Budsgunshop order, 11 days after payment and still

EROCO

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Dec 21, 2010
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"Processing"!

Why does buds take so long to ship? To top it off we have a 10 day wait period here in Cali.

How long has it been for others?
 
Re: Budsgunshop order, 11 days after payment and still

My FFL guy put my order with Buds for a 5R .308 last Tuesday (2-7-12). He got a confirmation e-mail that it was shipped Tuesday morning (2-14-12). He said he would call me as soon as he got it. It's now Thursday (2-16-12), and I still don't have my rifle. The delay isn't a big deal, I'm just really anxious/impatient. Considering how much business they do, it's understandable. In the end it will be worth the wait.
 
Re: Budsgunshop order, 11 days after payment and still

I did call, never did get anywhere with their automated system, what a joke. I tried the online chat and got a live person, but I just got the run around and no real answer.

Never buying there again..
 
Re: Budsgunshop order, 11 days after payment and still

Whenever I get a "Processing" message and its been over 2 days it usually means the item is out of stock with is F'KING lame since it should have been marked "Out Of Stock". Call them, maybe something happened with your CC'd but I wouldn't wait any longer.
 
Re: Budsgunshop order, 11 days after payment and still

My card has been charged the day off. If nothing this week I will call my CC company to cancel!
 
Re: Budsgunshop order, 11 days after payment and still

I had issues with buds not sending my 22 out for over a week. When It did finally ship they recalled the package right before delivery with no explanation for a week. Finally after threatening to dispute the charges with my bank they contacted me. Even after that contact was spotty. Phone calls and emails went unresponded to for over a week.

They have really poor coustomer service in my opinion. So much so that I find it unnaceptible.
 
Re: Budsgunshop order, 11 days after payment and still

they are not suppose to charge the card until the item has been checked and shipped.

Sounds fishy like they are ordering it for you with your money-- so you stay at processing while they wait for it to come in.

-just my 2 cents
 
Re: Budsgunshop order, 11 days after payment and still

As an 001 FFL who receives a lot of firearms to transfer from Buds maybe I can shed some light. I have noted the majority of firearms that do not arrive timely come from other distributors Buds has a relationship with. They are obviously not advising customers to expect a delay. Since Buds includes "free" shipping they ship USPS which allows them to ship say a pistol for $12.95 in lieu of $35-45+ via UPS or FedEx. So figure 5-6 business days to process, ship and receive IF they have in stock, if not and they go to another distributor figure 10+ days if no other problems. I'm NOT defending Buds they have killed many mom and pop businesses gun sales. They ARE the Wally World of firearms , it's the good old USA and they obviously have a good business plan.
 
Re: Budsgunshop order, 11 days after payment and still

Well, they can't keep doing that to customers. I've caught on and this was not the first time either for me and a friend. My friend's order took longer than 2 weeks after having paid in full.
 
Re: Budsgunshop order, 11 days after payment and still

It is true. They basically warehouse very little. Most everything will ship from their choice of distributor to the FFL of buyer's choice. If they have it "in stock" it usually means at one of their distributors.
If the distributor is out of stock by the time the order goes to them you will likely not be notified other than your order will show "processing".
 
Re: Budsgunshop order, 11 days after payment and still

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: EROCO</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Well, they can't keep doing that to customers. I've caught on and this was not the first time either for me and a friend. My friend's order took longer than 2 weeks after having paid in full. </div></div>

Sure they can as long as people keep trying to squeeze that last buck.
 
Re: Budsgunshop order, 11 days after payment and still

I've ordered several guns from them and they shipped next day. Ordered a CZ 452 well over a week ago and it still hasn't shipped. Looks like it wasn't really "in stock".
 
Re: Budsgunshop order, 11 days after payment and still

After reading all the post here, being Buds a good company or bad, I will not order from them. Not that they give a crap about my dollar, but I do not agree with these types of business practices. I will continue to spend the extra dollar to get it the way I want it and if not, I will not buy. Period.
 
Re: Budsgunshop order, 11 days after payment and still

Put an oder on (2-10-12) went in to processing to shipping department on (2-15-12) don't quite knows what that mean, but i guest it worth the wait cause i did all the leg work on finding my gun, it's getting harder to find a Rem-20"5R 308 prethreaded barrel. Being patience is hard for me!!
 
Re: Budsgunshop order, 11 days after payment and still

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Jeepocabra</div><div class="ubbcode-body">They have really poor coustomer service in my opinion. So much so that I find it unnaceptible. </div></div>

Well, you know the old saying that everyone (especially here) always says;

You get what you pay for.


When dealing with a discount gun "mega store" like Buds that sells everything for as low a price as you can get and relies on volume sales to make profits, the tradeoff is always customer service. These days, I often opt to pay a bit more to buy higher end items (whatever they may be) at store that I know has good customer service and backs their products.
 
