Dealer websites

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Does anybody else find most MA dealer websites lacking? I see websites that don't show prices, others don't keep their pages updated, few post photos of what's for sale or even photos of the shop and some look like they were designed 20 years ago when there were no websites.

Do most customers just prefer to go in the store and check out the inventory? Is building and updating a 1-3k website too expensive or difficult? Do some of the owners not care because they have plenty of business, they lack time and don't need to attract new clients?
I don't have much time to drive around and check out stores located 30-50 miles away. I find it cumbersome to have to call 5-6 stores at a time and ask if they have this or that.
 
Yep. Of course, most dealers aren't web guys, so it's not a big surprise. Maybe if they could sell guns over the internet it would be worth their while to get a proper website/e-commerce portal. Alas, GCA68.
 
I find it lacking on several websites some of them keep their used gun listing updated but it doesn't show the prices I have found maybe 2 sites that have the price for the gun and others just have pictures and prices of maybe 4 guns(I'm guessing its the one that they try to always have in stock). Its all about advertisement if you ask me if they updated it to include the things us regular customers look for when we look for a page they would have much more business. And I know they feeling of driving from shop to shop looking to put a nice sks on layaway for when my fid arrives and its not fun. I apologize for this novel.
 
I was thinking the same thing. My friend told me which shop I should go to, but their website is horrible at best. I want to at least have an idea of what you carry besides just links to the companies that make the guns.
 
Most store owners i've talked to have said they don't have the money or time to even think about a website, or updating the one they currently have. Not to plug myself or anything, but I own a web design company and have offered my services to many gun shops in the area (I'm in RI) and we'll see if I get any bites. I've even offered to do it in trade, maybe acquire some new items...
 
I consider myself a fairly tactile (not tactical) shopper, meaning I like to put my hands on products. However, I hesitate to drive half an hour, 45 minutes or more to a store if I'm not fairly certain they have what I'm looking for. Yes, I could call. I don't want to call. I want to use the internet to look at pictures of things and read about them. If you have what I'm looking for, I'll make the drive and talk at length about the various products. I'll let you talk me into accessories, too.

I think store owners do themselves a real disservice by not having good websites. I know plenty of people who buy their hunting equipment at Dick's because they can look it up before they go.
 
Check out www.acmearmament.com

It was just updated tonight and was updated this past Saturday. We have New & Used firearms listed with prices & a link to the photo's for each. There is a page for directions that is easy to use. It also has a Reloading Components page, Accesories page and a Services page.

We have had several compliments on it and it's ease of navigation, http://www.northeastshooters.com/vbulletin/threads/114515-Acme-Armament-is-online

Damn. Did you finally sell that H&R turkey gun? I was gunna come get it sometime in the future [laugh]
 
Acme, you're not far from me...I go for my LTC in Plymouth next week, maybe I'll pay you a visit lol
 
Check out www.acmearmament.com

It was just updated tonight and was updated this past Saturday. We have New & Used firearms listed with prices & a link to the photo's for each. There is a page for directions that is easy to use. It also has a Reloading Components page, Accesories page and a Services page.

We have had several compliments on it and it's ease of navigation, http://www.northeastshooters.com/vbulletin/threads/114515-Acme-Armament-is-online

I see your dog is prepared to defend himself from a SWAT raid [wink]
 
Acme, you're not far from me...I go for my LTC in Plymouth next week, maybe I'll pay you a visit lol

We'll see you then.

I see your dog is prepared to defend himself from a SWAT raid [wink]

He's a card carrying member of CANKR [smile]

CANKR.jpg
 
This
I consider myself a fairly tactile (not tactical) shopper, meaning I like to put my hands on products. However, I hesitate to drive half an hour, 45 minutes or more to a store if I'm not fairly certain they have what I'm looking for. Yes, I could call. I don't want to call. I want to use the internet to look at pictures of things and read about them. If you have what I'm looking for, I'll make the drive and talk at length about the various products. I'll let you talk me into accessories, too.

I think store owners do themselves a real disservice by not having good websites. I know plenty of people who buy their hunting equipment at Dick's because they can look it up before they go.
^^^

There's many college kids out there that will update a website for $15 - $20 an hour, and they do a darn good job at it, plus work can be done in under 2 hours (updating)

Sites should do it at least once per week, or when inventory changes.
Anyone can update a site, very easy to change a text saying IN STOCK to OUT OF STOCK, and delete or add a pic of item.

I don't usually browse a site that has 7 different font size, unorganized , 24pt font is like screaming fire to get attention.

A website doesn't have to cost $3,000. either.

There are 3 gun shops on the northshore that list prices and try to keep an updated website, www.originalbobsshootingrange.com , www.patriotarmsofne.com , and www.bay-state-arms.com . I know because I did their websites and I do their updating.

Original Bob's updates their website once a week.

Any gun shops out their needing help, feel free to contact me, gun shops are my favorite businesses!
My business website is : www.sparechangemarketing.com

Those were neatly done Ma'm.
 
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Most are definitely lacking. Acme has one of the better ones. I wish Ron at the Sportsman's Den would invest in his. He has the domain but I don't think it has been updated since it was made.
 
