I'm wondering; is the gun business very different from most other businesses? In most online businesses, if their website says they have something "in stock" and I order the item, they usually send it out that day or the next. I don't want to mention a specific gun dealer (because it seems that several of them do this), but I ordered a gun part that was listed as in stock more than a week ago and the website still shows my order as "processing." What's up with that? Are gun dealers so understaffed that it takes more than a week to put something in a box and slap an address label on it, or do they NOT have it in stock and they're just lying on the website?
We have it in stock, please wait 2 weeks for shipping
- Thread starter ds76
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Reloadron
Contributing Member
Not familiar with in stock and two weeks to ship. However, I would not hesitate to tell other members who the retailer is so they know what to expect if they deal with that retailer. A few days yes, but two weeks? Never heard of anything taking two weeks to ship when it's in stock.
Ron
Ron
bainter1212
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I have run into many web businesses who say they have something "in stock" when in reality they will simply drop ship from the manufacturer. This often backfires on them but their prices are so low that they stay in business anyway.
Optics Planet is notorious for this practice.
Optics Planet is notorious for this practice.
RetiredUSNChief
Member
You really need to talk to their customer service first, in order to find out what's actually happening. There could be several factors which affect this other than a simple policy of a 2 week delay.
For example, their website may not actually accurately reflect the stock status. Also, they may "drop ship" some products, which means they're relying on the stock availability of their source, since they don't actually keep the product on hand in their own inventory.
For example, their website may not actually accurately reflect the stock status. Also, they may "drop ship" some products, which means they're relying on the stock availability of their source, since they don't actually keep the product on hand in their own inventory.
Chief, that's pretty much what I'm talking about. If they say they have it in stock, I think it's reasonable to assume they have it in stock. Having something "in stock" means you literally have the item on the premises and can ship it in a reasonable length of time. Some sellers are in the habit of claiming on their site that an item is "in stock" when they mean their supplier has represented to them that the item can be obtained, either through sending it to the vender or by drop-shipping. That is NOT "in stock" and it's no accident. They know people are less likely to order something if it's not in stock or is back ordered. That, in my opinion is unethical, to say the least! I, for one, have noticed this practice seems to be much more prevalent in the gun parts business than in other online enterprises. I order a lot of things online and maybe I'm spoiled by Amazon Prime, but most people who say they have something in stock, actually do.
This. "In stock" may mean their supplier has it in stock, not them. Drop shipping is going to take longer. They may wait for your payment to process, and the supplier may wait for their payment to process.
ds76 said:
Just to play Devil's advocate:
What would you consider "in stock" for an item that is drop shipped from the distributor?
That item will NEVER physically be in their business, it's going from the distributor straight to you.
The distributor says they have it available for shipping.
What else do you want that company to do for "in stock", call dibs on a case?
RustyShackelford
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Charges....
I purchased a police trade-in Glock 23 .40S&W gen 04 on Fri, 05/30/2014.
Later the same day, I discovered I had major ID theft/fraud issues with my AmEx Bluebird card(total of approx $890.00 USD
).
What I found curious is that the FFL holder/retailer in KY took my card details but did not charge my Bluebird card.
Now, sometimes online retailers or gun shops say the credit or debit card won't be charged until the item ships out, but they say it or they put it in the order form area of the website.
I found this a bit odd but the fraud came from the metro Detroit Michigan area.
One small McDonalds charge came thru while I was on the phone with AmEx's fraud unit!
Rusty
PS; I contacted the shop & informed them the deal was off due to my credit card problems.
I purchased a police trade-in Glock 23 .40S&W gen 04 on Fri, 05/30/2014.
Later the same day, I discovered I had major ID theft/fraud issues with my AmEx Bluebird card(total of approx $890.00 USD
).What I found curious is that the FFL holder/retailer in KY took my card details but did not charge my Bluebird card.
Now, sometimes online retailers or gun shops say the credit or debit card won't be charged until the item ships out, but they say it or they put it in the order form area of the website.
I found this a bit odd but the fraud came from the metro Detroit Michigan area.
One small McDonalds charge came thru while I was on the phone with AmEx's fraud unit!
Rusty
PS; I contacted the shop & informed them the deal was off due to my credit card problems.
astra600
Member
Some businesses note that items ordered will be drop shipped, so you'll know.
Wolff springs get to me in two days, Numrich in three. I've gotten parts from Europe faster than some U.S. gun companies. They should tell you if something may or will be drop shipped. Some don't care.
Wolff springs get to me in two days, Numrich in three. I've gotten parts from Europe faster than some U.S. gun companies. They should tell you if something may or will be drop shipped. Some don't care.
All I'm asking for is honesty. IN STOCK means you have it there in your store and can ship it when I order it. If you're running a drop shipping business, then say so. If you're waiting for 5 or 10 other people to order the same thing I ordered before you order from your supplier, then say that! Don't advertise that you have something in stock when you don't! Is it really unreasonable to expect people to say what they mean?
