cheaper than dirt is selling guns again

[Scoundrel]

I think that JFootin is pretty close to the mark here. I think that has a lot to do with it, but I think it goes a little deeper than that.

If they were just CYA-ing, then you'd think they would say that up front, instead of saying that they were not going to sell guns anymore, at all. I think someone in their corporate office over-reacted, then was overruled or just changed their mind when they saw some numbers and how their customer base was reacting.

I do think that online retailers pausing to check their policies and have their lawyers look everything over is a very smart move.

Some other shops are temporarily closing down for other reasons, like ammoman.com who has been swamped with orders and is way behind.

"Ammoman will be shut down temporarily due to the holiday and extreme high volume of sales.
We are currently over 7 business days behind in shipping, please be patient with orders already placed"

and

"We cannot track or provide tracking numbers by phone at this time.Every person in the office is processing orders.Please feel free to e-mail any requests."

Me, I'll wait this out, and when the dust settles, if CTD continues to provide me what I want at better prices than I find elsewhere _even with their high shipping charges_, which has frequently been the case, I'll probably still buy stuff from them.

[kahrnut1]

i did not post they were selling guns again until i sent email telling them how i felt about their actions and marking their emails as spam on my server. they allways over charged on freight. i hope obama buys a lot from them

[Scoundrel]

i did not post they were selling guns again until i sent email telling them how i felt about their actions and marking their emails as spam on my server. they allways over charged on freight. i hope obama buys a lot from them

Their freight charges look high, and if you don't understand the "multiple warehouse" thing, you can get screwed on freight, and for that, I think they are shitheads - especially since they ignored my suggestion to modify their website to allow people to sort their search results by warehouse.

But, their prices are most often sufficiently low that if you buy everything in your order from the same warehouse, and buy a sufficient quantity of stuff, the freight charges shrink as a percentage of your overall purchase, and your per-unit price on stuff ends up being significantly lower than other online retailers.

As an example scenario:
If I order a box of 100 .22lr rounds from warehouse A, and another box from warehouse B, a third box from warehouse C, and a holster from warehouse D, I'm going to pay more for freight than for bullets, and it will be highway robbery.

But if I buy 25 boxes of 100 .22lr rounds from warehouse A, and a holster that also ships from warehouse A, the total freight charge is very reasonable - and the prices on the .22lr rounds and holster before shipping were so good, I get the stuff cheaper than I could have bought it anywhere else.

So as long as you understand their system, you're good.
But most people can't be bothered.

[Shark1007]

It's become such a pita to buy from them and the hose job on shipping and handling drove me away finally. Opportunists.

[jocko]

to me

Their freight charges look high, and if you don't understand the "multiple warehouse" thing, you can get screwed on freight, and for that, I think they are shitheads - especially since they ignored my suggestion to modify their website to allow people to sort their search results by warehouse.

But, their prices are most often sufficiently low that if you buy everything in your order from the same warehouse, and buy a sufficient quantity of stuff, the freight charges shrink as a percentage of your overall purchase, and your per-unit price on stuff ends up being significantly lower than other online retailers.

As an example scenario:
If I order a box of 100 .22lr rounds from warehouse A, and another box from warehouse B, a third box from warehouse C, and a holster from warehouse D, I'm going to pay more for freight than for bullets, and it will be highway robbery.

But if I buy 25 boxes of 100 .22lr rounds from warehouse A, and a holster that also ships from warehouse A, the total freight charge is very reasonable - and the prices on the .22lr rounds and holster before shipping were so good, I get the stuff cheaper than I could have bought it anywhere else.

So as long as you understand their system, you're good.
But most people can't be bothered.

their system sounds totally unfair to the cosumer. I can understand how postage wouldeat u up to. Maybe not completly their fault but certainly not urs and they surely can consolidate much better. I would not buy from them under those codtions, and if I gotta read the fine print to get it all, then maybe my fault but again. fokk me once your fault, fokk me twice my fault. ain't gonna happen.

