Lowes Certified Guns

[JayBell]

snip...What we see above with the banning is a violation of forum rules, yet in no way does it mean that the shop is deficient or dishonest...snip...

this is one opinion...and possibly true in a money based business sales way.

here's another opinion...shill posting under different names doesn't scream "ethical" to me.... but then again, with anything and anyone ""caveat emptor" applies.

and, as properly observed, its a rules violation at the least.

[Jettagls00]

I was just up at Lowes a few hours ago to pick up my SKS that I won on a gunbroker auction. They were very nice and threw in a few things that were not even listed on the auction. I was there when he posted and I honestly do not think he even read the threat of banning. He didn't know about till I said something. I am in no way saying that the rules should bend for him I just think it was him not paying attention when replying to the other posts.

All in all it was a good experience and I am pretty sure that i would go back in the future if they had anything that I wanted/needed.

[Hypno_Toad]

I will post my name, Paul. My post about your shop was from my perspective. As a reminder, I bought a Bushmaster AR15 from you a couple years back, and I thought the price was OK, not great. I have done a couple of transfers of stripped lowers through you since then, and had no complaints about those transactions.

I cannot comment about selling you a gun. I do not even understand what that means. Why would I ever sell a gun? That is just crazy talk.

What I did feel was a bit of an 'attitude' at your shop, and it makes me think twice about coming in to browse. The scrolling 'no haggling' sign was the kicker. If you include other fees in the price of your guns, that is good, but it does not state that anywhere in an obvious way, so it makes it seem like 'don't waste my time'. The funny thing is, I am not much of a haggler, but it is a normal part of the gun buying process. I might ask for something extra like a box of ammo, but not major concessions. I haven't even been in your shop for 6 months or more because of that stupid sign. I live right around the corner, but I go elsewhere to fondle guns. I am in the market for a new carry piece, and it would be really nice to run over at lunch time to pick one out...

Maybe it is just a personality thing. Sometimes people just don't hit it off because of intangible things, and that's just part of life. But your post here seems kinda challenging and in your face. It kind of reinforces my feeling about the attitude there. There are lots of people who are always 'right', and they don't necessarily succeed in business...

I don't wish you any ill will, but I have to say I don't get a warm and fuzzy when I come to your shop either. So in most cases I don't.

Mike Cooper

[Stubby]

...The scrolling 'no haggling' sign was the kicker. If you include other fees in the price of your guns, that is good, but it does not state that anywhere in an obvious way, so it makes it seem like 'don't waste my time'. The funny thing is, I am not much of a haggler, but it is a normal part of the gun buying process. I might ask for something extra like a box of ammo, but not major concessions.

Mike Cooper

WTF? Since when is it a "normal" business practice for a busniess to always lower their selling price. Every now and then we blow up our customers heads by adding to the price when they asks for the "best deal". Oh, the best deal is only for the customer? I offer discounts to repeat customers or those that are spending enough money to warrant a discount. You wouldn't imagine how many people ask for a deal on $10-$15 worth of product. And if the dealer asked you to throw in an extra $20 bucks to sweetin the deal, you would storm out of the shop and never come back. If I could eliminate all the pain in the ass customers by putting up a neon sign I would, but they still would come in!!

[ddefazio]

WTF? Since when is it a "normal" business practice for a busniess to always lower their selling price. Every now and then we blow up our customers heads by adding to the price when they asks for the "best deal". Oh, the best deal is only for the customer? I offer discounts to repeat customers or those that are spending enough money to warrant a discount. You wouldn't imagine how many people ask for a deal on $10-$15 worth of product. And if the dealer asked you to throw in an extra $20 bucks to sweetin the deal, you would storm out of the shop and never come back. If I could eliminate all the pain in the ass customers by putting up a neon sign I would, but they still would come in!!

I am sure when you bought your last car that you just walked into the dealership and said that you are fine paying sticker for the car as well...

I ran a dealership for some time. I can count on one hand how many people just walked in and said that they had no problem paying the sticker price. Why is it ok to haggle in most places but in a gun store it is taboo. Saturn tried to stick to one price no haggle and tell me where they are now...

People would be less inclined maybe to want to haggle if people built more value in what you offer that is why product knowledge and good customer service is so important. So many gun stores you walk into don't even want to acknowledge that they have customers in the store and God forbid you actually take a gun out of the case and explain the value in it and doing business with yourself.

Sorry to rant but when you run a dealership and I hear complaints about haggling on price it gets me a little peturbed.

[GunLawyer001]

WTF? Since when is it a "normal" business practice for a busniess to always lower their selling price. . . . If I could eliminate all the pain in the ass customers by putting up a neon sign I would, but they still would come in!!

For hundreds of years, it was SOP for merchants to haggle with customers. The Sears catalog put a dent in that, with standard pricing and no way to negotiate a sale. Then big chain stores came in, where nobody in the store had the authority to negotiate.