BSA1
member
Your low post count shows you are new to THR.
Delays in shipping has been discussed several time on THR. Simply put manufacturers, wholesalers and dealers have been swamped with orders since the Banic of 2013 started a year and half ago. While the ammo shortage has eased some and firearms are becoming more available at pre-banic prices there remains a large demand for many other firearm accessories and related products.
If you want a direct answer to your situation it would help if you posted the name of the company and the item(s) you have ordered.
Delays in shipping has been discussed several time on THR. Simply put manufacturers, wholesalers and dealers have been swamped with orders since the Banic of 2013 started a year and half ago. While the ammo shortage has eased some and firearms are becoming more available at pre-banic prices there remains a large demand for many other firearm accessories and related products.
If you want a direct answer to your situation it would help if you posted the name of the company and the item(s) you have ordered.
At this point blaming the panic is just an empty excuse. We all know there are companies that list things as in stock when they are not. PSA and ArmsUnlimited come to mind as places I have experience with in this regard.
These days there are a lot of web sites store fronts that are selling just about everything and a large percentage of them have no stock at all. They rely on what amounts to drop shipping. There are various reasons why it takes more time than you might think to get merchandize that really is in stock.
One of the reasons is how merchandize is shipped these days. Some drop shippers only ship on certain days to certain areas of the country because they get a better deal that way. So maybe they only ship to the west coast on Mondays. If you order on Tuesday, it won't go out until the following Monday.
Some places only ship once a week no matter what. For whatever reason, they deem it more cost effective to do all their shipping on Fridays for instance.
Some drop shippers will not ship until the retailer has paid them and that can take a few days to clear.
One of the reasons is how merchandize is shipped these days. Some drop shippers only ship on certain days to certain areas of the country because they get a better deal that way. So maybe they only ship to the west coast on Mondays. If you order on Tuesday, it won't go out until the following Monday.
Some places only ship once a week no matter what. For whatever reason, they deem it more cost effective to do all their shipping on Fridays for instance.
Some drop shippers will not ship until the retailer has paid them and that can take a few days to clear.
RetiredUSNChief
Member
I feel your frustration...however, you REALLY need to contact their customer service and ask them the reason for the delay on something that's listed as "in stock". What you're doing right now is getting worked up over the issue without doing anything substantial to actually find out what the real answer is.
As of "in stock"...businesses of today have long since been moving away from maintaining huge inventories of merchandise on hand for a variety of reasons, one of which is that it costs money for the physical storage facilities, not to mention the inventory control involved. The move in the last few decades has been towards "just in time shipping" or "drop shipping".
"Just in time" shipping means that a business plans out what they need and when they need it...and then have the material shipped directly to them when their schedule shows they actually need it. This way they receive material when it's actually ready to be used and they have minimal storage requirements as a result.
"Drop shipping" is similar, except that it is the source company that is maintaining the responsibility for storage or having the product on hand and not the retailer who is selling it. The retailer gets an order and then has the source company ship the order directly to the customer. Again, no requirements for the retailer to maintain storage facilities and large amounts of physical inventory on hand. If the source company has the material "in stock", then the material IS "in stock".
Those are just some descriptions of two particular stocking issues...they're not meant to be the proposed reason why you have a delay with your particular order. Those details are only available by the company you ordered your material from, which is why I recommended you contact them.
Drop shipped or not, though, normal shipping times for in stock either way should be about the same without any complications considered.
GBExpat
Member
ds76,
IMO, having to wait 2 weeks for an "in stock" item to ship, barring extraordinary circumstances, is utter BS.
I do not care if it is dropped shipped from the far side of the moon ... if it is "in stock" it should ship PDQ.
That is the type of thing that can convince me to spend my money elsewhere.
IMO, having to wait 2 weeks for an "in stock" item to ship, barring extraordinary circumstances, is utter BS.
I do not care if it is dropped shipped from the far side of the moon ... if it is "in stock" it should ship PDQ.
That is the type of thing that can convince me to spend my money elsewhere.
12131
Member
Yup. If you continue to use that lame excuse, when the panic is long gone, you will never get my business.
On the other hand, there are companies that, even during the panic, still got things out to their customers very quickly. If there were any delays, it's one or two days at most. They continue to get my business.
tyeo098
Member
My company has all parts in stock, but assembly and configuration/testing/etc takes time. When we get swamped with a large 36pc order it can easily take 2 weeks and put all other orders in a backlog.
Just sit back and relax. Stop being part of the 'instant gratification' generation.
Try ordering a set of swage dies from BTSniper on castboolits (avg 9mo), or a DPM abrrel from Jestism on WG (~ 1-2 years!). THEN you can complain about waiting!
Just sit back and relax. Stop being part of the 'instant gratification' generation.
