IS ANYONE ELSE FRUSTRATED WITH BROWNELL'S NEW SEARCH BAR FUNCTIONING?

chief38 · Feb 22, 2025

I have been a Brownell's customer for 4+ decades and have recently gotten very frustrated with their updated search bar and how poor it functions. It seems that unless you put in the exact name or SKU # with every little detail of what you are looking for, it does not work. Even if you have the correct number and add a dash, write in the description but leave one little thing out, it results in nothing! Pretty much any other order website I have used will and does find what you are looking for as long as the basic info is correct.

Last evening I wanted to order a few thousand cotton patches and a few dozen bore brushes and when I inserted the (-) between every 3 numbers of the SKU, the search did nothing at all. I had to remove the (-'s) which I do not remember ever having to do. When I wanted to also purchase other Dewey Rod accessories, the search did nothing. I knew that carried them as I have purchased Dewey parts before, but the search was useless. OK - I may not be the best here on a computer, however I can do pretty much anything on a website to place an order. Brownell's frustrates the living daylights out of me! Am I alone here and just being too sloppy with my Brownell's searches??

505Gibbs · Feb 22, 2025

I'd suggest a call to Customer Service for starters. It can't hurt & it's toll free!

zeke · Feb 22, 2025

After decades of ordering from them, and learning just by browsing their catalog, they are the last place i look for anything. Their website is frustrating.

-BTM- · Feb 22, 2025

I signed up for other sites due to this. I can find items but still no price is shown.

steelslaver · Feb 22, 2025

Brownell's search got worse. Hard to believe they could manage that.

Always been a major pain to find anything on their site

.38SuperMan · Feb 22, 2025

I don’t have any issue finding items or prices but! I generally browse on my iphone or Apple tablet. The designer of their site designed it to be fluid with windows opening and closing depending on whether you’re scrolling up or down. For example if you’re scrolling down the window your item is seen in a window around 50-60% of the page. If you scroll back up the window closes to scout 20% or even 0% to the point you have to go past what you want to look and t then scroll back down to open the window. It’s extremely annoying and makes viewing and searching very difficult.

This seems to be a trend that I see on other sites and even forums with banners popping in and out and viewing windows constantly change size depending on the direction you scroll. It’s so annoying I go to other sources rather than deal with the frustration. I don’t know who thought this was a great idea but these companies have lost my business unless I can’t find another source.

Here are a couple of examples. The wide view is scrolling up and the narrow window is scrolling down. It’s extremely annoying when you’re trying to view something.

mckenney99 · Feb 22, 2025

I also have been a customer for 40+ years and sad to say, they are the last place I go for anything now. Their new website is horrible, the search function is terrible, I have been tremendously disappointed with their customer service the last 15 years or so, their shipping has been slow. It seems that they have spread themselves too thin. They have tried (very poorly) to branch out into too many different areas (imitating Midway) and the amount of stuff "Out Of Stock" is maddening.
I noticed the business took a dramatic downward turn when Pete (3rd generation) took over and then got onto the NRA Board Of Directors. Seems that when the cat was away, the mice (those minding the store) played and customers suffered. At the same time, I started reading disturbing reviews from former employees about absolutely horrible interpersonal working conditions, even from long term employees who quit.

Alk8944 · Feb 22, 2025

YES! Their site used to be easy to use. The way it is now it is nearly impossible to find what you want.

Rule3 · Feb 22, 2025

I line Brownells but the worst website used to be Natchez (they have since fixed it)

The best and easiest is Midway.

Rule3 · Feb 22, 2025

As for Brownells it ain't that hard, took 2 seconds

Keyword Search | Brownells

Keyword Search | Brownells

smoothshooter · Feb 22, 2025

Try looking up zip lock bags and see how that goes.
Exemplifies Brownell Logic.
Has been a problem for years.

