where I can shoot until they kick me out, for $15.

>>33334106
Thats pretty neat. Only a few of my lgs sell powder and even fewer sell bullets. I end up having to go to cabelas for that stuff

>>33334062
Uniforms and nametags. It doesn't have to be something super strict, but being able to clearly tell who an employee is and their name really helps break the ice for a new customer.

>>33335868
This tbqhwyf
Doing things that customers "want" is a surefire way to go bankrupt as a small business.

Just have clearly marked tags with the guns' model and price so I don't have to lean over the counter to see them.
And don't bother persuading me to buy something else when I come in asking for an exact make and model.

>>33336273
Put of Folgers or Maxwell House. Powdered creamer and sugar. Will make me hang out for the time it takes to drink it. I love used firearms, make trades, sweeten the pot when buying. Being able to pick up the gun and handle it. Studies show that being able to hold an item increases the possibility of a sale.

sell uniform, boots, and equipment items needed by police, emt, fire.

you can keep your business afloat through a steady stream of government employees.

>>33334207
why shop anywhere other than buds I guess.

>>33336545
To get some social interaction. Also, until Amazon starts selling ammunition and guns (which will literally never happen) you aren't going to get anything bought online in an hour, let alone a day or two.

>>33336574
I don't need to pay for social interaction and I've never needed a gun the literal hour I've decided I want it.

>>33334062
Customer service. It's a hobby so I like to enjoy it when I make a potential purchase. A Hello and asking if I need help have made the difference for a number of purchases I have made over the years.

>>33334102
This. I went to a LGS in the town I just moved to and they were some of the nicest people, I don't need another gun right now but because of the way they are I think I'm going to go buy a side by side just to support them. In my hometown I always avoided my LGS because of their shitty attitude and went to the sporting goods shops and Walmart instead, unless if the LGS was the only place that had what I wanted/needed.

>>33334175
T. College kids who never worked a day in his life

>>33336602
You can live your life however you want but don't act like your self-important attitude is the norm.

The world doesn't revolve around you.

>>33334062
Decent selection of both guns and ammo and above everything GOOD FUCKING SERVICE.
I know working with customers is a total pain in the ass a lot of the time but if I get bad service on more than one occasion at a store I never show up there again, period.

Buck Hunter video game

>>33336602
>I've never needed a gun the literal hour I've decided I want it
>need
Unless the world is ending in an hour, no one is talking about literal needs. Past that, you don't want to be able to buy your handgun and immediately go to the range? Your interest in firearms seems hella boring.

File: C3PJ2qqVUAAtNxP.jpg (199KB, 591x665px) Image search: [Google]

199KB, 591x665px

>>33334616
>can't get that
I had one retard from this lgs tell me that arsenals are banned by obama despite it being noted as "in stock" on their online store.
Told the manager on the way out because the employee treated me like a clueless retard and constantly tried to sell me the ras47 and the m&p15. Thankfully hes gone now.
>>33334062
One of my favorite lgs makes more money from doing gun shows on weekends and providing ak smiting services/building parts kit. He was an ex armorer (or claims to be) and makes really nice kit guns. Charges them at 500 a kit and always has a huge line waiting despite it being pretty pricy.

>>33334467
>Gun Store Cafe
hey, you may be on to something here...

Local Gunshop Bistro - LGBT

File: 1482906473956.png (236KB, 576x432px) Image search: [Google]

236KB, 576x432px

>>33336574
>until Amazon starts selling ammunition and guns (which will literally never happen)
The pain is too much

File: 1482481796594.jpg (71KB, 540x803px) Image search: [Google]

71KB, 540x803px

>>33334139
>less than 2 hours from Mexico border and local city is full of gangbangers

Become a Hi Point representative. On-site gunsmiths and ranges are a big draw and how a few places in my city stay open, they can rent guns for their conceal classes and sell them the same day. Said location also has a few hundred (seriously) AR's covering every wall of the main display room. No idea how that's working out but probably not well.