But the tradition continues wherever businessmen stand at the counters of their own stores, and in industries like car sales. A motivated buyer who's scouted out the market and believes there's some room on the price should be able to discuss terms without being insulted, if he's not making an insulting offer. Offering $100 on a used Remington 870 would be an insulting offer; but then, asking $500 would be an insulting asking price.

I'll negotiate pricing with clients, if they ask for a fixed price. I offer flat pricing on a variety of services, such as LLC formations and Pardon applications. If they ask for a better deal, I'll work with them. see if they can do some of the legwork. Hell, people occasionally ask me to work for free; I just say "no", I don't shout Arabic curses and chase them from my bazaar kiosk.

Buyers can offer whatever they want, sellers can ask whatever they want, and both sides can say "no". Some stores expect haggling, some don't, but mostly, neither of them will put up a sign announcing their policy (this is similar to "some attackers will kill you, some just want to tune you up a little, but neither type can be trusted to advise you of their intentions in advance". Sorry, I'm multi-tasking.)

The thing is, if those "pain in the ass customers" stop coming in, you'll have to close up and get a real job, and I'm not sure your customer service skills will be readily transferable.

[normanvin]

I was a bit confused at what was going on here, but I got it figured out now. I didn't realize he made a post in this thread under the "gunbrokernut" user name, and than again under "yopaullowe".

Definitely a blatant rule violation.

Yep...........

[gnbrotz]

I'll negotiate pricing with clients, if they ask for a fixed price. I offer flat pricing on a variety of services, such as LLC formations and Pardon applications. If they ask for a better deal, I'll work with them. see if they can do some of the legwork. Hell, people occasionally ask me to work for free; I just say "no", I don't shout Arabic curses and chase them from my bazaar kiosk.

What about bartering? I've got a couple of laying chickens and a lactating goat I don't have a use for.

[Stubby]

I am sure when you bought your last car that you just walked into the dealership and said that you are fine paying sticker for the car as well...

actually I did, crazy guy that I was. But I was fine with the asking price.

I ran a dealership for some time. I can count on one hand how many people just walked in and said that they had no problem paying the sticker price. Why is it ok to haggle in most places but in a gun store it is taboo. Saturn tried to stick to one price no haggle and tell me where they are now...

If I remember correctly, you could wheel and deal on Olds, Pontiac, Hummer, etc and they're gone also. I dont think that is the reason Saturn went out of business. I do believe that is what let them stay in business for the past two decades.

People would be less inclined maybe to want to haggle if people built more value in what you offer that is why product knowledge and good customer service is so important. So many gun stores you walk into don't even want to acknowledge that they have customers in the store and God forbid you actually take a gun out of the case and explain the value in it and doing business with yourself.

I dont buy that. If so, most of the Gander Mountains, Dicks, etc. would be out of the firearm business. Price almost always beats service. And trust me, half the people that walk thru the door (not our customers mind you.) dont know a shotgun from a handgun. We spend most of our day explaining what people can and cant buy. "no, thats not a machine gun". "I dont care if you know how to make it full auto". "no thats illegal". "No its still illegal if you're in the Army." "No, I can't match Buds internet pricing." "Yes we collect sales tax." "Oh you dont pay sales tax, so where's you sales tax exemption certificate?" "So you want a discount on one box of ammo?"

Like I said before, I would never have the nerve to ask for more money from my customer ever. I understand how business works also, been in sales for 19 years now. I have no problem giving a discount for a sale that a. has enough profit to do it or b. customer has patronized me enough to warrant it. Tell me any business out there that can stay in business or be profitable at 10% to 20% profit margin ( most typical markup on new firearms) after you factor in our overhead.

Sorry to rant but when you run a dealership and I hear complaints about haggling on price it gets me a little peturbed.

No problem, sorry for my rant also.

[Hypno_Toad]

WTF? Since when is it a "normal" business practice for a busniess to always lower their selling price. Every now and then we blow up our customers heads by adding to the price when they asks for the "best deal". Oh, the best deal is only for the customer? I offer discounts to repeat customers or those that are spending enough money to warrant a discount. You wouldn't imagine how many people ask for a deal on $10-$15 worth of product. And if the dealer asked you to throw in an extra $20 bucks to sweetin the deal, you would storm out of the shop and never come back. If I could eliminate all the pain in the ass customers by putting up a neon sign I would, but they still would come in!!

WTF yourself.

If I want to make a counter offer, you are free to refuse it and stick to your posted price. No harm, no foul. I'm not talking about haggling over a single box of ammo, and I am sure that sort of person is a PITA to deal with. It's all part of the price of owning a business.

While not exactly the same, there are plenty of places I deal with who throw in swag like hats, shirts, barbeque seasoning, etc. I didn't ask for or expect that stuff, but it sure goes a long way to further customer loyalty.

It's easy to see the difference in attitude - some companies love their customers, even us sucky ones who dare to haggle. Others feel like it's them vs their customers. I know which camp I prefer to deal with.