MissouriBullet
Member
Ok, so we just got this email from a past customer:
We hate to lose customers for any reason (well, almost any reason, anyhow) so I wrote him back with our side of things:
Hi >Mr. Customer< -
Sorry to lose you as a customer but am happy for >anotherbulletcompany< that they will have a good customer in you.
I'd like to think that you might be interested in hearing our side of the story? If so, I'll try to explain.
We last raised our prices in January of 2008 and held them steady until last month. In January of this year, our lead alloy cost increased by $.32 per pound. That works out to $14,080.00 per truckload of 22 tons. It also works out to $5.12 per box of 200 grain bullets at 16 lbs. each. I withstood the cost increase throughout that truckload and then halfway through the 2nd truckload. That means that I withstood $21,000 of price increase without any return. Continuing to do that would have put us out of business.
Our price increase continues to fall below the added cost of what it costs us to make bullets in raw material cost. And we continue to be VERY competitive, across the board.
I am happy that >anotherbulletcompany< is able to supply you with bullets more cheaply than we do. But I'm wondering - maybe they don't pay workman's comp, as we do. Maybe they don't include insurance in their shipping, as we do. Maybe they don't cover their employees with health insurance, as we do. Maybe they don't routinely ship bullets to competitive cowboy and action pistol matches across the country in order to support the shooting sports, as we do. Maybe they don't have 5 Magma casting machines, 7 Magma lubrisizers, and nearly 60 bullets in their line so that they can turn out most any order within a day or two, as we do. Maybe they don't have to stock two different types of alloy, purchased a truckload at a time, each, so that they can provide softer target/cowboy bullets or harder action bullets, as we do.
I'd love to be able to charge the same low price no matter how much more it costs to buy the lead. But I can't.
Anyhow, thanks for listening and we will miss you.
Take care.
Brad
*****
So, I checked the prices on the other vendor (I'm sure they are fine people and make excellent bullets) and learned that their bullets are indeed cheaper than ours. But their shipping is $2.00 more and they don't provide free shipping insurance. So, on a single box of bullets weighing up to 200 grains, theirs cost more.
Anyhow, I just wanted to share the drama with you all by way of venting. It's been a tough day today.
Thank you.
Brad
Hello;
I regularly buy large quantities of bullets and I am dissatisfied with how much you raised your prices recently. I am on a tight budget for shooting and too raise 3.00 on a box is a lot. I will now shop at www.anotherbulletcompany.com until you guys decide to be reasonable again.
We hate to lose customers for any reason (well, almost any reason, anyhow) so I wrote him back with our side of things:
Hi >Mr. Customer< -
Sorry to lose you as a customer but am happy for >anotherbulletcompany< that they will have a good customer in you.
I'd like to think that you might be interested in hearing our side of the story? If so, I'll try to explain.
We last raised our prices in January of 2008 and held them steady until last month. In January of this year, our lead alloy cost increased by $.32 per pound. That works out to $14,080.00 per truckload of 22 tons. It also works out to $5.12 per box of 200 grain bullets at 16 lbs. each. I withstood the cost increase throughout that truckload and then halfway through the 2nd truckload. That means that I withstood $21,000 of price increase without any return. Continuing to do that would have put us out of business.
Our price increase continues to fall below the added cost of what it costs us to make bullets in raw material cost. And we continue to be VERY competitive, across the board.
I am happy that >anotherbulletcompany< is able to supply you with bullets more cheaply than we do. But I'm wondering - maybe they don't pay workman's comp, as we do. Maybe they don't include insurance in their shipping, as we do. Maybe they don't cover their employees with health insurance, as we do. Maybe they don't routinely ship bullets to competitive cowboy and action pistol matches across the country in order to support the shooting sports, as we do. Maybe they don't have 5 Magma casting machines, 7 Magma lubrisizers, and nearly 60 bullets in their line so that they can turn out most any order within a day or two, as we do. Maybe they don't have to stock two different types of alloy, purchased a truckload at a time, each, so that they can provide softer target/cowboy bullets or harder action bullets, as we do.
I'd love to be able to charge the same low price no matter how much more it costs to buy the lead. But I can't.
Anyhow, thanks for listening and we will miss you.
Take care.
Brad
*****
So, I checked the prices on the other vendor (I'm sure they are fine people and make excellent bullets) and learned that their bullets are indeed cheaper than ours. But their shipping is $2.00 more and they don't provide free shipping insurance. So, on a single box of bullets weighing up to 200 grains, theirs cost more.
Anyhow, I just wanted to share the drama with you all by way of venting. It's been a tough day today.
Thank you.
Brad
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