no more gunstop until john is back

[DoxaPar]

Add me to the list of those who've never felt mistreated at GS.

If John's customer service is costing him business, you can't prove it by me. The place is hopping every time I've been there.

Good to hear and I hope more folks have the same experience as you.

I'm not so naive to think that different people can't have different experiences and hope more people are having good experiences than I've had.

[EJSG19]

one small thing to add, and this applies to nobody in particular...

some people need to consider that the problem may not be the employee, but more likely the customer. While shopping in there I've heard some comments heavily influenced by stupidity, laziness, or being cheap. It is not all that surprising when that customer then becomes defensive and stubborn about their "idea" and gets all butt hurt as to why John won't agree or support them. More than once I've seen a know it all storm out the door because they are right (in their 3 weeks of thinking about reloading) and John doesn't have a clue supposedly Better yet is the random phone call from somebody who can't be bothered to stop by the store for advice, has never shopped there, and has some extremely stupid solution to reloading. Those are interesting to hear.

I guess I'd be a little gruff too if I had to try and serve people like that.

[Pat Cannon]

Yeah, really, if you have to be nice to everybody, you might as well work at Walmart or Gander Mountain.

[Seismic Sam]

This whole 'Yeah, he deals with a lot of noobs so it's okay" attitude is pretty silly. Who do you think John (or anyone else there) is gonna be selling to when all you old timers die off or get too old to reload? Maybe he isn't in it for the long run but any smart businessman knows that if you're not making new customers who are gonna come back to your brick and mortar store to buy your product for a premium price are gonna do it because of the person behind the counter. Unfortunately, Gunstop doesn't have that to offer new potential customers. So in my opinion he's appears to actually be working hard to reduce his customer base.

While I can appreciate a knowledgeable owner or sales person who is willing to share that information with you for the sake of selling you a product or service (and I WILL pay extra for that) I frankly have no interest in shopping there when I can get what I need online without the pissy attitudes that seem to come free with the privileged of handing Gunstop your money in exchange for a product.

So if he wants to scare off all the "n00bs" I say go for it. It will only be himself he hurts, the n00bs will get their stuff elsewhere, for less, and without the bad attitudes and feeling they weren't welcome there in the first place.

Besides, all you guys were n00bs once too. Everyone was.

I was a n00b in 1972. No source of info BUT books. Reloading stores sold dies, but didn't reload themselves, so they couldn't help you. Unless there were two people in the store both buying stuff, you didn't have anybody else to talk to, and in those days asking to come over to a stranger's house and see his reloading stuff was asking to be labeled as a queer or burglar. Oh, no internet, and no personal computers, so you had to RTFM, and that was it.

And yes, I did cheerfully answer questions from other people who wanted to learn for about 25 years, and then the growing level of ignorance and lack of personal initiative finally soured me. So sonny, why don't YOU, being the great advocate of doing good and helping people. step up to the bar in here RIGHT NOW, and take over fielding ALL the n00b questions that come flooding through her like a damn red tide?? Let us know how being the angel of the reloading forum works out for you in 25 years, after you have had your thousandth n00b ask you for reloading "recipes" because they're to cheap to buy TFM, and too lazy to RTFM. Put up or shut up. so start being the first person to answer ALL the n00b posts we get!!

[DoxaPar]

Sam, WTH are you talking about?

You wanna know my big issue with Gunstop? Getting a tongue lashing when I asked what the price of a product is on my first trip there because I didn't see the hanging white pages from the shelves with price lists.

OMG A NOOB!!

Or.. how about the time I asked for a Redding Powder trickler and was completely ignored (both times I asked in case he just didn't hear me the first time). Or maybe the time I asked for some imperial sizing wax and the guy just turned around and walked away from me?

Yep, clearly he was justified because I wanted my hand held through all my ridiculous questions.

I've never ask anyone there a "reloading" question. The only questions I've ever asked were related to "do you have x" product (and I'm smart enough to never let X = primers).

[Seismic Sam]

Sam, WTH are you talking about?

You wanna know my big issue with Gunstop? Getting a tongue lashing when I asked what the price of a product is on my first trip there because I didn't see the hanging white pages from the shelves with price lists.

OMG A NOOB!!

Or.. how about the time I asked for a Redding Powder trickler and was completely ignored (both times I asked in case he just didn't hear me the first time). Or maybe the time I asked for some imperial sizing wax and the guy just turned around and walked away from me?

Yep, clearly he was justified because I wanted my hand held through all my ridiculous questions.

I've never ask anyone there a "reloading" question. The only questions I've ever asked were related to "do you have x" product (and I'm smart enough to never let X = primers).

Point taken!! I either didn't read the right post or missed it in one I did read. if you wanted specific items which you could name off, which means you knew what you were doing, then there's really no excuse for getting ignored. Was this John-Boy or Big John??

[DoxaPar]

Sorry Sam, I don't know for sure (I didn't even know there were two Johns there until this thread) but if I had to guess it was "Big John" (blonde-ish guy, slightly larger who wears a blue shirt).

I've had good luck with the brown-haired skinny, short guy with glasses (and maybe a mustache or beard). He's been helpful.

Like I said, I've got no bone to pick with Gunstop. I just think that some of you guys are a bit to eager to defend them over there simply because "he's getting a lot of dumb questions".

