BudsGunShop.com

[CCFan]

Sorry to report, I had a snafu with Buds that left a particularly unprofessional impression, so I won't be purchasing anything there, ever.

Found a rifle - not in stock. Clicked "Alert Me" and signed up for the alert, yesterday. Have always found what I was looking for local, but have had an account there for a while, just in case - so I logged in, created my alert, and viola - no big deal.

Got an email today, "Your item is in stock!" Great!

Click the link, add to cart, continue to sign in - nothing in my cart. Have to go search for the item, *then* add to cart, and proceed to checkout. Chose the FFL and shipping, I'm on the screen doing my credit card info and click "Proceed" - Error - item out of stock.

So I contacted Buds. Apparently, if you have something in your cart, it's not really in your cart, because if someone else finishes a transaction prior to yours and it's the same item, *then* it's removed from inventory, and you don't have jack if there was only 1 item.

I told them to cancel my account, and I won't bother checking back. I could care less about the selection and the prices, I don't mind paying a bit more if I actually get treated like a customer.

[Jakeiscrazy]

Sorry to report, I had a snafu with Buds that left a particularly unprofessional impression, so I won't be purchasing anything there, ever.

Found a rifle - not in stock. Clicked "Alert Me" and signed up for the alert, yesterday. Have always found what I was looking for local, but have had an account there for a while, just in case - so I logged in, created my alert, and viola - no big deal.

Got an email today, "Your item is in stock!" Great!

Click the link, add to cart, continue to sign in - nothing in my cart. Have to go search for the item, *then* add to cart, and proceed to checkout. Chose the FFL and shipping, I'm on the screen doing my credit card info and click "Proceed" - Error - item out of stock.

So I contacted Buds. Apparently, if you have something in your cart, it's not really in your cart, because if someone else finishes a transaction prior to yours and it's the same item, *then* it's removed from inventory, and you don't have jack if there was only 1 item.

I told them to cancel my account, and I won't bother checking back. I could care less about the selection and the prices, I don't mind paying a bit more if I actually get treated like a customer.

I understand you frustration but from a technical stand point they operate on a first come first serve basis. You cart is only a representation of something you plan to buy, kinda like a grocery list. Since people may leave items in their virtual "carts" for a seemly indefinite time there is no other way to do it. This is likely how just about every online retailer is set up. Unfortunately by pure chance someone wanted the same rifle as you and finished checking out first.

On the positive side of things. They didn't take your money. Believe it or not there are plenty of retailers out there that don't change the stock status of an item at all. Instead they let you purchase, withdraw the money, and then make you wait for the item to come in(often weeks). I had such an experience with USALighters before and that was really frustrating, it took over 3 weeks for them to ship one little Zippo. Buds prevented that by doing a final check before taking your money and you weren't charged and didn't have to go thru the refund process.

The more important was how did they treat you when you contacted them? Where they respectful and apologetic?

[CCFan]

I understand you frustration but from a technical stand point they operate on a first come first serve basis. You cart is only a representation of something you plan to buy, kinda like a grocery list. Since people may leave items in their virtual "carts" for a seemly indefinite time there is no other way to do it. This is likely how just about every online retailer is set up. Unfortunately by pure chance someone wanted the same rifle as you and finished checking out first.

On the positive side of things. They didn't take your money. Believe it or not there are plenty of retailers out there that don't change the stock status of an item at all. Instead they let you purchase, withdraw the money, and then make you wait for the item to come in(often weeks). I had such an experience with USALighters before and that was really frustrating, it took over 3 weeks for them to ship one little Zippo. Buds prevented that by doing a final check before taking your money and you weren't charged and didn't have to go thru the refund process.

The more important was how did they treat you when you contacted them? Where they respectful and apologetic?

From a technical standpoint, it's the equivalent of me physically picking up something, placing in my cart, walking down an isle, being in line at the checkout and having someone come over, grab it out of my cart, and walk to a faster cashier and out the door. It's completely possible to implement shopping cart technology that places an item on "hold" and then removes it from the cart after a period of inactivity. I've seen it done, so there is another way to do it. I've written code that does just that.

On a postive side? I'll give my business to someone else who remembers old fasioned customer service. I have no qualms cancelling payment or disputing charges for a company that takes too long to get something to the customer or provides no service. If it weren't for the customer, they wouldn't BE in business.

When I contacted Buds, their response was pretty much "Oh well." They weren't disrespectful, but they seemed to care less if they earned my business, so I'll spend my money elsewhere. I'm sure they have plenty of other happy customers.

