Author Topic: walmart web site dropping h&R (Read 1449 times)

hipshot300 · « **on:** July 29, 2006, 06:55:46 AM »

Went to the wal-mart web site and now H&R list only 8 guns and NEF lists only 12 guns. Is wal-mart trying to phase out the nef line altogether? Last week H&R had over 20 guns listed and NEF had over 50 guns listed.

fishinguy · « **Reply #1 on:** July 29, 2006, 08:48:14 AM »

It appears so. They also took the braztech and rossi guns off their site as well as a few of the mossberg atr's. I have 4 walmarts near me and one of the stored no longer sells firearms. I asked an employee why and he said that some stores dont have enough sales to continue selling.

quickdtoo · « **Reply #2 on:** July 29, 2006, 10:46:42 AM »

Maybe Bluebayou will step in and offer an explanation since he works there?? I suppose it's possible that they're reorganizing the special order catalog offerings and moving items to their regular catalog, they've always had 2 catalogs, a lot of firearms that weren't shown in the special order were in the other catalog like the .17hmr and 17M2 Sportsters......just wishful thinking, maybe!!

Tim

tanoose · « **Reply #3 on:** July 29, 2006, 03:09:15 PM »

Something is going on i think they only show 4-6 Marlin rifles Maybe with so many of there stores not sellinmg guns and ammo maybe marlin decided to not let Walmart sell there products . Do you think that would be possible?

Bear Rider · « **Reply #4 on:** July 30, 2006, 04:06:12 AM »

Think of this as an opportunity -- an excuse to buy more handi-rifles so that Walmart will continue to carry them.

Markus · « **Reply #5 on:** July 30, 2006, 04:50:22 AM »

I've only bought a versa-pac combo at walmart. It wasn,t on their special order catalog or the website. It's my understanding that you can order any long gun their suppliers have that is not considered an assualt weapon. I do worry that this is a trend though. The difference in price isn't worth dealing with the grappy service at my walmart sporting goods dept.

Dillohide · « **Reply #6 on:** July 30, 2006, 08:39:40 AM »

I'm going through the Walmart experience right now with a NEF 3006 I ordered over two weeks ago. Just finding someone to wait on me in sporting goods was the first problem then finding someone in layaway the 2nd. The distributer has it in stock and it was supposed to be in Monday last week ... still no sign of it. Now I see Bass Pro has the 270 & 3006 in stock and on sale for $199.88 (regular price $209.99) July 29 - Aug 6th. The problem of course is that you have to have a Bass Pro Shop within driving range. Mine is about 20 miles if I'd only waited a couple weeks

. This will probably be my last Walmart order ... the hassle is just not worth it to me but I can understand if you don't have a Bass Pro, Cabello's, Gander Mountain or something similar close by.

hipshot300 · « **Reply #7 on:** July 30, 2006, 09:55:09 AM »

What is the worse case that could happen? I am afraid that if wal-mart handles---say 20%--- of nef sales in this country, is this a move that would damage marlin/nef greatly? I know other shops may pick up the slack but wal-mart has been putting the smaller ffl's out of business with their buying power. Seems that all of a sudden there may be a big vacum created and maybe no one there to pick it up.

Does anyone know just what percent of nef's USA sales are handled by wal-mart? Everytime I go into a regular gun shop and I ask about NEF/H&R I get a response something along the lines that they can't compete with walmart prices and in some cases they could by some guns cheaper from wal-mart than their wholesalers.

Brett · « **Reply #8 on:** July 30, 2006, 11:40:17 AM »

I hear so many of you gripe about what a terrible experience you have had buying your guns threw Wally World. My most recent acquisition was from my local Wally-World in Charlotte, NC and I found the experience to be nothing but positive. The young man I placed my order with in the sporting goods department was very polite and helpful. He was very familiar with the required paper work and filled every thing out himself, explaining that everything had to be just so (such as not using abbreviations for the state name or using 'rd' or 'st' for 'road' or 'street' in the address fields in order to avoid any problems. All I had to do was sign my name. He also took it upon himself to call Sports South to make sure that the gun I wanted was in stock and get it's ETA at the store without me asking him to do this. He then walked the paperwork over to the lay-away dept. himself (Special order guns have to go threw the lay-away dept. for some reason) and made sure that the girl there new how to enter the sale. The store contacted me by phone in a few days when my gun had arrived at the store. They had no objections to me opening the box and examining the weapon right there at the lay-away counter before accepting it. Yes, a store manager did escort me to the front door with my new gun as dictated by company policy but we had a nice conversation about squirrel and rabbit hunting on the way and she wished me luck hunting with my new gun. So I guess it all depends on your local store. As for me I would not have any problem buying my next new gun from my local Wall-mart, especially if I can save 15% to 20% over the gun shop price.

fishinguy · « **Reply #9 on:** July 30, 2006, 11:46:34 AM »

I agree with Brett. My firearm purchases with wally world were smoother than my last purchase at bass pro.

quickdtoo · « **Reply #10 on:** July 30, 2006, 12:01:54 PM »

My one and only firearm purchase at WM went smooth as butter, very knowledgable management and sporting goods employees, not a problem in layaway, either. I've bought a few scopes from them too, very good experience there, too.

