I've had nothing but positive things to say about purchasing firearms from Triggers in Florence until today.

I called triggers today to find out if they were going to be receiving any of the new Glock 43's. One of the employees said yes and that if I got there around noon, when they were expected to get them in delivery, i would be able to purchase one if I was first in line. They weren't taking reservations. I drove to triggers at 1140 and when I got there, I spoke with a few of the employees who I have talked with numerous times and they told me that I was first in line and had first dibbs at the gun. They all seemed excited to get to check out the new glock as was I.

About 30 minutes after I got there, the manager came out. He said that they would take my name down and give me a call as I had gotten there first. He also said he didn't know what the were going to charge me. He said the MSRP, Which was fine as it really is about the first day to get one. Then he told me they were going for $800 on gunbroker. I said I wasn't standing in gunbroker and was told I could purchase the gun if I got there. The manager then told me that HE PERSONALLY didn't tell me that. I was pissed. HIS employees told me on the phone and then in person just minutes before that I was going to be able to buy the gun.

So, the truck shows up, the gun gets delivered and the manager comes out to tell me that he was going to place it on gunbroker rather than sell it to the customer who was told by his store that if I was there that I could buy it. He didn't even offer it to me at the inflated price from gunbroker. He said simply, "you can go bid on gun broker and if you win, pick it up."

I started to get rather angry. I explained how fucking shitty that was. He didn't care. I also told him of the lost sales from myself and anyone who would hear or listen.  This is NOT the way to treat repeat customers. His employees were even getting upset at him.

So, I will no longer be patronizing TRIGGERS LLC in Florence off Turfway. After being told that I was able to purchase a gun if I were there when it arrived, which I was. And then be treated the way that he treated me, I don't care what kind of deals they have in the future. I'll gladly pay a few dollars more for better customer service.

Thanks for letting me rant.

Joe

Which manager was it do you know?

It was a middle aged guy with black curly hair. They refered to the boss and a guy named Mark (not the guy in the wheel chair).

Joe

From a business perspective the employees were in the wrong. An employee is not a manager or an owner, they are not there to make business decisions about what inventory to put out or sell.

From a logical perspective he did you a favor by not letting you buy it at $800 since they're not even going for that much on Gunbroker.

Personally, I'd be pissed!



I don't go to gun stores anymore because most of them have terrible customer service. They're not a fun place for me except to window shop and get the hell out and go buy from a private sale.
The only thing I buy at gun stores are the stuff I get Police discounts on because those are usually cheaper new than private sales used.

Weird, I've never had any problems there. Granted I only buy used from them, and only if it's a really good deal.

THAT ! Is fucking crazy !

I had a LGS by me tell me one thing about a transfer fee & then have the same fucking clown tell me .... I didn't tell you that price for a transfer ....
Needless to say ....  I haven't spent a DIME in that store again.

Triggers did respond to my post on facebook today. Here is what they wrote:


We are aware of the situation that occurred between you and some of our employees yesterday in our Florence location. Unfortunately, the information passed on to you by one of our employees prior to you arriving in the store front was simply incorrect. The firearm was ordered as part of a new project that generates attention on our Gunbroker account. This has included the addition of high end brands BCM and Noveske products on Gunbroker. It also includes the of new-to-market items that are coming in as a first run. As I know you completely understand, the internet is a vast market with an ever-growing amount of competition on the web. Staying relevant involves a great deal of work, especially pushing to offer new products as a way to draw new customers in to our web sales. Placing these new release firearms on our Gunbroker account at MSRP is a way to determine what the fair market value of the product is. It allows us to gauge what the price of an item is in relation to the MSRP of a product. The item was placed up for auction with a starting bid of $600.00 This was an error and the price of the item was readjusted to MSRP at 579.99 when brought to my attention via a screenshot on a gun trader account. If it does not sell for that price the auction's starting bid will of course be adjusted and we will have a better idea of what the market value is of the new product. I also understand that Mark (the gentleman that informed you that the Glock 43 would be going on Gunbroker) was following protocol on our new-to-market items. He did say to you that the first Glock 43 we would make available in store would be offered to you. Even with what happened we are prepared to stand by our word. We have a second Glock 43 on the way and will still offer it to you in the store. It will be priced at the MSRP of 579.99 + tax. We do not want to lose a customer, yet it seems that this situation has left a bad taste in your mouth as you say. It was a case of our employees relaying inaccurate information to one of our customers about a new product. If you are interested in the 43 on the way for our retail location we will honor that promise.

