Bud's is open in Sevierville

[musicman]

There is a distinction between corporate stores and franchise stores. Bud's in TN is a franchise store, from what I understand. In some situations (think Subway) the franchises may participate in the sales promotions of the franschise licensor. In other cases, they don't.

I have found no mention of the TN store on the regular budsgunshop.com site. They are not advertising for the new TN store. I'm sorry for your wasted time and frustration. Funny enough, it never even crossed my mind to expect the same prices as the Bud's site we all know and love/loath.

[luvmyberetta]

There is a distinction between corporate stores and franchise stores. Bud's in TN is a franchise store, from what I understand. In some situations (think Subway) the franchises may participate in the sales promotions of the franschise licensor. In other cases, they don't.

I have found no mention of the TN store on the regular budsgunshop.com site. They are not advertising for the new TN store. I'm sorry for your wasted time and frustration. Funny enough, it never even crossed my mind to expect the same prices as the Bud's site we all know and love/loath.

 

+1. Franchise vs parent company vs online store can get confusing at times. Even their Lexington retail store isn't called "Bud's". It's called "The Gun Warehouse". Bud's was originally only for online sales. I'm still looking forward to visiting Bud's at their Sevierville location soon.

[SamZzz]

[quote name="luvmyberetta" post="1178022" timestamp="1407703821"]I learned a long time ago to make a call & ask questions before driving 2-3 hours round trip for something.[/quote] Well that's all fine and dandy, but considering every other place I've ever been (I never shop walmart on line and rarely in store) has always matched their online prices I don't really agree that one should have to call every store they plan on visiting before hand to make sure the price they advertise is what they'll charge. I recently had picked out an item I wanted from Amazon but didn't want to wait on shipping. Walked into Best Buy, found it, showed them the Amazon page on my phone and walked out paying Amazon's price. And further more, people were asking for prices on their Facebook page and all they ever got was "come see us" and "we don't have a price list" available at this time. It's like Dave says... They're just using the Buds name to get people in the store so they can charge what they want. Poor business model if you ask me. But of course there people who are fine with it, just like every other crappy thing out there... Otherwise how can we explain why the same worthless law makers keep getting re-elected. 😒 As for us, we will not be back. It's the principle of the thing now... Just like Wally World. They think they're bigger and better and the rules don't apply.. Well they can be bigger without my money. This wasn't a gun. This was a box of ammo. $30 on a firearm purchase is one thing but $30 on ammo.. I should have been able to buy almost three boxes for what they wanted to charge me for two because they refused to honor the prices that they sent to me in an email. When you get an email saying "Buds is open in Tennessee" and the same email address comes back the next day with prices on ammo.. With ABSOLUTELY NO mention of varying prices per location or "online price only" they should be expected to honor that price everywhere.

[SamZzz]

[quote name="musicman" post="1178038" timestamp="1407706183"]There is a distinction between corporate stores and franchise stores. Bud's in TN is a franchise store, from what I understand. In some situations (think Subway) the franchises may participate in the sales promotions of the franschise licensor. In other cases, they don't. I have found no mention of the TN store on the regular budsgunshop.com site. They are not advertising for the new TN store. I'm sorry for your wasted time and frustration. Funny enough, it never even crossed my mind to expect the same prices as the Bud's site we all know and love/loath.[/quote] Looks like advertising to me. Note the email address.. Just sayin...

[luvmyberetta]

Bud's TN website.... http://www.budsgunshoptn.com/retail-store/

 

Looks like a nice store. Range time looks a little pricey, but I'm definetely interested in some of their additional training courses they'll be offering. You can never have too much training.

[Wingshooter]

Bud's TN website.... http://www.budsgunshoptn.com/retail-store/

 

Looks like a nice store. Range time looks a little pricey, but I'm definetely interested in some of their additional training courses they'll be offering. You can never have too much training.

 

They advertise a training simulator, too. Not as much fun as the real deal I'm sure, but probably fun and worth while training.

Edited August 10, 2014 by Batman

[musicman]

Looks like advertising to me. Note the email address.. Just sayin...

Fair enough! I searched all over the site a couple weeks ago and couldn't find anything mentioning the new location. I agree with the idea that they should try to delineate and make clear the distinction between the online store and the physical location, to try and avoid confusing situations like you experienced.

[NextExit]

Range prices are on the high side. :2cents:  Maybe the prices will come down.  Until then, my range time will be at Smoky Mtn Firearms or Sevier Indoor. 

[runco]

Target and Best Buy with price match their web sites, even with on-line competitors like Amazon.

Sears, Lowes and Home Depot will price match their web sites.

Walmart, J.C Penny’s and Kohl’s are three that won’t. They will fall in line with the others.

Dave, I have first hand experience within the past 1 year Walmart local will not price match Walmart.com.  And with the site to store policy, they did not use their inhouse inventory to fulfill my order. 

[TripleDigitRide]

. 

Edited August 11, 2014 by TripleDigitRide

[Oh Shoot]

Dave, I have first hand experience within the past 1 year Walmart local will not price match Walmart.com. ...

 

That's what Dave said.

 

- OS

[runco]

That's what Dave said.

 

- OS

Yep he said that....I am supporting with my own experience.

[tnguy]

I agree that it sucks, but this is true of most companies. Even Walmart, for example, doesn't price match or honor their own online prices. They don't even price match with other Walmart stores.

