Mainstreet Range & Guns in Lilburn

[Jester7]

We are very disappointed that this customer feels he has been mistreated. We have always charged $50.00 for transfers from company's that are for all particle mean are Wholesalers selling to the public and wanting to use us to support there business. We love to take in transfers form auctions and individuals for $25.00. The $50.00 fee is NOT a tax. What we stated was that BUDS by Georgia law recently pasted should charge the sales tax. We can match or beat pricing as long as we are playing on an even playing field. We tell each customer about our fees to handle transfers.
As a gesture of goodwill, if this customer will come back in the store we will fund his $25.00 if he feels he was mislead. We have been serving the community with pride for eleven years.

Mainstreet Arms

I appreciate your willingness to respond although I wish you had added your name so he knows who to ask for when he comes in. Oh, essentially, you are charging 50 bucks to have the item show up at your place, store it until retrieved and then take a few minutes to deal with paperwork? I think the 25 is about par for most places but even that is no gift. I wish you and your business well

 

[strider12]

We are very disappointed that this customer feels he has been mistreated. We have always charged $50.00 for transfers from company's that are for all particle mean are Wholesalers selling to the public and wanting to use us to support there business. We love to take in transfers form auctions and individuals for $25.00. The $50.00 fee is NOT a tax. What we stated was that BUDS by Georgia law recently pasted should charge the sales tax. We can match or beat pricing as long as we are playing on an even playing field. We tell each customer about our fees to handle transfers.
As a gesture of goodwill, if this customer will come back in the store we will fund his $25.00 if he feels he was mislead. We have been serving the community with pride for eleven years.

Mainstreet Arms

Nice of you to show up and defend your position. From what I'm reading, you are saying that if somebody wishes to use the competition that you somehow deem "not fair", they will pay you double what is charged normally. Was that written somewhere on a sign? I have made 3 purchases from your store at gun shows. That will not be happening again

 

[zesty]

"We can match or beat pricing as long as we are playing on an even playing field."

The problem is that you are on an even playing field with other gun stores. They don't charge $50. Also, their fees are consistent and clear. I'd be fine if you want to charge $50 for transfers, as long as the buyer knows it before the transfer. Most of us understand the position you're in and many of us strive to support local gun stores... that are friendly, honest, and upfront in their dealings.

If this policy makes sense for you, please advertize it better. You've lost one sale with me (I always buy something when I stop in a gun store) and I expect more with others here.

 

[sunchile2000]

I buy from Buds also, call buds and tell the their getting scammed and they'll fix it. They sell way to many guns for a "preferred vendor" to make them look bad.

 

[a__l__a__n]

We are very disappointed that this customer feels he has been mistreated. We have always charged $50.00 for transfers from company's that are for all particle mean are Wholesalers selling to the public and wanting to use us to support there business. We love to take in transfers form auctions and individuals for $25.00. The $50.00 fee is NOT a tax. What we stated was that BUDS by Georgia law recently pasted should charge the sales tax. We can match or beat pricing as long as we are playing on an even playing field. We tell each customer about our fees to handle transfers.
As a gesture of goodwill, if this customer will come back in the store we will fund his $25.00 if he feels he was mislead. We have been serving the community with pride for eleven years.

Mainstreet Arms

Thank you for being willing to respond here. Of course I'm concerned about the $25 but I'm also concerned about business practices that appear unethical to me.

What I was told in the store does not match what I learned after I left. Your employee came out of the back room to tell me there was a problem with the transfer because Buds had not charged me tax, so you were going to "have to" charge me $50 rather than the usual $25. You said you were charging $50 because Buds had not charged me sales tax, as required by law. But I now know that's not really the reason, because you were charging people $50 before that law was passed. You told me that you were doing this because you are under federal scrutiny as a gun business, and so you have to obey the law. But there is no law requiring you to do anything different in this situation from any other transfer. I went into the store expecting to pick up my gun for the conventional $25 but you raised the price on me "on the spot." That's just not right. At a minimum you should clearly advertise your prices so a customer will know before choosing you as the FFL dealer.

