Bills Gun Shop rentals

View · by **grimbeaver** on Fri Feb 06, 2015 9:26 pm

Back in November took a friend there who was looking to buy his first pistol. He was thinking he wanted a XDm 5.25 9mm and according to Bills web site they had it to rent in Circle Pines. So we went and they did not have it. Got the excuse the website is run in Robbinsdale and they don't have any control over it. Fine whatever, we shot a shorter XDm instead even though it was not the one he really wanted to shoot.

So tonight went back again. The wife is thinking she wants a Walther PK380. She tried the Glock 42 about a month ago at Osseo but was not impressed and she wants a range gun not a carry gun. Again according to Bills website it's available to rent at Circle Pines. And yet again nothing there. The guy at the counter gives the same excuse that they don't run the website and it's not his fault. Says he can't even remember ever seeing a PK380 there. He looks on the web site to verify what I said and had no response. Literally didn't even say anything till I spoke to him. No effort was made at all to rectify this error on their part. If they had offered a free rental of a LC380 we probably would have taken them up on it and paid for the range time and the ammo. But nope he just stood there silent hoping I would leave him alone.

Overall though I have to wonder, does Bills even know where all it's range guns are?

View · by **yuppiejr** on Sat Feb 07, 2015 7:24 am

Did you contact Bills management via phone, email or PM to Squib Joe here to give them a shot at making it right before airing this dirty laundry in public?

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View · by **minnesotatv** on Sat Feb 07, 2015 8:19 am

its Bill's. What do you expect?

View · by **mmcnx2** on Sat Feb 07, 2015 8:25 am

Rental guns are typically on range program from the manufactures. They get a price break to offer them for rental, at sometime the dealer is expected to pull the gun out of rotation and sell it at a pretty good profit. So if a dealer has one and they a customer wants one it is not uncommon for it to be sold out of the rental program. Restocking however is not typically done on a one off basis so a dealer will wait to place a rental program order.

The long and short - call first and ask, if they had yesterday there is no way to expect they will have it today.

View · by **grimbeaver** on Sat Feb 07, 2015 8:42 am

minnesotatv wrote:its Bill's. What do you expect?

Well that was kind of my question even though I didn't state it that way. Based on other people's experience what should I expect and is it even worth my time to contact them?

yuppiejr I have not contact them. First I'm guessing anyone who would actually handle such a complaint will not be in till Monday. Second I'm honestly not sure I would go back anyways even if they offered in some way to make it right. The whole experience was very off-putting. I would have walked out much less frustrated if he had just offered to take my phone number and have someone get back to me.

mmcnx2 thanks for the explanation. However if they are going to list the guns I would expect them to keep them reasonably up to date. As I said the guy at the counter said he had never seen a PK380 for rent and I did also notice that the XDm my friend wanted to shoot in Nov is still not there and yet is still listed on the website. If I show up and they tell me sorry we sold that the other day, that's fine I would understand that. But to have your listings several months (or longer) out of date is just sad. Especially since such a listing could probably easily be automatically updated from their inventory system on a regular basis.

View · by **mmcnx2** on Sat Feb 07, 2015 8:57 am

Grim, I'm not defending Bill's (a quick search here will tell you I'm no fan). I think you give them more credit for keeping up a website than you should. It is typical static site they add events to occasionally. Also do you have any idea how many people they have work there and the level of staff? Again I think you give them a lot more credit that anyone of the staff would actually know what was in the rental program currently and no way they know what they ever had.

Should the list be accurate - yes, will it ever be - nope.

View · by **OldmanFCSA** on Sat Feb 07, 2015 9:10 am

Not Bill's - I called a shop to check inventory on two products, "Yes, we have them" was the answer. I drive 30+ miles to the shop to find nothing in stock, never had them to begin with, nor intend to carry the items. But they got me into the store - hoping I would buy something from them.
Sorry - doesn't work that way for me. They just went down on the priority list for my vendors.

Do yo feel they did the same for you at Bill's ???

View · by **Citiot** on Sat Feb 07, 2015 9:38 am

...I called a shop to check inventory...

