Midway USA to eliminate dealer accounts
- Thread starter Erik M
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dogtown tom
Member
Yep, it's one of those uber secret Executive Orders that only the President and Alex Jones knows about.
BSA1
member
Midway started losing my business years ago when they did away with shipping for minimium of $25.00. I guess Potterfield decided small customers like me that spend $500+ a year wasn't worth the trouble.
Television advertisements don't come cheap.
Television advertisements don't come cheap.
dogtown tom
Member
Says who?
WinThePennant
Member
According to Midway's pricing structure, yes, the gap between regular prices and dealer prices was negligible. I can't say the same for Brownells. On many items, I get significant discounts when ordering from Brownells.
Midway is the company I go to when I can't find it from anyone else. Their 'special' shipping fees are a turnoff for me.
Midway is the company I go to when I can't find it from anyone else. Their 'special' shipping fees are a turnoff for me.
BK
Member
My dealer account lasted most of a day. As you know, promo codes cut deeper than dealer pricing. I had the MWUSA account before I had the license but when they told me that I couldn't use a promo code on dealer orders, that was the end of it.
Cosmoline
Member
Midway is one of the few giving the USPS priority options. Many other outfits insist on UPS which for Alaska takes weeks and usually ends up destroyed.
wow6599
Member
What do you want for less than $25? A bottle of CLP?
He's a businessman, not the almighty companion of firearm enthusiasts.
I buy less from Midway than I would due to some of their shipping policies. $3 extra for orders under $25 is one. If I need something that's $19.95, as if $9.95 shipping isn't bad enough, they want to add $3.00 more.
Then there's that UPS/USPS shipping partnership. Forget tracking numbers, they don't mean a thing. UPS delivers to your post office, then they deliver to you a couple of days later. Nothing is less than a week now. USPS Prioity Mail is half the price and comes in two days. Back when they were just using UPS Ground, I typically got my order in 2-3 days. Their shipping absolutely sucks now.
Then there's that UPS/USPS shipping partnership. Forget tracking numbers, they don't mean a thing. UPS delivers to your post office, then they deliver to you a couple of days later. Nothing is less than a week now. USPS Prioity Mail is half the price and comes in two days. Back when they were just using UPS Ground, I typically got my order in 2-3 days. Their shipping absolutely sucks now.
GBExpat
Member
Hmmmmm ... trying to figure out how one could have abused the previous system. No Joy.
Ideas?
Ideas?
Taurus 617 CCW
Member
I have had my Midway USA account for over ten years now. In gunmsithing school, they said to sign up for an account as a gunsmith and you will get discounts. Sure enough, it worked. The discounts were really good too. Then one day I went to put in an order and found out that they no longer offer gunsmith discounts and that you need a store front in order to have a dealer account. 
Then a few years later I put an order in and tried to order a new printed catalog. I couldn't find them anywhere on the website. I called and asked about a catalog and the representative said they are no longer printing them and the previous catalog was their last one. No warning of course on ceasing the printing. I would have gladly paid for the catalog but that option doesn't exist.
The catalog thing really got me steamed because I like to show customers product at the counter with a catalog. Can't do this anymore. Unless I really need something I usually find it elsewhere now. I am another one who has fallen out of love with Midway USA.
Then a few years later I put an order in and tried to order a new printed catalog. I couldn't find them anywhere on the website. I called and asked about a catalog and the representative said they are no longer printing them and the previous catalog was their last one. No warning of course on ceasing the printing. I would have gladly paid for the catalog but that option doesn't exist.
The catalog thing really got me steamed because I like to show customers product at the counter with a catalog. Can't do this anymore. Unless I really need something I usually find it elsewhere now. I am another one who has fallen out of love with Midway USA.
22-rimfire
Member
Midway is changing to reflect their customer base. I have never used a promo code at Midway. Seldom order due to prices. Won't order ammunition with a minimum due to shipping impacts to the overall unit price paid. I order due to availability of a particular product I am interested in buying.
Things are changing.... wait until they have to charge sales tax for all 50 states. This will impact their business a great deal.
Things are changing.... wait until they have to charge sales tax for all 50 states. This will impact their business a great deal.
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BSA1
member
What do you want for less than $25? A bottle of CLP?
He's a businessman, not the almighty companion of firearm enthusiasts
It's early so drink another cup of Joe and reread my comment.
I said a minimum $25.00 order. This means I had to order at least $25.00 in merchandise or as you put it a very expensive "bottle of CLP."
A accountant will quickly point out that $25.00 a month does not add up to $500 a year. In a time long, long ago before Potterfield took over Midway mailed out a monthly flyer that had some very good sale prices. Well since the math almost always exceeded $25.00 and I usually spent at least $50.00 a month to take advantage of their sale prices. So for me that $25.00 was the lure that caused me to order from them regularly.