My friend's pawn shop saw most of its business in guns and his reasoning was that he had a cheaper FFL price than anyone else in the county, he made fair deals on used guns, and people ordered to his shop with gun genie so the customer did most of the work themselves. He didn't need to keep 100k of guns and a Fort Knox safe in his place to stock guns, they just got shipped to him as requested and he kept about 30 in rotation. It helps that he was very nice and always willing to sit and talk or do online searches for any customer. His biggest issue was location.

His ammo prices were absurd, and that was the thing he had the most of and got the cheapest. I don't think he ever sold it unless it was an out the door deal with a new gun purchase. There is a local ammo manufacturer in my city and one shop has a deal with them, that's worth a shot if you can become a distributor for one.

>>33334062
What I look for in a good LGS...
>Reasonable prices.
I'll pay for some convenience. I'm already taking a hit on sales tax so try and keep the markups lower there. $2 on <$10 items, $3 on <$25, etc. Multi-item discounts would be great too--especially on magazines or ammunition. Believe it or not, having a higher inventory turnover rate is a great thing. It shows you that you're effective in buying & selling, that your prices are reasonable, and helps you negotiate for better prices/discounts from your suppliers. Would you rather sell one magazine a day with $3 profit or sell three with a $7 markup? Also keep track of your inventory--there's items that will not less because you made a mistake. A smart businessperson thinks about the money tied up there and the dead shelf-space. Figure out why it's not selling--and figure out a way to get rid of it and try selling something else.

ADVERTISE MAIL-IN REBATES!

>Customer service
Having good customer service can literally make all the difference. You need to be better than the other stores to corner the local market.

>Selection
Naturally, try to keep all the best selling items in stock at all times. Take note of what customers are asking for. Even some simple things--stock every model of Glock and have Magpul or ETS magazines for all of them. What's not covered should be covered by factory magazines instead.

>Know your customer
It's not a terrible idea to take notes about EVERY transaction either. Cover basic things--what they were looking for, what you found with them, and what they might want to buy. In addition, collect contact information when they've not yet committed. Call them 3 days later then a week after that. Ask their thoughts and try to schedule a time for them to come back in. The goal is to convert that interest into a sale. If they're unable to stop by today/tomorrow, offer a deposit/layaway system. Put that deposit/layaway into a money-market account and collect some interest if longer term.

>>33334766
>Someone bought him a nice gun for his 21st
That someone is a great person, very nice

File: 1370574852862.jpg (66KB, 400x400px) Image search: [Google]

66KB, 400x400px

>>33334766
No fucking way

Some things I like to see:

A lot of people are asking for a billion different guns, but really if you keep 7-12 unique guns on the shelf, say Tavor, AUG, Scar, ak-74s, etc, then I'll come back to finger fuck more often and probably buy more since these guns are more of a pain to find. Now I know it is harder to find them but it keeps me more interested than having 15 DD ARs on the wall.
I also like a good pistol selection, most shops around here carry the big brands but for more expensive ones like HK, Sig, etc, they only have a couple models.
Friendly staff, everyone has already made this point
Throw in a box of ammo when I buy a gun, that goes a long way
Knowledgable staff, I don't like walking into a gun store and having to explain to an employee what an ak-74 is or what 5.45x39 is
If you have a range and I'm debating on buying a gun, and you do rentals, consider letting me run a mag through the rental for free or a couple bucks instead of making me pay the range fee, the rental fee, and buying a box of ammo.
Sell some speciality gear, a store near me is a BFG dealer I think and has all sorts of stuff from them instead of the usual condor and black hawk. Idk how feasible this is but being able to buy my gear in store rather than wait for online would be nice.

>>33334211
This is my major suggestion as well. I've seen so many stores that just don't have a solid website, so I can't judge the quality of the store and it's merchandise itself. Really, this just goes for any shop, not just firearms.

If you want new business, informative and easy to use web presence is a requirement. More than customer service, more than anything.

>>33334123
Learn from Geissele CS. Be nice, knowledgeable and professional. Getting business is one thing, but getting NEW amd REPEAT business will keep you in business and making a profit. Understand your customer's needs. Making this thread is great for general information, but think about making an anonymous survey box or email for your local customers. Ask them what they want in products and what they want you to improve on.

