I like to think I'm fairly intelligent. I've had a good, long LE career, never been shot, never been sued, teach college/police academy now...but here lately, I think I'm most likely just an idiot.

Been saving my pennies for a Langdon Beretta 92 Elite LTT. Money doesn't grow on trees in my family, so I was excited when I finally saved enough cash. In the bottom of the 9th inning, I decided I didn't want to be totally broke, and decided to order a far less expensive blue label ITALIAN Beretta M9A3 Black under Bud's Qualified Professionals program. Plus, I didn't want a Gallatin, TN-made 92 like what Ernest customizes. I would also save $300 that I could spend on M9A3 holsters and mags. Easy.

I decided to buy from Bud's QP program using my Wal-Mart refillable Visa. I put the Bud's M9A3 in my cart at $848.50. Helluva deal. I go to WM and put $860 on the card (Bud's offers $9.00 on shipping insurance, which I was going to buy). I come back to the house and try to buy. I'm short on the card because of a credit card mumbo-jumbo fee that pops up just before order confirmation. I had no idea at this point that I could select "cash/money order" and mail it in to receive the 3% cash discount and eliminate the credit card fee. So...I go back to WM and add more cash to my refill card. When I get back to the house, I refresh the page and try to check out.

The Bud's LE price went up $30.00 to $878.00 in the 20 minutes I was gone.

I have no idea why. I emptied the cart, went back to the LE page, and there was the M9A3, still in stock, for $878.00. That put me short on the card again. I can't tell you how mad I was. I started to go to the ATM and just take the cash off the card, but I wasn't sure it would work because its a refill card and I was pissed at Bud's for raising the price out of nowhere.

So, I got so pissed that I went to Proven Arms & Outfitters and ordered an M9A3 Black from their blue label program for $848.50 and $15.00 shipping. After I ordered it, I rechecked the page and it showed backordered. I don't know if I got the last one or if the backorder didn't show during the purchase process. In all that excitement, I realized that I may have ordered a TN-made M9A3 when I wanted the Italian! That's half my motivation! I checked the website and it didn't specify where it was built. Care to take a guess???

So, in hindsight, I'm an idiot. I'm a 49 year old cop who apparently can't even order a pistol.

I should've just bought the damned Langdon in the first place.

I'm an idiot.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: jbourneidentity,

Nope, you are not. We all have done similar things in the past and will in the future... I am like you, not rich and when I decide to buy things I second guess myself. ..

Sounds like an emotional issue, not one of intelligence.

I realize not exactly the same; but, I have gone out of my way to buy the same product elsewhere for more $ because somebody acted like a jerk.... and was happy to do it.

And that’s another irritation: I got a $100 Visa gift card for Christmas, and right on the top of the card: $5.95 ACTIVATION FEE. 6% right off the top......what a scam.

It happens.

We bought a new work truck and I sent it to the body company to install a lift gate. I go to pick it up and notice that the weight sticker on the gate isn't the capacity I ordered.

Yes it was.

Ordered the wrong gate and it was already welded onto the truck.

quote:

Originally posted by mindustrial:
Sounds like an emotional issue, not one of intelligence.

I realize not exactly the same; but, I have gone out of my way to buy the same product elsewhere for more $ because somebody acted like a jerk.... and was happy to do it.

And that’s another irritation: I got a $100 Visa gift card for Christmas, and right on the top of the card: $5.95 ACTIVATION FEE. 6% right off the top......what a scam.

I'd say your first sentence probably pegs me, mindustrial.

Thanks to everyone for trying to help me not feel like a complete tool.

quote:

Originally posted by mindustrial:
...I got a $100 Visa gift card for Christmas, and right on the top of the card: $5.95 ACTIVATION FEE. 6% right off the top......what a scam.

Read the fine print, the buyer may have already paid the fee. We bought some $25 Visa gift cards last week and only afterwards noticed a $3.95 activation fee on the cardboard "frame." We then read the sales slip - carefully this time - and sure enough, we paid it when we bought the card. YMMV.

There should be a code on the card so you can call or go to the www and check your balance.

