My first online gun buying experience...yuck.

[Winamac]

Sorry you have had a bad experience buying on-line with GB. I have bought and sold many,many,many,many times with them and had no problems. Guess I am lucky to have a GREAT FFL (Downham & Son's Shooters Supply) and I over communicate(if there is such thing when it comes to buying firearms) with the seller just to make sure all is well and shipping as planned. Just my opinion, but don't be so quick to give up on GB buying.

 

[LP1]

I have to say you are Wrong!!!! Let's not mention names (until I get my gun please)

My apologies to IGS.

 

[Libertarian01]

All of my online buying experiences have been just fine.

#1) Order firearm
#2) Wait for tracking number
#3) Call UPS and have shipment held there (I don't want my delivery left on my doorstep)
#4) Go to UPS distribution center and pick up my "loonnnggggg" packages
#5) Get home and unwrap the goodies

C&R's ROCK!




Regards,

Doug

PS - Sorry to hear about the bad experience. Not all are like that.

 

[loony1]

I know you are North of us, but try us next time. $15 dollar transfer and we answer emails and phone calls.

 

[Cameramonkey]

I hope the FFL is reading this. Here is my suggestion to them:

You obviously arent really into doing transfers any longer. Please do your customers a favor; Contact all of the sites that you are listed as a preferred FFL such as Gunbroker, Buds, etc. and have yourself removed from the lists so this doesnt happen again, and we arent hearing about it here. I'm assume you have other transfers that went smoothly, but by my count this is the third complaint here.

Although I originally had considered you for other business, that is no longer on my radar due to these transfer issues. If you are too busy to take care of transfers, what else are you cutting corners on?

In the immortal words of the legendary disney princess.. "Let it go!" (and focus on your other parts of the business)

 

[level0]

I know you are North of us, but try us next time. $15 dollar transfer and we answer emails and phone calls.

or maybe +2 here. Of course USDS is five, six minutes from my house

 

[sparks71]

The rifle has been picked up!
Now as I promised..
Indy gun Safety. They may be fantastic at other business ventures (don't know...never used them for anything else).
I have to highly recommend avoiding them for FFL transfers. In my opinion, they are the 'Black Hole' of customer service in regards to these transfers. I stand by every comment I made about them in this thread. I would never have chosen them if I had known they would make the process this much of a pain.
Thanks to all the other dealers who have posted and PMd me with offers of future better service. You have renewed my faith in the process!

I can't wait to shoot this bad boy!

sparks

 

[Libertarian01]

The rifle has been picked up!
Now as I promised..
Indy gun Safety. They may be fantastic at other business ventures (don't know...never used them for anything else).
I have to highly recommend avoiding them for FFL transfers. In my opinion, they are the 'Black Hole' of customer service in regards to these transfers. I stand by every comment I made about them in this thread. I would never have chosen them if I had known they would make the process this much of a pain.
Thanks to all the other dealers who have posted and PMd me with offers of future better service. You have renewed my faith in the process!

I can't wait to shoot this bad boy!

sparks

Good luck with your future purchases! I am glad there was the support here that you needed.

 

[Spear Dane]

I have been checked twice the last two weeks and both times it was done in less then 5 minutes.

 

[STEEL CORE]

So it was IGS, since I live in Fishers, I am glad to know this, by the way there is another Fishers FFL
Here is the link I saved.

Our Services

and he was great to deal with, however, that was a few years ago, so I don't know if he is still doing FFL transfers or any business now. But he did a good painless transfer for me once upon a time.

 

[Woody968]

Glad to hear it worked out in the end.

 

[LP1]

My apologies to IGS.

Apology retracted, since they are the culprit and I was right in the first place.

 

[LP1]

So it was IGS, since I live in Fishers, I am glad to know this, by the way there is another Fishers FFL
Here is the link I saved.

Our Services

and he was great to deal with, however, that was a few years ago, so I don't know if he is still doing FFL transfers or any business now. But he did a good painless transfer for me once upon a time.

