A Gunbroker deal ain't always a deal!

[primalmu]

I was in the market for a lower parts kit for my Spikes lower and decided to check Gunbroker for any deals. I found a CMMG parts kit for $54. I thought great deal and bought it. Paid via Paypal and waited a week. After emailing them asking why it hasn't shipped yet they tell me they hadn't received payment. I went back and found the date on Paypal where payment was made and they said, "Oh, there's the payment..." So the girl told me she would put the order through and tell the shipping department to expedite it. Friday morning I got a tracking number but the package still has yet to be shipped as of 9 PM Tuesday.

So, here I am, 15 days later and still no parts kit.

Am I wrong to think that in this day and age waiting 2+ weeks just for a package to ship is unacceptable?

 

[p2000sk]

To clarify...
Is the manufacturer of the parts also the seller?

 

[primalmu]

Nope.

 

[p2000sk]

So would you be willing to divulge the identity of the corporate entity who is withholding the firearms related goods for which you have paid 54 hard earned dollars?

 

[TennJed]

I think that is way too long to wait for it. I would probably go ahead and see if you can file a claim with paypal. Wash your hands of it and get your $ back.

BTW good luck at MSU, got my BA there in 2001. Still go back most Saturdays in the fall

 

[primalmu]

Bad news is that the payment was gifted so I really have no recourse through Paypal.

 

[primalmu]

p2000sk:
I don't have any issue divulging the information as long as it isn't against forum policy. It is Tactical Weapons Solutions out of Apopka, FL.

 

[Jorg Nysgerrig]

Bad news is that the payment was gifted so I really have no recourse through Paypal.

Why did you send a payment for an item as a gift?

 

[AlexanderA]

Why did you send a payment for an item as a gift?

Because PayPal will suspend your account for overtly gun-related purchases. (Or they used to, anyway.)

 

[Impureclient]

Yep, online purchases are getting more sketchy all the time. Not having the other party in front of you allows them a freedom to...well....be jerks.

I bought something from Amazon and two weeks went by and I started getting worried. By the fourth week I finally found out they must have realized they were selling the item for too little and backed out of the transaction by saying they were out of stock on it. That was a certain diamond saw blade going for half of what they normally go for.
A few months back it was a couple things from an online bike parts place. That order finally came after 5 weeks because they didn't have several items I ordered in stock. Why people are selling things they don't have is beyond me.

Best thing I've learned with online transactions is always use a credit card that will back you when things go awry. Also, Paypal is for people who have money to burn. One doesn't have to research very far into their history to find they are not concerned about customer service at all. In fact what they get away with should be criminal in some cases.

 

[Jorg Nysgerrig]

Because PayPal will suspend your account for overtly gun-related purchases. (Or they used to, anyway.)

Wait, so you're saying both parties knowingly used the gift option to circumvent PayPal's policies? Also, wouldn't using the gift option both avoid the commercial transaction fee and remove all buyer protections?

That just doesn't seem like a good idea at all.

 

[Nicky Santoro]

OP,
Likely scenario is that the seller did not have the item in stock in the first place. They may have anticipated a delivery that failed to materialize but acted in good faith. All that doesn't get the LPK to you, though. Had the identical issue from a diiferent vendor with an LPK a dozen years ago even after I was assured it was available for immediate shipment.

 

[22-rimfire]

Sounds like an issue with the seller and a bit different slant than Nicky's above. If I had to guess, they were waiting for delivery from their distributor and had not actually paid for the item they were listing for sale. It is a cash flow kind of choice. Drag your feet a bit and then ship later.

 

[herkyguy]

Yikes, check out their website. I ran into these folks at a gunshow when I lived down there. I came close to picking up an AR from them, but there were too many vague answers to my questions about materials and QA etc.....

Once I got home, I went to their website and was glad I didn't pick up the rifle from them. Way too many spelling errors and tactical overkill.....

 

[barnbwt]

Yep, online purchases are getting more sketchy all the time. Not having the other party in front of you allows them a freedom to...well....be jerks.

No kidding. I just bought a CZ52 9mm barrel, and had to get a USPS money order since that was the only acceptable payment. If there was any consequence for online fraud, I wouldn't mind such risky tactics (except they cost more than personal checks), but I'm basically boned if they skip out on the item listed.

Next time a certain high-priced auto-revolver I've been hunting comes up, I'll be sure to have the seller email me a photo of the gun in front of the day's newspaper, hostage-style, before dropping the check in the mailbox (j/k, not really)

TCB

 

[larryh1108]

The Pay Pal gift option means the seller pays the service fee. Previously the gift option meant no service fee but that has changed. Also, when ebay lightened up the rules of gun related purchases, so did Pay Pal. If you notice, ebay now sells barrels, slides and non-hi cap mags without issue. They have changed their rules and I believe it was due to millions of lost revenue.

 

[Sav .250]

When it does finally arrive, all will be forgotten........

 

[captain awesome]

yes paypal is terrible. Their are a few things I am still stuck using them for if I want my custom bullet molds and other such things but for the most part I try not to use them. I had a simple request for them a little over a year ago, that wouldn't have cost them anything, but would have saved me a bunch of money because of a mix up with the bank.... kind of a long story, but they refused, were extremely rude, then when I asked to talk to someone higher up, was told he was the higher up, and then he hung up on me. some of the worst customer service I have ever had.

 

[carbine85]

I thought Paypal was owned by Ebay. My son just had a transaction held up by Paypal for noting the payment was for a Bushmaster upper.

 

[primalmu]

Well, one thing I can say is that TWS's customer service is much better than their inventory/shipping department. I got a call today about my order. Apparently last Friday right after my shipping label was printed they ran out of parts kits. That doesn't really surprise me since all AR parts are in short supply, and they were selling them for pretty darn cheap. They really should have contacted me and told me then instead of letting it go. However, that's the inventory and shipping department's fault, so I can't blame the women that handle customer service.

Its highly unlikely I will be buying from them in the future however.

 

[wep45]

sounds like you got the short end of the stick..
its doubtful that you will see your purchase item or your $54 dollars again.

 

[primalmu]

I thought I should update that I did receive my LPK finally (several weeks ago). It installed just fine, though I wish I had had a few proper tools for the job.

 

[silicosys4]

A lot of people trust GB more than they should. It is an unfortunate fact that GB does not have the customer protection that other auction sites do, and will hardly lift a finger to help settle grievances between sellers and buyers. The fact that GB allows vendors to use such shady payment policies does not surprise me in the least.
I'm glad in your case, everything worked out.

 

[mgkdrgn]

I thought Paypal was owned by Ebay. My son just had a transaction held up by Paypal for noting the payment was for a Bushmaster upper.

Yep, firearm transactions are against PayPals terms of service. IF they find out, they will close the sellers account, the buyers account, and "suspend" release of the funds for some time (180 days?).

 

[mgkdrgn]

I was in the market for a lower parts kit for my Spikes lower and decided to check Gunbroker for any deals. I found a CMMG parts kit for $54. I thought great deal and bought it. Paid via Paypal and waited a week. After emailing them asking why it hasn't shipped yet they tell me they hadn't received payment. I went back and found the date on Paypal where payment was made and they said, "Oh, there's the payment..." So the girl told me she would put the order through and tell the shipping department to expedite it. Friday morning I got a tracking number but the package still has yet to be shipped as of 9 PM Tuesday.

So, here I am, 15 days later and still no parts kit.

Am I wrong to think that in this day and age waiting 2+ weeks just for a package to ship is unacceptable?

Auction number please? What is their feedback like?