Customer service disappointment- Palmetto State Armory

[Major Kong]

I've been shopping with Palmetto State Armory since before they had their FFL. In the beginning shipping was quick, prices were fair, all was good.

Then they started growing. I still kept buying from them, mostly ammo and accessories. Shipping got a little bit slower. No problem. I attributed it to growing pains and wasn't in a ridiculous hurry for anything so no big deal.

Last week I ordered my first firearm from them. They had a good price on a relatively difficult item to find. Unlike Bud's or Ky Gun Co you can't add your FFL info during the ordering process. I know my FFL is already on file with them so I called to attach his information to my order. I got an answering machine during business hours. Fine. I leave a message with my FFL's name and address and the order number. I ask specifically for a call back to confirm they have all the info they need. No response. The next day I sent a follow up email with the same info asking for a reply. Fast forward to today- three messages and two emails later no one at the company has bothered to respond to any of my inquiries and there has been no change to the status of my order. I've never gotten to speak to an actual person on the phone, only answering machines. Oh yeah, they've already charged me for the full amount of my shipment.

I'm pretty sure this is my last order with PSA. If I want crappy customer service I can find it locally

[Guest FIST]

Same deal here. Shipping is slow and no answers to email or phone. They once shipped a lower build kit with only the stock and buffer tube, I called and they answered first try. That seems more like an anomaly than the norm. I will still order when they have a good sale but outside of that it's not worth the hassle.

[Guest 6.8 AR]

An answering machine or voice mail is my red flag. I need to talk to humans. I haven't dealt with them

in a while and probably won't because of that.

Small businesses tend to use voice mail or email as an excuse for poor service. Only once with me.

[scoutfsu]

At least this post won't disappear like the ones on Arfcom do.....and their legion of followers won't jump down your throat. They have serious, systemic problems that they continually deny and shift blame for. They are their own worst enemy.

[Major Kong]

At least this post won't disappear like the ones on Arfcom do.....and their legion of followers won't jump down your throat. They have serious, systemic problems that they continually deny and shift blame for. They are their own worst enemy.

Another reason I don't go to Arfcom...

[scoutfsu]

Lol, it's not terrible if you can sort the wheat from the chaff. I only go into certain areas there....the Equipment Exchange regularly. They constantly catch bad feedback and they're infamous for deleting threads in their little subforum.

ETA: The one time I've ordered from them, was for 3 lowers. I had a similar situation and received zero response from anything. Shockingly enough, they shipped out two weeks later to the FFL....but it wasn't worth the aggravation of unanswered calls and emails.

Edited September 21, 2012 by scoutfsu

[Guest ThePunisher]

I ordered once with e-mail message that my order has been received and that I would receive a tracking number for UPS when shipped, but a week later my package was delivered on my doorsteps when I was not expecting it, and had never received the tracking number. Lucky that my package wasn't stolen from my doorsteps.

[dlm37015]

thats why i usually buy local

[Major Kong]

thats why i usually buy local

I prefer to as well, but a $300 difference in price and an item actually in stock drove me to the interwebs.

[Dolomite_supafly]

I ALWAYS call in person to just ask a random question before ordering. If I can't get a person I look elsewhere.

Dolomite

[Oh Shoot]

I've bought several things from them, and PSA CS has always rather sucked.

I just grabbed a couple of the blem lowers for the heck of it.

And btw, when you put in the ship to field for firearms/lowers, you ARE specifying the FFL. Only glitch is if you don't know the exact name on the FFL itself, not just the name of the store -- like, Bill's Outpost FFL name is William Russell. He is on file as I determined from previous interaction, but just putting "Bill's Outpost" on first line might not go through. I guess they know to look a bit deeper on biggies that may go by different name, like Bud's or whoever.

Well, anyway, nada on the lowers for 10 full days. Like everyone else, can never get through to main number, finally called it at 9:01 am, got gal who said "we're just behind, big volume". Waited couple more days, called the FFL number thinking maybe something had gone wonky there (I've always been able to get through on that), takes 15 min of "checking", that gal finally tells me they're shipping that very day, gives me tracking number. Just picked them up today. And no, there wasn't any FFL glitch, I suspect they just oiled the squeaky wheel while it waited on phone.

The first couple things I ever ordered from them, both bulk ammo shipments, never appeared as shipped online, in one case I got an email notification only, on another, never got anything at all till it showed up here.

Never tried to email them, as I've never seen anyone claim that works.

On the upside, I've gotten quite good to exceptional deals there. Life is mostly a trade off of shades of gray, whatcha gonna do?

