Count me in as another upset Midway customer

[johngalt]

Lot's of grumpyness(is that a word?) around lately.

Maybe this was next on the list after the M66 thread?

 

[SgtLumpy]

I bought a new CTG decal for the side of my barrel from Midway. Free shipping and I got it just a couple days after ordering.

They couldn't come near that price at my LGS.


Sgt Lumpy

 

[Rastoff]

Hold the phone! I just noticed something I hadn't caught the first time. You were all ready to buy $600 worth of stuff and were OK with paying the shipping. You didn't even know free shipping was available for ayting until after you had paid for your order. Now you're upset because they didn't ship for free???

What changed? Why were you willing to pay shipping at first?

 

[A2 Stippling]

I order from Midway several times a month for my stippling business (and gun hobby). I love their prices, website, and customer service. Do I like paying their S&H fees…hell no, but I have no choice.

Sounds like you did all that research, found your item, placed it in the cart and pushed send….THEN you noticed a "free shipping" banner. Come on man, you are bashing a company due to YOUR ignorance. Don't hate on them because you didn't read the website print.

 

[timn8er]

I've never had a problem with Midway. The only thing they've ever done that I didn't care for was on a recent order, where one part was on back order. They went ahead & shipped what they had, which really didn't make sense because the item they shipped was a rear sight & the item on back order was the front sight for the same pistol. This means I'll pay freight again if & when the front sight comes in. Oh well.

 

[bluegrassarms]

Midway is a class act.

I've always had great luck with Midway, just got 2 orders from them last week. I have recommended them many times.

BUT I do think the complexity of their S&H and offers and promotions is generating some negative experiences. I don't think it's intentional bait and switch type tactics, but it can be confusing.

I think maybe a focus on keeping it simple is advised. They are getting rid of their dealer status altogether I think as part of trying to do that, but it is also bc they are doing a lot of promos and deals and when you do a bunch of those and they vary in what qualifies some people will feel baited and switched, and also just feel like their order should qualify too. Some of it is designed price discrimination, which is a perfectly acceptable tactic to me, but it has the downside of creating ill will at times.

I got stuck paying $5 each over the promo price b/c of my dealer status, I never caught it on the checkout page. It said one price when I clicked add to cart and another one came out. I don't blame Midway, I missed it, but I can see how it would offend folks. A big "Warning you don't qualify for this discount" would be nice, and I do think they have a great, very well designed website.

I'm still very happy with them, but they probably do need to be more careful with how they handle the promo items and offers on the site just for the sake of avoiding misunderstandings.

 

[ChattanoogaPhil]

I suppose Midway could make it more simple, but I have found that those who don't read, don't read, no matter how simple the words or policy might be. Just like chronic complaints that folks didn't know they had to pay separate shipping for backorders.

This page is so clear to me.

On the left side of the screen it shows my in stock shipping costs, and my backorder estimated shipping costs. There's a big blue icon and notice about backorders and even a link to the backorder policy.

On the right side of the screen it shows pictures of in stock and backorder totals, and again it shows separate shipping for each. That's TWICE on the same page... including pics for those who don't read well. And STILL there are those who will claim they had no idea.

 

[ruger-p94]

The only thing that upsets me about Midway USA is they have stopped making their catalog. What am I going have to read in the bathroom now...Vanity Fare.

 

[ladyT]

Thats another sore spot but understandable. If one has no product there is no need for a catalog aka reading material for the study.

Now thats its a day later and yesterday's constant disaster after diaster is over and just bad memories except for one issue I am a bit calmer. Blood pressure is better and I see things clearer.

 

[bluegrassarms]

I suppose Midway could make it more simple, but I have found that those who don't read, don't read, no matter how simple the words or policy might be. Just like chronic complaints that folks didn't know they had to pay separate shipping for backorders.

This page is so clear to me.

I agree it's there to be read, but then again the 52 pages of terms on every iphone app are there too.

