Kittery Trading Post in Maine-BEWARE

[old4x4]

Here's my story so far. I'll try to keep it short. I find a lightly used Marlin 925M with a BSA 4x scope in the rack marked $365.00. Hmmmm...sounds VERY high, so I ask about it. After a huddle (20 minutes), they say, "Ooops, way too high...lets see..." They looked it up w/the scope and said, "How's $175 sound?" Fine, I'll take it. There's 15 more minutes of , "Gee, I wonder who took the trade in?"-they f'ed up royally, giving whoever traded it in $100.00 more than they should've...papers shuffling, etc...
I'm from NH and this place is in Maine. I give them my driver's lic and fill out the federal BS form (all very clearly that I'm a NH resident, duh). 15 minutes later, I'm at the register and the same guy who had my license and I filled out the form for helps me pick out some ammo for coyote hunting. We get back to the register and cashier asks me if it's a Maine sale (!?) I said no, I'm from NH. She said the papers are filled out wrong. Same guy comes abck and says, "You're from NH?" Yup, didn't you see my NH driver's license?

HE THEN TELLS ME BECAUSE I'M FROM OUT OF STATE, THEY CANNOT SELL ME A GUN FOR LESS THAN $250.00. WHAT!!!!! I asked him if he was kidding twice and he gave me some horse5h1t explanation about transfer fee or they have to contact NH or whatever. I have NO criminal record at all, so that's not the problem.
I stroll out, and on the way home, call back and talk to the ass't mgr in the shooting section who knows nothing about this price screwup and this $250 minimum purchase crap. From what he said, the price change should've been OK'd w/him and wasn't. He couldn't understand the $250.00 thing, either. I have no FFL and I'm not a dealer, just cheap, that's all. I'm supposed to get a call back shortly with details from the ass't mgr (Peter).
If I was from ME, i'd have my gun...seems VERY illegal, and the ATF, attorney general and the BBB will all get calls Monday if this (unposted ANYWHERE in the store) policy is comfirmed.

Details to follow.

 

[old4x4]

For those interested...

Apparently, they thought I wanted to "transfer" the rifle to NH as you would a handgun. HUH? Sounds stupid to me, as NOBODY does that kind of thing with a rifle (At least no between NH and ME). He said there's a provision for this that incurrs more expense, thus the minimum gun value. If you ever buy a longarm there, be aware of this strange policy and answer YES to the question, "Is this a Maine sale?"

Paul L

 

[Dannyboy]

Sounds more like you landed in Mr. DeeDeDee's line than any type of scam. I've been in that store a few times and it always seemed on the up-and-up. I think they probably just need to to find employees that don't ride the short bus to work.

 

[atek3]

Kittery Trading Post was cool the time i went, YMMV

 

[phantomak47]

When I was a Ma resident, I bought a nice rem. 12 gauge from them. No problems, sounds like you got a moron to deal with.

 

[45Badger]

KTP = Mecca! OK, Cabela's is a bit better, but you can find real gems in the used racks.

I "THINK" what happened to you is this-

KTP offers a NH "transfer" that saves you the Maine sales tax. Basically, they fill out all the peperwork, and when you are finished shopping, an employee drives your gun to NH, and hands it to you there. A "Maine" sale is one where you pay Maine's sales tax, and walk out the door with your gun.

A very NICE service, that does cost them some extra employee time, so I think the minimum you were quoted involved that service.

Sounds like a communications screw up/confusion. They'll probably make it right. Be patient, and be NICE. You'll catch more flies with honey than vinegar.

Damn! I miss New Hampshire! And KTP, and Bob's Clam Shack,.....

 

[Essex County]

Obviously you got to deal with a jerk. I go to kittery three or four times a year, but I don't buy too often. On a new gun I can do much better from two local dealers. Same goes for used guns. What Kittery has is a great selection of used. I collect Mossberg and other single shot .22's The last one was a Savage mod. 3 graded 87% that I bought sight unseen and had it shipped to a local dealer.....Try maybe 60 % when I opened the package. I learned a lesson....Essex

 

[Starter52]

I shop at KTP just to look through their used gun racks (I also cruise their website). They have more used guns on display than any store I've ever visited.

Kittery Trading Post is still a great place to shop despite their recent expansion.

 

[oweno]

I've dealt with them for years, good people, straight arrows. Their prices can be on the high side but if you know what you're looking for, you can do well. Last spring, I got a really, really nice East German Makarov for $200 - transfer done in NH on Rt. 1 so no sales tax. I spotted it on their website and they held it for me for over a week (with no deposit, credit card or anything) until I could get up there.

I'd have a chat with the store manager to see if he can straighten out your problem. Sounds like some kind of serious misunderstanding and I'll bet that they do whatever it takes to make it right.

Aside: I love going there on weekends to check out the Massachusetts people when they wander into the gun section. I love the look on their faces when they see all the rifles and shotguns sitting out in the open being handled by guys like me. Even better is deer season when lots of the cars will have one or more deer on them. Looks of sheer horror from the cars with Mass. plates. I know, not everybody from Mass. is like that but many of the Boston suburban types are.

