How to lose a customer for less than $15
Posted by CapNBall1860@reddit | Firearms | View on Reddit | 58 comments
Online gun seller lists a parkerized gun and a blued version for $15 more. I bought the blued version. When it arrived it was the parkerized. I still filled out the paperwork and took delivery, figuring this shop has a very good reputation and I've done thousands of dollars in business with them in the past. I get home and email customer support asking to either refund the difference I paid or else sell me a blued one for the same price as the parkerized. The reply was essentially "we screwed up but we're not going to do anything to make it right":
"I will start off by saying it does look like there is a listing error in the title of this listing as there is not a 'blued' version of this gun only parkerized. That being said we would not be able to refund you any difference, or offer a discounted price for a blued version. I have since removed the word 'Blue' from the title on this listing I do apologize about any inconvenience this listing error may have presented.
Thank you and kindest regards"
So, lesson learned. I should have refused delivery and not assumed the shop would make it right after the paperwork is done. But also, this customer service makes it so they'll never see another dollar from me.
rddog21@reddit
I had an incident with their shipping division as a shop owner a few years ago. They insured ship and a Sharps Carbine got broke at the stock. We messaged around for about a month back and forth over the replacement cost and finally I had see enough. So I got on LinkedIn and tracked down the CEO of the company and emailed him (on vacation.). Within the hour there was a great deal of apologies, and with 24 hrs they had sent the settlement money. Never worked with them again
Edwardteech@reddit
I mean its buds soo.... not surprised.
martialdylan@reddit
It's very common for online retailers to have inaccuracies in their listings. There are a billion manufacturers making a kajillion different models and getting all that data into your website in a presentable way is a job in and of itself. A job that might just be done by someone that doesn't understand the difference between a parkerized or blued finish. So mistakes happen. Wrong pictures on wrong models, wrong prices, wrong calibers, in your case 'parkerized' woulda been better than 'black/blue'. This is why you should always look up the model you want on the manufacturer's website and then verify you're ordering exactly what you're after by a UPC or SKU. Because that is exactly how the retailer is going to verify that you did or didn't get what you ordered.
In the case of a used gun purchased online, just know exactly what you are buying and if it's anything other than described and pictured, like you said, don't take delivery.
That out of the way...Bud's coulda just went "Hey sorry you weren't 100% happy, but we hope you enjoy it anyway. Here's a $10 off code for your next purchase. Thank you for being a valued source of our income stream, blah blah blah."
Like, c'mon Bud's, your name is Bud's, be a fuckin bud.
CapNBall1860@reddit (OP)
Yeah. I understand mistakes happen. The part that I don't get is the email saying basically "We know we made a mistake, but we're not going to do anything about it. Have a nice day."
Master-Blaster42@reddit
Name and shame brother.
CapNBall1860@reddit (OP)
Updated OP. It was Bud's.
Troutflash@reddit
They fuuuuucked us hard during Covid.
Bud’s sucks.
CapNBall1860@reddit (OP)
What happened?
Master-Blaster42@reddit
Damn, that's a big operation to be pinching pennies. Thanks for the update!!!
otusowl@reddit
I had one good-ish transaction with Bud's \~8+ years ago, but they seem to have become worse since then.
CapNBall1860@reddit (OP)
I've bought tons from them and never had a problem. That's why I was so shocked by their response. But all it takes is one time like this and I don't trust their customer service anymore. Lots of other people sell guns.
poolsidepanda@reddit
You should name them so everyone here won’t fall victim to their practices moving forward.
Remarkable-Host405@reddit
victim? company made an honest mistake
Meatball_tactical@reddit
It was an honest mistake, and it resulted in a unsatisfied customer. They didn’t care that their error caused the customer grief and offered nothing to remedy the error. That’s shit customer service no matter how honest of a mistake it was.
Field-brotha-no-mo@reddit
A mistake doesn’t become a mistake until you refuse to correct it.
TheAlexTran@reddit
Not honest if you don’t make it right
poolsidepanda@reddit
Victim to their practices of failing to make things right. Them making an honest mistake has nothing to do with how they handled it after their mistake was brought to their attention.