Re: Budsgunshop order, 11 days after payment and still

I wonder if the Buds VIP experience is any different? I remember getting an email about this service and thinking to myself "now shipping will take longer and customer service will be crap unless I pay for this". I am sorry to hear this as I have purchased many guns from them over the years.
 
Re: Budsgunshop order, 11 days after payment and still

i had no issues when i ordered my 300rum sendero from them about a month ago. i would do buiseness with them again. some things are worth waiting for. and who don't like to save a buck. buds prices are good on some things but not all.
 
Re: Budsgunshop order, 11 days after payment and still

Sorry to hear about your issue with buds. I almost ordered from them but decided to pay a little more and ordered my rifle locally. Got it in a few days and didn't have to pay until I picked it up.
 
Re: Budsgunshop order, 11 days after payment and still

I ordered a pistol on Thursday night, like midnight their time, so call it Friday morning. A USPS label was created on Saturday, it shipped on Monday per USPS tracking, my FFL got it Wednesday and I'm picking it up tonight.

I can't complain.
 
Re: Budsgunshop order, 11 days after payment and still

took them 7 business days to process my order or it may have been 10 days and then 1 day to ship . ordered 19th got it on the 21st i think
 
Re: Budsgunshop order, 11 days after payment and still

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Mark S</div><div class="ubbcode-body">As an 001 FFL who receives a lot of firearms to transfer from Buds maybe I can shed some light. I have noted the majority of firearms that do not arrive timely come from other distributors Buds has a relationship with. They are obviously not advising customers to expect a delay. Since Buds includes "free" shipping they ship USPS which allows them to ship say a pistol for $12.95 in lieu of $35-45+ via UPS or FedEx. So figure 5-6 business days to process, ship and receive IF they have in stock, if not and they go to another distributor figure 10+ days if no other problems. I'm NOT defending Buds they have killed many mom and pop businesses gun sales. They ARE the Wally World of firearms , it's the good old USA and they obviously have a good business plan. </div></div>

This sums it up.
 
Re: Budsgunshop order, 11 days after payment and still

i have ordered several guns from them and usually have it within 10 days i know they charge your cc when u order it but they said when it gets to your ffl if u don't like it or it is wrong just refuse it and then contact them and they will send u a new one or credit your money back, have never had a problem with them maybe i just have been lucky.
 
Re: Budsgunshop order, 11 days after payment and still

I've ordered about 6 guns through them so far and its been pretty positive. I had one take 12 days from day of order to ffl receiving it but everything else has been within 10 days or so. Most of my local gun shops price things so out of line it makes it hard not to go online or go big box.
 
Re: Budsgunshop order, 11 days after payment and still

I live 5 minutes from their retail store. Every time I go there they are packed. Phones just ring off the hook without getting answered as everyone is too busy. I am not defending them. Every time I have a gun shipped there I have had to call them after two days of receipt and I stand around between 45 mins to an hour to get someone to help me. I use them for transfers as they are cheap, 10 bucks.
 
Re: Budsgunshop order, 11 days after payment and still

A month or two back I had a customer looking for a certain pistol. He asked me for a price, so I found the exact model and looked it up. The dealer price from the distributor was $563. I quoted him a price of somewhere around $650, and he then told me that Buds had it for $572 with free shipping (Hint: they're not paying shipping because they're not actually shipping it themselves). A few days later the gun shows up for the customer, drop-shipped directly from that exact same distributor. So essentially their profit margin was a whopping $9. When I showed the customer the drop-shipping paperwork and explained to him the situation, he was rather shocked and upset.

People think that gun stores have high prices, because they're effectively buying guns online <span style="font-weight: bold">AT</span> dealer prices already. Sure, I can beat Buds pricing...by making about $5 on every gun sold. Find me a single other business in the world that operates on a .5-2% profit margin and does so sustainably...
 
Re: Budsgunshop order, 11 days after payment and still

I personally support the little guy. People keep supporting places like Bud's is why the little man has so many problems keeping their doors open. Stores like Bud's are not the problem, the customer is.
 
Re: Budsgunshop order, 11 days after payment and still

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Arbiter</div><div class="ubbcode-body">A month or two back I had a customer looking for a certain pistol. He asked me for a price, so I found the exact model and looked it up. The dealer price from the distributor was $563. I quoted him a price of somewhere around $650, and he then told me that Buds had it for $572 with free shipping (Hint: they're not paying shipping because they're not actually shipping it themselves). A few days later the gun shows up for the customer, drop-shipped directly from that exact same distributor. So essentially their profit margin was a whopping $9. When I showed the customer the drop-shipping paperwork and explained to him the situation, he was rather shocked and upset.