- OS

Edited September 21, 2012 by OhShoot

[Guest ThePunisher]

Primary Arms has great customer service and quick shipping.

[Erik88]

Primary Arms has great customer service and quick shipping.

As does AIMsurplus and SGammo.com

[Major Kong]

Always been happy with Aim and Primary Arms but they didn't have what I was looking for in stock.

One time mistake with a firearm from Palmetto. I won't make it again.

[Oh Shoot]

Always been happy with Aim and Primary Arms but they didn't have what I was looking for in stock.

One time mistake with a firearm from Palmetto. I won't make it again.

Couldn't get through on the FFL inquiry number either? (1.803.240.2347)

It's the only one I've actually gotten info/action on.

- OS

[Major Kong]

Couldn't get through on the FFL inquiry number either? (1.803.240.2347)

It's the only one I've actually gotten info/action on.

- OS

Nope, that was one of my phone messages and one of my unreturned emails.

[Oh Shoot]

Nope, that was one of my phone messages and one of my unreturned emails.

Well, they do suck with CS. But can't say I won't use 'em again either, some of the deals are mighty good ones.

Huge contrast with say, CDNN though, great prices if they have what you're after, and their CS is outstanding. Not sure I've ever even been put on hold there. 'Course, you have to call to order firearms, different setup entirely.

- OS

Edited September 21, 2012 by OhShoot

[wcsc12]

I've been shopping with Palmetto State Armory since before they had their FFL. In the beginning shipping was quick, prices were fair, all was good.

Then they started growing. I still kept buying from them, mostly ammo and accessories. Shipping got a little bit slower. No problem. I attributed it to growing pains and wasn't in a ridiculous hurry for anything so no big deal.

Last week I ordered my first firearm from them. They had a good price on a relatively difficult item to find. Unlike Bud's or Ky Gun Co you can't add your FFL info during the ordering process. I know my FFL is already on file with them so I called to attach his information to my order. I got an answering machine during business hours. Fine. I leave a message with my FFL's name and address and the order number. I ask specifically for a call back to confirm they have all the info they need. No response. The next day I sent a follow up email with the same info asking for a reply. Fast forward to today- three messages and two emails later no one at the company has bothered to respond to any of my inquiries and there has been no change to the status of my order. I've never gotten to speak to an actual person on the phone, only answering machines. Oh yeah, they've already charged me for the full amount of my shipment.

I'm pretty sure this is my last order with PSA. If I want crappy customer service I can find it locally

PSA isn't that bad but for some reason, they're growing and that's great but their CS department still consists of 2 people. There's the girl (I can't remember her name) and maybe 2 other guys but I definitely know 1 other guy. If I'm not mistaken, they were trying to hire people for those positions but they wanted you to live in SC.

[TMF]

In this economy they should have no problem finding bodies to make their business run more efficiently. When a company grows their manufacturing and customer base, so should their workforce grow. Not doing so leads to all the problems folks are bringing up, which is what torpedoes a business. As we've seen locally, if you aren't getting repeat customers your business will go under, even in a time where gun sales are through the roof.

[mikegideon]

I had the same problem with them. Fact is, there are too many great vendors out there. So, I just kicked them off my list.

[ShamGlock]

I think they don't really believe this level of demand is sustainable into next year. As such they will not add staff to sufficiently handle the demand for their products right now.

Having said that I have placed probably 10 orders with them this year and have had no problems. They all have arrived within their stated timeframe and have been of excellent quality at a great price point. By all accounts their service department leaves much to be desired though.

[Troutburger]

I've placed several orders, never had any issues with quality. Maybe on the slow side but prices keep me coming back.

They have a smoking deal right now on their patrol rifle. $999 includes aimpoint pro sight.

[mikegideon]

I think they don't really believe this level of demand is sustainable into next year. As such they will not add staff to sufficiently handle the demand for their products right now.

Having said that I have placed probably 10 orders with them this year and have had no problems. They all have arrived within their stated timeframe and have been of excellent quality at a great price point. By all accounts their service department leaves much to be desired though.

I think their cheaper pricing has a lot to do with it. Bravo, JoeBob, Brownell's, Midway, Primary Arms, etc. all live in the same world as Palmetto, and they have excellent CS. I place a high value on customer service. When a vendor fails that test, they don't get any more of my money. I know a lot of folks that deal with PSA. I guess I'm just too grumpy

[dlm37015]

i wish i could buy lowers here in dallas a dealer here has ti for 75.00

[Major Kong]

Update. Still piss poor. Finally got through to a live person on Friday. Took my number, said she'd call me right back. Nothing.

Story of my life. To hell with them. I hope their crappy customer service on this order was worth losing a four-year customer.