The 930 is a real sleeper in the shotgun market. It’s an American made gas operated semi that can be had for under $500.
I have seriously considered getting one of the 28” barrel walnut stocked target models as a loaner for folks I take to the clays range. (and I am a shotgun snob...) It will cycle soft 1 ounce target loads reliably.
Unless the length of pull was overly long (and being a tactical gun it may have an adjustable buttstock) a small lady who is trained even minimally in how to shoot could handle this gun with the lower recoil self-defense rounds.
The clerk said she was “holding the gun wrong” so he may have recognized that the length of pull was too much for her. But that can be easily corrected with some stock modification.