Just went through a real hassle with my purchase and return of a Shooter’s Connection Bag. I had been trying to decide what range bag to purchase. Different people on different forums tout Bagmaster, Shooters Connection, etc and say very nice things about the ones that they have chosen. I ordered one because of some of the very nice things folks said about them. I thought that, if I didn’t like it, I could surely return it. There were not just a whole bunch of good photos that clearly indicated what the bag really looks like or how the interior works; you know, one has to get it on one’s hands to really evaluate the merchandise.
WELL, WAS I WRONG! The hour that it came to my office, I opened it and quickly realized that it was not for me. Very nice construction, it was just too big and had too many small pockets that I would lose things in! I am sure that some just love it, but, like I said, it was just not for me.
I called “Chuck” (I presume to be the owner) at Shooters Connection customer service and told him that I was surprised at the size and that I intended on returning it. He said that “everyone liked the pockets” and the size; at that point he was very nice. Thought about it for another hour and decided that it was not really what I liked and packed it up and shipped it back to him at my expense. Little did I realize (and it WAS my fault) that, at Shooter’s Connection, you DO NOT return things without a 20% charge!!! Yes, says so in the “Policy” section but I didn’t read it. BUYER BEWARE! Cost me return shipping plus a 20% charge on the restocking fee. Chuck emailed me right away and told me that he was enforcing it with no exception. I tried to find something on his website to trade out but he only had a white set of Pro Ears because he had some problems with them in the past. Not surprising.
I am not ripping the bag, nor am I saying that Chuck did anything underhanded. I am only suggesting that you READ THE PRINT before you do business with Chuck at Shooter’s Connection. You order it-you have bought it….or at least 20% of it plus return shipping!!!
Tom
Sorry to hear that but - for sure - ''read the small print'' ........ tho I am sure a lotta folks don't. Good reminder.
Ever tried to read all the guff printed in micro text for credit card rules? Hopeless .... they could all but make you promise to sign your life away!!
I know Chuck (the owner) and shoot USPSA with him. His products are excellent and his customer service is known, throughout the action shooting community, to be excellent.
IMO, to review his company as "not so good" is wrong. You received the product you ordered. His return policy is stated and return shipping for this situation is normal.
For those who want more info on Shooters Connection feedback, the Enos forum is the place to go. I've never seen any negative feedback for Chuck.
So Chuck basically pocketed 20% for Tom to look at the bag for an hour ? That's kind of negative in my book... That bag is being sold again for full retail... Chuck is out nothing, just makes a little gouge for beer money and ill will.
Sounds as if Shooters Connection is enforcing their business practices. If you do not like em , shop elsewhere. Time is money and shipping and returned items lots of times costs money. Especially if a credit card was used.
When you buy a bag from Chuck, you have bought the goods!! 20% plus reshipping is too much. It is stated on the website and I admitted it. Not a good policy and I do not want anyone to go shopping like I did and not understand the cost of ordering from Chuck without a full understaning of how he does business.
The policy is not "customer friendly" and there isn't squat on his website to trade out for. Not a good merchant in my view.:wave:
Chuck DID say that , since I "ripped open the plastic bag" that he was going to have to sell it as a "return." BS. The plastic bag was sealed and there was NO way other than to "rip it open."
Like I said, I shopped on the site 'til I was blue in the face and he has some parts and all but nothing that I could trade him. Just a royal pain in the butt to deal with and the business must be under capitalized or he wouldn't mess with customer ( "have such a "no return" policy ) as that.
He might be great as a friend but to do business with him was a pain. It is important to me to makes sure that no one else doesn't read the Return Policies of Shooter's Connection.
FYI I don't shop anyplace that charges a re-stocking fee. Too many options on the net to limit myself. Ordering over the internet when you haven't seen the product is risky.
That being said if it said it on his website and you clicked OK and ordered I don't see how you can blame him.
Plenty of other places to shop on the net. It was your choice. So you should really blame yourself instead of character bashing a vendor who did nothing and shipped the product as promised under the terms you agreed to.
Ordering online is different than in a store. You can't really evaluate it from a pic online (ie: size, as Tom noted). Get your hands on it and check it out. If Tom saw this bag in a store, he'd know in a second it if wasn't for him. He gave the vendor a shot, tried it out, and no dice, instantly didnt work...
I only charge a restock fee if the customer is being a total ass - the charge is nothing but punitive. Yeah I am out the time lost to put items in a box and print a label. Big deal, a whole minute. Sometimes customers appreciate being non-screwed and order other things. Sometimes vendors just want to grab all the $$ they can. Here Chuch gets $25 in his pocket and lots of bad publicity.