The economic downturn since the Great American Caesar has annointed himself has caused me to become a careful buyer. Potterfield may well be thinking that the economy is going to continue to collapse on itself and downsizing his workforce. Midway prices and especially shipping is not hard to beat by careful shopping on the Internet.
p.s Like I said TV advertising is expensive.
He's a businessman, not the almighty companion of firearm enthusiasts
It's early so drink another cup of Joe and reread my comment.
I said a minimum $25.00 order. This means I had to order at least $25.00 in merchandise or as you put it a very expensive "bottle of CLP."
A accountant will quickly point out that $25.00 a month does not add up to $500 a year. In a time long, long ago before Potterfield took over Midway mailed out a monthly flyer that had some very good sale prices. Well since the math almost always exceeded $25.00 and I usually spent at least $50.00 a month to take advantage of their sale prices. So for me that $25.00 was the lure that caused me to order from them regularly.
The economic downturn since the Great American Caesar has annointed himself has caused me to become a careful buyer. Potterfield may well be thinking that the economy is going to continue to collapse on itself and downsizing his workforce. Midway prices and especially shipping is not hard to beat by careful shopping on the Internet.
p.s Like I said TV advertising is expensive.
Loyalty goes neither way. With the increase in internet purchasing over the past few years Midway and all the other companies have increased their customer base exponentially. We, as customers, have increased our options exponentially. I personally look at multiple online dealers every time I make a purchase and then buy from the company that offers the lowest total price. Of course that is only if I cannot get it at close to the same price locally.
I have no problem with these "internet companies" charging high shipping, limiting quantities or anything else. They are trying to maximize profitability and it is my job to get the most for my purchase dollars.
I have no problem with these "internet companies" charging high shipping, limiting quantities or anything else. They are trying to maximize profitability and it is my job to get the most for my purchase dollars.
lilguy
Member
I got my c+r to purchase those guns I find while traveling. To go in the treasury
data base as a collector to get cleaning supplies and cheap ammo never entered my mind.
I never used it as such because guns, ammo and supplies
can be found for lower overall prices elsewhere . The internet is a boom to shooters. I save hundreds to thousands of dollars a year using my IPad and have not had to lock in with big box net sites and have always received great service.
data base as a collector to get cleaning supplies and cheap ammo never entered my mind.
I never used it as such because guns, ammo and supplies can be found for lower overall prices elsewhere . The internet is a boom to shooters. I save hundreds to thousands of dollars a year using my IPad and have not had to lock in with big box net sites and have always received great service.
mdemetz
Member
Their October sales flyer says the December flyer will be their last.
musicman10_1
Member
I sent them an email and invited them to terminate my dealer status right now. There is no reason to sustain it until the end of the year. It has saved me very little over the last 6 months if any savings at all - the shipping is . . . well, I guess I'm preaching to the choir.
TonyDedo
Member
I have a C&R dealer account with Midway, but haven't used it in years.
I find I can buy much of the same gear and equipment on Amazon for about the same price, plus I get free shipping with Prime.
Brownells seems to be better for small parts and specialty stuff.
And I buy reloading components in bulk direct from manufacturers.
I won't miss my Midway account.
I find I can buy much of the same gear and equipment on Amazon for about the same price, plus I get free shipping with Prime.
Brownells seems to be better for small parts and specialty stuff.
And I buy reloading components in bulk direct from manufacturers.
I won't miss my Midway account.
Midway's prices have been just fine.
I tried to buy ammo from Brownells a bunch of time this year. How many times did I? Zero. Why? They never had anything!
+1. They took much better care of us than cheaper than diamonds.Yeah, I mean shipping should be free, it doesn't cost anything does it?
Midway will continue to get my business before just about anyone else, I think they showed during the great scare of 2012/2013 they are about the most honest and reputable people in the business.
WinThePennant
Member
Midway participated in their own 'price gouging.'
Heck, they are still selling surplus AK mags for $25 a pop. Before the scare, military surplus AK mags were going for $10 - $12.
Heck, they are still selling surplus AK mags for $25 a pop. Before the scare, military surplus AK mags were going for $10 - $12.
Most places are still around $19-$25 on AK mags. That's not the same as the gouging that CTD did.
You can't have your cake and eat it too.
That is, you can't have a lower-than-everybody-else price on something AND have it stay in stock so that you can buy it when you want to (or get to it in time to buy it at all, in many cases)
That is, you can't have a lower-than-everybody-else price on something AND have it stay in stock so that you can buy it when you want to (or get to it in time to buy it at all, in many cases)
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