AVOID GunBuyer.com

While browsing the site last Thursday I received an in-stock notification for an item I've been searching for, and within two minutes had placed the order and received a check-out order confirmation. It was a smooth transaction that I felt good about because it's been so hard to find things. Thursday and Friday passed, then the weekend, then Monday and Tuesday, and still no shipping confirmation or order updates. Later Tuesday afternoon I receive a brief email:

Quote:

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Dear Valued Customer,


Unfortunately your order cannot be completed at this time. Due to the increased demand for certain items at this time it appears as though we ran out of stock while the item was already in your cart checking out, which is why the system allowed you to continue. Your card has not been charged, and we are waiving the cancellation fee for this order. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused. If there is anything we can do for you please feel free to contact us.


Thank you for shopping with GunBuyer.com.

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This was very disappointing, especially since it was virtually impossible for someone to have ordered these item faster then I had. From the time the alert flashed I was done in under thirty seconds, since an account was previously created (and still logged in to their website) and my credit card stored in the browser. Aside from this, it took them six days (four business days) to decide that my order wasn't worth fulfilling. But it gets worse.


Not only was I charged and later refunded, but now a week later they've called today to tell me that there's been a "glitch with their credit card processing" and I've been charged again.


I would not recommend GunBuyer.com for anything except credit card disputes and risked information.

Sounds very amaturish on the part of the software's authors and the proprietor.

Most business software will lock the item immediately when a purchaser adds the item to their cart. It will show "out of stock" if someone else is trying to order the same item. It depends who hits the "add to cart" first and there is only one in stock.

Quote:

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Sounds very amaturish on the part of the software's authors and the proprietor

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I agree with the above, or it could be someone doesn't know how to use their software.

I really don't know, but Graf & Sons did almost the same thing to me a couple weeks or so ago. I ordered some bullets on a Friday evening. No e-mail conformation. Monday I call and I am told that they are closed on the weekends but that my order should be filled in a day or so. Wednesday I call and they say your order is filled. I ask well when will it get here? The guy says maybe 5 days. Thursday I get a call from them and a guy tells me that the item I ordered is out of stock and if I want they can back order it for me. I say no because I need the bullets as soon as I can get them. He says ok I'll credit your card . A few days later I get an invoice showing I was charged for my purchase on Monday and another one showing I was credited the charge on Thursday. Don't think I be buying from them anymore!

I think we will continue to see more of this approach to retail supply logistics. (Like Wal-Mart's "Just in Time Inventory" or Global Replenishment System [GRS].) Before the panic, I think lots of web retailers listed items that they did not physically inventory, and in turn goods receipt delivery from the vendor (sub-contractor) were delivered in a timely fashion, and consumers were/are unaware of the goings on. Now I think there are fewer consumers with disposable income, and the web retailers are scrambling to get a piece of the ever shrinking market. I have run into various "schemes" like the OP mentioned. Like a web flyer via email with a sale on some ammo. I purchased and credit card charged but was informed "due to the large volume" of sales they were back ordered for 2-3 months. EXACTLY one week later I receive a similar web sale flyer with the exact ammo listed as "in stock"...

Once upon a time this would work well with the speed of internet sales/hubs/shipping, but with waning items that are sought after, we can easily see the wizard behind the curtain.

Real-time inventory software working together with the website solves this problem. Oh, one more thing, you need a competent person managing the software.

A while back I ordered powder from Midway USA. The powder was showing in stock, hence my order. SIX MONTHS later I finally got my powder. It was dropped shipped from the manufacturer/distributor! Why does Midway show "in stock" when it isn't true! So frustrating, I'm leery of ordering from them now.

Technology: it's meant to make our lives easier! I'll just keep waiting for that to happen.