I hate restock fees. Anything I return goes back within 48 hours. I have paid one restock fee this year. $1200 order sat here for 3 months before I realized it was wrong... 20% hurt, but hey I could have flipped it next day for zero restocking. My penalty.
If you went through the order process and didn't see the 20% rip, send a written letter to the company and call the credit card co. ASAP.
But what I find interesting is the description of the bag doesn't list ANYTHING about size. Kind of a screwin' to ding a restock charge and not fully describe the items. Folks look at the pics online and just assume it works for them... Sometimes it's the responsibility of the vendor to educate the customer...
Great bags all the IPSC guys here use them.Nice and big. "Too big???" I don't get it. All I ever here from guys is they wish they had more room in the bag for competition.That is what the bag is for IPSC.IDPA, ect.I have a I-SHOT bag that I use and I like it and fill it to the brim.Great service with them also. Restock fee is the norm these days with all the finicky shoppers out there.Cannt blame a company for that they have to handle it again and make sure it is not broken or soiled ect. 20% was the cost of ya"lls education.
<snip>That being said if it said it on his website and you clicked OK and ordered I don't see how you can blame him.<snip>
I am not blaming him, I am saying that I was lazy and didn't look for the return policy. I am saying that they policy is BS but still I should have looked harder for it. I do not want anyone else getting in the trap that I put myself in. There are too many companies that one can do business with (instead of Shooter's Connection) that are customer friendly. Chuck acted like I was taking his last dime and maybe I was. Trying to squeeze a buck or two from selling bags and parts must be stressful and hard.
<snip>If you went through the order process and didn't see the 20% rip, send a written letter to the company and call the credit card co. ASAP.<snip>
I did and Chuck said that he had "plenty of evidence" to show the credit card company that I was sunk. Like I said, this guy is not used to dealing with the public, I guess.
As far as "bashing a vendor", prospective customers need to know from others how Chuck does business and that he MEANS business with his restocking fee. Lots of choices and Shooter's Connection will not be one of mine in the future, Enough said from me.
<snip>That being said if it said it on his website and you clicked OK and ordered I don't see how you can blame him.<snip>
I am not blaming him, I am saying that I was lazy and didn't look for the return policy. I am saying that they policy is BS but still I should have looked harder for it.
That is fine but don't you think it's a little unfair to him, being a FAIR and HONEST business man who POSTED his policy CLEARLY on his website and you are giving him a bad review because YOU didn't look before you bought, even insinuating he is a bad vendor the thread title?
I think that is a little unfair to him. If he lied to you, didn't ship your product in a timely manner, or didn't ship what you paid for and substituted it with a different product I could understand but to smear someone's name who was honest with you is just plain childish and uncalled for.
Shooter's Connection has a bad return policy and prospective customers need to know that there are better on line vendors with which to do business. If you buy something from Shooter's Connection you cannot return it unless you pay a 20% re-stocking fee! That is the message that I am getting across. My post said that it was "my bad" becasue I did not read the print. I am trying to save others from my fate.
Also, Chuck acted like "I Gotcha'"!!! when I told him that it was enroute to him via UPS. If anyone does business with Chuck at Shooter's Connection, make sure that you are ready to pay 20% upon any return, "unless defective."
Tom, You did imply a threat to trash me if I didnt comply with your demand. You have made good on that threat but I also told you I would defend myself.
First of all you bought a black bag which is the color that the specifics are all listed, including the size. So you did see the size before you ordered it. I did take it back and tried to get you to do an exchange which I do at full value. The 20% is a restocking fee to cover costs associated with processing but is only applied to refunds for reasons such as your, "I didnt like it". For example Amex charges 3.5% and I dont get that back when i issue a credit.
You asked me to get you a surefire light for 165.00. I explained I didnt sell those and showed you an ebay auction where you could save much more than the restocking fee and be ahead of the game. I also held onto the bag for a week while you made up your mind. I even had it sold at a 10.00 discount but you told me you may want it back so I held it. In fact you told me to send it back once.
Yes the plastic was ripped open when you could have just slipped it out the opening on the end. Who ever got it would know somebody had already been in it so I had to disclose that fact to who ever bought it. I have not sold that bag yet since i just got the instruction from you Friday to issue a refund on your card.