People think that gun stores have high prices, because they're effectively buying guns online <span style="font-weight: bold">AT</span> dealer prices already. Sure, I can beat Buds pricing...by making about $5 on every gun sold. Find me a single other business in the world that operates on a .5-2% profit margin and does so sustainably... </div></div>

you are not getting the same price from the distributer as buds
 
Re: Budsgunshop order, 11 days after payment and still

As mentioned, Buds' outside vendors often ship "their" sales...
I had an issue with them a year and a half ago (vented it here as well) where their vendor shipped me a five year old gun! It was NOS, same model, but different features than the current model I was (supposed to be) purchasing.

They eventually relented and gave me the satisfaction I was entitled to. I would buy from them again...

I think that we tend to get a bit spoiled by some of the companies we deal with- like Midway- that ship same day. I don't feel that even two weeks is ranting territory, unless there's something in writing that says otherwise.

Some smaller companies, too, are very busy and overloaded. Wideners seems to be one of them...
I was ready to order two firearms from them, and called to ask if they could be shipped next day, via two-day air...

She about laughed out loud...
Why then, I asked, would you even OFFER next day, and two-day, air shipping at ridiculous cost, if you can't ship next day?
Why would anyone pay for expedited service if you can't ship it for two weeks? So I can get it in fourteen days, instead of seventeen?

I didn't get an answer...Actually, I like Wideners, just found that whole exchange quite puzzling...
 
Re: Budsgunshop order, 11 days after payment and still

Buds has been doing that type of business for a while. They advertise that they have something in stock, but in reality they are betting that the distributor has the item in stock and they will order it for you. The distributor ships the item straight to your dealer if it was available. If its not available then you order is listed as "processing." Budsgunshop never touches the firearm and makes all the profit. I do not do business there. I live pretty close, and they will not honor prices instore that they advertise on the website. Also do not have most of the stuff in the store that they advertise.
 
Re: Budsgunshop order, 11 days after payment and still

I was really considering ordering from Buds, but I read too many stories about shipping times and customer service. I ended up doing a special order from a local for about $80 more. I haven't looked back. Stack em deep and sell em cheap doesn't always make customers happy, especially when you are drop shipping items that you advertise as in stock.
 
Re: Budsgunshop order, 11 days after payment and still

I did a lot of reading on Buds before purchasing from them last year. I read just about as many bad as good reviews. I took a chance and ordered. It was a loaded M1A. Rifle shipped 2 days later ground and took over a week to get here. No big deal as I saved $400 off any local price. Literaly!! And I looked hard before buying. I've placed several orders with them since, this last one right before XMAS and under the VIP program.(No big change there except a different phone number to call and a different email contact but a little faster response to inquiries) Each order has taken different times to ship and on one order I changed my mind after ordering and they graciously canceled my order and allowed me to repurchase a different gun with no penalty. During this time I've saved right at $1400 total on my gun purchases last year by using Bud's and not buying locally an paying brick and mortar prices. That's another gun I can purchase with the savings!!!

Bottom line, if you don't mind dealing with delays here and there and don't get pissed off because things don't go just as perfect as you would like then you can save a lot of money. You have to watch them though as some of the prices are on par with local dealers or you may find that same gun cheaper somewhere else but not often. They are a good company from my experience with logistical issues just like all other rapidly growing companies.

If you are the type that gets pissed off when things don't go exactly right and you want to cut your nose off to spite your face then don't by from them and spend more money than you should. Personally, I can handle the oddball wait times as I'm buying a Colt Defender from them now with the money I saved and I'll still have some left over for extras. Ant BTW, all pistols bought from them ship 2nd day. Only rifles and shotguns ship ground.

And one other thing, if your normal FFL isn't on their list find one that is. Makes the paper flow soo much quicker. The FFL for my first purchase wasn't and he was the delay. If I hadn't continue to follow-up with him and Bud's I would have easily though it was Bud's causing the delay. All subsequent purchases has been through the same FFL that is on their list so his paper is already on file and no delays caused on his part.
L
 
Re: Budsgunshop order, 11 days after payment and still

here's the rundown... everyone wants it CHEAP, FAST, and PERFECT...

pick 2....

As a dealer, I can tell you, Bud's in NOT making a killing on a gun (nobody honest is) so it's cheap. The way they make every extra penny is buy not warehousing everything, and using the USPS for shipping, so it's not fast. Perfect, well they're factory guns, but Bud's has a good return policy, which is as close to perfect as you can ask.

IF you want it right now, AND you want to inspect it for ever little defect that can occur... STOP ordering it off the internet, at the cheapest place you can find and SUPPORT your local dealers.

And, stop beating us up with "but I can get it online for XXX"... yeah you can, but then you still have to pay shipping (usually) and pay a transfer fee, and you don't have ME to deal with it if there's a problem.
 
Re: Budsgunshop order, 11 days after payment and still

I really like your post! I really try to buy through my small local dealer....for the reasons you've listed. He has gone to bat for me when equipment has had defects or malfunctioned. His policy is 10% above his cost...and he shows me the invoice. For me...it's a small price to pay for great service...and no computerized phone system to deal with.

