I've never gone through the "buy online" process, and I used a reputable shop, like Palmetto (NOT PSA).

The gist:

1. I ordered a pistol that was listed as "in stock" on June 8 and receive an order confirmation from the site
2. A shipping label is printed and item is listed as "shipped" on June 9
3. Requested an ETA on June 17 after the box/tracking has zero movement, other than "printed". IE it has not been tendered to UPS.
4. Seller responds that it's drop-ship. They'll inquire, but "last they heard, the builder was 30 days behind. (?? So.... not in stock)
5. July 9 - Seller responds that they've contacted the manufacturer and that the manufacturer states it was picked up July 6.
6. Seller confirmed today that the manufacturer claims they've used the label, but UPS still doesn't even show it as scanned at pickup.
7. Seller claims that they need to file a claim with UPS and it can take up to 8 business days.

WTF.

Am I out the money until the seller gets some kind of payout from UPS, or finds the package? Should I be placing a hold on my CC charge?

Do I need to sit back and relax and wait and see?

Like I said, they're a pretty large online presence, but I don't want to get screwed because I take to long to do something on my end.

Apologies in advance if this belongs in another section.

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

Large reputable vendor? Demand a refund, now. If they refuse, dispute it with your cc company.

Well yeah they've been around for forever it seems like and I don't want to shame them on here if I'm out of order, or getting skittish for no reason.

Contact the CC issuer now, and find out their policy.

The "sender" is typically the one who must file a claim.

You should get a refund and the seller should take it up with the manufacturer.

What is their stated policy? If it is a "pretty large online presence", the policy should be pretty clear.

I'm of the following opinion(s):

Things that are "in stock" should ship within a few days, maybe a week under the current circumstances.

Things that are custom, gunsmith type work, milling...etc should ship within the parameters that are listed or advertised +/- a week.

Outside of that, I'm calling AMEX and getting my fucking money back.

Demand immediate refund from seller or you'll dispute the charge. This is inexcusable, IMO.

If it over 30 days I would demand a refund now.This link explains why.

https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/a...e-you-never-received

Delays

If the seller is unable to ship within the promised time, it must notify you, give a revised shipping date and give you the chance to cancel for a full refund or accept the new shipping date. The seller also must give you some way to exercise the cancellation option for free — for example, by supplying a prepaid reply card or staffing a toll-free telephone number.

If you don’t respond — and the delay is 30 days or less — it’s assumed that you accept the delay and are willing to wait for the merchandise.

If you don’t respond — and the delay is more than 30 days — the order must be canceled by the 30th day of the delay period and a full refund issued promptly.

A couple of things- Like or not, you are getting the run around. Either the dealer, manufacturer or both is jerking you off. If the gun has in fact been shipped, it has to have a tracking number. If not, the shipper can lose their license. Shippers (Fedex, UPS, etc) do not fuck around with cargo theft, as it falls under the purview of the ATF. Nobody involved in this wants ATF crawling them over this. It has been my experience that if a gun goes missing for 24 hours in their system, they make a call to the ATF field office in their jurisdiction. The local police will be dispatched to the point in the system to where the gun was last scanned, and serial numbers entered to NCIC. If LE runs a serial number involved in cargo theft from any NCIC terminal WITHOUT someone contacting ATF Washington and the National Tracing Center prior, you will suddenly get lots of attention. (Ask me how I know this).

Frankly, I know nothing about your specific situation. What I do know is how seriously this is treated. Couple that with EVERYONE promising stuff in stock and it seems it never is......you’re getting jerked off. Tell the dealer to get this fixed or you’ll dispute the charge and report the transaction to ATF as potential cargo theft.

My email is in profile if you have any more questions.

I would dispute the charge with my credit card issuer.

Let the seller recover the money from UPS, but there is no reason that you should be charged for something that you did not receive.

Guys thanks so much for the help.

Some context: I used to work for a computer company that sold massive systems, configured to order. It was common practice at that time, for a lot of vendors, to print a label, and then put the shipping label in the crate of parts as the server or cab made its way through integration/technical. (While it was being built, and sometimes while parts were still being sourced.)

Different industry and totally pre-Dot-"bomb", but it seemed like this was a possibility, and with everyone having trouble keeping up, it seemed like it could have been a legit "sorry this is delayed, we're building it" type message.

I'll call them tomorrow and see if they'll make good on the refund or money, and then go to my CC issuers.

I appreciate your wisdom. It always helps to have points of view that aren't tied up in the situation.

--Kyle

Yes, something isn’t right. It’s best to start talking to the CC co ASAP. If the gun ever shows up, you can always pay then.

quote:

Originally posted by Veeper:
Different industry and totally pre-Dot-"bomb", but it seemed like this was a possibility, and with everyone having trouble keeping up, it seemed like it could have been a legit "sorry this is delayed, we're building it" type message.