I believe he took over another's business a couple of years ago due to the original owner's illness. IIRC, the original owner recently passed away. You might want to check for recent experiences.

 

[sparks71]

Yeah... sorry to make you do that but I think its obvious where my motivation was to not reveal them before I got my property.

Apology retracted, since they are the culprit and I was right in the first place.

 

[sparks71]

Or there's, ya know...my business, we're an FFL in Fishers.

Thanks LoriW. I am pretty sure my wife has cut me off from buying any more guns for a while. When I get the green light and need an FFL, I will get a hold of you.

 

[IndyGunSafety]

My first (and probably last) online gun purchase is about to drive me crazy. How long does it normally take to do a FFL transfer? FYI - I am purposefully not stating the business name.


I bought a rifle from Gunbroker, chose a very local ( 10min from my house) FFL from their preferred list. Sent the FFL an email and carefully followed his websites instructions (btw..I have still yet to recieve an answer from any one of my emails).
The seller shipped the rifle and sent me the UPS tracking # (it was sent to the address the FFL specified on his website). Next day I get an alert that they couldn't deliver it because the address doesn't exist? The seller and I both call the FFL (neither got a reply). I tracked down his INGO profile and sent him a message about the UPS issue. He called me and said he would contact UPS and call me right back (never called me back). The next day (last thursday) the package was delivered. I called/emailed/texted him to set up an appointment to get my gun (no reply). Saturday morning (2 days later) I get a call from him saying he had a "very limited window" for me to come in and do the transfer. I told him I was currently about an hour away but would get back ASAP. We met at his office and I filled out the paperwork. He called it in and was put on hold for over an hour listening to the NICS recording. He couldn't wait any longer (I agree... that call hold time sucked for both of us). He said he would have to try again later that day and call me back. I agreed...the hold time seemed endless but... he never called me back even after I waited until later that night to call and text him asking what happened.


Monday morning (2 days later) I get a text from him "I have no update. I get put on hold. I'll try again today" and..... he never called me back. I have called/email and texted him begging for a status update and now going on 3 days later I still have no respnse (approved? delayed? or I still havn't messed with it?)


I now know I definitley should have called and spoken to the FFL first HARD LESSON LEARNED! Even though the website made it look like a regular business, it appears this more or less a side hobby. If you are busy..I get it. If you know you aren't going to be able to do anything with it.. why not send me a courtesy response? I feel like I am badgering this guy with texts/email begging for an update. I can't even leave him a voicemail...his business number mailbox has been full since friday.
Is this how this process usually goes down? If everything would have just gone as planned, I would have walked away happy (saving over $200 including shipping and fees). If I am just being an impatient ass, tell me to shut up... I can take it.

I found this thread after the issue was fully resolved, only because an internet TROLL who has never done business with me and is not my customer, sent me an IM on INGO telling me I should go out of business and berating me and my business. So I searched and found this thread.

This was a horrible transaction for both of us. I do not fault the buyer whatsoever, but I do take issue with the entire thread and context in which the OP deliberately omitted facts to create drama or imply some sort of underhanded dealings where none existed.

So First: Our UPS facility changed locations. Transfer of all shipments to the new address is supposed to be AUTOMATICand INSTANT, but in this case was not. (They often get it done the same day!) UPS cannot explain why and I have not had trouble with other UPS shipped items. Eventually the gun gets delivered. I'm on my way out of town, so to try and get everything done before I go, I set times and a final date for all my transfers. Mr. Sullivan showed up to pick up his gun. I called NICS to do the background check and it went to further review. I then sat on hold with Mr. Sullivan in the office for ONE HOUR with only hold music from NICS. Finally I had to tell Mr. Sullivan that I had to use the phone line for other customers and I would contact him WHEN I had an update. Well the next customer had an ID issue and I couldn't run his background check so I let the phone stay on hold. A few short errands and a ride home later I was on hold for ONE HOUR THIRTY FIVE MINUTES with NICS when I gave up. The next day I left for 10 days. (The website was updated stating no transfers during these dates, but that would not have helped this customer.)