[Jakeiscrazy]

From a technical standpoint, it's the equivalent of me physically picking up something, placing in my cart, walking down an isle, being in line at the checkout and having someone come over, grab it out of my cart, and walk to a faster cashier and out the door. It's completely possible to implement shopping cart technology that places an item on "hold" and then removes it from the cart after a period of inactivity. I've seen it done, so there is another way to do it. I've written code that does just that.

You certainly could do that but then you risk losing the customer that is ready to purchase at that very moment to someone who just has someone in there cart. See the issue there? In a physical store if you abandon your cart it's clear your not interested but such a distinction can't be made online.

On a postive side? I'll give my business to someone else who remembers old fasioned customer service. I have no qualms cancelling payment or disputing charges for a company that takes too long to get something to the customer or provides no service. If it weren't for the customer, they wouldn't BE in business.

When I contacted Buds, their response was pretty much "Oh well." They weren't disrespectful, but they seemed to care less if they earned my business, so I'll spend my money elsewhere. I'm sure they have plenty of other happy customers.

Now that is something to complain about, no argument there. Sad to see some companies don't care about keeping all their customers around.

[CCFan]

From a technical standpoint, it's the equivalent of me physically picking up something, placing in my cart, walking down an isle, being in line at the checkout and having someone come over, grab it out of my cart, and walk to a faster cashier and out the door. It's completely possible to implement shopping cart technology that places an item on "hold" and then removes it from the cart after a period of inactivity. I've seen it done, so there is another way to do it. I've written code that does just that.

You certainly could do that but then you risk losing the customer that is ready to purchase at that very moment to someone who just has someone in there cart. See the issue there? In a physical store if you abandon your cart it's clear your not interested but such a distinction can't be made online.

I absolutely see the issue. You're talking about abandoning the cart. I'm talking about someone walking up and taking it out of mine while I'm in line trying to complete a sale, not window shopping. Big difference. And with an idle timeout (which would return the item to stock and mark it as available after owner adjustable "x" period of time, same rules apply to everyone and are clear from the get-go) that distinction can and is made online all the time. The whole transaction that I tried to complete today was probably less than 60 seconds, and so instead of them doing what many professional stores do, they went with the 3rd grade equivalent of a shopping cart, gaudy colors and all. So while one person was able to purchase something, they also pissed off a potential customer who was also trying to purchase something but will never do so - if their shopping cart had prevented one of us or the other from adding the item at some point in the checkout process by creating a queue then it truly *would* be first come first serve. It shouldn't allow two people to have the same single item in their cart in the checkout line - a little asynchronous stored procedure call to commit the transaction on the backend would suffice. If they can't bother with that - I can't bother with them.

[jdonovan]

I've dealt with sites that have the idle for 15 min we empty your cart... and that irritates me, and the we don't check for final in stock status until check out... that irritates me too.

Both systems have their plus and minuses and someone will always be upset about the situation.

[allingeneral]

It's very difficult to ensure that all bases are covered with regard to product availability at checkout in an online purchase, especially if there are several people who have turned on the "Notify me when this product is available" option. I don't think I'd stick it to them with a bad review because of this issue unless they were belligerent and unapologetic or unhelpful when you called them on the follow-up.

This happens in my stores from time to time, and all I can do is apologize for the inconvenience.

[RocKor]

An online shopping cart is not the equivalent of a physical cart in any way. Even Amazon treats carts this way. I had an item I placed in my cart at one price, didn't buy it and the sale on that item ended, and the price went back up even though the item was still in my cart from during the sale.

Also, unlike a real shopping cart, you can leave the site for days or weeks and (assuming the items are still in stock) when you return, the items are still in your shopping cart.

If it worked the way you wanted it, I could see a super rare, hard to get, or high demand item on Buds (or Amazon) throw it in my cart and keep it there for a while, thus "saving" the item for me until I feel like buying it.

Few business will hold or reserve high dollar items - especially a high demand item, without any money being committed or exchanged beforehand.

[CCFan]

Obviously some people either didn't read what I wrote or they don't understand simple English. If I'm in the process of checking out, less than 60 seconds from the time I add it to my cart (probably less than 40 seconds the 2nd time I had to add it because it lost my "shopping cart" when I had to log in to my account) to the time I'm trying to complete the transaction by entering my payment information, it's simply unacceptable that during a single minute, this can occur. I've already stated I have no issues with implementing a timeout of idle time wherein the item in question is returned to stock if you don't complete the transaction...if you can bother implementing a shopping cart, implement it right. My thousands of dollars will be spent elsewhere.