Wayne
 
Re: Budsgunshop order, 11 days after payment and still

^^ X2

We all (I think...) prefer to support our LGS when possible.

And, I don't mind spending a reasonable amount, more, to be able to do this.

But, I've got one nearby- and I really like the guy- but when it comes to "new" he's trying to make his rent payment off a single handgun purchase and that's just not gonna happen. He makes his $$ in transfers and used gun sales.
 
Re: Budsgunshop order, 11 days after payment and still

has this turned into the new form 4 wait time thread?
smile.gif
 
Re: Budsgunshop order, 11 days after payment and still

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Senderofan</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I really like your post! I really try to buy through my small local dealer....for the reasons you've listed. He has gone to bat for me when equipment has had defects or malfunctioned. His policy is 10% above his cost...and he shows me the invoice. For me...it's a small price to pay for great service...and no computerized phone system to deal with.

Wayne </div></div>

Yep! and the big ones are like "Wal-mart" trying to drive the little guy out and make it a monopoly...Then when something breaks, who will be able to work on your gun because the little guy was that guy that could sell you parts and put them on.
 
Re: Budsgunshop order, 11 days after payment and still

Well you could allways move out of California and move to Lexington Ky. its a nice area, pretty women too also, that have all of thier teeth lol. Oh and BUDS is there too.
 
Re: Budsgunshop order, 11 days after payment and still

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Force_Multiplier</div><div class="ubbcode-body">here's the rundown... everyone wants it CHEAP, FAST, and PERFECT...

pick 2....

As a dealer, I can tell you, Bud's in NOT making a killing on a gun (nobody honest is) so it's cheap. The way they make every extra penny is buy not warehousing everything, and using the USPS for shipping, so it's not fast. Perfect, well they're factory guns, but Bud's has a good return policy, which is as close to perfect as you can ask.

IF you want it right now, AND you want to inspect it for ever little defect that can occur... STOP ordering it off the internet, at the cheapest place you can find and SUPPORT your local dealers.

And, stop beating us up with "but I can get it online for XXX"... yeah you can, but then you still have to pay shipping (usually) and pay a transfer fee, and you don't have ME to deal with it if there's a problem.</div></div>

I don't like buying anything over the internet much less guns. The local dealers prices finally forced me and many many others to look else where. Why else do you think Bud's, etc are doing so well? And how do you think all these guys got started? They were the small local shop that saw their margins getting eaten away, the need for their professional services on the downturn, got a better idea and executed on it.

When I find a dealer locally that will provide value add services and not just send the factory guns back to the factory just like I can I will start supporting my local guys again. Right now every local dealer I've come across just wants to turn the gun and unfortunately the attitude I run across continually is "Oh, you want other services? Then you can pay me even more above what you already had to pay for my overpriced new gun."

Sorry for the paraphrase but that's just how it is. Everyone is coin driven on both sides of this fence so unless you want to provide the value add services with the original cost of the firearm then why should I pay you $200-$400 more for a gun that you are only going to send back to the factory if anything major breaks anyway. I can and have done that. And pay you tax on top. And shipping if it's a special order. No one pays tax or shipping at Bud's and many of the other online discount stores just fyi.

If they want my business back, then provide something other than a pat on the back and "Thanks for your business" as I walk out the door only to have to pull my wallet out of my pocket when I walk back in.

And I am working with a local dealer now that understands the "Bud's model" and is making a killing handling the transfers and providing all the extras at point of sale with all the new ammo/accessory customers Bud's is giving him weekly. He had a better idea and is executing while the others around him are closing their doors.

This is not an intentional slam on dealers but I've just heard this "Support your local guy" argument too much when they are not giving me any reason to support them. There are exceptions, just not enough to overcome the problem that's been created.

L
 
Re: Budsgunshop order, 11 days after payment and still

I would love to support a local gun shop, too bad they don't exist. And if they do all they sell is garbage or treat you like you're the biggest idiot around. But, that just so happens to be my AO, yours may vary.
 
Re: Budsgunshop order, 11 days after payment and still

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: _RJ_</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I would love to support a local gun shop, too bad they don't exist. And if they do all they sell is garbage or treat you like you're the biggest idiot around. But, that just so happens to be my AO, yours may vary. </div></div>

This is my experience as well. Plus living in California some dealers are taking advantage of the buyers with price hikes and justifying them with a "Try and find it elsewhere" attitude. So we do.
 
Re: Budsgunshop order, 11 days after payment and still

I like Buds a lot and will continue to use them.

Bought 3 guns from Buds, and though it did take over 2 weeks (did the E-Check thing) for each purchase, I saved a ton! Last gun was $300 cheaper than anywhere I found online or local.