Big Frustrating Let-Down

I've been keeping track of Shedhorn Sports' website this week as they're having a big sale on all their firearms. The one I was really interested in was a Remington 700 SPS Stainless in a 7mm-08. Yesterday, I called over to ask if they still had it; I live in Ramsay, MT (west of Butte) and was figuring on driving over to Ennis and buying it on Saturday. I was told they hadn't sold it, but it was at the gun show in Bozeman this weekend for the sale price ($529.99). OK, so this morning I drove over to Boze Angeles, got there early and paid the $5 to get into the gun show, and went to find Shedhorn's display. Didn't see the rifle, so I asked about it. The folks working there looked all around, didn't see it, called over to the store in Ennis, still couldn't find it, then finally it was determined it was at the store in Ennis and had been taken off the rack because had called saying he'd come over on Monday to buy it.

I asked, so he bought it and it's there waiting for him to pick it up? No. Layaway? No, they just took it off the rack because he asked. I told them I'd driven over from Butte because I was told the rifle was at the gun show. They were real sorry about the mix up. I said, I have the money in my pocket right now, I will buy it right now, not Monday. They wouldn't do it. I figured my Saturday was already pretty well shot, so I said I'd drive over to Ennis and buy it. Oh, no, we said we'd hold it for this other guy (who actually hadn't paid anything for it yet). Needless to say, I was not happy. They offered to order me one, but wouldn't do it for the sale price. I declined - if I wanted to do that I'd just go over to Three Bears in Butte. I talked to the owner, who was very appologetic, and said that if the other guy doesn't show up to buy it on Monday he'll call me.

So now I'm back home, could've taken my kids skiing today, but instead I was running all over SW Montana looking for a rifle that Shedhorn wouldn't sell me. Still feeling a little pissy about it and not sure I even want to deal with them at all at this point. I try not to get worked up over stuff like this, but I was told the (blankity-blank) rifle was at the (blankity-blank) gun show in Bozeman by one of their employees. I'm not a very trusting sort, but I'm willing to give the benefit of the doubt and say it was an honest mistake, and not a ploy to get me to their display at the gun show, but doggon it, what makes the guy calling and asking them to take it off the rack more compelling than me driving a 100 miles to buy it? Anyway, I'll conclude my rant now. If they want to take a sale item off the rack as spoken for, they should at least have their schidt together enough to be able to tell the next guy it's spoken for.

Never love something that can not love you back. Sorry for the runaround but policy is policy and people get confused and make misstatements or lie. I would take this giant clusterfrick as a sign from above shouting that particular gun has bad mojo for you. Think about it. No set of retail salespeople can team up to be that incompetent. Of course, would not be the first time an employee "misplaced" a sale item to hold it for a buddy or themselves. I would move on but is your blood pressure to manage if you want to walk in the store and demand to speak with a manager to try and smoke out if is incompetence or full-blown shenanigans. I sense bad mojo, though.

I too have had a similar experience. In my work, nothing gets held without cash in hand. That should be the standing policy in retail.

Could you have put a deposit on it over the phone with a debit card for them to hold it? Have you checked Bud's? They usually have awesome prices that a lot of times beat store prices.

Shedhorn is typically a little overpriced. I usually check Buds guns and then call Shedhorn and negotiate based on the price that Buds lists. Shedhorn usually matches that price without much debate.

That sucks as that looks like a pretty good price.

w hen I helped run a retail operation for a friend, cash was always king. I'd sell it to you, especially if you drove around the state to find it

I guess the whole thing was weird and just kind of sorry. I was surprised they would just take it off the shelf because somebody on the phone said they'd come buy it in a few days, I'm sure I didn't misunderstand that, but on the same token I thought it was a little odd they'd even tell me that. Anyway, I started looking at that rifle on Monday last week. If I'd had any idea they'd hold it for me for nothing more than a phone call, I'd done that.

All things considered, I'd been fine with them just ordering me another for the same price, but, oh well. I really don't think it was intentional on their part, but I certainly got a run around it was pretty lame.

They should've offered to order it for you for the same price. It would have made for much better word for you to spread..and that is the best form of advertising Brian.

noharleyyet said:

They should've offered to order it for you for the same price. It would have made for much better word for you to spread..and that is the best form of advertising Brian.

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This is the way it should have been handled. Good word of mouth sells, bad word of mouth keeps you from selling.

Running him through the mud on a simple mistake is pretty petty. IMO. Lick your wounds and move on. You missed out on a smoking deal, that's life. Why not purchase it over the phone to make sure it was yours before driving the hour and a half to the show? It could have easily been sold before you got there. What then? I suspect we'd see a similar thread about how they sold it out from under you.

Bambistew said:

Running him through the mud on a simple mistake is pretty petty. IMO. Lick your wounds and move on. You missed out on a smoking deal, that's life. Why not purchase it over the phone to make sure it was yours before driving the hour and a half to the show? It could have easily been sold before you got there. What then? I suspect we'd see a similar thread about how they sold it out from under you.

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Yes. Money talks, bs walks.

I am the happy recipient of just such a Shedhorn transaction.
A very sweet Browning Citori Superlight Feather 16 sat on their rack for a long time - me eyeing it for a year. Finally bit, called them from BozAngeles and asked if they would hold it for me for 3 days, I would be over to pick it up at that time.
I actually thought it pretty nice, that in these $$ grubbing days, that a retailer would work with someone this way. I rather think it's working well with a customer. They very easily could have sold it "out from underneath me" - the way I would have viewed it.
FWIW, I've bought, I think, 3 rifles and four shotguns from Shedhorn. Lotsa' other asst' crap - no problems.

Bambistew said:

Running him through the mud on a simple mistake is pretty petty.

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Maybe. I was certainly angery posting yesterday. It wasn't just the missing out on a great deal; that's disappointing but I can handle that. It's more that I was sent on a 5 hour, 200+ mile goose chase based on their mistake, not mine, that they then were not willing to work out or make right. That's pretty irritating. I'll get over it, but I think they earned a negative review in this case. I'm not going to hold a grudge, but I'm probably not inclined to deal with them anymore either.

Bambistew said:

Running him through the mud on a simple mistake is pretty petty. IMO. Lick your wounds and move on. You missed out on a smoking deal, that's life. Why not purchase it over the phone to make sure it was yours before driving the hour and a half to the show? It could have easily been sold before you got there. What then? I suspect we'd see a similar thread about how they sold it out from under you.

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How is expecting a vendor to honor a verbal agreement petty?

noharleyyet said:

How is expecting a vendor to honor a verbal agreement petty?

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Unless I'm really missing something here, I do believe the verbal agreement was with the other party??...???...

Holy crap - I think I have finally wandered onto facebook......

onpoint said:

Unless I'm really missing something here, I do believe the verbal agreement was with the other party??...???...

Holy crap - I think I have finally wandered onto facebook......

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I want my money back for the speed reading course...you are correct, I read the post wrong.

Do I win anything?

onpoint said:

Do I win anything?

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Yep, ya get to keep your blood pressure stable this morning.

Bambi's correct also.

I have four dogs. Latest research suggests they provide calming effects. Of course research seems to be suspect......
Besides, this place affecting one's blood pressure - that is hilarious.
Except maybe the owner's.....