Thank You,
Triggers

I have never been to that place and I probably never will.  I don't even live anywhere near there.  I have to say, though, that if I were the owner, or even manager, of that business, I would honor the deal my employee (who is acting as an agent of the company) made with you in the very beginning.  I would discipline the employee if he truly made a mistake (i.e. if I told him the gun was for the internet and he told you that anyway or if there was a rule in place that he wasn't supposed to reveal inbound items and make deals on them) but at the end of the day, you would have walked out of there with that gun for the agreed upon price.  Chances are, the employee was doing what he had done a million times before and had no clue the gun was bound for gunbroker.  That said, that's the manager's fault, not the employee's.  

Good customer service involves sacrifice.  Would it have been such a big deal for the store to wait a few more days for another gun to put on the internet just to make sure you, a repeat customer, was treated with respect?  Not in my book.  

The response you received on facebook still sounded a bit pompous to me.  A message requesting your phone number and a subsequent personal phone call from someone in charge would have went much farther to make amends.  Personal service like that doesn't seem to exist these days.  It's not like they're selling cheap widgets, they deal in high dollar firearms that, for most of us, are an investment.  Sadly, most gun shops I visit these days have the same attitude.  As if you owe them something for being there.  

NB

That's a pretty crappy response and it probably stems from them trying to get as much as they can from first run items. I will say though that I have never paid high for the newest and latest guns.  There are plenty of good stores out there who will sell below MSRP even for those HOT ticket items. Making acquaintances or friends with the store personnel help you to know which ones they really are.  I have (over the years) had some stores tell me when they get a cool USED gun in.."Oh this is going right on gunbroker", after I asked how much they were going to sell it for.  I guess my thoughts are , "well hope you survive by gunbroker and not the people who walk into your store". You are effectively cutting off local good will in my opinion.  Some only see the short term return and not the long term.  Isn't this store a chain? I don't know that I would expect great service from a chain store though. They always seem far more impersonal than a local mom/pop one.

Looks to me like they offered to rectify the situation.

Rectify the situation?  Sorta.  What about compensation for the OP's time and gas?  What I don't see is an apology.  This was NOT the customer's fault even though they make it sound like it is.  I reread their response and if I were the customer, I'd tell them to go pound sand.  The OP drove to the store wasting his time and gas money for nothing as a result of poor communication from the employees of the store.  That deserves, in the very least, an apology in my mind.  

I agree with the OP, I am willing to pay more for a product if the seller has good customer service.

NB

my bro-in-law has bought 3 guns from them.  when we went to look at the M&P shield, he bought it on the spot.  he kinda half jokingly said, "how about a repeat customer discount, I've bought 3 guns from you"  (smile, wink wink).  the sales associate matter of factly said something to the effect of "sorry dude, I don't think so", and NOT in a joking manner.  

that set me off for them!  no joking, no "wow, thanks for being a repeat customer", no nothing, just "here's the price, that's what it is, don't even think about a discount"  "credit card please..."

uh, yeah, ill never buy from them!

on a more positive note, there was a cute little gal working there that was very helpful and very friendly, customer service oriented, the last time we were in there.  I guess SHE might have been more friendly had we dealt with her for the subsequent sale.

customer service is a thing of the past.  I wound up buying my shield at field and stream.  im sorry the internet has taken over the local guys, that's life. but if you want my business, at least act like it!!!!

shit, at least at waffle house they ALL yell "howdy, welcome to waffle house" when I go in there.  and that's for a couple of 3 dollar waffles!!!

jack

They've offered to honor the deal. It's now OPs decision if he wants to take it or not. I don't see what else they should be doing.

YMMV

They won't deal on new guns due to low margins, I've gotten really good deals on used guns with them though.

How about an apology for wasting his time and treating him like crap in the process?  Offering him the gun at MSRP (which we all know is way more than their cost) is not doing him any favors.  IMO, it's not about the gun at this point, it's about how the guy was treated and the fact that so many other brick and mortar establishments have started treating people this way these days.  A public apology would have been more appropriate in my mind.

By the way, OP did you fall off the face of the earth???????  What did you decide to do?

I think we have different definitions of poor treatment. He doesn't say that the manager cussed him out or yelled at him, merely stated that his employees were ill informed of policy. They then decided to honor the agreement. I don't think anyone is due an apology in this situation, OP can either buy the gun or not. It's his choice at this point.

579.00 for a GLOCK 43 !??!?


I'm out right there.

FWIW, The cost from RSR on a new Glock 43 is $396. I ended up getting one for 10% over cost from Gunmeisters in Burlington. I've bought a bunch from him in the past as well.

And I was hoping for a little bit more of a professional response. That's just me. I'm glad they wrote, but what they actually wrote was like listening to a public rep just moving warm air.

Joe