LVSteve · Feb 22, 2025

People "improving" websites or any form of man-machine interface drives me nuts, because it is very rare that there is any improvement. Stop fixing stuff that wasn't broke, like this :-

target tech · Feb 22, 2025

I still open up my old catalog, find what I’m looking for, then go from there with the website. I tried that with a pair of plain checkered 1911 grips I had previously bought. I had to call customer service to find out they don’t carry them anymore.

Doug M. · Feb 22, 2025

My strong suspicion in that many places hire professional computer nerds, whose "logic" on how sites should work does not look like that of many users. I have seen that in a few things that matter to me (WA state court website; my doctors' charting software for 2 glaring examples.)

Some folks won't do this because it not in their nature or they think it is a waste of time, but I have found that most of the time a well written scathing review sent to the top of the food chain will fact have useful impact.

dben002 · Feb 22, 2025

chief38 said:
I have been a Brownell's customer for 4+ decades and have recently gotten very frustrated with their updated search bar and how poor it functions. It seems that unless you put in the exact name or SKU # with every little detail of what you are looking for, it does not work. Even if you have the correct number and add a dash, write in the description but leave one little thing out, it results in nothing! Pretty much any other order website I have used will and does find what you are looking for as long as the basic info is correct.

Last evening I wanted to order a few thousand cotton patches and a few dozen bore brushes and when I inserted the (-) between every 3 numbers of the SKU, the search did nothing at all. I had to remove the (-'s) which I do not remember ever having to do. When I wanted to also purchase other Dewey Rod accessories, the search did nothing. I knew that carried them as I have purchased Dewey parts before, but the search was useless. OK - I may not be the best here on a computer, however I can do pretty much anything on a website to place an order. Brownell's frustrates the living daylights out of me! Am I alone here and just being too sloppy with my Brownell's searches??

somewhat confused here...just went there and entered cotton swabs in the keyword search and it showed me all kinds of cotton swabs....also entered bore brush and it did the same thing....what device are you using to search there site??????? Also at the top of the page if you select tools and cleaning it also shows everything they have.......I am using a Chromebook laptop and the site shows me everything I ask for.

zeke · Feb 22, 2025

LVSteve said:
People "improving" websites or any form of man-machine interface drives me nuts, because it is very rare that there is any improvement. Stop fixing stuff that wasn't broke, like this :-

same controls as on my 2005 toy tundra

Impox · Feb 22, 2025

That and choosing options on products on my phone. The bottom of the website keeps popping up in the middle, blocking me from choosing the type of item I want.

kev74 · Feb 23, 2025

I'm not a fan of the website.

Also not a fan of the prices and shipping charges. Brownells used to be competitive, but gave up 6-8 years ago

GnarlsR2 · Feb 23, 2025

dben002 said:
somewhat confused here...just went there and entered cotton swabs in the keyword search and it showed me all kinds of cotton swabs....also entered bore brush and it did the same thing....what device are you using to search there site??????? Also at the top of the page if you select tools and cleaning it also shows everything they have.......I am using a Chromebook laptop and the site shows me everything I ask for.

I am also confused. I spent about 5 minutes on their site and searched for a half dozen items and they pulled right up with descriptions, photos, star rating, and pricing?? I don't buy from the distributors unless I can't find any other source. When they say "in stock" that means it's in stock at the manufacturer. When the email says "shipped", that means a shipping label has been created. With the cost of shipping and extended delivery times, I can find 90% of what I want on Amazon.

Cities n Dust · Feb 23, 2025

Brownells, Amazon, Wallyworld, and all of the big box suppliers are the worst. I try not to buy from any of those stores. I mainly buy from small businesses even though it may cost more. I do my very best to buy USA made products like a good American boy should! LOL I'm with you all on this one and sick and tired of crappie websites. If I have the slightest trouble I move on quickly!

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IS ANYONE ELSE FRUSTRATED WITH BROWNELL'S NEW SEARCH BAR FUNCTIONING?

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