Unusual supplier behavior

A

AMMASHOOTA

Gary Gruber
I recently had to purchase a barrel from a manufacturer I had not used before (I prefer to not name them). They have an excellent reputation on other forums (not a BR barrel), and they were the only people that had the caliber and twist rate I was looking for.

There prices are reasonable and delivery date appeared to be quite good. After several delays, the barrel shipped "a couple of days ago" (not delivered), and the supplier refuses to provide me with a UPS tracking number.

Here are quotes from their emails:

"We do not normally hand out the tracking numbers unless the barrel is late."

Question: How do I know the barrel is late if I don't know when it was shipped and when it is expected to be delivered?

I queried them again. This was their response:

"We are not a distributor. As such, sending out UPS numbers delays other orders from shipping and raises the cost of production."

I have never seen this type of behavior before for something simple like a tracking number. I'm sure the barrel will be here in a few days and sure hope it is a shooter when I chamber it. I'm not sure I would deal with this company again given their reticence to supply such basic information.
 
Yes, strange answers indeed. I don't know that I would "blackball" the vendor on just this account but again, strange answer. It appears that they don't actually have the tracking number and it would take some effort to get it for you - if there actually is a tracking number.

Hope you get the barrel in a few days!!
 
May want to try signing up for "UPS My Choice" obviously using the same name and address used with the barrel supplier. UPS My Choice will notify you when you have a package in transit and provide the tracking number. No cost unless you use some of the other features like specifying a delivery window.

https://wwwapps.ups.com/mcdp?loc=en_US
 
AMMASHOOTA said:
Thanks. Did that many years ago. No notification.
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You have to renew the subscription, even the free version. Each time a package is mailed via UPS to my address, I get a tracking number through UPS automatically. It works. Look into it again. Not sure if it will work in your case since the package was already shipped, but worth a try.

Look at the UPS delivery chart to get a rough estimate of how many days it takes and after that expires, call them back again to see if they can track it.
 
DSM said:
You have to renew the subscription, even the free version. Each time a package is mailed via UPS to my address, I get a tracking number through UPS automatically. It works. Look into it again. Not sure if it will work in your case since the package was already shipped, but worth a try.

Look at the UPS delivery chart to get a rough estimate of how many days it takes and after that expires, call them back again to see if they can track it.
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I appreciate your help. I receive packages nearly daily from UPS, so my subscription is current. I sure hope these guys are honest -- not many barrel makers supply for the 404 Rigby any longer. I would have ordered from Krieger -- they do manufacture one but not in the twist rate I wanted for 400 grain bullets.

In addition to the gun smithing that I do, I have worked for 25+ years as a software engineer. Out gun club refuses to automate their membership, even though I offered them what amounted to nearly $10,000.00 worth of software architecture, design and engineering for free to accomplish the task. Their excuses were lame and hollow.

While there are many aspects of society that have been negatively touched by computers and the internet, I do bristle when I make a purchase from a suppiler who drops the ball somewhere along the line because they have not standardized their retail side -- at least to make it easier to purchase from them. Fortunately, this has been a rare occurence.

While I don't want to give the impression that I don't care about the $325 involved, I will not let it become an event my life rotates around. However, I don't like to think I know everything there is to know in this world, so I thought I would reach out and see if this smelled as badly to others as it does to me.

I am still hoping for the best...
 
This is just a wild guess, but it sounds to me as though the folks you are dealing with aren't actually doing the shipping. There are so many internet businesses these days that merely advertise and take orders and then pass them on to another company that actually sells the product. I understand your reluctance to prematurely mention the name, but I would hope that you would report back on the outcome and if it does not end well, by all means name names.
 
SGS said:
This is just a wild guess, but it sounds to me as though the folks you are dealing with aren't actually doing the shipping. There are so many internet businesses these days that merely advertise and take orders and then pass them on to another company that actually sells the product. I understand your reluctance to prematurely mention the name, but I would hope that you would report back on the outcome and if it does not end well, by all means name names.
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I wish that was the case. These barrels are imported from Germany and several emails confirmed that the people I purchased them from are the ones they were delivered to once they cleared customs -- and the people who actually did the shipping. This is a bona fide barrel manufacturer that has been around for a long time.
 
So it's a Lothar Walther barrel. The company rep has long been noted for being on the arrogant side once they take your money.
 
I just posted a similar message over on the gunsmithing forum of AccurateReloading and got an earful from people in the same boat...
 
Butch Lambert said:
Yep! Woody Woodal hasn't changed.
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Talk about getting suckered. I figured, small company from Georgia, doesn't even take credit cards, this must be a wonderful American company to deal with...

Gee whiz, people around here are going to think i just got off the short bus...
 
Just wait til its too hard to chamber then itll be your fault for not having a $200,000 machining center with ceramic inserts threading at 10,000rpm.
 
You have permission to quit sniffin' glue anytime you like. That's the one thing that scared me out of a repeat. It's like swallowing five hits of acid and it just last a few minutes. Certainly, that could be a good thing but the reason not to do it is the headache that lasts for days. Well, I said it's the one thing, but horse tranqulizers are another thing that nobody should do....not even once. Call me if your gonna do one and I'll notify somebody!

Can you still buy that kind of glue?
 
Wilbur said:
You have permission to quit sniffin' glue anytime you like. That's the one thing that scared me out of a repeat. It's like swallowing five hits of acid and it just last a few minutes. Certainly, that could be a good thing but the reason not to do it is the headache that lasts for days. Well, I said it's the one thing, but horse tranqulizers are another thing that nobody should do....not even once. Call me if your gonna do one and I'll notify somebody!

Can you still buy that kind of glue?
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Do you mean Ducote -I think- model airplane glue. I don't think they sell that stuff. Don' get me started on horse drugs. We should probably not talk about such things as people might wonder how we know this $hit. I read it on the internet?
 
Wilbur said:
You have permission to quit sniffin' glue anytime you like. That's the one thing that scared me out of a repeat. It's like swallowing five hits of acid and it just last a few minutes. Certainly, that could be a good thing but the reason not to do it is the headache that lasts for days. Well, I said it's the one thing, but horse tranqulizers are another thing that nobody should do....not even once. Call me if your gonna do one and I'll notify somebody!

Can you still buy that kind of glue?
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1. How do you know about horse tranquilizers? Oh wait, your name is Wilbur. Now I get it!
a. I was in Japan in 1965, and saw "Mister Ed" dubbed in Japanese. If you think a talking horse is funny, wait until you hear one talking in Japanese.

2. I knew a guy in college who did 24 hits of acid in a single night (1969). He lived, but I didn't see much of him after that evening. That is the truth. You will need to buy me a couple of shots of good Tequila to hear that story...

3. Testor's airplane glue hasn't been made for decades now, but smart guys stocked up when they saw the end coming.
 
Hmmm

Now,I'm beginning to understand the Root cause of some of the strange behavior around the Benchrest Community.:)




Glen
 
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