Same here. I've cut it close with a P226. Ran back to the store in the same day bringing cash.

It was about the same price as your Beretta, unlike Bud's though, the thing had been sitting the display case for four months.

You're an idiot. <just kidding>

That sounds complicated enough to throw anyone off.

"not enough money"
"get more money"
"up the price on me? F/U!"
"I'll show you. Ha! I'll buy from this other place."
"Oops, did I buy what I wanted??"
"Grrr..."

Yeah, I can see that happening.

If you have the documentation to show the original price and the increase, Bud's Norton price guarantee may refund the difference. That happened to be last year at Bud's and I got the money back.

^^^^^

This.

It seems to me there's no rhyme nor reason for Bud's frequent, arbitrary and maddening price changes. But that Norton guarantee did come in handy on one of my Bud's transactions a while back.

Thank you for your service sir & have a Safe & Happy New Year.

If you care, a member here sold me a new Langdon for a price in that neighborhood recently. He's
DaBigBR. Great price and great service.

quote:

Originally posted by Rey HRH:
You're an idiot. <just kidding>

That sounds complicated enough to throw anyone off.

"not enough money"
"get more money"
"up the price on me? F/U!"
"I'll show you. Ha! I'll buy from this other place."
"Oops, did I buy what I wanted??"
"Grrr..."

Yeah, I can see that happening.

Nice summary! I should've just written this!

quote:

Originally posted by GaryBF:
If you have the documentation to show the original price and the increase, Bud's Norton price guarantee may refund the difference. That happened to be last year at Bud's and I got the money back.

I do! I actually have it in an email to me. I'm thinking that if the Proven Outfitters M9A3 is a Gallatin, TN build, I might cancel the order and do this very thing with Bud's, but I'm aggravated at Bud's for the inexplicable price increase. I'm betting it's because they're getting low on the M9A3s, but that's just a theory.

I don't mean to be so picky, but I've saved for 2 months and want to get the Italian M9A3 and just be happy. Thanks for this idea.

quote:

Originally posted by jbourneidentity:
[QUOTE]Originally posted by GaryBF:
If you have the documentation to show the original price and the increase, Bud's Norton price guarantee may refund the difference. That happened to be last year at Bud's and I got the money back.

I do! I actually have it in an email to me. Thank you for this advice.

quote:

Originally posted by elde:
^^^^^

This.

It seems to me there's no rhyme nor reason for Bud's frequent, arbitrary and maddening price changes. But that Norton guarantee did come in handy on one of my Bud's transactions a while back.

Thank you for your service sir & have a Safe & Happy New Year.

Thank you, elde!

quote:

Originally posted by Fredward:
If you care, a member here sold me a new Langdon for a price in that neighborhood recently. He's
DaBigBR. Great price and great service.

Yes, sir. Thanks! I believe I've seen him in our SF classifieds? I appreciate this info. I'll know more tomorrow from Proven Outfitters and who knows, maybe it'll be an Italian M9A3? If not, this is sure an option. Maybe the New Year will change my luck...

Or common sense!

Ha!
I had a shed built on my place. 40X40. Two 20’ sections, 40’ span.
During the construction (practically in my back yard) I wound up staying up about 36 hours due to work and side hustle stuff. Then,I went to check on the shed.
I told the guy “let’s go ahead and put another 10’ on the length of that shed”
Yes, I meant 20’.
Yes, he did exactly what I told him to do.
DOH!

Glad to know I'm not the only one that goes through this stuff once in a while!

I've been screwed over by Bud's a couple of times.

quote:

Originally posted by sns3guppy:
I've been screwed over by Bud's a couple of times.

I ordered a Shield 9mm earlier in the spring and it went seamlessly. Bud's has a preferred FFL only 4 miles from my front door. I thought, "This M9A3 thing will be easy!" Wrong.

What I should've done was calmed the eff down on the front end and not been so excited, read the checkout options, and checked cash/money order. Then all of this would be moot. So, it's on me for being stupid and having bad luck, but I agree, Bud's inexplicably raising the price at the last minute was not cool.