B1893@reddit
I think refusing to make it right is the issue here.
bowtie_k@reddit
The real takeaway here is that you should have denied the transfer.
feelin_cheesy@reddit
Disappointment comes free with purchase of a $280 revolver
CapNBall1860@reddit (OP)
Nah. This is the 3rd one I've bought. They're good trunk guns, range toys for sitting with people who didn't bring something to shoot. Just a good solid beater gun. Not my carry piece, but that's not what I'm buying them for.
feelin_cheesy@reddit
Got one in the back of your toilet yet? Must have IMO
CapNBall1860@reddit (OP)
I don't understand why you're so upset about it. They're decent cheap guns.
feelin_cheesy@reddit
Just busting your balls. Calm down.
Special_EDy@reddit
I only have one RIA gun, longslide double stack 1911 in 10mm, the Pro Ultra Match "Big Rock". It might be their most expensive handgun, but i can say that they are definitely capable of making an excellent firearm.
MarryYouInMinecraft@reddit
People say this all the time, but all you end up with is no gun and no money.
You need to initiate a return, thats not your FFLs problem or responsibility.
bluleftnut@reddit
Can't you just deny the transfer and then challenge the credit card transaction with your bank?
MarryYouInMinecraft@reddit
Think about it for a second. Your CC company will contact the retailer then they will show it was signed for by the transferee (the FFL) at the delivery address you put on the order (the FFLs address).
ElkExtension1323@reddit
This. I had a customer call a few days ago saying he talked to the company he bought a gun from and I need to send it back. I told him I’d be glad to, just bring the gun in, ready to ship with a shipping label. He told me the company he bought it from said I would take care of that. He seemed genuinely put out when I told him no, that’s not how that works.
CapNBall1860@reddit (OP)
Agreed. I've just done a lot of business with them so I assumed we'd be able to come to some kind of resolution.
gunsforevery1@reddit
Why won’t you say which business?
CapNBall1860@reddit (OP)
Updated OP, it was Bud's.
RB5009UGSin@reddit
You need to name this company. That’s trash business that no one should be dealing with.
ShooterReady603@reddit
Yup, this is one of the cases where name and shame is appropriate.
Special_EDy@reddit
Name the employee too. To be fair to the company, it was probably someone having a rough day around the holidays, a different Customer Service rep or someone higher up the food chain might handle it totally differently.
Special_EDy@reddit
If you are frustrated enough about it, complain to the manufacturer(RIA), and not the Vendor(Buds), and/or complain to the service provider(Google).
When you complain to a business like Buds, they only have an incentive to make you happy in order to retain your business. But when you complain to RIA or Google, you risk their business. It's not like anything is going to happen over just your dispute, but if Google and/or RIA started getting enough angry emails about Buds, it could cost them a lot of money if business ties were severed.
Don't underestimate the power of complaints. Don't be a dick when you complain either, you can hit home-runs when you properly play off the ignorant and well-meaning customer with a question in an email. Id write RIA first, explain to them that you purchased the firearm because it said it was blued, and paid extra for the option, but are a little sad it came as parkerized, and would like to know where you can purchase a blued one. This paints you as someone who is well-meaning, wants to spend money, and is enthusiast about their products, while it also paints Buds out as deceptive, not helpful, and misleading on their advertising, all without you actually pointing any fingers or making accusations.
Google, id start with a 1 star review. Next, you could complain to Better Business Bureau. Both the poor review and the BBB complaint will get read by two different people at Buds, that is a guarantee. These will be people in seperate departments of the company, high probability that one of them has the power to snap their fingers and make things right if the bad review can go away.
Last option would be to complain to the ATF. This is the one I'm the least certain about, but I'd be willing to bet that someone at the ATF would take issue with the idea of a major gun-retailer shipping people firearms that they didnt order. That's your spin here, thats probably the point you need to drive home and omit anything which doesnt support it, you did not order that particular firearm and Buds is shipping random firearms to customers. Less is more, ignorant and well-meaning, if you give too much detail you soften the blow. There's probably a reasonable chance that some poor underpaid government employee from the ATF has to ring up Buds to find out wtf is going on if you are vague enough, and nothing is going to make Bud's want to set things right faster than a confused ATF agent ringing them up and asking a ton of questions.
slk28850@reddit
If it isn't what I ordered I don't accept transfer and contact the shop I ordered from. If they say pound sand ,which hasn't happened to me yet, I can always do a charge back.
offgridmt@reddit
You could still do a credit card charge back I believe. It would only be for the partial/corrected amount but I'm some cases the card company will refund more than the original $15 based on how buds responds or not.