 

[jdkelly]

I know, not everybody from Mass. is like that...

They probably don't think well of NH either.


jkelly

 

[outofbattery]

Looks of sheer horror from the cars with Mass. plates.

Too true,every time I go up there I have a look of sheer horror when I see all the pistols I can't have transfered to MA.

 

[jamz]

I live in Maine and the KTP is right on my commute to work, so I stop in there once a week or so, and I've bought my last 6 or so guns from them.


Sounds like you ran into a "problem employee" or something! Sorry to hear it, but it's definitely not the norm for that place. I've dealt with 10 or so different people, and they have been 100% helpful and 90% knowledgable without exception. They let me fondle as many guns as I want when I have no intention of buying, we get into long conversations, and the second to last gun I bought there (Colt Defender) belonged to an employee, and when we discoverd that fact we had a real nice chat about it.

I am sure they will bend over backwards to straighten this out for you when you go back there and talk to a manager.

-James

 

[plnkr1234]

oops

 

[sigman4rt]

I bought a used handgun there about a year ago. Shot the crap out of it for about two weeks when I decided I really didn't like it all that much. Went back to do a trade, the salesman informed me. "When you purchase a used firearm from KTP if within 30 days you return it in the same condition you get your money back, every penny including sales tax. Try that at your local gun shop! They also have another interesting feature if your selling or trading a firearm. You can choose either cash in your hand or "store credit." Store credit is considerably higher. Very cool place to do business.

 

[c_yeager]

KTP = Mecca! OK, Cabela's is a bit better, but you can find real gems in the used racks.

I "THINK" what happened to you is this-

KTP offers a NH "transfer" that saves you the Maine sales tax. Basically, they fill out all the peperwork, and when you are finished shopping, an employee drives your gun to NH, and hands it to you there. A "Maine" sale is one where you pay Maine's sales tax, and walk out the door with your gun.

A very NICE service, that does cost them some extra employee time, so I think the minimum you were quoted involved that service.

Sounds like a communications screw up/confusion. They'll probably make it right. Be patient, and be NICE. You'll catch more flies with honey than vinegar.

Damn! I miss New Hampshire! And KTP, and Bob's Clam Shack,.....

Little problem with that service is that out of state residents dont have to pay sales tax regardless of where the transfer occurs. I guess it might be different in Maine, but in Washington, if you show your out-of-state ID you pay no sales tax, period.

 

[45Badger]

Little problem with that service is that out of state residents dont have to pay sales tax regardless of where the transfer occurs. I guess it might be different in Maine, but in Washington, if you show your out-of-state ID you pay no sales tax, period.

NH has no sales tax, Maine does. If you take posssession of something in Maine, you pay sales tax. If you have it delivered (at "XYZ cost"), or do above mentioned friendly transfer, you don't pay Maine sales tax.

 

[c_yeager]

NH has no sales tax, Maine does. If you take posssession of something in Maine, you pay sales tax. If you have it delivered (at "XYZ cost"), or do above mentioned friendly transfer, you don't pay Maine sales tax.

Which is what seems odd to me because its the exact same situation between Washington and Oregon, and all Oregonians have to do here is show their Oregon ID and they simply dont pay sales tax regardless of where they take possession of the item. People are only required to pay taxes based on their state of residence. The state of Maine doesnt have the right to collect tax from people who live in New Hampshire.

 

[45Badger]

I'm starting to giggle here on the tax issue. It's amusing that you are so sure of what rights the state of Maine has (or does not have) in regulating or taxing commerce within its borders. Maybe all out of state travellers shouldn't pay sales tax on meals in states that tax lodging and meals.

A simple explanation might be that Maine and Washington have different laws?

Enough on the OT tax debate!

How'd everything turn out?????

 

[OEF_VET]

KTP is wonderful! I love that place. Unfortunately, I haven't been home for a visit with the folks or the Trading Post for several years. I really need to rectify that, I'm beginning to miss KTP. (I saw my parents last summer, when they visited here.)

 

[old4x4]

KTP = Mecca! OK, Cabela's is a bit better, but you can find real gems in the used racks.

I "THINK" what happened to you is this-

KTP offers a NH "transfer" that saves you the Maine sales tax. Basically, they fill out all the peperwork, and when you are finished shopping, an employee drives your gun to NH, and hands it to you there. A "Maine" sale is one where you pay Maine's sales tax, and walk out the door with your gun.

A very NICE service, that does cost them some extra employee time, so I think the minimum you were quoted involved that service.

Sounds like a communications screw up/confusion. They'll probably make it right. Be patient, and be NICE. You'll catch more flies with honey than vinegar.

Damn! I miss New Hampshire! And KTP, and Bob's Clam Shack,.....

Yup, that's exactly the case. It's a way to save sales tax on the big bux guns..Turns out the price tag should've been 200, but I got it for 175 because that was the initial quote. A bunch of stand-up guys!