[allingeneral]

My thousands of dollars will be spent elsewhere.

AIG Tactical Supply loves you! *grin*

[CCFan]

Ha ha if you'd had a .338 Lapua in stock, you might have sold it!! Now I'm just looking for a nice piece of glass to sit on top...

[ Post made via Mobile Device ]

[rromeo]

It's very difficult to ensure that all bases are covered with regard to product availability at checkout in an online purchase, especially if there are several people who have turned on the "Notify me when this product is available" option. I don't think I'd stick it to them with a bad review because of this issue unless they were belligerent and unapologetic or unhelpful when you called them on the follow-up.

This happens in my stores from time to time, and all I can do is apologize for the inconvenience.

I tried to buy some Mec Gar magazines last year, but they were out of stock. I asked to be notified when they came in, and I was, but before I could buy them, they were out of stock again. I emailed back asked to be notified again, so what happened is that he billed me then for two mags which made a negative inventory show up, and shipped them out when the new stock showed up. Service like that is harder to maintain when it's a big company, that's why I try the little guys first.

[allingeneral]

Ha ha if you'd had a .338 Lapua in stock, you might have sold it!! Now I'm just looking for a nice piece of glass to sit on top...

[ Post made via Mobile Device ]

Let me know if you find something that I can make you a deal on...

Optics at AIG Tactical

[gunderwood]

From a technical standpoint, it's the equivalent of me physically picking up something, placing in my cart, walking down an isle, being in line at the checkout and having someone come over, grab it out of my cart, and walk to a faster cashier and out the door.

Actually it's not. Most e-tailers do not have the realtime system you describe and operate exactly like Bud's. More than a few have as Jake described where they don't even update the stock upon order completion...you sometimes don't find out until they go to ship the item. The system is more like Ikea where you take a "listing" and don't actually get the item reserved for you until the very last minute.

One of the reasons companies don't reserve the item when you put it in your cart is because so many people put stuff in their carts with no intention of purchasing it. I'm guilty of that, but mostly when they have those silly "must add to cart to find out the price" schemes. Unknown shipping and handling is another reason I've "abandoned" virtual shopping carts.

It's completely possible to implement shopping cart technology that places an item on "hold" and then removes it from the cart after a period of inactivity. I've seen it done, so there is another way to do it. I've written code that does just that.

Yes, it is possible, but as others discussed there are potential pitfalls with that too. I agree with you that I prefer it that way, but hate it when they implement it that way and don't tell you. I've lost stuff because I'm placing a big order or need to step away from the computer for a minute. I like how the e-tickets are done where you have a countdown clock letting you know how long your reservation valid before loosing it.

Honestly, a lot of these e-tailers are at the mercy of whatever tech company they've hired. I never cease to be amazed at how much money some companies charge for shoddy work...caveat emptor.

[gunderwood]

Ha ha if you'd had a .338 Lapua in stock, you might have sold it!! Now I'm just looking for a nice piece of glass to sit on top...

[ Post made via Mobile Device ]

What kind of glass are you looking at? I have a few if you wanted to "test drive" them.

[CCFan]

Let me know if you find something that I can make you a deal on...

Optics at AIG Tactical

Appreciate it. I do have a few things on the wish list that you carry, and I'll probably be picking up a Burris AR-332 for the AR when you get them back in stock...

[CCFan]

Ha ha if you'd had a .338 Lapua in stock, you might have sold it!! Now I'm just looking for a nice piece of glass to sit on top...

[ Post made via Mobile Device ]

What kind of glass are you looking at? I have a few if you wanted to "test drive" them.

Looked at a Leupold Mark IV LR/T, Nighforce NSX, and on a lesser note, US Optics and possibly a S&B... Leaning towards the Nightforce at the moment - have a buddy of mine that has a few, and for the money, they are great.

[gunderwood]

Looked at a Leupold Mark IV LR/T, Nighforce NSX, and on a lesser note, US Optics and possibly a S&B... Leaning towards the Nightforce at the moment - have a buddy of mine that has a few, and for the money, they are great.

NF is my personal favorite "for the money" scope. Put them next to a Hendsolt or S&B at long range and you'll understand why those brands cost twice as much.

[jdonovan]

NF... pay once, cry once.

[MrSmitty]

I've heard nothing but great things about Bud's, but then again I haven't ordered anything. Most of the transactions I've heard about were that the items were on time or sooner, and prices were great. OP, maybe give them a chance.