[josh]

I just got a phone call from a local gun store whom I purchased two suppressors from on March 7th. They filled out all of my Form 4's for me electronically, took my fingerprints, my pictures, and sent the Form 4's to the local CLEO to sign off on them.

Aprail 7th rolls around, a month later, and they called me saying I needed to come up there to get pictures taken of me because they lost my originals and needed new one's to send out. After wondering why it took them a DAMN MONTH to call me to get new pictures I reluctantly went up there, let them take new pictures, and yelled at the owner for a good 20 minutes. Not even an apology. All they said was the sherrif already signed them, and they'd go out to the ATF the next day.



I just got a call today telling me THEY NEED MY GOD DAMN PICTURES TAKEN AGAIN!!! And he said they just got the paperwork back from the sherrif with the signatures. It's been 89 f_____g days since I filled everything out, and paid $1,400 including the $400 for the two tax fee's. They should have already been sent to the ATF, approved, and back in my hands by now.



They will make this right, or I will demand my money back on both suppressors - one of which I've already put 1k rounds through at their range. And by making this right, I mean either a free lifetime membership to their store and range($2,500 value with a $500 coupon to use in their store, and a covered parking spot with name on it outside)), or a new damn gun of my choice!





Holy hell I'm more pissed now than I've ever been in my life. The bad news for them is my wife is more upset than I am, and her mouth loves to run when she's not happy.

 

[101Combat Vet]

ahhh

So you got a woman like me huh???? They make life so much easier dont they good luck brother!!

 

[jtaliani]

That is ridiculous! Hopefully everything will get worked out.

 

[josh]

Thanks combatvet and jt. I'm hoping this is some sick stupid joke, and my form's came back from the ATF approved, but I know that's not the case. They really do just suck.



If I get there tonight with my wife before they close we'll see what happens.

 

[jtaliani]

Keep us updated. Good luck. (I'm not sure if that should be directed to you or them)

 

[101Combat Vet]

If shes anything like my wife.... Lets just hope they got bulletproof glass cuz it will get loud real quick

 

[Walker]

Josh, man I would ask for some sort of discount for screwing that up. After all that is a lot of cash...

 

[ClosetCaseNerd]

Keep your cool, don't get loud, but choose your words wisely and speak sincerely to showcase your displeasure. Maybe there is something, a few magazines, some cleaning supplies, some ammo...something they can throw in for your time and hassle.



You get more with honey then with mayo.

 

[josh]

I just got back, and it still isn't settled yet. I kept my cool because honestly I'm nice as hell, and practically let people walk all over me - even though I shouldn't. I spoke directly to the owner. Told him how this is the second time they've called telling me my pictures were lost, and that it has been 89 days since I paid for the suppressors. I even reminded him that the last time I was in there for them to take pictures when they screwed up that he himself guranteed me the paperwork would be sent out the next day to the ATF.



Anyways, he apologized a bunch. Said in the past month he's had to fire about 4 people for not getting stuff taken care of, etc. I believe him, as I recognized only like 2 people there besided himself. Gave me his personal gurantee that he would get the pictures made out, and mailed out tomorrow, and he'd call "their guy" at the ATF and see if they can't get my paperwork "pushed along" quicker due to what's happened.



I asked if they were going to do or offer anything else, and he offered me a free year membership to the shop/range which is a $125 value. Kind of shocked, I said, "Is that it?" He told me that is 10% of the cost of what I paid, and that most places wouldn't even offer that. I reminded him that most places wouldn't screw up like this twice in a row, and I also told him I thought it was a slap in the face to have spent well over $5k at his store since February of this year only to get offered a free one year membership for these screwups - especially since they offer the exact same free one year membership to ANYONE who does business there if they simply forget to give you a receipt after buying anything there. And I also reminded him this is not the first time they've screwed me - on the same exact same set of suppressors.



He is supposed to be calling me tomorrow to tell me how much of a deal he can cut me on a new SWR Trident 9 suppressor with an LCD attatchment for my Glock G19. At this point I'm wanting at least $125 off the cost of the suppressor, and for them to pay the BATF $200 tax.



Anyone who knows me knows I am very non-confrontational. The first time I got screwed by these people I just took it in stride, and was fine with it. But this in my opinion is just sad business practice - especially considering how much of my paycheck I give up to them every month.





Blah. I need a new Class III dealer in SC. ATP Gun Shop in Summerville, SC sucks.



Rant over - for now.

 

[ClosetCaseNerd]

What do you expect him to give you? Is their range nice? Near your home? Is it worth the 125 dollar fee to begin with?



Just because you've spent your money with him doesn't mean he owes you something, if his prices are fair to begin with. Of the 5k he's probably made 1200 dollars profit before bills/payroll/rent off of you. If his range is nice, and maybe he throws in some ammo or magazines, I think you'll of made out well. If not, is it too late to tell him screw the paper work, I want my money back for a service you did not deliver (twice) and that you'll be shopping elsewhere.



Even if it isn't, don't burn a bridge if its an awesomely stocked dealer. Around here, there is one shop that has a ton of guns to rent and paw, if you want to handle something other then a glock or 1911, this is IT. If this particular shop is your equivalent, I'd go easy and not cause stress for later transactions.

 

[josh]

It's about 25 minutes away. There's another dealer about 6 minutes away. They charge $50 + tax for handgun transfer's while the place that's closer charges half and with no tax. They want full MSRP on all guns, and won't negotiate. Where the other place has prices closer to bud's.



The only reason I've shopped through them is because they can get stuff faster than the other place, and they have suppresors in stock, and some to demo.