I blame myself, I didn't pay attention, but I ordered about 2 dozen separate items. When I clicked "add to cart" it was $15 each. I didn't scan back in the cart to see that it had added it at $20. In fact I had a quantity of them and I don't believe it showed a per each price, just a total, and I glossed over it being 4*20 and not 4*15 on a long page of items.

I don't blame them, I still use and recommend them, but while it's true the information is there and the buyer should read it, you and I both know people check out online and don't always look at every line item and every shipping line. As online buying becomes routine people pay less attention.

I'm a big believer in personal responsibility so I take full credit for my flub, but as a business Midway has to worry about the fact that some wont' see it that way.

Also some simply do not like the way the promos and such are structured and what qualifies and what doesn't. In the OP's case it sounds like he didn't misread, he just saw prior to checkout the "free shipping" promotion that turned out to not be "free" in his mind. that's going to tick people off.

Promos and sales inherently run that risk if they have exceptions and qualifications. People feel they were promised something, got excited about it, then didn't get it. That's goign to get you some negative reviews even if the policy was clearly stated.

I just had this happen with Amazon, doing an order and some stuff is "free shipping" (stuff they ship) and some isnt', and if you get to $35 of their stuff you get free shipping on that part. The funny thing is as I added items it wasn't working out for free shipping on those items b/c somehow some non-qualifying items in my cart made it have to be a different threshold dollar value. I admit I was a bit annoyed b/c I saw "free shipping on orders over $35" and I knew I'd beat that, then I didn't get free shipping. That's b/c of the asterisk on that statement and I get it, but it's invariably going to rub some folks wrong and be seen as misleading advertising.

I love Midway, they are fast, efficient, prices are generally great, website is very good, and in the one hitch I had they handled it great. I'm just saying part of their strategy to do lots of promos and special offers comes with a downside when it has the various conditions put on it that they sometimes do.

Not saying it's even fair, I'm just saying it's going to happen which means they have to go above and beyond when possible to deal with it even though they maybe shouldn't have to. That's just business.

Like a separate acceptance of backorder shipping on the site, that kind of thing. Annoying on its own I agree, but it's the way of things.

 

[ChattanoogaPhil]

I agree it's there to be read, but then again the 52 pages of terms on every iphone app are there too.

Right. But it ain't 52 pages. It's a simple single page review of the order before you buy. CLEARLY and SIMPLY displaying the information. Yet, folks who believe they are capable of following simple basic safety range rules still can't... Oh never mind.

 

[Rastoff]

Thats another sore spot but understandable. If one has no product there is no need for a catalog aka reading material for the study.

Now thats its a day later and yesterday's constant disaster after diaster is over and just bad memories except for one issue I am a bit calmer. Blood pressure is better and I see things clearer.

So, what was it that caused you to not get the free shipping?

 

[bluegrassarms]

Right. But it ain't 52 pages. It's a simple single page review of the order before you buy. CLEARLY and SIMPLY displaying the information. Yet, folks who believe they are capable of following simple basic safety range rules still can't... Oh never mind.

lol.

Hey I agree, but this week alone I've answered questions from 3 different people on 3 different topics where the email they were sent answered every one of their questions very clearly. I answered every one of their questions without using any information not already given to them.

IMO we're on computers/phones so much it's become white noise. People, me included apparently and sadly, do a cursory review but don't really check every line item. Perceptually we see what we expect to see and move on.

Like you I do hope we don't start doing that with the actual guns.

It doesn't address the "false advertising" complaint though, which every company will get when they send out an email with "free shipping" but it has an asterisk.

The OP READ the site, saw the "free shipping" offer, then found out the order didn't qualify due to the qualifications, the asterisk, and felt misled. That's a function of doing that kind of promotional marketing, where you promise "free" something but with an asterisk. Some people invariably will not get their "free" whatever b/c of those conditions and feel misled. Businesses do it b/c they think the increased business is worth the offsetting ill will, and that's their choice.