This technique applies to any store (I know this thread is about rental guns, but it's related):

If I call a store to see if something is in stock, and I receive a quick "yes we do", I ask the person's name. 9 times out of 10, that person will, after telling me their name, say something along the lines of "....er, let me double check..." I then say that I will come by and ask for them when I get there. I also ask how long they will be working. If there is any hedging, I'll ask "just to be sure, you are 110% that the item is there and in good shape, correct?"

Sometimes the person will "pull up the inventory" on a computer and they might say, "it says we have one in stock." I then state I will take it and also say I am driving a long way... and if they would be most kind as to find the "one" item and what shape it's in, etc.

Basically, what I am saying is that usually when a person gives you their word, and you know who they are, they know they are accountable.

I used to be a project manager and it's a basic technique... ask a person if they can do something and then get a delivery time commitment (or effort).

Accountability is a good word. Both the consumer and the store have accountability. I am accountable to confirm if the firm can fill the order, and the firm has the accountability to fill the order once a promise has been made.

Citiot

View · by **shovelheadmike** on Sat Feb 07, 2015 10:47 am

After checking their website the first time and then going there and finding out the the web info was wrong and they didn't have what was listed,I'm just wondering why you would check the web site again for something and once seeing it listed,go there again without calling them and having them check to make sure they have what you want.I think you have to take some fault for this too instead of bashing Bill's,just say'n.
I don't know how many times I've called to check on something,they check and say it's in stock and once there,nope OUT! If it's something that I really need and have to have,I ask them to put eyes on it and if they have it,put my name on it.
We're lucky to have ranges that do have rentals,but with so many guns,tough to have the one you want.
Mike

View · by **cobb** on Sat Feb 07, 2015 8:43 pm

Citiot wrote:If I call a store to see if something is in stock, and I receive a quick "yes we do", I ask the person's name. 9 times out of 10, that person will, after telling me their name, say something along the lines of "....er, let me double check..."

I usually add that I will be in at a certain time, can I ask for you directly?
That way I have a name to use when I talk to store management about their problem.

View · by **LePetomane** on Sat Feb 07, 2015 8:55 pm

I consider it to be pure luck if a shop has the gun that I want to try for rent.

View · by **Ivan45** on Sun Feb 08, 2015 12:39 am

Given how much they're used, range guns can sometimes need a bit of maintenance. Call it bad luck, but I think you just happened on two guns that happened to not match the web inventory. Most of it is accurate, and it's always a good idea to call and verify the rental is there before you go.

View · by **Randygmn** on Sun Feb 08, 2015 8:45 pm

After the first time, I would've called to confirm before going back. Fool me once and all that. But that isn't just for Bills. That would go for any place that I learned didn't have a clue about their inventory. On the other hand, over the summer, I was looking for a 5:11 rifle bag for a SBR. I called streichers as they are an official 5:11 retailer, which means they carry the entire line. I was told on the phone they don't have it in stock, never have, nor would they in the future. I went there the next day to see if they had a different short rifle bad as an alternative. Low and behold, they had the bag I was looking for. In more than 1 color too. :roll:

View · by **BigMorgan** on Mon Feb 09, 2015 9:36 am

Target Sports MN in Rogers has rentals as well. Less of a selection, but I seem to recall most of the XDs were available.

Just an alternative if you're in a mood to never return to Bill's.

View · by **yuppiejr** on Mon Feb 09, 2015 11:38 am

grimbeaver wrote:yuppiejr I have not contact them. First I'm guessing anyone who would actually handle such a complaint will not be in till Monday. Second I'm honestly not sure I would go back anyways even if they offered in some way to make it right. The whole experience was very off-putting. I would have walked out much less frustrated if he had just offered to take my phone number and have someone get back to me..

The key is communication. You may have an expectation about how things work and perhaps Bill's website/staff didn't hit the mark... BUT THEY DON'T READ MINDS. You totally failed at communicating what you expected ("can you pass my information on to your manager, I'd like to talk to them about this..." or .... "since the gun I'd like to shoot is on your website and I arrived here to test shoot based on that would you mind giving me a free go with this similar model instead?)... instead, you gave them 0 chance to remedy the situation and then came here to take a virtual piss on their reputation just because it was easier than actually manning up and dealing with the problem directly?