ThisOneTimeAtKDK@reddit
https://www.budsgunshop.com/search.php/q/rock+island+m200
Really weird they still list them both but it’s the same thing for $6 more. Their descriptions list stats that aren’t comparable to one another either. Super weird. Wonder if it’s a staffing since the holiday and all. Either hired holiday help and they’re not up to par or didn’t and everyone is so overworked they can’t handle things properly.
I’d say wait till Tuesday (when cyber Monday is over and all) and call in to talk to someone. Yeah it’s a PITA but….they should make it right. I always want to give someone the benefit of the doubt….cause the alternative is….well they intentionally did me wrong.
MarryYouInMinecraft@reddit
Theyre the same SKU too. Weird.
ThisOneTimeAtKDK@reddit
The Bud’s number is different isn’t it?
raz-0@reddit
Bud’s catalog has been fucked since very shortly after the get go. There’s a lot of erroneous stuff in there it’s just that it mostly only impacts trying to find stuff because they can’t have stock of the wrong things because they don’t exist, can’t exist in Bud’s inventory new, or no longer exist. If you want to buy very popular sku of a popular brand you can use them regularly without learning that their business is annoying at best and more likely running in the jagged edge of turning into a train wreck. I’d rather pay someone else $20 more to not deal with them personally.
yourMommaKnow@reddit
Never had a problem with buds but....they shipped 22 ammo to my house that was so poorly packaged that the box has a hole in it and there were missing rounds.
Also, I canceled a firearm purchase a few hours after I ordered it and was charged a restocking fee. Thats some bullshit.
Otherwise, no problems.
CZFanboy82@reddit
Damn, I make all my online firearm purchases pretty much from Bud's. Not a good look....
CapNBall1860@reddit (OP)
I did too. I was really shocked they wouldn't do anything at all to resolve this.
TerrificVixen5693@reddit
It’s called a chargeback for $15 dawg.
PotatoTac@reddit
Bluing is a dogshit coating anyway
justhereforpics1776@reddit
Should’ve denied the transfer. Why you should also shop local.
Abuck59@reddit
Shopping locally is NEVER the end all answer when all things are considered imho. I prefer to shop locally but when the ass hat locally is way overpriced or never in stock it drives me to buy elsewhere if it’s cheaper.
Like I get business is business but I’m not just going to bend over. 🤷🏽♂️
JNJury978@reddit
Pretty much.
And not only that, but in my experience, it’s actually the local companies that tend to have dumb af customer service like this.
Ultimately, it gets pretty convoluted anyway, because a lot of local companies also sell online. So someone’s “local” company might be someone else’s “online” company.
JNJury978@reddit
“How to lose customerS for less than $15”
FTFY… if you name the company
sanesociopath@reddit
Yeah, you should have denied the transfer.
There's no honor in online transactions, especially when it's not with a company with a reputation to protect.
You gave up all your leverage and they're not expecting you to be a customer again anyway.
Feisty-Tadpole-5127@reddit
Always inspect before taking possession until then it's still not yours and you can refuse it. I didn't know that my first time around and had to pay stupid crazy shipping for them to fix their problem. Won't let it happen again
nanneryeeter@reddit
"Kindest regards"
Seems weird. Let me put this into my translation machine.
Beep boop beep wop wop weooooo
"Go fuck yourself"
That makes more sense.
chungdae@reddit
Why are you not saying who the business is?
Deeschuck@reddit
Sounds like the CS person's brain isn't working.
If the blued version is the error, then they should honor the lower advertised parkerized price. Is the lower price still listed on their website??
Kick this up the chain.
BarryHalls@reddit
So they had an option for you to pay more money, and you paid it, and they won't refund the money?
You actually offered to spend MORE money with them, and DOUBLE your purchase if they would correct this monetary balance in the next transaction, and they declined?!
That's insane.
spinonesarethebest@reddit
Name the company!!