What I would like to see from a vender

I’ve used many venders over the years some are very good and at the other end some are pretty bad. So this will be my wishlist of how I want a vender to be if they want my business.

1- have an accurate up to date web site where I customer can order and know if what’s ordered is in stock. Some of you have sites that are 20 years behind the times.

2- State your shipping charges up front 

3- stop the BS of charging customers for using a credit card that’s a cost of doing business I totally stopped using 1 dealer over this practice.

4- sell items as they come from manufacturer if let’s say a compressor comes from the factory with all the bells and whistles don’t strip them and resell with an up charge. If a rifle comes with 1 magazine don’t charge me again.

5- when something is out of stock when possible put in an approximate date of when expected in. 

6- Don’t demand payment in full for items that are not in stock I’ll gladly give my credit card info and charge me when you ship it.

7- ship orders in a timely manner I want what I order in the hands of the shipping company by the next business day if not sooner. Don’t charge me another shipping charge because you had to spilt my order.

im sure there are more things you would like to see from your dealers so add to this post and maybe some vendors will read it and improve there customer service.

i also want to say some dealers I do business with are pretty good they offer free shipping their web sites are great I currently give them the majority of my business

Click to expand...

~~~~~~~~~~~~

That about covers it.

In my experience in this hobby, best vendor as far as shipping has been Nielsen Specialty Ammo: "** All orders $7 flat rate shipping no matter how much you buy **".

In reference to point #7: I like the way that Pyramyd Air handles multiple item shipments. They give you the option of waiting to ship your order complete (if something is out of stock) or "get it now" but pay for shipping delayed item. I think that is fair to both parties.

Largely I agree with you. Two things though:



#3 is actually a violation of their payment processor terms, just like it is against PayPal terms to say "f&f or add 3%." Companies should not do this. Generally only some big cartels like fuel companies have enough clout to negotiate a higher cc price.

#2 provide a shipping price before you pay, certainly, but shipping prices/calculators are nightmarishly complex so unless you can fit your products in a flat rate box it is hard to give estimates "up front" without knowing exactly what the customer is going to buy. I hope that makes sense.

Sounds like you have the beginnings of a business plan there B.

All you need now is to find enough enough dependable and competent employees to implement it (without stealing you blind), a space to lease (that doesn't cost so much it eats all your profit), establishing relationships with suppliers, an inventory-management/point-of-sale system, many hours of employee training up front and on a continuing basis, ADVERTISING, paid maternity leave, an honest accountant to help sort through and deal with local, state and federal regulations, constant on-the-job training of everyone involved, and either strong enough credit to secure a loan, or enough financial resources to not only start the business but also survive a year or three of omnipresent pressure, worry and aggravation. By that last statement I mean ideally the business survives, and the business OWNER survives long enough to realize profit rather than bankruptcy! 

Meanwhile you'll find most of your target customers so tight and fickle as to ignore all your most well-intentioned efforts and sacrifices then buy from whichever horrribly-flawed competitor makes him a better 'deal'... no matter the amount of time you've invested in educating what you naively assumed to be a loyal customer ("hope springs eternal").

There's a reason... make that a million reasons why a huge majority of businesses fail. I've only touched on a very few.

I recall the first thing they tried to teach me in college Business courses was, "No, you don't go into business to make money; you go into business TO SERVE THE PUBLIC!" I adhered to that credo for some four decades... while my flawed, highly-Capitalistic competitors made money off 'loyal' customers I'd spent hours patiently educating so they could make the proper buying choices.

Though my business endeavors didn't kill me, I can only hope the adage "Whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger" applies to bankruptcy... that DAMN NEAR killed me! 

To paraphrase, like many things in life, it seems so easy!

Things are usually oversimplified from the user buyer end. You will never know the PAIN unless you try Retail and you had better have deep pockets and an extra set of pockets as well! I had a Website with online ordering up for 6 months a while back and did not receive a single order because the competition is fierce. Now I don't even try anything retail online! If you don't have a local storefront failure is almost 100 percent assured! I know from experience.

Plus 1

that same air tank science guy got me for 3%on a impact for using my credit card. Kinda sucks. Then when my order arrived it was the wrong mag. When I called to ask for the correct caliber mag. That’d made it seem as it was my fault that a .25 mag was sent with a .22 gun. Lol. They ended up sending me a 18 round mag instead the new version. Thanks science guy for showing others how not to do business. Utah air and pyramid have been glad to except my money since then

It is actually now legal to charge a CC processing fee. I am a business owner and I could do it if I wanted to but I choose not to piss off my customers. However, we have to cover our costs one way or another so in the end the customer is paying for it one way or another. You just may not see it.

I’m very sympathetic towards all business owners. Some make it big but I’ll bet you for all that do 10 fail. If daddy owned the business and you can step in and be debt free and don’t screw up you have a chance but starting off in a new venture? Good luck. The gun business probably about as competitive as any.