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Thread: Firearms Sales Reps discussion

  1. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by Sparks2112 View Post
    We aren't all bad.... :/
    Honestly, it wasn't good for me to go on a tirade like that, and hijack a thread, it was a bit off-topic. It sure didn't reflect well on me.

    But,
    You could hire all waitresses from Waffle House to staff I'd say 85-90% of gun stores
    I'd say maybe you're in the 10-15% of people that give great service.

    I've had phenomenal experiences with Magpul's C.S., I've had phenomenal experiences with ammotogo.com, when I've bought bullets from kylesgunshop, they were to order, and I was pleased with the purchase/delivery time. I've had good experiences with a lot of companies. That's what I just don't get, is why when you walk in certain stores, they just go ahead and lambaste you with a negative experience.

    Just be courteous of customers, patient, kind, and it will reflect well. I really, and I mean really, unfortunately, had a *heck* of a time, shopping for firearms with a female family member. I mean heck of a time, she flat out told me, "If you hadn't been as patient with me, and hadn't gone with me to the stores, I never would've bought one, the way that guy talked to me at the first store, I would've walked out and never gone back." I mean she was a new shooter, who had an honestly life long fear of firearms, and finally worked up the nerve after coaxing for over a decade, I try to make this the most soothing, encouraging, and I can't help but get bogged down with the most angry sales clerk behind the counter possible.

    I can't help but think how much better off gun owners would appear if they didn't make an effort. That's what I was saying, honestly, I would probably hire either staff with the A) Correct Demeanor or B) from a different field/profession. I would highly value L.E. or Military experience, I would not value Elitism or any "chip on their shoulder" crap. The only thing that's stunning is, you walk in almost any gun store anywhere, and you run into this, I just really wish it was not this way.

    And, I somehow managed to go back off on a tirade, it's more pleading this time.

    That reflects poorly on me as a Christian, honestly the first rant.

    Last stab at this, look at how Kevin Brittingham made Advanced Armament Corporation such a wildly successful company. One, he knew how to market, but two, he knew that making a good product, standing behind that product, and being good to most people was how you end up finishing well, giving them great customer service. I mean, heck, we've beaten this like a dead horse around here, when people talk about the experiences they had with Glock doing demo's at police departments, it's night and day. You build a great product, you support your customers, you take care of them, you have fun with them, and they'll do something like get a tattoo (google Branded For Life) to get a discount on your product, or host the silencershoot. That's how you go from being a small time gun dealer, to a dude that sold his company for what $40 million?

    What I didn't like about Kevin Brittingham (and ironically... the entire silencer industry), is how vicious, back-biting and volatile things were, seemed like you'd get slapped with a lawsuit for looking at somebody wrong for awhile there. Ultimately, he was fired from Remington Defense, for reasons that I still don't think are talked about or known to me anyway. (He was either very close to or became a lawyer, and, I would say he'd slap a Lawsuit on Remington if they said something damaging about him, so, we'll probably never know the truth, why would they get their hands in it? He signed no-competes and do not disclosure paperwork, so it really won't matter anyway, he can't go back in the business for awhile. For lawsuits reference AAC vs. Larue, AAC vs. Surefire, and the AAC and Gemtax, they seemed to stay in trouble for years, Gemtax, wasn't a lawsuit).

    Another successful business that takes care of it's customers is Silencerco/SWR, just do some background research on them.

    But anyway, way TMI.

  2. #12
    Quote Originally Posted by jlw View Post
    On top of this, one of the SO's in the state has M&P45s as their standard issue firearm. They have had a couple of dead triggers crop up ...
    One would assume this is recent?

    .

  3. #13
    Quote Originally Posted by LSP972 View Post
    One would assume this is recent?

    .
    Within the last few weeks.

  4. #14
    The S&W rep that covers Ohio (Dan) has been very helpful although I haven't had to have any contact with him for some time. I've also met they guy that covers AR/MS (Paul) and he seemed pretty good too.

  5. #15
    Member SecondsCount's Avatar
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    Anybody have any insight to the average pay of a firearms rep?

    Are they on some kind of commission structure?

    Right now sales are so good that these guys are probably swimming in success.
    -Seconds Count. Misses Don't-

  6. #16
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    Quote Originally Posted by SecondsCount View Post
    Anybody have any insight to the average pay of a firearms rep?

    Are they on some kind of commission structure?

    Right now sales are so good that these guys are probably swimming in success.
    When I was in grad school, I worked part-time at a local gun store/indoor pistol range, mainly for pocket money, discounted gun stuff, and free range time, allowing me to continue shooting a lot even as an impovershed student.

    There were a few full-time folks there who were paid some kind of salary, who had responsibilities beyond merely selling guns and range time (e.g., logistics, management, etc). Those of us part-timers who merely sold guns and range time, though, were paid $10 per hour. No one got any kind of commission. There was also no haggling over prices.

  7. #17
    Quote Originally Posted by nalesq View Post
    When I was in grad school, I worked part-time at a local gun store/indoor pistol range, mainly for pocket money, discounted gun stuff, and free range time, allowing me to continue shooting a lot even as an impovershed student.

    There were a few full-time folks there who were paid some kind of salary, who had responsibilities beyond merely selling guns and range time (e.g., logistics, management, etc). Those of us part-timers who merely sold guns and range time, though, were paid $10 per hour. No one got any kind of commission. There was also no haggling over prices.
    By sales reps, we are talking about the factory representatives that handle agency sales and the like and not the folks working retail in individual gun shops.

  8. #18
    Member SecondsCount's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by jlw View Post
    By sales reps, we are talking about the factory representatives that handle agency sales and the like and not the folks working retail in individual gun shops.
    Correct.
    -Seconds Count. Misses Don't-

  9. #19
    I've had mixed emotions about ours. Took me awhile to get mag springs but about a month ago, out of the blue, I received trigger springs and slide stops to be used as needed. I've got to call again soon to get some more black painted mag springs so I've got my fingers crossed for speedy delivery.

  10. #20
    We are diminished
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    Quote Originally Posted by SecondsCount View Post
    Anybody have any insight to the average pay of a firearms rep?
    It varies wildly from company to company and era to era. When I was at SIG, between base salary, commissions (some folks got them and others didn't; I didn't), bonuses, and perks (e.g., cell phone, car allowance) one could easily earn well into the six figure realm. Other reps I knew at other companies probably could have made more money selling curly fries at Arby's.

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