Brownell's

[XDM45]

Below is my last letter to Brownell's with their reply where I basically got the same answer every time I've emailed them. No addressing anything else I've said, no mentioning that they would work at being proactive with communication, just the same old carp. I know there's a shortage, but this is the first and last time I'll do business with them. No supply shortages affect proactive communication or addressing my legitimate concerns.

Is any one else having issues with them? or with any other online site selling ammo, firearms, accessories for them etc?

My letter to Brownell's

From: XDM45
Sent: Sunday, February 24, 2013 10:53 AM
To: Brownells Information
Subject: RE: Brownells Order Number xxxxxx-xx

Hello,

Based upon the recent email from 02/07/2013 from the owners of Brownells in which they stated "About 300 orders were moved to the head of the line under the old system logic, and had their orders shipped ahead of where they should have been in line. It moved all the rest of you back about 300 places in line – which, rightfully so, caused an uproar." and "When we found the problem, we immediately disabled this logic, truly resuming our first in first out policy. The real problem is that demand is far greater than any factory’s ability to quickly catch up.", that letter on 02/07/2013 (2 weeks and 2 days ago, or 16 days total) was the last communication from Brownells I've received. I don't have ANY kind of an update at all. On 02/03/2013, I inquired about my order's status and was told:

"The 780-001-246WB 90231 MAGAZINE, 10-SHOT, BLUED STEEL are still out of stock. They are showing an estimated arrival date to be around the middle of February. These are only estimated arrival dates. Hope this helps."

On 02/06/2013 I replied asking "Thank you. Please keep me posted." On 02/07/2013, I received the email from the owners informing me of the system problem, but no update on my order then, nor now, until after IN have inquired on THIS email, 02/23/2013, needless to say, I'm NOT happy. I have not received my order, nor have I received any kind of communication about my order without me directly inquiring about it. While I understand your situation with many customers, back-orders, etc, you should really dedicate some resources to communicating with your customers about THEIR order so they know what's going on. Instead of being proactive, you're only being reactive since the only time I ever get any kind of a response, is when I email YOU.

I'm STILL waiting on my magazines and I realize that there was a problem with your system and that there's a shortage with suppliers trying to keep up, the second one (shortage), I understand, but the first one (system), I cannot understand that.

This is the first time I've ever done business with Brownells, I realize that times are difficult and beyond your control to some degree with supply and demand, however, the system that was on your end IS in your control, and while I'm glad you fixed it, how am I to know that I didn't get bumped to the end of the line? In short, I just want my order filled and shipped to me along with better communication.

Again, I realize not all of this is your fault, but in reality, a lot of it is. I'm not happy to say the least.

WHEN will my order be completely filled and shipped to me? Can I get any sort of a discount, credit, coupon, SOMETHING for the major pain this has been? I've ordered ammo and magazines from other companies, and while there was a wait and some back-order, it was nothing like this. I'm only waiting on you.


Their reply

Dear XDM45,

The order is still out of stock at this time. We are receiving from the manufacturers some of the magazines that is under the large volume of magazines that were placed during the frantic purchasing in the last few months. But with the extreme volume, we are still experiencing long delays as we are only receiving a few hundred weekly. We ask that our customers would be patience during this processing of back orders. Your back order will be filled as quickly as possible.

Thank you,

Charyl

[Holland&Holland]

Um... never mind...

[grousemaster]

I can hardly get anyone on the phone from some of my suppliers, and even Bill Hicks (local distributor) is 10-14 days behind shipping items that are in stock. These are strange times, lighten up.

[Sigfan220]

I think they gave an appropriate response considering the panic. What do you want them to do?? I don't think they are going to start giving discounts, people are lined up for stuff. If you back out on the order some other guy will buy them just as quick.

[Evad]

I'm giving a lot of slack that I wouldn't normally give. That said, I am a bit pissy about how Cabella's handled an order of mine.

I won't boycott for shipping delays...if the stuff ends up coming. If it got canceled I would just see what my other options are. I know when I am busy I have to prioritize and the whole industry is swamped right now. I figure I can stop ordering, or spin the wheel. I've spun it and won some, lost some.

[Hmac]

Dude, they probably got bored reading your email after the first couple sentences and stopped reading. I know I did.

[JustPlainT]

What do you expect them to do?

They're doing the best they can with how swamped they are.

Brownells has always done good by me, and I imagine they will always do their best. I'll try them out when the panic subsides.

[grousemaster]

Dude, they probably got bored reading your email after the first couple sentences and stopped reading. I know I did.

Lol, I was thinking the same thing....

[MrVvrroomm]

Dude, they probably got bored reading your email after the first couple sentences and stopped reading. I know I did.

pwn3d

[Thunder71]

When did you place the order?

[grousemaster]

When did you place the order?

Regardless of when he did, my reply as a Brownells employee would be something like "I'm sorry for the inconvenience, would you like to cancel your order, or wait for your back order to be shipped?"

[Erud]

Congrats, probably one of the more annoying letters Brownell's has received in some time. Hopefully they will respond with something like:

"Look jackass, we are in the middle of the biggest supply/demand crisis this industry has ever seen. We are sorry that we don't know the exact date that your XD mags will ship yet(because we don't have any), but we'll sure let you know when we find out, just like we always have. We also don't have any extra "resources" to put towards answering stupid emails like yours because all of our employees are trying to fill orders. Please consider canceling your order so we don't ever have to deal with you again."



At least that's about what I'd say....

[Thunder71]

Wow, the attitudes - they pile on like cheese on pizza.

[Hmac]

I've had a Noveske NSR rail on backorder from Midway since December 5. I was grateful that they were even accepting backorders.

Especially these days, hassling firearms parts vendors about backorder status is totally pointless. Buy from a good, reputable store (like Brownell's) and you'll get your stuff as soon as they can pull it off. I think the first thing I ever bought from Brownells was about 50 years ago when I was just a kid. In all the subsequent years, they've never screwed me over, even accidentally.

[LarryFlew]

I buy and sell stripper clips buying 1000-2000 at a time. New supplier sent pricing after 2 weeks request. Immediately told them to call me for CC number as that is how their web site is working in the rush ( no phone answered, just machine saying busy filling orders). Another 2 weeks have gone by since.

Pretty much every supplier of anything gun related is in the same spot right now.