Buds and layaway

[Wingshooter]

I've used Buds layaway program a few times since they introduced it. Lately I've noticed that items are only available for layaway if you are a "Team Buds" member (yearly fee). Has anyone else signed up for this? Add credit card fee, yearly membership fee, transfer fee and the margin of saving shrinks. I don't know why I'm so put off by this fee because I usually don't complain about such things, and it's really not a lot of money. I understand that there might be some cost of labor to put an item on layaway, but I guess I'd rather pay a small fee per transaction than a yearly fee just in case I might want to use layaway the next time

I did have an item in my cart a few minutes ago to place on layaway until I learned I coudn't unless I joined the "Team". I just deleted it. That's the second time I've done that in two months, so I guess Buds really is saving me money

I guess I just needed something to complain about, lol. I am curious though, is anyone else using Buds less because of the "Team Buds Only" layaway?

[runco]

I really dislike the credit card fee and try avoid gun retailers that make this apart of their business model.  I don't know why this cc fee is a disease is so prevalent within the gun retailers community!  As for as the Bud's layaway program, I have used it only once to avoid the wife complaints, and it worked well for me 2 years ago, and thought it was a great program, otherwise not really a tool for me.  I actually have bought more from Grab-A-Gun out of Texas in the past 2 years, no layaway, but find them slightly more competitive. 

Edited January 4, 2017 by runco

[DaveTN]

I buy most of my new guns from Buds; they have the stuff the local dealers don’t have, usually the best price and are to a local dealer in 3-4 days. I joined the team Buds (or whatever it was called) a few years ago. I was trying to buy a couple of guns that were a hot item. Those who paid were supposed to get first chance. One of the ones I wanted was posted on-line at 9am, I didn’t get an email until 1pm. So I thought it was pretty useless and never joined again.

All I want from Buds now is the best possible price and fast shipping. They have been pretty good about that. I don’t like the credit card fees either, but don’t want to wait the extra time it takes to get a money order and send it. So I deal with it.

EDIT: Why would you pay a credit card fee on something you are putting on layaway? You can send a check or MO since you aren’t in a hurry.

Edited January 4, 2017 by DaveTN

[hipower]

8 hours ago, Wingshooter said:

I've used Buds layaway program a few times since they introduced it. Lately I've noticed that items are only available for layaway if you are a "Team Buds" member (yearly fee). Has anyone else signed up for this? Add credit card fee, yearly membership fee, transfer fee and the margin of saving shrinks. I don't know why I'm so put off by this fee because I usually don't complain about such things, and it's really not a lot of money. I understand that there might be some cost of labor to put an item on layaway, but I guess I'd rather pay a small fee per transaction than a yearly fee just in case I might want to use layaway the next time

I did have an item in my cart a few minutes ago to place on layaway until I learned I coudn't unless I joined the "Team". I just deleted it. That's the second time I've done that in two months, so I guess Buds really is saving me money

I guess I just needed something to complain about, lol. I am curious though, is anyone else using Buds less because of the "Team Buds Only" layaway?

In a word...yes. That put me off as well.

[Wingshooter]

4 hours ago, runco said:

I really dislike the credit card fee and try avoid gun retailers that make this apart of their business model.  I don't why this cc fee is a disease is so prevalent within the gun retailers community!  As for as the Bud's layaway program, I have used it only once to avoid the wife complaints, and it worked well for me 2 years ago, and thought it was a great program, otherwise not really a tool for me.  I actually have bought more from Grab-A-Gun out of Texas in the past 2 years, no layaway, but find them slightly more competitive. 

You're right... not many other industries have a cc/cash pricing system. I suppose if they every do away with it, they will just charge the higher price across the board. How do you like Grab-A-Gun? I've looked at a couple items there before, but I've never placed an order.

[Wingshooter]

3 hours ago, DaveTN said:

I buy most of my new guns from Buds; they have the stuff the local dealers don’t have, usually the best price and are to a local dealer in 3-4 days. I joined the team Buds (or whatever it was called) a few years ago. I was trying to buy a couple of guns that were a hot item. Those who paid were supposed to get first chance. One of the ones I wanted was posted on-line at 9am, I didn’t get an email until 1pm. So I thought it was pretty useless and never joined again.

All I want from Buds now is the best possible price and fast shipping. They have been pretty good about that. I don’t like the credit card fees either, but don’t want to wait the extra time it takes to get a money order and send it. So I deal with it.

EDIT: Why would you pay a credit card fee on something you are putting on layaway? You can send a check or MO since you aren’t in a hurry.

I usually send payment via ACH check to avoid the cc fee if I'm doing layaway (like you said... not in a hurry). Except the last time I had a birthday gift for someone else nearly paid off via ACH check, but I waited too long to send the last payment to get it in time. I used the cc to get it on time and ended up paying the fee for all of it. That was my mess up though.

The cc fee doesn't bother me really. It's this TB membership you have to join now to take advantage of the layaway that gets me. Petty complaint, but they've monkeyed with my method, lol.  

[runco]

1 hour ago, Wingshooter said:

You're right... not many other industries have a cc/cash pricing system. I suppose if they every do away with it, they will just charge the higher price across the board. How do you like Grab-A-Gun? I've looked at a couple items there before, but I've never placed an order.

At first, with a name like Grab-A-Gun thought it was a fly by night outfit.  After reading about them on other forums, found them to be a great retailer.  I have bought maybe 3-4 new guns from them without any issue. 

[Ronald_55]

20 minutes ago, runco said:

At first, with a name like Grab-A-Gun thought it was a fly by night outfit.  After reading about them on other forums, found them to be a great retailer.  I have bought maybe 3-4 new guns from them without any issue. 

So where else online do you guys buy from?

[quickbiscuit]

I've pretty much stopped doing business with Bud's because of this, and I have spent a ton of money with them over the past 8-9 years.  I loved the layaway option and used to always have a gun on order.  I haven't bought anything from them since they started this BS.  Not only is layaway Team Buds only, but some guns can't be put on layaway at all.  The layaway program was a big reason I did business with them.  On top of that, they aren't the cheapest game in town anymore.  There used to be no point in looking elsewhere, if buds had it they would be the cheapest.  But now other places like Grab a Gun and KY Gun Company routinely have them beat.  

My most recent purchase was from Grab a Gun and I was very pleased.  The rifle shipped from their location the next business day, and no credit card fees with Grab a Gun.

[Oh Shoot]

14 hours ago, DaveTN said:

.. You can send a check or MO since you aren’t in a hurry.

You can just do bank transfer. You get the "cash price", nothing to send in, no trip to get money order to do it. I've done that with the 3 or 4 I've bought from Bud's, easy peasy.

- OS

Edited January 5, 2017 by Oh Shoot

[Wingshooter]

I sent them an email just inquiring about the status of their layaway program. It sounds like you have to be a TB paid member to get the benefits of layaway, but not every firearm is available for layaway. Here was their response to my email with a link to more explaination:

Thank you for contacting BudsGunShop.com!

Our layaway program has changed. For customer feedback, as well as a statement from the President of Buds, please see: http://forum.budsgunshop.com/index.php?threads/how-come-the-layaway-program-went-away.10/

Kindest regards,
BudsGunShop.com 

[quickbiscuit]

The explanations in that thread just sound like a bunch of excuses to make people join Team Buds.  I don't see how they were losing money on cancellations unless they weren't enforcing their own policy.  See attached.

 

Edited January 5, 2017 by quickbiscuit