I'm not one to think that a place, or person, ever owe's me anything, but I am shocked that the owner himself personally guranteed me that this would be taken care of TWO MONTHS AGO, and it still isn't. And all he offers is 10% of my money back?! What if all I had bought was a $170 Tactical Innovations suppressor, and the same thing had happened, do you honestly think that him giving me a whopping $17 back for 3 months time lost is acceptable?



Like I said, he offered me a free 1 year membership to the range after losing my pictures TWICE, and making me drive up there to take new one's twice, and letting my paperwork sit in their store for THREE MONTHS. They offer the same 1 year free membership to a person if they were to go in, buy a $1.00 target, and forget to print them out a sales receipt. Do you think that's acceptable of them on their part?





This isn't a bridge I'd have any problem burning. Nobody on ar15.com can stand doing business with them due to their ridiculous prices with no willingness to negotiate, and their unfriendliness. I'm not a person who goes out and looks for stuff like this to happen just so I can cash in on free stuff. And to be honest more than anything I just want my damn suppressors in my possession more than anything they could probably offer me.

 

[darklyte24]

seeing how crazy you are getting maybe you shouldnt be getting suppressors?

 

[josh]

I'm far from getting crazy, but if I talk to this guy again and he gives me any more of this, "We f'd up, but I really don't give a damn" attitude I'll go crazy.

In the future I'll be purchasing suppressor's through someone else about 2 hours from where I live, and I'll be taking care of the paperwork myself. Either that or I'll find a competent dealer closer who can actually do this right. :idea:

 

[wahoo95]

No offense, but personally I feel you are overreacting. While it's true that have done a poor job service wise in losing your pictures and causing a delay, they truly do not owe you anything over and beyond what you paid for. The fact that he offered you a free membership to the range should suffice...especially since you seem like a person who will definitely spend lots of time on that range. Simply put, you cannot expect a business that is run "for profit" to take a loss just to keep you happy.....you already said that you are not loyal to them. So why should they bend over that far to make you happy. A loyal customer is one who understands that things do happen and recognizes when the business tries to resolve the issue. Yes, you spent a lot of money over a short period of time with them, however he may feel that you will cost him more money in the long run if you discredit his business like you did in this forum everytime something doesn't go right. If you don't agree, take your business somewhere else and don't blast the guy's shop on a forum such as this.

 

[ClosetCaseNerd]

Well, I appreciate this kind of info as a consumer, and he took appropriate steps before bashing the gun shop (ie, tried to resolve the issue by speaking with the owner). He's telling both sides, and from what I'm seeing I'd still shop there because I think its unreasonable to ask for more then a free 125 dollar membership.



Bottom line, you choose where to spend your money. Spend it there...or don't. But whichever you do, be gracious about it, don't nag the guy. If you continue to use the shop, it will just sour the relationship. If your understanding, and something else ever goes wrong, he might cut you a break since you cut him slack and remained loyal previously.

 

[micah]

tell me about it

sounds like the 6 months it took me to get my CCW Permit in Connecticut.



(see documentation)

 

[TAZ]

I feel you pain. There is nothing lke buying a new toy, having to wait for it only to find out something/someone has thrown a wrench in the wroks. However, you need to try and relax a bit. You mentioned that you spend a good amount of money at this shop, so I assume this is the first transaction that has gone haywire. If others have gone awry then I am with you, but if this is the first time they have not done you right, you may want to consider cutting the guy some slack. He did NOT have to fill out your paperwork for you. He did NOT have to take your pictures. He did NOT have to print you. He did NOT have to take the time to send the paperwork off for CLEO signature. He does NOT have to send off your papers and tax $$ to the ATF. Seems like he was trying to do you a lot of favors and make sure that nothing went screwy with the paper shuffle. Granted it did not work out, but none the less he was trying to do things most other class 3 dealers do not.

 

[josh]

I find it interesting you guys think they owe me absolutely nothing when they lost my digital pictures twice over a period of three months, and think I'm overreacting by being upset/pissed and expecting some sort of decent compensation from him. I should've been offered the free year membership the first time it happened - considering their policy on simple sales receipts.



It's not fair for me to expect more than what he gives to customer's when they forget to print a sales receipt for them? What a joke. I expect a lot more from someone I give thousands of dollars to in business every month. And how can one say, "I think they did a poor job service wise," and "they truly do not owe you anything" in the same sentence. I'm sorry you'd settle for poor service.



My father owns his own business doing home inspections charging anywhere from $299-$499 an hour for work, and if a customer isn't happy for any reason the entire job is done free. It hasn't happened yet, but he has it on their contract and is more than willing to give it back.



There are several local's on arfcom who have ran into similar encounters with the same business/guy I recently found out. Pretty sad that they're losing so much business from people because it takes them 1-2 months to make a simple phone call, and then they try to weasle out of "losing" a few bucks to keep a paying customer happy.



Oh, and taking care of all the paperwork and other details is the LEAST they could do considering the prices way above MSRP they charge. I only went through them because I didn't want to drive 2 hours to TitltII, but from now on Henry's my go-to-guy.

 

[ClosetCaseNerd]

Bottom line, you choose where to spend your money. Spend it there...or don't. But whichever you do, be gracious about it.

 

[az larry]

When I do an NFA transfer, I give you your Form 4, 2 fingerprint cards and a local form our local Sheriff requires. The customer gets his own pics, gets his prints rolled at the Sheriff (since he needs to drop the Sheriff form there anyway and then mails off the package he gets back from the Sheriff. I think dealers that offer to print and photo are going the extra mile. Sorry your dealer had problems, but most SOTs just do the Form 4, and it's on you to get photos and prints.