FFL suggesting additional compensation

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sojournerhome

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Ok,

So, I buy this rifle and have it shipped to my FFL. Now, it comes in with the bolt ripping a hole in the box and a big inch long deep dent in the wooden stock. So, I pay the FFL fee and leave the rifle with them so UPS can inspect it for the claim.

Well after 3 months the claim check finally comes in. My FFL starts complaining about how much time it took and how much the long distance calls cost. I was planning on spending the money with them on supplies and some ammo. I can afford to give them the $40 or so they say it has cost them in time and I will probably do this.

But, isn't this what the FFL fee is for? Do they expect the fee to be easy money all the time or is it normal for them to expect me too pay for their time?

Just wanting some ideas opinions. I don't feel ripped off, but I don't want to come away from this feeling slighted by my FFL for something the shipping FFL did wrong in wrapping the rifle.
 
if you will be doing future transfer then probably yes. It's a nice thing to do, will prob keep them in business and they will treat you with more respect.
 
Why did you leave it there for three months? And why was the FFL handling the claim for you? You are the owner of the firearm, you should have taken it home and fought UPS for your own money.

That said, it's also a bit shady of the FFL to demand payment after the fact. If you tell someone something like "yeah, we'll handle it" and you don't tell them at that time that you may want some compensation, it's rude to demand it later.

I say tell them you're not paying them extra for it, but tell them you'll spend that money on stuff in their store. That's win-win, you don't have to pay them extra but they still make a profit.
 
Conqueror,

You respond as your name. They haven't demanded anything. It is UPS that has been giving everyone the run around. Since, I didn't pay UPS to ship the rifle I am not the UPS customer. The shipping FFL is. So, I had to keep on them about the claim. The guy taking care of the claim, from the shipping FFL, quit and never gave anyone followup information about what UPS wanted. So, once I pushed the FFL they got it taken care of quickly.

It is UPS that dragged their feet, ever so slowly, to review and pay the claim. And of course since I wasn't the UPS customer they couldn't tell me anything. It has been a lesson to deal FTF or pay a little extra for overnight or too expediate the shipping.

No, I didn't leave the rifle at the shop for 3 months. Just about a week until my FFL gave the report of it's condition to UPS and confirmed that UPS didn't need to send a reviewer out to the gunshop to see it firsthand.

I am leaning toward paying the $40 or so and moving on with the rest.
 
sojournerhome said:
Well after 3 months the claim check finally comes in. My FFL starts complaining about how much time it took and how much the long distance calls cost. I was planning on spending the money with them on supplies and some ammo. I can afford to give them the $40 or so they say it has cost them in time and I will probably do this.

But, isn't this what the FFL fee is for? Do they expect the fee to be easy money all the time or is it normal for them to expect me too pay for their time?
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No, it isn't. The transfer fee is for handling the transfer -- accepting the box, entering the firearm into his bound book, then transferring it to you and entering THAT transaction into his bound book. That's what the transfer fee covers.

Storage of a damaged firearm, whether for three days, three weeks or three months, is NOT part of the bargain. Making a bunch of phone calls to the shipper (who is presumeably out of state, or at least out of town) is NOT part of the bargain. He is certainly entitled to be reimbursed for the phone calls. Heck, I've had the same thing happen, and I offered to pay for the phone calls before the first call had even been dialed. As to additional for his time? Well, morally I think he is entitled to something, but I don't know how to put a value on it unless he's also a gunsmith and has an hourly rate posted. If he just runs a store ... then the value of his time is harder to quantify, but you can't deny that he expended time and effort in resolving YOUR problem. That extra effort is NOT built into a base transfer fee.
 
I agree with the idea that something like this is really part of doing the transfer, and in doing business in general. Would he raise the price of a new gun because it came in damaged? Stuff like this is called "overhead".

I think my response would depend on how the FFL "complained". Was he serious? Some people just like to complain about everything, sometime it's just another form of conversation. If I thought he really wanted to be reimbursed, I'd give him the $40, otherwise, I might buy some things from him (like you said you intended) and then maybe "round up" the total. Say you buy $80 worth of stuff and give him a $100, and mention that it was to help make up for it.

I know what you mean about feeling slighted. I feel I go through my FFL at times when I could save some bucks going somewhere else. Sometime he acts like we're "friends" and sometimes I'm just another customer.
 
I wouldn't give him a dime! How dare a man expect to be paid for his time! If he can't accept a little overhead expense than he should just quit doing transfers all together. Shoot he just as well turn in his FFL and turn his shop into a Starbucks.
 
I'd give him the money. Especially if this FFL has been good to me in the past. I say count it as the cost of keeping your local guy in business.
 
Suck it up and pay him. You don't have to like it. Next time handle it differently. Make all things clear up front. Chalk it up to experience paid for. I have bought plenty of "experience" that way. :)
 
I think that any phone costs should be paid. I wonder about paying him for "his time" because I doubt that making those phone calls took him away from anything that he would otherwise be able to charge for. If he was such a busy gunsmith that making those calls kept him from actual profitable work, that's one thing. But if he's just sitting on his stool, sipping a cup o' joe, and waiting for the next customer to come in, and he decides to pick up the phone, then it's all part of doing business.

That said, the gun store owner that will actually work for the benefit of a customer, even after the sale (or in this case, the transfer) was done does not exist anymore, where I live. I'd make sure I reimbursed him for any out-of-pocket expenses, plus a fair profit, and I'd also make sure if I ever needed any accessories that I hit his shop first.
 
You are the owner of the firearm, you should have taken it home and fought UPS for your own money.
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ups has had the policy that they will only deal with the shipper and the shippee (?). the owner of the firearm is a third party in this case.

it seems to me that ups should be responsable for the fee, as their poor shipping is what caused it.
 
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