The funny thing is, you can buy it online, do "in store pickup" and some poor schlub will walk through the store and pick up the exact item and take it back to the layaway for you. Saved $30 on a GPS that way.

[tnguy]

Dave, I have first hand experience within the past 1 year Walmart local will not price match Walmart.com.  And with the site to store policy, they did not use their inhouse inventory to fulfill my order.

They may just not have had it in stock. I know for several items, they have been available within hours for me.

[wileecoyote]

If BUDS had opened the TN store as part of the same legal entity as their KY online business then they would both have to charge TN sales tax to all TN residents. I am glad they didn't do this, as I like purchasing from their website solely due to the low net prices, and the tax would have killed many or all of their deals for me.

 

But since the TN store was opened by a new and separate legal entity (their third in the legal shell game), I wouldn't expect the TN store to have much in common with either of their KY businesses. Even if the tax, liability, insurance, investment, banking, and other similar matters were all non-issues, it still wouldn't make sense that a chain famous for high volume with low online prices could open up a brick and mortar store with many additional costs resulting in substantial overhead yet keep all their items and prices the same. So knowing that they are a separate entity, I'm not really expecting them to be anything special, at least not much better or worse than the average local gun store, and certainly not worth a long drive. Maybe they will offer an occasional great deal once in a while, maybe the range will be nice for those who live close by, but they can't possibly offer the same low prices as the online business with all that extra overhead, at least not if they expect to make a profit and stay in business. Like any other local gun store, I would stop there occasionally just to browse if I lived in the area or passed it for other business, but I wouldn't make a special trip and I would rarely buy anything there because most of it is available cheaper online.

 

But by using the same or very similar business names, advertising via the same methods, communicating via the same emails and phone reps, sharing inventory supplies and other resources, etc. BUDS is not only going to confuse and irritate their customers, they are also going to run dangerously close to creating significant legal trouble on sales tax, wage tax, warranty and service issues, refunds, and other practical or legal concerns for the legal entity owners, employees, and customers alike. As I don't plan to ever visit the TN store, I just hope that whatever happens to them doesn't negatively impact the online business model which so many TN residents have enjoyed and patronized for so long, which is no doubt why they were able to consider and implement the expansion in the first place.

Edited August 11, 2014 by wileecoyote

[luvmyberetta]

Here are some of the upcoming events at Bud's in Sevierville.....

 

Sept. 20th : "Hickok45" will be there 12pm-3pm

Sept. 30th-Oct 1st: ATK Days

Oct. 3rd-4th: Benchmade Laser Engraving

Oct. 16th-18th: Beretta Days

Edited August 14, 2014 by luvmyberetta

[Oh Shoot]

Here are some of the upcoming events at Bud's in Sevierville.....

 

Sept. 20th : "Hickok45" will be there 12pm-3pm

Sept. 30th-Oct 1st: ATK Days

Oct. 3rd-4th: Benchmade Laser Engraving

Oct. 16th-18th: Beretta Days

 

What's ATK?

[DaveTN]

What's ATK?

http://www.atk.com/
Owns most of the ammo companies and runs Lake City.

Besides our handgun and rifle ammo, they make things like propulsion systems for hell fire missiles. Edited August 15, 2014 by DaveTN

[Tncobra]

, they make things like propulsion systems for hell fire missiles. 

WANT!   .....but I dont know why?!

[Erik88]

I thought I would share my experience at Bud's today. My friend is getting married tomorrow so myself and our other friend threw him a bunch of cash to go purchase his first firearm. 

 

We thought Buds would offer the best selection and I knew their prices would be competitive. 

 

The store is amazing. The selection is fantastic and the prices were right where I expected them to be. My friend ended up buying a XD 9 Bi-tone for $469(maybe $479). Springfield is still giving away 3 free magazines so it was a hell of a deal. They also provided a free 30 minute range pass which we used. 

 

The employees were very friendly and helpful. I warned my friend that gunshop employees can sometimes be full of crap but we didn't have that issue today. One clerk did try to push the Taurus but we quickly dismissed it and moved on.

 

The range is the nicest indoor range I have ever seen but it is overpriced. I wouldn't go back there to shoot. Their ammo prices were high but not stupid high(Bass Pro, Gander etc).

 

They had a crate full of Mosins for $119 I think. They had a really nice selection of 1911's and knives.

 

Overall it is a damn fine store and I'll definitely go back. 

[Erik88]

Forgot to mention they had Police Trade In S&W M&P's in .40 for only $299. Most looked to be in good condition and came 1 mag. 

 

Next weekend is the grand opening which I'm tempted to go to. 

[mikegideon]

Forgot to mention they had Police Trade In S&W M&P's in .40 for only $299. Most looked to be in good condition and came 1 mag. 

 

Next weekend is the grand opening which I'm tempted to go to. 

 

I would jump on that.

[DaveTN]

M&P 40, a Mosin and a couple of boxes of ammo vs. an XD? Were you guys still hung over from the bachelor party?

[jh225]

Has anyone compared prices between retail & website?

 

Have they priced the retail store guns lower to allow for the taxes you have to pay?

[DaveTN]

Has anyone compared prices between retail & website?
 
Have they priced the retail store guns lower to allow for the taxes you have to pay?

No, they claim they are a different business than the website and do not honor those prices.
You are supposed to be paying those taxes anyway.