Don't sell your customers trashcan accessories!

Shooting Industry, July, 2004 by Clint Smith

As a gun dealer, you know this is a tough business--real tough. Getting and keeping good customers is a challenge and you can't afford to lose any of them. But you likely are losing them because of some of the products you're selling. I know, because I teach a number of your customers each year at Thunder Ranch.

I've been in the firearm business for over two decades. My bailiwick is firearm instruction and I have always been very careful to not cross into areas that are either not my business, or that could adversely affect my business. I do not have an FFL and do not sell guns or ammunition.

I chose long ago to never sell guns or ammo because it could create confusion. My students are here to learn possible life-saving skills. I'm here to teach them those skills,--skills I actually don't want them to ever use. Funny thing, that.

In my pro shop, I have a small cross-section of products for my students and do, at times, sell a hat, a shirt, a good holster and a flashlight or two. The holster and flashlight sales come almost as a self-defense, rather than as a marketing venture. When I have 24 new students with guns going through a night-fire course, the last thing I want are holsters and flashlights that don't work!

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The Oversell

Now, here's where you come in. My new students and I too often must deal with the aggravation from a dealer's "quick sell." I often point out to my students that inside some gun stores there are people who will try to sell them every known and unknown product, every widget, attachment, hyper-vented barrel with a laser-holster finder and nylon thing one can put on a gun.

Before you detonate, my point is vital--sell what you will, but the trashcans at Thunder Ranch are full of after-market products that simply didn't work--and many that were dangerous.

We all know there is generally not much money to be made selling guns and a large source of income in your business comes from the sale of support equipment and accessories. But sell your customers the best stuff possible. If they buy good stuff that works well, they'll be back for more.

If It's Not Broken, Don't Fix It!

Not long ago, I had a student attend Thunder Ranch from Houston, Texas. He was shooting a Glock 19. The term "shooting" is being used loosely here. After the first 15 minutes in class, we all realized this gun was not going to work. I had him holster the Glock and we walked to our "fiddle table" (a maintenance area) to determine the problem.

What I saw caused me to pause. His Glock had a list of "accessories" that read like a Brownells catalog. A grip plug, extended-magazine button release, extended slide release, a rubber condom-thing on the grip and a barrel with an extension and a bunch of holes drilled into it, besides the bullet hole, hole. And that was what I could see on the outside.

I asked the guy how long he'd had the pistol, where he bought it and how had he acquired all the doo-dads and goodies. He said he bought the gun new the week before. When he told the gun salesman he was "going to Thunder Ranch," the dealer said, "I can tune this up and it'll be just what you need." He tuned it to the tune of $400.

I asked the student if he had the original parts with him. "Yes," he said, but the salesman had told him they are "kind of junk." We put all the "original junk" back on the pistol, took every add-on off and the student returned to the class. For the rest of the week, he fired over 1,000 rounds of ammunition without one malfunction.

I asked the student what he learned. He was actually pretty calm about being hosed by the gun dealer. He simply said, "I will never go back there and I will keep all this stuff I took off my gun in a box on my dresser to remind not to fix things that are not broken."

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Sell The Best Products

Guns should be sold on the basis of, "If it works, don't fix it." If your customer is left-handed, then an ambidextrous safety add-on is in order--installed by someone competent.

Sell good holsters. Use some basic standards. Is the trigger guard covered, does it fit the gun and does the holster fit the belt? A good way to go is to sell your customer a good holster, belt and magazine pouch set from the same manufacturer. Look to Milt Sparks, Galco, Bianchi and others for starters. Your customers will appreciate you for it--they will also buy more because the products are good.

Sell good ammunition. Recently, we had two handguns blow barrels during class while using foreign and/or reloaded ammo. Cheap? Yeah, maybe, until somebody loses an eye. I don't how much profit there is on el-cheapo ammo, but between barrels and possible injuries, my recommendation is to sell the best ammo possible.

Promote good cleaning equipment from companies like Pro-Shot, and range and carry bags by the likes of Tactical Tailor, Waller and others. If you sell rifles or shotguns, sell good slings like those from Turners, and good quality scopes from companies like Leupold--mounted in their bases.