Simon Reeves Gunshop - Aylesbury

[Oly]

Got off the phone with these guys regarding a part I'm after - all I did was ask once if they would do the item at the same price but including postage (£60 order that would cost all of £1.85 postage - checked via RM website). Well, I was basically told to go elsewhere and hung up!!!

 

VERY rude, if that's how they conduct business maybe it's worthwhile to steer clear!! I was going to take the order with the £5 extra in postage, but having had service like that I wouldn't like to get on the wrong side of them if there was a problem with an order!!

Edited March 3, 2010 by Oly

[RC45]

Just got off the phone with these guys regarding a part I'm after - all I did was ask once if they would do the item at the same price but including postage (£60 order that would cost all of £1.85 postage - checked via RM website). Well, I was basically told to go elsewhere and hung up!!!

 

VERY rude, if that's how they conduct business maybe it's worthwhile to steer clear!! I was going to take the order with the £5 extra in postage, but having had service like that I wouldn't like to get on the wrong side of them if there was a problem with an order!!

Not used them myself. I really try to shop local if I can.

[Tommo]

Oly,

 

I know Simon very well and occassionally help out in the shop. I think you'll find that they are trying to run a business, and when margins are like they are in product - your postage might have been the profit. I dont know/havent heard many complaints about Reeve's. Many find their service very informative and prompt.

 

If like you say - you were going to take the order with the extra £5 why be cheeky and ask for the post to be included?? - you put people on the back foot straight away....

 

Hope this helps,

 

Tom

[Oly]

Tom, I appreciate that, but where is the harm in asking - there is no need to be rude, you can still say 'no' politely and they would have retained my purchase...many are feeling the pinch right now - buyers & sellers. I appreciate that the person may have been having an 'off' day, but still. Just felt a little peev'ed. Like you say, probably a one off - but first impressions do count, despite what people say.

 

Despite what I said above, I would try them again if the reason arose, I just hope it was more of a one off than a common occurance.

 

Cheers,

Oly

[jimmyb79]

I have no experience of this shop at all, but I have to say that trying to conceal profit in postage costs is one of my bugbears.

How often do you pay say £5.00 for postage for something, and it'll come through the door with postage value on the front of the envelope at a fraction of the price paid.

 

I don't think anyone would resent a company for trying to make money, but why not price items honestly. If they can't do them cheap enough to compete with other traders, then sadly that is a problem for them, and not their customers.

 

Of course, that is aside to poor customer service and attitude. Why not say "sorry, but I can't do it for that price." and leave it at that? As my nan used to say, manners cost nothing.

[dodeer]

I have phoned the shop a few times and always been put off with the miserable sounding person on the other end.

[roosy]

no excuse to talk to customers like that

[webber]

I have no interest in Reeves what so ever.

 

You may well find that the business operates a minimum carriage charge of £5.

You state that the part that you wished to buy was £60, so by asking for free postage you were basically asking for a discount of around 10%.

You state that you checked and the actual postage was £1.68. I sell a fair amount of small parts by mail, this will be for 1st class packet post. People often overlook that businesses must charge VAT on postage, Jiffy bags do cost money, and it does take time to pack and complete the paperwork. I therefore don't feel that £5 is excessive. I frequently get hit with minimum carriage charges of £15 from many of my suppliers, I therefore always try to ensure that I place carriage paid orders. Unfortunatley recently some have knocked carriage free orders on the head.

 

I've recently paid a little over Euro 100 for a small pallet delivered from Holland. It worked out at Euro 1 per Kg. The order was valued at around Euro 1200, so carriage therefore worked out at a little less than 10%, similar to what you were asked for to send a small order.

 

I do however agree that there is little excuse for being rude to customers, but have to admit that I have very occasionally succumbed under extreme circumstances.

 

webber

[fortune82]

When a student I worked in a gun shop. The markup they made on most items was pretty good. I remember BSA Meteors I think were bought in for around £50 and sold for about £150. This was 10 years ago however.

The markup on clothing was massive - 100 - 200 %. Cartridges were the only area where there wasn't much to be made.

 

I think they could afford £1.85 postage!