I'll offer you some free unsolicited advice. What you are doing here is bad business. You can't win at this. It's not going to drive more business to your store (quite the opposite in fact). People can buy wherever they want, and they can just use a different FFL. You would be a lot better off with a business model that faces real world facts. You have an advantage over online sellers in some areas: ammunition, for one. Shipping is a killer for online ammo purchases. And with a range, you have a great opportunity to sell ammo to customers. (Hey, people can't buy range time over the internet!) You could enhance those assets with events, contests, training, membership... lots of opportunities to build a business model in which you don't screw your customers. You could attempt to establish a long term relationship with the customer -- selling accessories, ammunition, maybe even that next firearm purchase -- instead of slapping him with an additional unexpected fee upon picking up the firearm.

 

[beaker]

We are very disappointed that this customer feels he has been mistreated. We have always charged $50.00 for transfers from company's that are for all particle mean are Wholesalers selling to the public and wanting to use us to support there business. We love to take in transfers form auctions and individuals for $25.00. The $50.00 fee is NOT a tax. What we stated was that BUDS by Georgia law recently pasted should charge the sales tax. We can match or beat pricing as long as we are playing on an even playing field. We tell each customer about our fees to handle transfers.
As a gesture of goodwill, if this customer will come back in the store we will fund his $25.00 if he feels he was mislead. We have been serving the community with pride for eleven years.

Mainstreet Arms

So since you feel slighted by having to compete against an online retailer, you feel it necessary to charge more to handle a transfer from them. Don't you think your policy is directed at the wrong party? If you are gonna accept transfer from Bud's why don't you charge Bud's the extra $25 for stealing business from you, not the consumer? Or better yet, don't accept transfer from Bud's if you feel that strongly about it. At the very least, contact Bud's and tell them to correct your transfer fee under your preferred dealer listing.

 

[sparked1]

Thank you for being willing to respond here. Of course I'm concerned about the $25 but I'm also concerned about business practices that appear unethical to me.

What I was told in the store does not match what I learned after I left. Your employee came out of the back room to tell me there was a problem with the transfer because Buds had not charged me tax, so you were going to "have to" charge me $50 rather than the usual $25. You said you were charging $50 because Buds had not charged me sales tax, as required by law. But I now know that's not really the reason, because you were charging people $50 before that law was passed. You told me that you were doing this because you are under federal scrutiny as a gun business, and so you have to obey the law. But there is no law requiring you to do anything different in this situation from any other transfer. I went into the store expecting to pick up my gun for the conventional $25 but you raised the price on me "on the spot." That's just not right. At a minimum you should clearly advertise your prices so a customer will know before choosing you as the FFL dealer.

I'll offer you some free unsolicited advice. What you are doing here is bad business. You can't win at this. It's not going to drive more business to your store (quite the opposite in fact). People can buy wherever they want, and they can just use a different FFL. You would be a lot better off with a business model that faces real world facts. You have an advantage over online sellers in some areas: ammunition, for one. Shipping is a killer for online ammo purchases. And with a range, you have a great opportunity to sell ammo to customers. (Hey, people can't buy range time over the internet!) You could enhance those assets with events, contests, training, membership... lots of opportunities to build a business model in which you don't screw your customers. You could attempt to establish a long term relationship with the customer -- selling accessories, ammunition, maybe even that next firearm purchase -- instead of slapping him with an additional unexpected fee upon picking up the firearm.

 

[Jester7]

Up...

 

[jwc0305]

Had a similar experience with them, will never set foot in that store again!!

 

[NGIB]

Whenever I'm asked about buying guns online, I always advise folks to go to the FFL they intend to use and get the transfer pricing/policy in writing. I had one FFL tell me when I lived in Marietta that they would not receive a gun from CDNN at all. Make sure to report these issues to Bud's so they can be removed from the FFL list...