I didn't get that impression from the OP.

[Synergy]

My experience there has been pretty much the same as DoxaPar's. Its very clear to me that times have changed and both the John's are stuck in the past and are not willing to roll with the changes based on their daily level of frustration.

You know whats I find funny is they don't put the primers and powder out where you can see what they have, its all in the back room so you have to ask and when you do you get yelled like you were supposed to know what they have. Why don't they just deal with that issue by either putting those items out where they can be seen, they have plenty of space and the space they do have is poorly laid out. Bring in some new shelving units and get the store organized.

What's ironic is they should RTFM on how to run a store and treat people with respect, its basic business. As much as they bitch about our poor reloading ability the same can be said about them on how they run their store.

With all that said I still shop their and give them a break because I'm not perfect either.

[jeffo]

I don't give them my business because of their attitude. I order from Midway.

[FJ540]

The first 4 times I was on the other side of GS (before Larry took over), I couldn't get anyone to show me a gun. The first 10 times I was at Frontiersman, I couldn't get anyone to help me either. It wasn't busy at either place. I was even with Pete one of them and he witnessed it at GS.

John's been helpful from day one with me. John's been prompt and courteous to everyone I've referred to his side of the business. As was mentioned, he's a very DRY personality. It takes some getting used to him to figure out his tone.

I've made no excuses for his staff. I certainly wouldn't keep paying them if it was me. I've been dealing with John since before I knew the first thing about reloading, and I've never felt disrespected. I flat out told him I was a noob, and mentioned who was helping guide me - his response was "you'll be alright."

[Rodentman]

I, like Sam, started reloading in 1972. I reloaded .38 spl, .357 mag and .308. I was lucky enough to find a Mom and Pop GS (Bond's Gun Shop, 24th & Indian School Rd, Phoneix) which had a reloading setup. His deal was that you could use his equipment if you bought the powder, bullets, and primers from him, which I was happy to do. He was very helpful and I had success with all my reloads.

[BigDog58]

I have to say I had my First Pleasant experience at Gunstop yesterday. I didn't get the guys name, but it wasn't John, nor the FAT wanna be ( yes, I'm MORE than qualified to call him Fat) with crap, for an attitude.

This gentleman pointed out the exact product I was looking for, and didn't even laugh at me,.when it was less than 5 feet from me and I had just waddled past it.

Then, when I got to the counter and realized I'd left my wallet on my loading bench, he was nice enough to put it aside and hold it while I drove through 5:45 Crosstown Highway (62) morons and their traffic. When I got back, he had it waiting for me. He was very pleasant, actually held a conversation and even joked a bit.

It was REFRESHING to have the good fortune of dealing with someone in GS that actually seemed like he enjoyed working there, and enjoyed helping people. Because of his friendly Customer Oriented Service, I will seek out his help each time I go back.

He even took the time to discuss the 650 with me. I am giving it serious thought and needed added details. Because of his taking the time to actually HELP me, GS will be selling me my new 650 as soon as I have my allowance saved up

[Seismic Sam]

Glad to see you up and at least limping again!!

BigDog is a very warm and likeable guy from the phone conversations I have had, and he's a Good 'ol boy pretty much by birth and upbringing in the South...

[grousemaster]

I was in yesterday to get some powder. I over heard the big guy yell at someone on the phone who had called to see if they had a certain press in stock, the guy who called must not have heard his initial reply as the big guy yelled "I said, we RCBS press have blah blah blah!!!" before he promptly hung up ....then a few minutes later an older guy with a Korean war vet hat on asked him a question, the guy looked up at him and said rudely "I'm in the middle of something you're gonna have to wait!" . They were not busy either, maybe 3 customers in the shop....

I'm sorry, but what a complete dick head, when my 19 month old daughter heard/saw his demeanor she started crying for her mommy (and she's a regular at most of the shops in town and has never fussed while gun/ammo shopping). The other guy was nice and helpful as usual though. I still have never been mistreated there, but I personally overheard two customers being talked to like they were idiot school children, and one of those guys was in his 80's wearing a Korean War Veterans cap....

[gun_fan111]

I was in yesterday to get some powder. I over heard the big guy yell at someone on the phone who had called to see if they had a certain press in stock, the guy who called must not have heard his initial reply as the big guy yelled "I said, we RCBS press have blah blah blah!!!" before he promptly hung up ....then a few minutes later an older guy with a Korean war vet hat on asked him a question, the guy looked up at him and said rudely "I'm in the middle of something you're gonna have to wait!" . They were not busy either, maybe 3 customers in the shop....

I'm sorry, but what a complete dick head, when my 19 month old daughter heard/saw his demeanor she started crying for her mommy (and she's a regular at most of the shops in town and has never fussed while gun/ammo shopping). The other guy was nice and helpful as usual though. I still have never been mistreated there, but I personally overheard two customers being talked to like they were idiot school children, and one of those guys was in his 80's wearing a Korean War Veterans cap....

Did you already know they had a one can limit on powder, even for 1lb cans, or did you get smirked at just like me?

Oh, and turns out they no longer quote prices over the phone... I am guessing for items the big guy does not know the price on and is too lazy to look it up!

Does anybody know how John is doing and when/if he will be back?