[Mike Irwin]

Went to the gun show today looking for the Stoeger Uplander in 28 gauge. None to be found, so I decided to stop at Gallyans to see if they had one, as they're an authorized dealer.

Nope, no Stoeger Uplanders.

Asked about the price.

Let me just say first that Gallyans has this 110% price beater policy, they won't be undersold, yadda yadda yadda, according to the signs on their counters.

That apparently only means guns that they have on the shelf.

If they don't have it on the shelf, and it's not in the computer as a regular item, that's when it's time to nail you to a wall....

Asked about the price for the Uplander.

Counter guy pulls out the book, looks at the price, and says $335 (which is the printed MSRP, but NOT the MSRP on their website). Yep, price is straight MSRP.

Then he starts in with the "extras..."

Tax, and the state phone call are extra. That's to be expected.

Shipping is extra. Say what?

Here's where it REALLY went south for me, though...

There's a special order fee? What you talking about, Willis?

So, we're really talking about a gun with an MSRP of $335, which no one at a gun show charges in the first place, costing more along the lines of $400 with the two extra special fees tacked on...

Hum... let me think about that...

"You want to give me your credit card and we can get that started?"

Uh, that would be a great, big, kiss my lilly white fanny NO.

[45Badger]

Don't get too bent, or take it personally. They are not in the gun business, they're in the distribution efficiencies business.

The reason Galyan's (and Walmart, and Home Depot, or any other big box store) has good prices, and guarantees on items they stock is because they do a great (exceptional) job of managing their supply chain.

They operate on razor thin margins with most items, so the system has to work. When you throw a wrench (special order) in their system, they experience "above the norm" costs. Galyans's has made a smart (not customer friendly) decision to pass the above norm costs on to you.

When you want vanilla, chocolate, or strawberry- get it at the big box places. If you want expertise, flexibility, friendliness, and other things you value as part of customer service, see your local merchant. Gunstore,. garden shops, hardware store, it really makes no difference. Happy Sunday!

[Mike Irwin]

Badger, I understand the economics of the situation. I used to work in the sales end of things for 2 dedicated gun shops.

But we NEVER tacked shipping on, NOR did we tack on a "special order" fee for something we didn't have on the shelf.

Even the MSRP I can handle, but the shipping and special order fee?

Hell, if that's the case I'll go back to the gunshop where I used to work, which also charges MSRP, but DOESN'T charge the extra fees.

And, give the size and profitability of the entire Gallyans chain, razor thin margins in the firearms department are more than made up by the atronomical profit margins in a number of the clothing lines and some of the more specialized equipment.

But here's the REAL kicker... I've ordered special non-system items in Gallyans before, just not in firearms. NO special order fee, NO shipping.

What's the deal? Guns are special?

Also, given that they're an authorized Stoeger dealer, the process for getting an item is going to be a lot less complex than getting something for which they're not an authorized dealer. It's not as if I'm asking to order something from Pluto.

Given what some friends have told me, though, I have a funny feeling that I'm going to be able to get this gun through a Dick's Sporting Goods with a lot less hassle, and at a better price.

[Gerald McDonald]

Hey Mike, I dont know exactly how Gallyans operates, but if its similar to Wally World and many other large chains, they now own very little of the inventory in their stores. It probably would be closer to consignment than any other term. You threw a wrench in the works by asking for something that wasnt in their store. Most of them pay in 90 to 120 days for the mercandise they have sold. On fast movers like say Coca Cola they may have sold 50 truck loads from a store before they have to pay for the initial order, multiply that by several hundred stores and insist that those stores show a continious growth and you can build a pretty good war chest for an investment.
Gerald

[Mike Irwin]

But Gerald,

WHY hasn't the monkey wrench been thrown into the equasion when I've ordered OTHER non-stock items at Gallyans?

WHY wasn't I charged the special order fee or the shipping?

WHAT makes a gun different?

[PJR]

Like a lot of places they are more interested in selling you what they have instead of what you want.

The additional charges for a special order are outrageous but you still don't have what you want.

Gunshops it seems discourage special orders with comments like "Well we can't say when it will come in," or "If the distributor has one it will take a couple of weeks but, if not, it might take months," anothe favorite is "Well a guy ordered one of those XX months ago and he's still waiting so if you want to take your chances....."

In the meantime, they steer you towards what they have on the shelf that is "better, cheaper, available, etc...."

[Dave McCracken]

Sorry to hear about all this, Mike. Not surprised though.

A few years ago I worked for Dick's, the aptly named sporting goods chain you mention. The operating premise was to sell what was on the shelves, whether or not it was what the customer wanted or needed.

I didn't work there long. Now I tend to smile as I drive past it on 95 North to the two gun shops I collectively refer to as Guns Are Us.

[Gerald McDonald]

Howdy again Mike, beats me why they charge for one item when they dont for another. Most of the box stores as it was aptly called make the supplier sign an agreement that they can return anything at any time for any reason they wish, it frees up the shelves. It's my guess that Stoegers wouldnt sign such an agreement. That doesnt explain it, but they probably look at firearms sales as a necessary evil. You may have gotten a clerk who chose to try and hold your feet to the fire because they didnt wish to go to the trouble to order.
Gerald

[gun-fucious]

for more Galayans fun,

see what they say when you express an interest in a Mini 14 or a Bushmaster