Author Topic: Walmart special orders  (Read 695 times)

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Offline Mitch in MI

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Walmart special orders
« on: August 13, 2005, 10:34:06 AM »
While at the Walmart today, cleaning them out of $80 Nikon 3-9x40 Buckmasters, I saw these signs on the gun display:

No returns on firearms. All firearms sales are final.

All special order firearms require a 50% non-refundable deposit. By order of management.

Is this common practice, is my store manager a jerk, or are my fellow customers jerks who forced him into this?

BTW, the Nikon scope on display was stickered for $199.99, but rang up for $79.xx. It looks like this scope, Nikon #6425, has been replaced by #6420, according to this ebay auction:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7175757075

Offline quickdtoo

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Walmart special orders
« Reply #1 on: August 13, 2005, 10:54:44 AM »
I think that's SOP for Walmart stores, layaways might require 50% down which is how a special order firearm is purchased. When I bought mine, it was inspected before I went to layaway to finalize the deal, they never said anything about it being final before I actually took delivery of it....and the manager did walk me to the front door with him carrying the firearm. I talked with him a little about it, and he said that due to previous Walmart deficiencies in handling of firearms transactions, his store followed their policies to the letter. Even abbreviations weren't accepted on the 4473.....NE in an address had to be spelled out as North East!, even!!! Each store probably has their own interpretation of their rules which seem very strict to me with my little experience with one store.

Tim
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Offline ogo

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Walmart special orders
« Reply #2 on: August 13, 2005, 02:40:17 PM »
I just bought two of the 22/410 Versa pacts for my grandsons and had to put 50% down and when they came in got rhe walk to tne front door with the manager carrying  both gun's. Asked why  she said story policy. Tell ya the truth I didn't mind the walk behinder her.   lol****************ogo

Offline bluebayou

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Walmart special orders
« Reply #3 on: August 13, 2005, 04:01:02 PM »
I work at Wal Mart and am always happy to chime in:
50% deposit for special order guns is company policy not the store policy.  The special order guns are ordered through the layaway computer.  You pay 50% and the computer generates a Purchase Order for the gun and the order is sent to Sports South or Gene Sears or whoever.  I CAN, however, manually issue a Purchase Order and buy a gun over the phone from a wholesaler if some special circumstance permits.  But, it comes up as an exception with the Loss Prevention people.

The "all sales are final on firearms and ammunition" is a company wide policy also.  You should be informed by the manager when he authorizes the 4473 form.  Wal Mart has gotten pretty fanatical about the 4473's like Quick says.  When California banned them from selling guns they got serious.  Like he says, I cannot sign off on the 4473 if there are abbreviations of any kind.  The last ATF guy that I talked to wanted states spelled out, but that was as far as he went.

Maybe too much info, but what the heck.

Offline 35Rem

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Walmart special orders
« Reply #4 on: August 13, 2005, 04:50:54 PM »
Well, someone is more likley to come back with 50% in a gun, instead of 10% like a lot of gun shops require for layaway.  Besides, have you ordered a gun from a dealer lately?  More than likely they'll want a good % to special order something, especially a weird caliber or model.

As for returns, you can't give a refund on a used firearm, Wal-Mart doesn't sell them.

All this is company policy stuff.

I understand the manager-walking-you-to-the-door thing, too.  When they sold handguns years ago, they had an employee killed by some nut who bought one and some ammo to rob the store...

Don't forget that walmart is a huge corporation, and everyone has to anwer to someone else.

I just bought a 45-70 from them a couple weeks ago.  Wasn't too bad of a process.  I really didn't like the layaway thing, though.  I really think they should handle that in sporting goods, but oh well.  It is what it is.  If their prices weren't so good on the less expensive guns, I'd try to deal with the local guys, but the Handi's are just to well priced to blow the cash elsewhere.
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Offline Mac11700

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Walmart special orders
« Reply #5 on: August 13, 2005, 08:34:37 PM »
As long as you don't accept the firearm...they have to refund your money...period...as with any law-away...and it isn't your firearm...till you sign off on the 4473 and the serial numbers called in to the State Police...up untill that moment...you can get all of your money back...special order or not...firearms or not...I just went thru all of this at the Walmart here...and...they did refund all of my money...and this was on a special order..once you buy it and sign for it...it's yours...

Mac
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Offline Mitch in MI

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Walmart special orders
« Reply #6 on: August 14, 2005, 01:05:48 AM »
Quote from: Mac11700
I just went thru all of this at the Walmart here...and...they did refund all of my money...and this was on a special order.


I was thinking I'd heard of people doing that, so I was suprised to see "nonrefundable deposit by order of management" at my local store. What do you do when hunting season draws near, you need to practice with the gun, and it hasn't come in yet? I can't imagine not being able to get your money back, especially if Sports South hasn't shipped it yet.

Offline Mac11700

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« Reply #7 on: August 14, 2005, 06:12:34 AM »
Simple...don't give them your buisness at that store...if they are trying to pull that crap.....they are discriminating against hunters...because they won't do that with the rest of their law-away program... find another store to buy your Handi's.


Mac
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Offline MSP Ret

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Walmart special orders
« Reply #8 on: August 14, 2005, 06:51:23 AM »
me policy at the Wal-Marts I have purchased H&R's at. You can however get all your deposit money refunded if yoiu change your mind. Once you pay for the gun in full and complete the paperwork you own it, no return, no refund, that is how the Wal-Marts in this area work, and at least they tell you the process before you buy it, thats OK with me because I can either accept or decline the rules and gun before I order it....<><.... :grin:
"Giving up your gun to someone else on demand is called surrender. It means that you have given up your ability to protect yourself to a power that is greater than you." - David Yeagley

Offline poncaguy

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Walmart special orders
« Reply #9 on: August 14, 2005, 08:53:06 AM »
I'm very lucky, my dealer usaually beats or matches WalMart on any rifle........I do have to drive 40 miles, but with the cheap gas ($2.52 as of yesterday).who cares :-D