--Kyle

This is a little gun that was listed as "in stock", not some massive system that had to be put together on order. Zero legit excuse for no gun in your hands after over a month. If you don't have it in stock, you have no business listing it "in stock", then claim later that the manufacturer is behind. Total bullshit.

Did they sell it to you for less than they'd sell it for today? Maybe they'd like for you to go away so they can sell it again for more.

Who are you dealing with (so people won't have to remember it wasn't PSA)?

quote:

Originally posted by Some Shot:
Did they sell it to you for less than they'd sell it for today? Maybe they'd like for you to go away so they can sell it again for more.

Who are you dealing with (so people won't have to remember it wasn't PSA)?

I don't think it was that kind of shell-game, but I guess it's possible. The UPS label still hasn't been scanned as being picked up. UPS's site says things like, "Shipment ready for UPS" and "When the shipment arrives at our facility the delivery date will be updated." So I'm pretty sure UPS hasn't seen the barcode or the box, and as jljones indicated, it's not like this is UPS's first rodeo with a firearm. It seems awfully far-fetched for a UPS driver to make a trip out to a gun manufacturer and suddenly get butter-fingers or forget that he/she stashed a box under the seat while they were eating their McNuggets.

As far as the seller goes, once everything is all said and done, I don't mind posting who it is, but I'm not sure it's fair to do so before it's all said and done. They could have had some goofs on their end, and they could be frantically working to make this right or make me whole.

I'll update after I talk to them when they open today.

Thanks again guys. Extremely helpful.

quote:

Originally posted by MikeGLI:
I'm of the following opinion(s):

Things that are "in stock" should ship within a few days, maybe a week under the current circumstances.

Things that are custom, gunsmith type work, milling...etc should ship within the parameters that are listed or advertised +/- a week.

Outside of that, I'm calling AMEX and getting my fucking money back.

It’s an opinion but not reality in the current climate. Every gun distributor is behind, I have an order I placed to a distributor two weeks ago and they haven’t touched it yet. Drop shipping relies on distributors to ship, normally it’s in stock but shipping is slower than its ever been due to overwhelming orders and fewer employees.

That being said if I was the OP I’d tell them you want a delivery date or you’re doing a charge back.

As was posted with CC they should not charge if they can’t deliver in 30 days.

Okay so I've spent the entire morning trying to call these guys, getting disconnected and pushed to voicemail. I've finally sent an email saying they need to make quick work of this or I have to start making phone calls to protect myself. I know someone is watching the inbox because I was getting almost instantaneous responses for a while. Hell, I just bought a fricken PDX upper and stripped lower from these guys and they both shipped out within a day.

This is Rainier by the way.

quote:

Okay so I've spent the entire morning trying to call these guys, getting disconnected and pushed to voicemail.

You are far more patient than I'd have been and many others here I suspect. At this point I'm not waiting on an email - what are they possibly going to say that will change your mind and the outcome? Other than it being at your FFL this very moment, nothing. Contest the charge with clear statement of timeline and facts with credit card and move on to a retailer who will actually work to get this to you.

quote:

You are far more patient than I'd have been and many others here I suspect.

Yeah I work CS / IT and have the patience of Job. No joke. I deal with sales guys all day long that are wound so tightly they risk collapsing in on themselves.

quote:

Originally posted by mrvmax:
...
It’s an opinion but not reality in the current climate.... Drop shipping relies on distributors to ship, normally it’s in stock but shipping is slower than its ever been due to overwhelming orders and fewer employees.....

See, this is what I take issue with. If I go to ABC's website "store", and they say it's "in stock", that means it's available for them to ship. Maybe today, maybe tomorrow, maybe by the end of the week. But it's "in stock". That doesn't mean that their distributor, or manufacture, "might" have it on the shelf.

Words have meanings. "In stock" means actually "in stock".

quote:

Originally posted by IntrepidTraveler:

quote:

Originally posted by mrvmax:
...
It’s an opinion but not reality in the current climate.... Drop shipping relies on distributors to ship, normally it’s in stock but shipping is slower than its ever been due to overwhelming orders and fewer employees.....

See, this is what I take issue with. If I go to ABC's website "store", and they say it's "in stock", that means it's available for them to ship. Maybe today, maybe tomorrow, maybe by the end of the week. But it's "in stock". That doesn't mean that their distributor, or manufacture, "might" have it on the shelf.

Words have meanings. "In stock" means actually "in stock".

that is the way some of the online stores operate,

Bud's for example, may have it in their store(s) but likely a new gun will be in Sport South's or whatever other distributor they have contracts with, and will be shipped from the distributor,


I get them in all the time that way