>>33335058
can you sell me a 7+1 supernova please?

>>33335891
Yeah Buddy. South Texas.

>>33336453
I got the Folgers on all day everyday.

>>33336488
We used to, but now we can't compete with the LEO supply stores. We still have a lot of officers who come our way for ammunition, firearms, and accessories because we take care of them.

>>33336672
I like this plan. I've been thinkin' about tearing out my fishing section and putting in a billiard table for a few years now.

>>33337209
I ain't gonna lie to you. Benelli uses a minimum advertised price system, so if you order that shit from somewhere you're gonna get it for the same price I've got it on my shelf for.

>>33336899
I'm in a shop that mostly caters to tourist hunters and ranch hands, so the likelihood of selling a Tavor, AUG, SCAR, or something like that isn't very high. It doesn't make much sense to stock guns like that. In fact, I've never had any of those in the shop, even on a transfer.

I wanted to buy some NATO shit a couple years ago, and I'm still sitting on two FALs and a C93. There's just no interest in fun shit like that here. The guys buying big rifles expect their big rifles to be bolt action with wood furniture.

>>33334316
WACKY WAVING INFLATABLE ARM FLAILING TUBE MAN!

>>33334123
Where are you located? Are you in NoVa?

>>33337376
>I ain't gonna lie to you. Benelli uses a minimum advertised price system, so if you order that shit from somewhere you're gonna get it for the same price I've got it on my shelf for.

Pricing isn't the issue, it's that it's LEO only.

>hunters safety/conceal carry courses
>decent deals on FFL transfers
>something to drool over
while the big box stores get better deals on glocks and S&W shields, they're not going to get a better deal on a SAW/python than your typical LGS. Have it on a nice display. a Thompson sitting in a case might raise some eyebrows, but a Thompson with its signature drum magazine sitting on an oak stand just behind you, underneath your 100's of ARs is going to make people say "Shit, can you BUY that? I didn't know you could buy that!"
>A. Website. That. Lists. Your. Shit.
Not just the brands you sell, but what you have in stock at your store today. Get yourself some half-retarded stockboy intern webmaster if you have to.
>Be open until 8:00pm
I'm at work until 6. Do you think the gun stores that close at 6 get my business? How often do you think the gun stores that close at 7 get my business?

>>33337376
For me, I'd say keep staff professional and friendly like a cell-phone store or any other small retailer.

I'd love to have a chat and shoot the shit while I look over my next purchase, but if the guys behind the counter are grizzled assholes who act like they're unapproachable and tough because they work in a gun shop, then I'm less likely to enjoy my time there and maybe not come back for another purchase.

If I could have the perfect retail encounter it would be someone who's willing to help me with my issues, be knowledgeable, and have good interpersonal skills so that they're accessible people. Those kinds of places are where you attract regulars with the way you treat your customers. If I had a local place like that I'd enjoy walking in and talking to so-and-so about SHOT while I pick up some ammo.

>>33334102
The lgs I go to are young veterans who are pretty friendly because they know they're a small operation and word of mouth is their only way of getting new customers.

>>33334062

Honestly, more used guns.

Around here, gun stores all just have the same selection of plastic framed stuff. All good guns, but nothing terribly interesting.

I rarely see pre-lock Smith revolvers, older Sigs, 3rd gen Smith auto's, etc.

Stores seemed to stop buying used guns, and there is nothing more satisfying than getting a great deal on a gently used handgun that has sat in a bedside table for the last 15 years.

>>33337538
>7+1 supernova
>LEO only
Source? Do you mean there's a 7+1 in addition to the official & unofficial extensions?

I think a few people have said this but throw in some ammo with a new gun, or at least discount it a bit.
Sounds like you have a bunch of different ammo so thats a plus, place i bought my enfield from had no .303. Please have ammo for the stuff you sell.

Since you seem to be big on hunting rifles and such maybe team up with a few guides, offer promotions with each other maybe?