Tim

Markus · « **Reply #11 on:** July 30, 2006, 04:38:35 PM »

I saved 31% over my favorite local gun store but the local walmart guys had no clue. Including the manager who was there "training" a new assistant manager. I had to walk them through every step. If it wasn't for the guys on this board and the old H&R talk I would have given up and left.

warf73 · « **Reply #12 on:** July 30, 2006, 08:41:33 PM »

I live with in 40 miles of 6 Wal Marts and the one I have bought a gun from was very knowledgeable of the transaction at hand. I’ve talked to other friends about there experiences and they wouldn’t buy again from them.

So I guess it really matters who's behind the counter. The guys/gals I deal with love guns and are avid shoots themselves. I was told by the manger there would be no special clearance prices on guns as the staff buys them all up before they hit the display rack.

Warf

hipshot300 · « **Reply #13 on:** August 01, 2006, 05:37:02 PM »

The rossi/braztechs are now completely gone. H&R/NEF limited to about 8 and 12 guns only. Still about 14 "pages" of remingtons and tons of rugers and browning.
Just looks like they are getting out of the break-over business alltogether.
Wonder now if they will be making room for the remington spartan line for breakovers and the remington import bolt action.

Dillohide · « **Reply #14 on:** August 01, 2006, 06:06:08 PM »

Checked the site at 10:50 PM Central time. There were only 3 Handi's left and they are not the most popular calibers. Could be they are working on the site but sure looks like they are getting rid of them. May explain why my 3006 has not shown up. That is one nice thing about Wal-Mart however, you can easily cancel a layaway order.

Ranger J · « **Reply #15 on:** August 02, 2006, 03:09:38 AM »

I’ve purchased several guns at the local Walmarts and have had no trouble. What worries me is that they have ‘redesigned’ the sporting goods section and now the guns and a lot of the accouterments are now behind a counter where you can not get a good look at them. This doesn’t seem to be a good way to improve sales in that area. Perhaps they will use the drop in sales to justify eliminating gun sales entirely? I have also noticed that NEF and Marlin guns have practically disappeared from their on line site. What’s going on? Who knows? Probably a bean counter attack. Luckily a local gun dealer will always slightly beat the Wal-Mart price but don’t know what he will do if the store is not competition any more.
RJ

tanoose · « **Reply #16 on:** August 02, 2006, 10:58:04 AM »

The problem with the walmart stores in my area is there short handed due to low salaries so the guy showing you a handi rifle in the mourning is selling gold fish in the afternoon. The sporting goods manager new somewhat but the guy that was behind the counter didn't beleive me when picking up my 45/70 handi rifle last year he pointed at the muzzle and told me i was buying a shotgun. After a short discussion he wrote down rifle on the form. Even with buying ammo you sometimes had to point to the box you wanted as the guy behind the counter was just not trained .Hey i even wonder how some of these guys in the local gunshops got there jobs. But as long as you knoiw what your looking for there prices are hard to beat.

hellacatcher · « **Reply #17 on:** August 02, 2006, 04:02:16 PM »

Looks like they are cutting the slow selling items.

Dave Allen · « **Reply #18 on:** August 03, 2006, 03:49:28 PM »

hello, the local wally worlds here only carry the nef shotguns no rifle's...anyway they don't seem to carry as many marlin products as normal i assume it be a supply thing

the local sportsmans warehouse does carry nef rifles thats where i bought mine...when i inquired about a special order recently at wally world the gentleman said i would have to be there between 8-5 on m-f ...maybe thats true however thats a hassle for me...my service there hasn't really been bad depends on who's working i have boght in stock guns there & everthing was fine...

bluebayou · « **Reply #19 on:** August 03, 2006, 07:53:44 PM »

Like Quick said, I am a manager at a rural WalMart (but I don't know everything that goes on).

First off, my take has always been that our website is just lame. It isn't a conspiracy against NEF or a lack of sales. It is just a poor website for arguably the largest retailer in the world. The Special Order Guns section is just poorly maintained on the website. If you want to know what is available then ask to see the paper copy of the Special Order Firearms Catalog 2006 at the Sporting Goods counter. There is a lot of stuff in there.

Second, WalMart isn't dropping firearms sales as a company I am sick of hearing this everywhere. Again, just look at the website for...futons for example and see if all of the futons in the furniture department are represented on the website. Or try Housewares for that matter. You guys are only aware of the NEF shortage on the website because that is what you are interested in. There is no conspiracy.

About the special order sales, Brett's experience :

He also took it upon himself to call Sports South to make sure that the gun I wanted was in stock and get it's ETA at the store without me asking him to do this. He then walked the paperwork over to the lay-away dept. himself (Special order guns have to go threw the lay-away dept. for some reason) and made sure that the girl there new how to enter the sale.

is the way that the company expects. If you get less, if you have to wait for a salesperson, if no one calls Sports South, Lipseys, etc when you order, or if someone doesn't know what they are doing then complain. It is a business and the expectation is that you are to be taken care of. I like working at WalMart. I can be rude as crap when I shop too. I set a standard for service and if I don't get it then I complain and want something done. The LEAST that you can do it call 1-800-WAL-MART. You can also go to the website and use "Online Customer Service" and "Store Feedback". Both options generate a message at the store level and/or the district manager's level. I am not militant about defending WalMart, but common sense says not to accept crappy service.

I will take a closer look at the Special Order book at work Saturday and see what the changes are.