Try ordering a set of swage dies from BTSniper on castboolits (avg 9mo), or a DPM abrrel from Jestism on WG (~ 1-2 years!). THEN you can complain about waiting!
Been there done that, and it does not help at all, they are going to do is lie. I place an order on Optics Planet recently (about two months ago) called them after 4 days and they even claimed they had shipped, but on checking with FedEx, they had not. And yes they charged my debit card and were paid five days earlier.
Whether they are short staffed or just not have the item, I do not know. My feelings are that they are listing items that are on stock with a distributor and not at there location and then waiting for it to be delivered to them before it can be shipped. Not a good practice, they should have listed it as "Special Order" and not as in stock, that would have warned you as to the delay, but then you would have gone else wheres for the item.
Well after 8 years of being a good customer of Optics Planet, it will be a cold day in hell before they get another order from me.
Jim
Reloadron
Contributing Member
I would be in that group. In stock tells me the item is in stock ready to ship, not that the item will be drop shipped from another supplier.
I also understand what tyeo is saying but to my way of thinking that implies the item needs assembly and is not ready to ship. During my 45 years of electrical engineering that was common. Items I ordered needed "set up" to meet my requirements. Like ordering a rifle with this barrel, this trigger and the list goes on. Cases like this should be spelled out.
Yesterday late afternoon I ordered 3 items from Midway. All 3 showed in stock and none would likely be dropped shipped. The shipping amounted to $4 more for second day UPS so I figured for four bucks fine with me. As of today my order shows On Hold. So I click the On Hold and I get a small window explaining maybe 4 categories and On Hold isn't any of them. So what the hell good is 2nd day shipping for an order they may take a week to ship? A set of 1911 grips, a set of dies and some 308 brass.
I figure it this way, if one retailer can't get things done and shipped in a timely fashion then someone else will. If Midway can't get my stuff shipped I'll cancel and find someone else who wants the sales.
@ Jim243:
Short staffed isn't my problem. Exactly, if they can't get the items to me someone else can.
Ron
GBExpat
Member
Interesting accusation. You must know ds76 personally, since, IMO, nothing in what he has written suggests that he is suffering from an Instant Gratification Jones.tyeo098 said:
I happen to be proud of the fact that I am not a member of the Instant Gratification Society in which we live. On many occasions I have placed orders for items, happy in the knowledge that it will eventually be delivered to me ... someday. There were even a couple of online vendors that I frequented, when I was ordering lots of stuff, for which that was SOP. If there was a piece/part/item that I needed in a timely fashion for a project, I simply would not order it from either of them.
On more than one occasion, I have patiently waited over a year for a backordered item to be delivered. The key is that at the time I made the decision to place the orders, I had been warned by the vendor that they were probably going to be backordered for a long time. <shrug> Not a biggie.
If I decide to place an order for an in-stock item listed on a vendor's website, only to be told later that it will take 2 weeks to actually ship (especially if, all the while, that part is listed on the website as "in-stock"). That will almost certainly be the last order that I place with that vendor.
It has absolutely nothing to do with "instant gratification" ... it has to do with the vendor being accurate and/or truthful.
If it was posted that the part would take 2 weeks to ship, I could factor that info into my decision to buy from them or someone else.
BSA1
member
Why not? Obama is still getting away with blaming Bush. (Relax just a joke).
Seriously this is why the O.P. show post the name of the company and the item(s) he ordered. Some companies are Mom and Pop type businesses.
Hey sometimes people make mistakes. I had a Mom and Pop business not ship me my order once. It took a couple of phone calls to get a hold of someone and then a couple days longer for them to find their mistake. They showed it had been shipped but it had not. The owner apologized and added a couple of bottles of gun cleaner free to make up for his mistake even though I told him he didn’t have too as all I wanted was my order. I guess because I make mistakes regularly I am more willing to forgive.
This is a good point. Brownell's will ship partial orders, backorder the other items and then ship them free when the item(s) come in.
Other companies wait until the order is complete before shipping.
This is no different than customers you want their entire order when they receive it.
Regardless good communication to the customers is important.
p.s. There are still a lot of hard to get items because of the Banic of 2103 like bullets, brass and powder and certain calibers of ammunition and bullet type.
RetiredUSNChief
Member
Hold your horses! The OP specifically avoided mentioning the name of the business, so your experience with Optics Planet may not be applicable to his. Even if it MAY be applicable, this can't be known unless he actually makes the attempt to contact them and get an answer. Basing a dissatisfaction on an assumption that these people are going to suck at customer satisfaction is just plain silly.
As for your particular issue...I don't know all the details, and I'm not asking for any dissertation on them, but it seems to me that if you were a good customer for 8 years before you had a problem, then a single-point failure on their part with your last order shouldn't have been the straw that broke the camels back for you as a customer. It should have been the exception to the rule. But as I said...I don't know all the details of your experience that lead you to this conclusion.
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