Posted on 12/31/2012 11:35:13 AM PST by Impala64ssa
Cheaper Than Dirt recently shocked the gun community with their post-Sandy Hook announcement that they were suspending future firearms sales online. They would continue to sell sporting goods and shooting supplies online, but only sell guns at their retail location.
The outrage was palpable. It should be mentioned, for those who do not know, that online sales do not circumvent any gun laws or background checks. It is functionally no different than buying from a dealer in person, except you have a larger number of options with wider product availability and price selections. Guns bought online must still be transferred through a gun dealer and the buyer goes through the same process as everyone else. There was, on the surface, no reason for Cheaper Than Dirt to quit selling guns save for the elephant in the room, Sandy Hook.
With everyone’s jimmies thoroughly rustled, Cheaper Than Dirt either changed their position or finally clarified it, saying that their system could not handle the volume of sales they were facing, and it required renovation before they could begin selling firearms online again (which, at the time of writing this, they have not yet resumed).
This isn’t unbelievable, as the massive spike in sales has caused even larger companies’ checkout systems, including Brownells, who sold more magazines in three days than they did in the previous three years. The sales boom caused many customers to purchase products that were already sold out, causing confusion and frustration.
But the other thing that Cheaper Than Dirt did was raise prices. Even before the availability of guns, accessories and in particular, magazines dried up, they raised their prices. Normal prices for PMAGs then were about $12-14, and they had them marked up to $60.
(Excerpt) Read more at guns.com ...
Look at the title on that page- “Cheaper Than Dirt! doesn’t “sell guns.
All the gun links take you to other dealer pages.
Not to me they won't. I updated my purchasing process and it doesn't include suppliers that respond to crisis with the sudden claim they don't sell firearms.
I've purchased many items from them in the past. I will never purchase another item from them. There are too many suppliers willing to support the 2nd amendment in all situations.
Does anyone have a good ammo site that actually has ammo?
The prices listed at CTD for these items are way too high. Thank goodness I presently have adequate ammo and certain firearms items on hand so I can wait out this craziness. I think the proposed limits and bans will not go into effect as long as enough in Congress don’t cave into the hysteria. Then supplies will be back and prices down.
.30-06 Golden Bear ammo has gone from $11.59 for 20 cartridges (pre-Sandy Hook) to $17.19 (today). And it is flying off the shelves.
A Cheaper Than Dirt brick and mortar store is two different stores under one roof and they even have two different names and operate independently of each other. The catalog store which puts out the catalog and from which you can order online is a separate store, physically and financially, from the counter from which you can buy firearms. You cannot see something in the catalog and go buy it at the store front for that price even if they stock it. The separate Cheaper Than Dirt Sporting Goods back counter sells, delivers and warehouses the catalog sales. Much of the time, the physical store front is cheaper on a duplicate item than the back counter/catalog! The physical front of the store has not changed any sales practice of which I am aware.
Whoa! The price of dirt must have really gone up!
Glad I put my new lawn in over the summer. I bought 20+ yards.
Maybe they should change their name to “Cheaper than a lot of things.”
Give it time. Just like after Obamagabe was elected first time the same thing happened. Things will normal out after a bit.
Just curious, but why would anyone buy a firearm on-line from CTD in the first place? By the time shipping and the local FLL’s fee is added in, the cost of the firearm is about the same, if not hgher than buying direct from a local gun shop.
They were always high.
You took the words right out of my keyboard...so-to-speak...{:-)
I bought a rifle for my son for Christmas; it was left handed. No local store carried it. I have seen low prices on some of their guns. Shipping for the rifle was $12.00 and the transfer fee was $15.00 so not a big expense.
In regards to Cheaper Than Dirt, it’s about more than firearms. Many people remember their price gouging tactics on ammo a few years ago, and now I think I saw them offering a 30rd AR-15 mag for $50+ dollars, I’ve read rumors that Magpul has refused to supply them with magazines because of their price gouging. CTD can KMA. I wouldn’t piss down their throat if their guts were on fire.
So just how long do you think that disclaimer has been up there?
Cheaper than Dirt = More Expensive than gold.. They jacked up prices in 2009 so I took them off my list.
I’m going to wait and see what CTD’s side of the story is before I decide what to do.
You wouldn't happen to have a heavy-barrel .223 for sale, would you?
When they responded with “CTD does not sell firearms”, I decided then.
If they make a good story, maybe that will be good enough for you. Not for me.
A good alternative to CTD is Bud’s Gun Shop online. They’ll probably be getting more of the overflow from the news about CTD not selling guns or ammo.
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