ComplaintsforMidwest Shooting Center

• Initial Complaint

  06/16/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  On 5-19-2024 I firearm (mossberg 500 12 ga shotgun) was sold to ***. I examined the gun by hand and made a verbal agreement with the general manager (****) to purchase gun for $500.00 when it was checked in. At the same time and by the same person, an ** style rifle, SW99 handgun and a Sig ***** p220 were also sold to Midwest Shoot Center (***). *** sold the ** rifle that day to an employee, and placed the shotgun in the back for compliance review by the compliance manager (*****************************). The following Thursday I inquired about the shotgun and was told it wasn't ready, the Thursday after that I was told other customers guns (a S&W pistol with a holosun sight) wasn't working and was being looked at. On 6-4-2024 I inquired about the shotgun and was informed that ******** was purchasing it. I complained to the Assistant Manager, who said he would look into it, and gave me the email for corporate ********************************** After talking with my father (who purchased the membership for my birthday gift) he said to cancel the membership. I then spoke to ****** (membership) about canceling. He said this happens all the time with management there and he had bee refused a gun before the customary 30 on floor requirement for customer purchase. ********************************* (sales associate) asked about it was then told that the barrel was bent by fractions (which I would dispute having held the firearm previously). I then informed her that that was yet another lie to which she said to call the ** of the store. Since then On 6-10-2024 I have been marked in the *** system as a "prohibited" individual for shooting there by the very ***************************** with a never expires date on said prohibition. I have contacted numerous store to get a hold of corporate numbers but haven't been able to find one. As of today (6-16-2024) I have e-mailed ************************* ****************************************** for resolution but have yet to hear from him.

• Initial Complaint

  11/12/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  Yes , I was pressed into signing up for a class that was for a year after I signed up for the class , about 2 months after I signed up for the class I had car issues which in the end after spending **** dollars on my vehicle, it wasnt going to pass inspection so I needed to buy a new car and then I lost my job and had to find a new job , which in the process I told the manager that I wasnt able to pay for this class and be able to afford it . I was told I signed a contract and they have **** people that show up all the time so they cant tell when I was never there, but you still have too sign up for the class to be able to take it , unless they are just letting people walk in and out of classes with no records

• Initial Complaint

  04/04/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  Approximately 9/7/2022 Total Amount 120.37 I put a deposit over the phone for a firearm that was used. I never signed a credit card slip or authorization. I decided to purchase a new firearm at another store. I called Midwest Shooting Center (Pittsburgh) and told them I did not want the item. They told me they would refund my deposit less a small 10 % processing fee. I agreed, they did not refund, I disputed with my credit card company and they could not get the deposit back. Told me of a new FTC rule that the dispute from me must occur with 60 days of the charge. It was a 90 day hold on the initial transaction/sale so I could not get the refund in that manner.

  Business response

  04/06/2023

  Customer called in requesting to cancel his layaway. As described, we explained the policy. As we do not retain payment information he was instructed to either provide card information for a refund over the phone or come in to the facility. Customer opted to come into the facility for the refund. He got busy with the holidays and did not come in, therefore his refund sat in his customer profile until this complaint in which we refunded him over the phone. Customer is satisfied with this refund. 

  Customer response

  04/06/2023

  ** ******* ****** ** ******** **** ***** ********* **** ********** ** *** ********** *********  ** *** ***** *** *** ****** ** ****** ******* ****
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me. 
  