Now, I'm in the mountains of NC, where the only way I'm going to get any info in or out is to drive to the top of a mountain and sit in my truck. I drove up there and tried several times and only got put on hold again. Finally I got through and he was DELAYED. I texted him such. I also texted the fact that I had to drive to the top of a mountain just to communicate. (Not exactly in my vacation plans, but I'm trying to get this guy taken care of!) So he was aware I was trying to help him. But you will notice he did not mention this in his inflammatory post. He also forgot to mention I texted him 7 times while trying to get an answer from NICS.

Secondly, you will note that he never mentioned there was NO CHARGE for the transfer and he was told this early on. So every minute spent on this was a loss for me not only in time and money, but the fact the customer was hell bent on telling this story on this forum with the intent of hurting my business, and would not likely return as a customer himself. I did what I needed to do within the working confines of the situation to get the job done for this customer. I contacted him when I returned and we got the transfer done. I apologized, did the transfer for free, shook his hand and thought that was the end of it.

Third, You will notice the OP mentions he was afraid he would not get his gun if he named my business. (Like if I had seen the thread I wouldn't have known what he was up to. ) You will also notice he never substantiated why he felt that way or what discussion made him think this was the case! That's because THERE WAS NONE. There was never any discussion or mention of him not getting his gun for any reason. HE created that drama himself I guess for internet effect. I also take issue with the OP's comment above: "If you know you can't do anything with it, a courtesy response..." How the hell was I supposed to know NICS was going to do something they had not done in the last 6 years? Again, you imply... well heck... you outright state that I "knew" I wasn't going to be able to do the transfer. In all actuality I had no idea this was going to happen or take so long. How could I? This transaction should have been completed well before I left for vacation. And why is it when you tell somebody "I'll contact you when I have information" you get repeated calls and messages asking for information? IF I HAD ANY I WOULD CONTACT YOU! You're right. I'm busy. I do the best I can. I cannot pick up the phone every day and contact every customer just to say "I have no information". Some dealers can and will. I simply cannot.

Not surprisingly, many of you piled on. Of course you did. It's what you do. I got a laugh out of the guy who said: "INGO to the rescue!" INGO had no influence on this transaction whatsoever as I never saw the thread until well after the completion of the transaction.

So let's look at reality: Through no fault of my own or his, the customer's product was delayed in delivery. Once I got it, I set up a date to deliver. Could not get a status from NICS in spite of multiple calls. Tried to get the job done even though I was 600 miles away and on vacation, going out of my way to do so. Bad NICS service and bad timing. Period. No conspiracy to deprive the customer of his FREE transfer or keep him from his product.

You'll note he had multiple opportunities to say any of this TO ME... but decided to be post here instead. OP, you looked me in the eye and shook my hand, knowing full well you were ALREADY posting about this transaction and with the FULL intent to post further. At any time when we were face to face on both occasions you could have voiced your displeasure to me, customer to dealer, so that we might resolve any issues face to face. But you didn't. I understand your displeasure. This was a horrible transaction for both of us, and I again apologize. But your posting here omitted a few too many details to be an accurate picture of what transpired. In spite of this dust up, I wish you the best and better fortune with future transfers. If you'd like to try us again we'll be here... and the next one is on us!