Tom, You are really trying hard to make me look bad. You claim I acted like "I gotcha"when you informed you it was on the way back. Tom, that is a lie. You called me to tell me you might send it back but would think about it. Next thing I know it was here. I have your note that said you wanted a full refund and you would talk nice about me on the 1911 forum. So I believe you knew the return policy beforehand. I sent you one email asking if you wanted an exchange or a refund according to the return policy. No reply. I then called your office and got the office email address and sent it again. I went out of my way to try to make you happy without compromising the policy you agreed to when you ordered it. It just wasnt possible.
You and others may feel the 20% is unfair. Its the terms I choose to do business with. I would rather not make a sale than to have to eat the costs and work for free. I am so busy I dont have time to waste dealing with returns although i am glad to do exchanges. I have many customers who know what they want that expect me to get their orders out the same day. I offer allot more to compensate for it. I give personal service and advice on all the equipment I sell which is mostly geared to competition shooting. I admit if you are not into competition shooting I may not be the source for you, if you are there is none better.
Chuckdvc, I don't think a 20% restock is unfair! I have been in small businesses one way or the other for over 20 years. If everyone thinks it's easy or a great way to get rich then try it for yourself one day and you will get your bubble burst.
We do some mail order in our present shop and also have done some in another, past, business. Credit cards charge the seller points, nonrefundable. Honest folks have to admit that the item is being resold so there's a discount, another loss. Processing a return takes time and especially in small business time really is money folks.
Now the general public thinks that we are all taking them to the proverbial cleaners it seems but if that was so how come most small business guys are running so tight on cash? We have a known profit margin that we have to achieve or it becomes pointless to even be in business. When we go below that it's time to close the doors. Yet when you are in business you will hear a never ending string of cries about your policies, prices you name it. Get over it folks. Read the deal, take it or leave it and if you are to lazy to check then live with it.
Chuck, doing business with you was not a pleasant experience. Your terms are your terms. I did not read your "Return Policies" tab and paid for it. My bad.
I am suggesting to the readership that there are other on line stores that carry more items that are more customer friendly and that do not have your 20% restocking fee policy. There are many on line retailers that do not charge a restocking fee such as:
Here are only 5 on line retailers that do not charge a restocking fee and it took me all of 2 minutes to look the policies up!
It is your business and you are free, of course, to try to do what ever the market will bear. I am suggesting that it is not necessary for a potential customer to subject him or herself to your policies.
No Tom, Lets tell it the way it is, you went on here to retaliate for you not getting your way. Some of the companies you listed only work at full retail price. I try to create a balance thats really fair. I try to cut discounts where I can, offer personal professional service, and offer fair policies. My market is competitve shooters. I am a shooter and at one point was one of the best in the country so I have that level of knowledge to offer my customers.
Tom, whats really pitiful is the extent you went to try and portray me to make your point. Saying I was undercapitalized and you were taking my last dime. Maybe this is the pot calling the kettle black since you are the one making the big stink over the properly disclosed return policy. Its obvious your point couldnt stand on its own merit and why you stooped so low.
Chuck - welcome aboard - tho sorry for you it is for the reason here.
I am staying outa the fight and just observing. I am glad you came to defend yourself - it balances the equation and I hope your explanation helps most folks ..... seems logical to me.
Anyways - all I'd ask now is, that we do not have an ongoing battle between you and Tom - unless you guys wish to take it to PM which is fine. Seems most has been covered that needs covered - ideally I'd like to see both parties agree to disagree perhaps and move on as probably little more to be gained thru further exchanges.
chris I agree. I will honor your request to end it where it is as long as more attacks are not made if then feel free to step in. I dont mind answering any questions any of the readers have for me. I am sure that would be appropriate as long as it did not digress.
I am glad one of my customers pointed this forum out to me since I am avid about CCW rights. I will be sure to cruise more of it in the future.
Glad I found out about the policy. I am looking for a range bag myself, and now at least I know the danger because I wouldn't have read it either. 20% is too much. I understand wanting to recover your costs. But, if AmEx charges 3.5% there is a 16.5% profit in there. That said, it is your business. If you chose, you could have a no refund policy. Just something to think about before I replace the tiny range bag I have now.
Nothing from me either*I am done. Folks like Echo Four show me that my posts about Shooter's Connection 20% restocking fee was worthwhile.
Try the other companies and you will not get stung.
Tom
Status
Not open for further replies.
You have insufficient privileges to reply here.
Related Threads
?
?
?
?
?
Defensive Carry
5.4M posts
117.5K members
Since 2004
A forum community dedicated to defensive firearm owners and enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about everyday carry, optics, holsters, gunsmithing, styles, reviews, accessories, classifieds, and more!