Maybe carry some more exotic "hunting guns" since tacticool stuff isnt a focus. Im not sure if theyll sell but double rifles and drilling guns are neat and different enough they might drawsome people in, same with single shots like rugers no.1. On that same note i dont know the market but some higher end bolt actions and shot guns bring a premium, sako, beretta shot guns ect

>>33334197
>Gunsmith on hand. An actual gunsmith, not just some guy that can build an AR and take down a glock. I mean an actual gunsmith.

This.

I have spent thousands at a LGS because they have a gunsmith on staff who was very skilled. He even set up a ceracoat section, and his daughter went to ceracoat school, and that was another service they offered.

>>33334316

A few shops arund here have fun a few night classes on the following subjects, and people responded well.

>how to clean your gun
>AR-15 101

Also, they got involved with gun rights groups and let them use the store after hours to have meetings for the "Friends of the NRA" fundraiser. They also handled the Friends of the NRA gun transfers, and they got promoted pretty hard at the banquet.

A good website

List every firearm you have in stock, keep it updated. Someone brings in a glock to trade it to help pay for a new AR? throw that up on your used section

Don't just list the brands you carry, list the individual firearms, with a picture of that exact one. If your gun store has an excellent website I will always go to it over a different one

>>33337656
https://www.riflegear.com/p-5478-benelli-supernova-tactical-grs-185-comfortech-71-le-only.aspx

>>33337861
It looks like the only difference are stock options and a factory magazine extension, which smells like 922(r) stuff. Why not just do it yourself?

>>33336756
There's no T in that

>What does /k/ look for in a good LGS?

Lowest and closest FFL transfer fee

My "lgs" is only in business because their bread and butter is CHL classes. The gun store and FFL transfers are an afterthought. They have a bitcoin ATM and I have no idea why. I only use them for FFL transfers and feel bad about not "supporting them" but barely. This a dying business model.

All my ammo and supplies comes from Academy or Cabela's (for shot shell and reloading), since they compete with online for ammo prices between Monarch and Herter's anything else such as hoppes, targets a 5 pack of meme rounds like PDX or minishot shells I grab as an afterthought from academy and dont hunt price.

If there isn't something here you can glean and mimic then your days are numbered, diversify the portfolio and convert half the gunshop into a coffee shop and sell coffee. Which would create a more inviting atmosphere for the gunshop and attract customers who normally wouldn't step in but seem to be my "lgs" bread and butter for CHL classes. I`m not talking folgers: espresso, capuccino, muffins and cafe sau dau.

>>33334062
>What does /k/ look for in a good LGS?

Good customer service. I am in many cases willing to pay ~$50-70 more more than an online retailer in exchange for the chance to personally inspect the gun I will buy, but I will only do so if the gun store in question is not a tiresome place to be.

Nothing is more annoying than when the owners or clerks are really trying to sell a gun that doesn't match a buyer's needs or aptitude or insist on giving a lecture on politics when I am just there to buy a gun.

>>33335058
I get that keeping a gun shop open is tough from a business perspective. Unless you have some great gimmick like a shooting range, celebrity staff or a fun youtube channel, most of the business is kept afloat by traditional sales practices. So I'm willing to pay a LITTLE bit more, especially considering things bought online need to be shipped and/or transferred through an FFL.

With that in mind, significantly overpriced to me would be:

Ammo priced greater than 10% what the same ammo would cost me shipped from an online retailer. The shipping cost I pay makes this margin seem even larger for a brick and mortar store, so the amount extra I'm willing to pay is smaller.

Guns priced greater than $60 over what the base price of an online gun sale. In my head, I'm adding the cost of shipping (usually $25) and transfer ($25) to a gun I buy online, if I can get the same gun locally for nearly the total price, I will. Stores almost never ger anywhere even remotely close, so I almost always buy guns online.

Gear priced 50% higher than Amazon/Rainier/PA/Wing/Rog/PSA/AIM/wherever. Again I get that super specific low-volume items like custom kydex holsters, tactical slings, drag bags and stuff like that are going to sit on the shelf awhile, if they're even stocked at all. So I'm willing to pay a bit more, especially considering how relatively inexpensive those items are. A $30 sling online isn't that much cheaper than a $45 sling in a shop. But when I see a $5 Uncle Mike's thing for $25, it makes me question the morals of the owner. Magazines sold in shops are especially bad in that regard.

