Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Local Gunstore Issue

I'd like to get the opinion of the group.

I have a LGS that I have dealth with for over 25+ years and they know who I am when I call and know me by name when I go in. This year alone I have bought three guns from them.

Anyway, I called and asked them to order me a set of grips, a less than $50 item, for a gun. They have ordered stuff for me in the past with no issues. This time they wanted me to come in and make a deposit. From all indications they aren't losing money, as guns are flying off the shelves, and they have done this for me in the past and I have always paid for the items I requested.

When I got done, and phone routed to the Manager, whom I also have known for years, I was a bit torqued and considering not ever doing business there again or recommending them.

I am a repeat customer, have ordered stuff from them in the past, and never not paid for what I've requested. I have also sent multiple sales thier way, five .41 Magnum N-Frames, without a lock, alone in the past couple of years, and bring people to thier door. I'm loyal and request the same from them. I consider it like a slap in the face to be asked to drive down and "make a deposit" on such a small item. I called Pacmayer myself and ordered them.

I'm thinking of never gracing thier door again. What say you? I have another local FFL that handles all my transfers and buy most of my better guns online but I usually give them the chance to match a price and if they come close, before taxes, I generally buy from them.

Biker

It's probably an employee who isn't informed. I once had written a $75.00 check to the local CVS and they were robbed that night of cash and checks. I went in after I found out about it and paid the money with another check. They asked me for my ID.

I'd head down there just to confirm that there wasn't any confusion about who they thought they were talking to on the phone, and someone didn't just have a bad hangover--or hard of hearing episode not uncommon to gun guys. If there was no mistaken ID, I'd explain briefly what I thought of such a thing, offered a 'good day, sir' and walked out the door. YMMV.

Sometimes some folks do business in a different way for different reasons.

Sometimes the folks doing business with those folks have different 'expectations'.

I've been put off sometimes where I have done business, BUT if they have what I want at the best price ... I'll swallow my pride and grab it.

Otherwise, I'll go somewhere else first.

Terrible customer service, seems to becoming more prevalent. I have a local shop, that has only three people working there. I know them all quite well, and consider them freinds. That type of thing wouldn't happen. That said there is a much larger shop a little farther away, thats pissed me off, one to many times. They hire idots, that know less about guns than Barack Obama. Stood at the countwer for about ten minutes, while a kid clipped his finger nails, and did an inspection, The bullets are behind a counter, and you can't read what they are. I asked if I could step behind to look. Why the clerk asked? The boxes won't tell you anything, I can't.

I'd go ahead and head to the shop as requested. It sounds like you're tight with the manager, so go see him in person.

With a cool head (NOT confrontational), just ask if something had changed, and if so, why.

It may have been a misunderstanding, policy may have changed for some reason, whatever.

Give him an honest chance to explain why it happened.

Explain (again, calmly) your side, and see if you guys can't find a common ground.

If it was a shop that I had been doing business with for years, happily, I'd at least find out "why" before I blacklisted them.

Middle of last year the company I work for bought a safety shop, selling work wear, safety boots, etc. One of the regular customers is a good friend of the boss, he ordered an expensive pair of boots through us. When they arrived he tried them on and said he didn't really like them. The company we ordered them off has a policy where returns are charged at 25% of cost, to return them will cost us $100 plus shipping, if we keep them we have a size 6.5 mens boot worth minimum $750 retail that will never sell because of the size and price.
We should have asked for a non-refundable deposit before ordering them but we didn't because he's a regular and a friend.
The other one we have had in the past is people ordering stuff then never coming to pick it up.

You may find that the store you deal with has had issues like that in the past and have now implemented a deposit policy on all orders. Tough on you being one of the good guys, and probably the type who'd have taken the item even if you didn't really like it, but understandable when it costs stores to return ordered goods.

I would go down and let them know why they wouldn't be seeing me any longer.

Regards,

Josh

As a repeat customer I can certainly understand and appreciate why you would be pissed but I would also hope that the people that you've dealt with over the past 25 years have earned the benefit of the doubt and you'll go see them in person about it. It may be a simple misunderstanding.

If no reasonable explanation is given I say its time to look for a new gun store

Different ways of expressing what I was trying to say.

I'll ask about it when I go pick up what could possibly be the last gun they sell me. There have always been mixed reviews about this shop, but have always seemed to do right by me. It's not like I was asking them to order something that would be impossible to sell and being that the cost was so low and could easily be tacked on to another order, I just thought it a poor decision to demand a deposit on a set of Pacmayer grips.

Biker

That doesn't mean everyone has. A business can quickly rack up a bunch of odd ball inventory they'll never be able to move and tie up their cash & credit with orders folks want on Tuesday and change their mind on Friday. My guess is that the store had that problem and had to make a decision to require deposits. If I really wanted the item I would have given them a deposit by CC over the phone or even paid for it in advance by CC again over the phone. Piece of cake. 163bc

I'd storm into the place
all pizzed of and demand to know why they wouldn't be honored to own a set of grips that may sit on their inventory for years , if I didn't like 'em!

I am sure if you go in they will bend over backward to kiss your azz just to keep you as a customer.

A 25 year relationship with a good local gun store isn't something to be thrown away before you know the whole story. Go down there, speak to the owner and get it straight from his mouth before you chitcan this store and go look for another.

I think you are one of those New Age, overly sensitive types.

Sage advice...

I have a knife set in my safe that was made at the request of a great customer. He never paid for it when we notified him it was ready. It has an 8" main knife with a matching smaller knife in a sheath attached to the sheath for the larger knife. We don't take deposits from anybody on our knives because we won't make something that we think we will have a hard time selling if the person ordering it doesn't complete the purchase...unless it is a good customer wanting something special.

I would cut them some slack. They likely have been down this road a few times too.

My favorite shop will order whatever I want with a call. Period. Guns included. And does so for many others. If I ever felt I was in your position I would head down to check out the used rack and have a conversation with whomever you think is appropriate. Say exactly what you posted and let them tell you why or why not.... Decide then and there what your going to do.

To many people try to decide for others what is and isn't. Be fair and honest. If your version doesn't match his then thank him and move on. All done....

W

for something you can order on line and get UPSed to you, why would you bother with the dealer in the first place?

that said, that attitude would put me off from further dealings.