OP didn't misread the site, OP felt like a victim of false advertising. In this case not reading the site too close may have worked out better b/c that offer wouldn't have been seen and OP would have proceeded to checkout and been happy.

 

[ChattanoogaPhil]

You got a point, Bluegrass. Maybe Midway needs two different portals. One for no promotions, no sales, no discounts, no free shipping, quadrupled prices on .22lr ammo and everything else since the panic, and immediately charged 100% for all items and total shipping at time of placing the order regardless what items may or may not be in stock. That ought to make things simple enough.

 

[kwselke]

Just think, another 10,000 anti Midway posts and those of us that have been happy with their service for over 20 years will no longer have to endure back orders for .22 LR.

 

[bluegrassarms]

You got a point, Bluegrass. Maybe Midway needs two different portals. One for no promotions, so sales, no discounts, no free shipping, quadrupled prices on .22lr ammo and everything else since the panic, and immediately charged 100% for all items and total shipping at time of placing the order regardless what items may or may not be in stock. That ought to make things simple enough.

They have that already. It's Cheaperthandirt.

I'm not saying they should change, I'm just saying a cost of doing business with lots of "free shipping" type promotions when there are caveats is some people feeling misled.

Obviously lots of huge companies do it so it's probably more than worth it, but it'll happen. They just need to remain vigilant about those policies and try to avoid caveats that are seen as arbitrary or hard to anticipate or understand. Also make sure their support people are as apologetic as possible and trained so they can clearly explain the policies.

I think they do a great job, I'm just saying I get the emotional reaction people have when they think they've gotten a good deal then it disappears.

I am curious what specifically caused the order to not qualify. In my case I didn't get upset b/c, while my dealer status was supposed to be gone, I get that if you give me discounts on everything else I buy they can't give me all the other ones too. It was a fair caveat to me, so I was fine with it.

 

[Rastoff]

Just like anything else, free shipping is a marketing strategy. At one time, Gander Mountain offered $5 shipping on everything. It didn't take long for them to realize that shipping a 48 gun safe for $5 wasn't smart business. Their policy changed and I'm sure they didn't announce it from the hilltop.

Botach is the only company I know that has free shipping on everything. However, their customer service sucks. AND, there are still some items or reasons you'll have to pay for shipping.

 

[Aticus]

Call me an old fogy if you want to but my best advice to you is to go to the store. Handle it. Try it on. Drive it around the block. Either leave it be or just lay your money down and take it home with you and enjoy it. The best way I know to make sure you get the deal and the items you want and thought you were getting and avoid problems.

Jack, I gave you a like on this post but I have to comment also. To me, it seems that there are a lot of people who mail order stuff that they can get locally because they can save some money on the price. Help keep your LGS in business have them order it for you. I'll bet the price will work out the same in the end. Give it a try it couldn't hurt.

 

[smith17]

Regarding Midway, they have some .22LR that has a status of "OVERDUE", as opposed to IN STOCK or BACKORDERED. Has anyone experienced backordering from them on an OVERDUE item and had it come in fairly quickly, like within a few weeks?
Ed

 

[Rastoff]

Jack, I gave you a like on this post but I have to comment also. To me, it seems that there are a lot of people who mail order stuff that they can get locally because they can save some money on the price. Help keep your LGS in business have them order it for you. I'll bet the price will work out the same in the end. Give it a try it couldn't hurt.

I would love it if I could shop locally.

There are two guns stores in town. One has prices so high I can't understand how he stays in business. For example, he had a bag of .223 brass, 500 count. Just the brass, no primers and not sized. The price tag on it was $450. I can buy 1,000 fully loaded .223Rem delivered to my door for $400. Tell me why I would support this store?

The other store is much better, but they just don't have what I'm looking for most of the time. Thus, I'm forces to order on line.