And lastly the transfer price. The work an FFL does is to enter a transfer into their logbook. $10 is a great price. $15 is fair. $20 is okay. $25 and more is too much. I know shops that charge $10 and shops that charge $70. That's ridiculous.

File: ball_pit.jpg (2MB, 4320x3240px) Image search: [Google]

2MB, 4320x3240px

You can never go wrong with a ball pit

>>33334157
>Also, keep non-shit hours. This "closed on saturday and monday, open til 2pm on tuesdays. but 5pm on sundays and wednesdays and thursdays. only open on friday if it's an equinox or solstice" shit has to stop.

Had a hearty kek anon. Very true though

I forgot to mention this in my other reply but stock stuff made in america if feasible. Im not sure about others but ive got no problem paying extra/hoing out of my way to buy stuff made in america/american material, this is less lf a problem with guns and ammo generally but other stuff is tougher

>>33334062
Take classes on how to sell. If I look at a gun, tell me about it, dont talk shit on it. Why would even have a shit gun on the shelf is what that makes me think of.
People who look like scum have money sometimes be polite no matter the quality of their raiders jacket. Maybe they just got a check and are blowing it......poor people are poor cause they spend to much most times not cause they never have cash.
I I ask you to order a gun for me , check your distribution guy has it. If you cant get it offer me what you can get thats similar.
If its more than 15% more than Atlantic arms, dont stock it, you look silly selling an npap for 1k, of course im going online to save 300 bucks.
Never make a customer feel stupid, never make a customer feel small, never assume wealth, offer accessories to a purchase.
Leave your dogs at home, dont let customers stand around calling political figures niggerd or the like.....tell them to talk elsewhere.
Never ask why I need something. If its legal what do you care.

>>33334139
You hate profits.
Riffraff have money, dont like it dont own a gun shop, its your job to get them to buy, dont assume wealth or willingness to buy based on apearence race or gender.
Dont shy away from upselling

Hey OP, our gun store has pivoted toward selling molle gear at MAP prices. We just acquire/sell tacos, shingles, cheap PC's, and assault packs in addition to the guns. Now most of our revenue is from undercutting MSRP on molle gear.

Another thing I'd recommend is changing the flavor of the store by playing vet war music in the background (5 finger death punch, pandora), special ordering gear when asked, and installing a cage on the wall to hang merch and guns on. Worked for us.

File: 1450627252740.jpg (7KB, 188x268px) Image search: [Google]

7KB, 188x268px

Remember there's a difference between giving advice and telling customers what to do.

The latter makes we walk out instantly.

>>33334062
Get a nice TV and put it in your lounge area, but rather than run the news or movies, make a nice powerpoint slideshow featuring pictures of your products along with short discriptions of each one. You can also throw in manufacturer trivia.

The reason I say this is because I noticed my favorite local gun store has magazines and brochures piled up all over the place. Customers don't read that shit, and it makes the store seem messy and ill kept. Having one or two screens running a fancy presentation will actually draw the customers eye and makes your store appear more sleek and modern.

If you are a /k/ommando, you should have no problem filling over a hundred slides with firearm and manufacturer trivia. I suggest keeping your slides short though, think of shit like

>"The Beretta Px4 Storm is a double action/single action handgun released in 2004. It's distinct rotating barrel design offers less felt recoil then its contemporaries."
>"Heckler & Koch GmbH (AKA: H&K) is a premium German firearms manufacturer that was founded in 1948. They are best known for their production of military weapons used by armed forces all over the world."
>"Although revolvers date back hundreds of years, they remain a popular choice due to their ease of use and rugged nature."

>>33337461
South Texas.

>>33337538
Benelli won't sell anything that fun to me. Your best bet is an aftermarket extension tube.

>>33337646
Used guns are a bit tricky to source. I can get plenty, but getting them at a low enough price that I can sell them for a profit is the challenge.