 

[sparks71]

Well, I can't say I didn't expect a reply from you about all of this.
I don't even know where to begin with the ridiculousness in the re-writing of history here. This is the best part "You'll note he had multiple opportunities to say any of this TO ME... but decided to be post here instead." I had lost count of the amount of emails/texts and phone messages I sent to you over several days that were unanswered (well before your vacation started that you failed to mention to me until well after you were gone and I was left waiting several days in the dark). How could I say anything to you when you WOULD NOT RESPOND to me? Simple communication is huge. If I could have had some simple, timely communication from you I definitely would not have posted anything. When you tell me you are going to reply to me later in the day and then I don't hear from you for several days and you ignore my pleas for any kind of info, it tends to rub me the wrong way (that happened twice).
Do potential buyers a favor.... Remove your FFL business listing from Gunbroker and Buds. Its a trap if we choose you that ultimately turned into a black hole. I had emailed you before I even purchased the gun and waited a couple days for response that never came. Yes, it was my first time buying a gun online and using a FFL service. I made a huge mistake by reading and precisely following the directions you posted on your website ("Piece of cake" right??) and thinking it was as legit as going to a normal gun store. I absolutely did not receive seven texts from you. This whole complaint was about your lack of communication and implying I ignored any communication from you is just asinine.
I get it. You had another bad FFL transfer you were not prepared to handle and it failed miserably. I, like others, posted about it and now you have to try to save face. Seems like you have a pattern developing with these bad transfers. If I had known about the other complaints prior to choosing you from the GunBroker site, this never would have happened. You even sat there across from that table and told me you did not want to do them any more... but whatever. It also appears I am not the only one who has issues with your communication skills. I actually thought that after sitting there chatting with you for over an hour while we were on hold with NICS that you understood my frustration. I actually thought when I left your building that you would respond to me later that night with some kind of update like you said you would. "Yes/No.. I didn't have time to mess with it" anything would have been better than not responding and ignoring.
I wish you luck and hope you heed some of the advice I and others have offered you in this thread (and similar threads).
I still stand by everything I posted.

 

[Libertarian01]

There is a guy who lives over in Ohio that is a true artist with rebuilding and restoring historic rifle scopes. He is, as I understand it, a genius and does outstanding work.

His problem is a TOTAL lack of communication.

While over on the Gunboards.com I happened across a thread where several people were very concerned that they had heard nothing from him. The two (2) guys I helped lived in California and New Zealand. It would have been ridiculously difficult for them to legally reacquire their property due to the distance. I stepped in and helped them get their scopes back. Both scopes had been in the gentleman's possession for over a year.

It wasn't that the time was a factor, although that was MOST annoying. Both guys simply didn't hear anything from him. Had he simply sent them an email saying, "I have 25 projects ahead of yours. It will be about 7 months," then later, "I have 24 projects ahead of yours, it will be about 6 1/2 months" they wouldn't have been happy, but they wouldn't have taken me up on an offer to go reacquire their property. His horrific lack of communication cost him two (2) jobs that both men would have been willing to pay good money for.

So I got letters from each giving me power of attorney to act in their behalf, drove over, and got their scopes home to them. This guy didn't understand when I spoke with him that it wasn't the quality of his work, it was his total lack of communication skills that cost him a lot of business from the Gunboards.

Here is a link to the short thread from over there: Re Greg Wohler

Obviously the time and communication were much better in this instance. I would not equate the two (2) incidents other than to say the expectation of the customer was very different from the business owner. How many businesses have major internal and/or external issues due to a simple lack of communication? I would suggest far more than care to admit.

The simple fact is that each of us is different and with different expectations. Here in America we expect the waiter/waitress to check our table every five (5) minutes to see if we need anything. That is good service here. In Europe, the waiter/waitress brings the drink, bring the food - then NEVER comes to the table again unless called! Their good service is giving the customer their privacy and space. Vastly different expectations after going into a restaurant. That difference is a learned cultural. On a personal level we all have different expectations.

Perhaps the best thing to come of this is we all learn something about trying to improve our communication skills both in our professional and private lives.

Regards,

Doug

 

[hopper68]

I had emailed you before I even purchased the gun and waited a couple days for response that never came..

This bugs me. If you had no response BEFORE you bought the gun, why would you still have it shipped to him?

 

[JettaKnight]