[chrish]

I've never seen anything there THAT good of a deal, usually not a good deal at all, NEVER truly cheaper than dirt as the saying goes/implies.

I try and keep my business w/ the LGS when I can. Sometimes they just don't seem interested in searching for what I want and getting it in, so then I revert to online. Bulk ammo is the only other thing I do online. I'd be broke if I bought that locally in bulk.

[les strat]

I have never bought anything from them. I put something in my cart their one time. The shipping was barely cheaper than gold. I zeroed it and don't give them much thought.

[Scoundrel]

Not defending them, but their system's not that hard to figure out, and as I mentioned before, their prices, even including shipping, worked out better than other online retailers for the same product. I have also seen cases where it wasn't, so I didn't buy it there.

Usually I buy online when my LGS can't get something, or their price would be WAY higher than online price.

I try to support local businesses, but when that's ridiculous because the local businesses are clearly overcharging, or just plain can't get what I want, I buy it where it makes the most financial and/or logistical sense. Emotional responses aren't really a factor.

[RRP]

I'm guessing all of this will be forgotten. The current animosity towards CTD, Dicks, and other companies that temporarily halted orders when their systems were overwhelmed, will fade quickly.

Gun buyers are frugal shoppers. There are countless threads across all forums about deals and sources of best prices, to support this contention. Many of us are cheap SOBs, and will overlook the events of the past week, to get the best deal. You may not admit it now. It's fun to talk tough. But when it's time to pull out your wallet, most will buy where they can get the best price. And that could be Dicks or CTD.

[muggsy]

Geez it feels good to have everything I need. I expected the liberals to overreact to this shooting, but not my conservative friends.

[downtownv]

That's the Knee Jerk reaction that spreads like a brush fire! F' em, hypocrites... Don't support them!

[AJBert]

I am not going to overreact. The lawyers (and possibly their insurance company) just wanted to take time to do a CYA review and now they are back to selling firearms. What's the big deal?

Exactly what were they doing previously that would require the "CYA" defense? They were selling legal firearms and legal ammo. Did they not realize that?

I'm guessing all of this will be forgotten. The current animosity towards CTD, Dicks, and other companies that temporarily halted orders when their systems were overwhelmed, will fade quickly.

Gun buyers are frugal shoppers. There are countless threads across all forums about deals and sources of best prices, to support this contention. Many of us are cheap SOBs, and will overlook the events of the past week, to get the best deal. You may not admit it now. It's fun to talk tough. But when it's time to pull out your wallet, most will buy where they can get the best price. And that could be Dicks or CTD.

I disagree. I am very loyal from where I buy. I'll be happy to spend $2 more for a box of ammo for great service, or even a few dollars more to help support a LGS with great service. My guess, most folks are the same. They like to deal with the same folks they've been dealing with for years.

No, they won't spend $$$ at the LGS if they can get the same thing from another source for much, much less, but there is nothing like going to your LGS, looking over the stock and doing a little haggling with friends.

I truly see these companies that had a knee jerk reaction, not to CT but to what the gov't "might" do losing business from their regulars.

There is a difference between a regular and an avid bargain shopper. A regular keeps your business running. A bargain shopper provides some income now and then when you have something at a great sale.

As a business owner, what kind of customer would you want?

[AJBert]

I screwed up the first time trying to post on this topic and will paraphrase.

CTD was selling legal firearms and ammo prior, why did the feel the need for the "CYA defense"? They caved into the media, nothing more, nothing less.

They, and the other businesses that did the same, will feel long term effects from legal, lawful, loyal gun owners for the brash decisions they have made. No laws are on the books that prevent them from selling what they have been selling.

I guess they are scared of losing the soccer mom dollars. Bad decision IMHO.

[MC1911]

Business is business. Is it better to have a customer buy them at normal retail and resell them for an exorbitant amount?

They do not have any good mags left so what is the difference?

[outerlimit]

They always sucked anyways. Bunch of ripoff junk and anytime they had anything decent it was in such small stock that it sold out right away. They sell junk. They're like the dollar store of firearms retailers.