I consider myself a fairly tactile (not tactical) shopper, meaning I like to put my hands on products. However, I hesitate to drive half an hour, 45 minutes or more to a store if I'm not fairly certain they have what I'm looking for. Yes, I could call. I don't want to call. I want to use the internet to look at pictures of things and read about them. If you have what I'm looking for, I'll make the drive and talk at length about the various products. I'll let you talk me into accessories, too.

I think store owners do themselves a real disservice by not having good websites. I know plenty of people who buy their hunting equipment at Dick's because they can look it up before they go.

Pretty much how i think. I visited only 2 shops so far and purchased a couple of things. And that's only because they had an updated inventory with listed prices so i was able to browse and figure out what i wanted/could get there. I wouldn't have bothered to do the 60 mile drive to Original Bob's otherwise.

Thanks to those who posted a couple of more websites for me to check that i was not aware of.
 
The ones that annoy me are ones that list the majority of their guns, but only post prices for half, the other half stating 'call for price.' Youre a gun shop, lose the used car salesman approach.
 
I have talked to many dealers about this and they all have the same response......

"We want to get the customer in the shop."

They truly feel that the best chance to make a sale is to get them in and put a gun in the customers hand. Hence they put very little effort into online and are against posting pricing.
 
Pretty much how i think. I visited only 2 shops so far and purchased a couple of things. And that's only because they had an updated inventory with listed prices so i was able to browse and figure out what i wanted/could get there. I wouldn't have bothered to do the 60 mile drive to Original Bob's otherwise.

Thanks to those who posted a couple of more websites for me to check that i was not aware of.

Even theirs isnt always up to date, they had a gun on their site for an okay price that was similar to what I was looking for, so I went to look at it and see if I could test drive it on their range. Turns out they had the exact gun I was looking for at a much better price in their case, so I should probably be glad it wasnt on their site as it would probably have been gone by the time I got there, luckily theyre only a 20 minute drive [laugh]
 
I have talked to many dealers about this and they all have the same response......

"We want to get the customer in the shop."

They truly feel that the best chance to make a sale is to get them in and put a gun in the customers hand. Hence they put very little effort into online and are against posting pricing.

This is a common sentiment for most retailers. Ultimately, you start coming to a nexus. Almost anyone living in a metropolitan area under 35-45 is going to be at least somewhat web-savvy and is likely to use the internet extensively to research their purchases, find dealers, etc. Galleryofguns.com is great if you know exactly what you want and have a nearby dealer to whom you like giving free profit, but if I want to go to a local shop to compare, say, 1911's, I want to know what the shop has in stock, how much they are selling for, etc. I do like going into a shop and puttering around a bit, but when I'm ready to buy, I am ready to buy. (And if I call, and you say, "Yeah, I think I have one of those" and I come down and you don't, you probably aren't getting any more business from me.)

I don't begrudge people for not being web-savvy, and if you are happy with your business and how much you do, keep on truckin'. But if you really want to drive more business to your store, get a good, clean web site, update it frequently, and then stock things that your current and prospective customers want. (I know most shops are relatively small, and that you can only stock so much inventory.) You shouldn't have a web site as an afterthought because people tell you that you need a web site. It should provide prospective clients a positive view of your business that drives them to come in (if they can't buy online). If it doesn't do that, you should consider not having a web site.
 
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Since there's differerent licenses in Massachusetts, it would be of great help if the gun shops list what minimal-license is required for each firearm they sells.

Too many people (w/FID or LTC-B) that I send to check out websites, only for them to come back to me saying, they don't know which item on the site they can purchase under their license.
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Unless the store owner wants to spend his/her time of the day answering that question on the phone (?)
 
As a contract manufacturer we do not have a web site because we do not want to look as though we are competing with our contract customer's with the same products we manufacture for them. We don't want to be blatant and we try to keep a low profile.
I have set up a Facebook page for Remsport Mfg. and of course this isn’t any where as good as a web site, however it is more low profile and a place I can post photos and pricing.
 
Since there's differerent licenses in Massachusetts, it would be of great help if the gun shops list what minimal-license is required for each firearm they sells.

Too many people (w/FID or LTC-B) that I send to check out websites, only for them to come back to me saying, they don't know which item on the site they can purchase under their license.
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Unless the store owner wants to spend his/her time of the day answering that question on the phone (?)

that's a good idea, I will try to add that to the information to the firearms on my website.
 
I'm a web developer as well, and have considered writing some sort of CMS + frontend combination to make it super easy for a shop owner to update these things themselves, but I have a couple other independent ideas I am trying to get wrapped up first. If anyone has an interest in talking to me about this tho I would love to chat with them.

One of the first things I noticed while browsing MA dealer websites is that most of them are lacking sorely (there are exceptions). I know I personally have driven around to all the shops in the area since getting my license to get a feel for the employees, the pricing etc. If you could learn some of this before making the trip (I've done a ton of driving) I think there is only gain to be had for these shop owners. I know it would be fairly easy to develop a CMS that would allow a dealer to update their shop inventory, information, hours, location, etc. and would drive foot traffic by gaining web traffic. If anyone has an "in" with a dealer here who has been looking for a new website or would like to chat about SEO or web opportunities, PM me and let me know!

-mivv
 
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