  Regards,
  
  ******** *****

• Initial Complaint

  12/20/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I had a bad experience at Midwest months ago when I went there to pick up a firearm that I had already paid for. Turns out I had to wait an additional 3 days which I was unaware of so the employee responsible for transfers can “check it in”. I never experienced this before, despite dozens of transfers completed at other establishments. I usually come in when the firearm arrives and the transfer is initiated. Then the employee at midwest comes out to speak to me to tell me, I was mistaken, this is how it’s done everywhere and implied I was a novice and uneducated on the transfer process in general. He was extremely condescending toward myself and treated me like I was ignorant to the firearm transfer Process. I immediately told him I did not appreciate how he was speaking to me to which he continued to be rude and condescending. none of the managers at the time did anything to reprimand that employee. It was pretty much implied that I either accept it or leave. I even called a male manager on the phone the next day to discuss the matter to which I was promptly dismissed and told, “well this is a service we provide to our members and it is what it is”. frustrated by the experience I then posted a negative review of my experience at Midwest to yelp Months prior (which seems to have been deleted). Well turns out when I went to Midwest today to pick up another firearm I purchased and transferred, the female sales manager then informed myself she is cancelling my membership due to my negative yelp review months prior. I did not violate any of their member policies, nor did I do anything illegal. But apparently posting an online account of a negative experience about a business was grounds for Midwest shooting center to cancel my membership. I asked for a refund for the membership charges that Midwest had charged to my credit card but the female sales manager refused at form of refund. Midwest lacks accountability for their actions and they treat their members like garbage

  Business response

  12/27/2022

  Midwest Shooting Center
  Response to Complaint #********
  
  Midwest Shooting Center makes federal and state compliance our top priority. Free FFL transfers are a member benefit, and we call the customer as soon as it is checked in. We explain that depending on the transfer, there can be up to a 72 hour lead time between delivery of the package and when we call the customer. Specifically pertaining to this customer, he came into the store the day it was delivered (3/16/2022) and was irate that his firearm was not checked in. One of our associates explained that we are not able to cut open every box to find his transfer specifically (we receive a minimum of three trucks per day with not only FFL transfers, but store inventory as well), but would call him as soon as possible, he demanded to talk to a manager. At that point one of our managers came out and tried explaining the same process, but offered to go back, find it, and check it in, and that it would take time to do but he was welcome to wait in the member’s lounge. This customer was yelling on the sales floor the whole time and showed no understanding to our policies that are in place to ensure we are compliant with all legal standards. The firearm was check in and paperwork was processed 3/16/2022 (the same day), and he was only delayed due to his background check causing him to come back the following day. After this interaction he left a Yelp review that attacked one of our employees, quoted below:
  

  “They have Horrible service when it comes to FFL transfers. They make you wait an additional 3 days after they receive your firearm which is beyond ridiculous. They take longer to check in your firearm than it took to purchase and then ship the firearm to their store. The person responsible for doing that job (LIDDEL) just seems lazy and inefficient. He is also pretty rude when you talk to him. He just makes excuses why he is too busy to do his job. This process really needs to be streamlined. It doesn't take a genius to write down serial numbers all day, frankly a monkey could do it. They do not put the customer first and frankly have poor customer service.”
  

  After this review was posted, our management team reached out to him multiple times to address the situation and get the post removed due to the personal attack on one of our managers. He never responded. Since that time he has had an FFL transfer on 04/07/2022 (in which he was called it was ready the same day as delivery) and he continued to be rude with a different associate that waited on him, trying to push the process through quickly, and giving little regard for our high compliance standards. He has also been into the facility multiple times (either by himself or with a guest) to use the range, and he repeatedly shows up after range check-in closes and is rude to the associate explaining our hours of operation.
  

  Finally, on 12/19/2022, he called the facility at 2:30PM. It was a Monday (in which we are always closed), irritated that his firearm was delivered at 1PM, and no one called him and told him it was ready. I explained to him that our store is not open on Mondays, but that I would try my best to ensure it was checked in efficiently the following morning. He informed me that he was going out of town so he is coming in Tuesday morning with or without a phone call to pick up his firearm. At that point I made the decision to cancel his membership agreement with us to protect all of our employees from his negative attitude and derogatory remarks over the fact that he cannot, and will not, respect our clearly stated policies.
  

  On 12/20/2022, we called him that his firearm was ready for pickup. At the end of his paperwork, I informed him that I cancelled his membership and that he would not receive another payment taken out of his account. His FFL transfer was still free today, and he was able to use the facility until 12/22/2022 because that is when his membership was paid through. He demanded a refund for the past two months due to not using his membership, in which I told him that I would not give a refund due to the fact that we upheld our end of the agreement and he used the range in that time period. The decision to terminate his agreement is a right that we hold for any reason, at any time, and I explained to him that he was being terminated not for the Yelp review, but for the fact that he is continually argumentative and rude to every person who works here.

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