>>33337667
I do that free ammo/extras thing occasionally based on the ammo we're talking about; 9mm and 22 are one thing, but I'm not handing out free boxes of 30-378 weatherby mag. We do a lot with the hunting camps already, but you're right when you say it's a good idea. I keep a few weird/collector grade cowboy guns and hunting rifles on display for eye candy. I've recently taken all but two ARs off the shelf and got rid of most of the tacticool shit. Don't get me wrong, I've got plenty of ARs, but what's the point of selling academy grade shit that they can sell for 100 bucks less than I can.


>>33338678
I'll let you transfer hi points and glock 40s for gangbangers and put me out of business then. As long as people can sue gun shops for negligent entrustment I'd rather be cautious.

>>33338991
I suggest this very cautiously but maybe look into what it would take to start making your own boutique loads? The fact people partly the prices they do for buffalo bore astounds me and I think there's room for small outfits to get into it.

>>33338991
have you ever thought about hanging outside gun buy backs to source used guns?

>>33339102
>gun buy backs
>south Texas

Hey if you are in the RGV, hire me please. Would love to work in a LGS.

>>33337376
How low are you willing to go for the FAL?

>>33338926
I like this idea

>Buy a shit ton of old surplus guns and cover ever square inch of the back walls in computer monitors/TV's
>Proceed to play forgotten weapons videos on every display, but make sure they're slightly out of sync so there's an echo or reverb effect throughout the store
>Emplace random wireless speakers in trapdoors throughout the store
>Play ambient gun shot noises on said speakers at random intervals
>Light the whole store with strobe lights and siren lights
>Have trannies that don't pass whatsoever walk around in really revealing clothes roleplaying different characters from Upotte

>>33338926
A little remodeling goes a long way. Buy the biggest cheap TV you can find with a USB port or SD card slot for slideshows. Load up an old stick with all your regular inventory. Keep the slideshow running during business hours. It's not a bad idea to have a DVD player either, with a good selection of kids movies and firearms education. Might be fun to have a Youtube playlist with a bunch of popular gun channels--like Hickok45, Forgotten Weapons, and others. I'd recommend wall-mounting it of course.

Otherwise, keep the place neat and clean. Take care of damaged ceiling tiles, walls, and floors. Make sure everything deserving has a decent coat of paint. Displays should be in decent condition as well. If not, look at repairing or replacing offending pieces.

>>33337461
>NoVa
I know this feeling.

Subtle racist understones

>>33334231
>cowboy loads
If I were anywhere close to your store, walked in, and you had a Pietta Lemat in the case, I'd buy the fucker right then.

>>33340388
Why? He can only offer what a price like Dixie gun works would offer at best more likely like 40 bucks higher because he needs to make money on it

>>33334126
The caches are gone, and have been gone, for decades

Samuel Cummings of Interarms, the literal sole human responsible for milsurp even being affordable and common in the first place, moved his focus to making guns and importing new guns because he knew the surplus game was about dead

In 1978, that is. 39 years ago, the writing was already on the wall, and most of why surplus didn't get really expensive really fast was because Interarms had 12 warehouses stacked floor to ceiling to keep things afloat

>>33334062
>Be me
>Go to local gunstore
>Looking at new gun, might be interest but I want to test it a bit and look inside
>Politely ask "can I test the trigger?"
>No
>"O-okay, could I take off the slide and take a look at the internals?"
>No
>Put the gun down and say "I'll think about it," never come back to the store
Don't do that

>>33340343
same

>>33340490
All the guns out at my LGS are hands-on pieces dedicated to finger-fucking by potential customers, except for stuff they only have one of.

>>33340343
>>33337461
NoVa is comfy tbqh

>>33334102
This. I suggest looking up models and theories on retail and customer service and the shopping experience. Do everything you can to become online friendly which is where the retail is generally going these days.

>>33334062
Compete with online prices.
Otherwise you deserve to go out of business.

Also
>>33334616
/thread

>Out of maybe 35 gun stores within 60 miles there are only 2 which I will visit
The only store that I've ever liked is out where my dad lives.
So I have to drive over 150 miles just to find a fucking decent store.
Seriously, LGSs can all eat shit