Complaints

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:06/05/2024

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I purchased a used 870 shotgun on 5/28 that said it was a police trade in. There was not much information on the posting and the image of the shotgun was blurry. I did a little research and read how great police trades were. When they are manufactured, they go through more tests and are made with tougher parts. It was basically the same cost of a new 870 but I loved the idea of it being made for the police department and having gone through testing / extra requirements. However, once I received my gun I reached out to ********* and found that this gun was not manufactured for the police. Buds advised that it was a civilian model that was purchased by a police department. They mislead me by selling a used shotgun at the price of a new one. They apologized and offered to send me a refund, but I would be out $25 for shipping, $25 for the transfer fee, and another $25 for a transfer fee for another shotgun. Obviously, their solution does not make me feel whole and I feel like it is bad business practices. They leveraged the fact it was used for the police and not made for the police because they can get more for it. At the end of the day, I paid more(including insurance) for a used civilian shotgun than I could have purchased a brand new one from their website. Buds solution - we will give you a refund, but we are charging you(the customer) $75 for the inconvenience. I just wanted to escalate this situation so hopefully does not happen to someone else.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 06/10/2024

  We are very sorry to hear that the customer was unhappy with their firearm purchase.  We did advertise this firearm as a used firearm as it was a police trade in firearm.  It was not advertised as a special model number and did have a matching model number of the standard civilian model number with a U in front designating it as a used firearm, as well as the condition specifying used.  This firearm is actually listed at a lower price than the new model as the new model of the firearm is $20 higher and does not have the magazine tube extension that is available on these police trade in firearms.  We did offer the customer the option to return the firearm after it was transferred as per our return policy for used firearms we are willing to take a return for up to 10 days from the date of transfer.  However, we did request the customer pay the $25 shipping cost out of the refund as that is the cost of the label that we would provide to the customer for the return.  We have offered to waive the 10% restocking fee as a courtesy.  These fees are only in place to cover our costs for processing, shipping and returning the firearm.  As for the transfer fees the customer mentioned those are not paid to us at all, so we are not charging the customer anything more than the $25 return shipping costs for the return of the firearm.  This also means that we cannot reimburse for transfer fees since they are not paid to us.  We are still happy to process the return as long as it is within the 10 day window from the transfer date if the customer is not happy with their purchase.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 06/10/2024

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  My complaint is not about buying a used fire arm. It is simply that you advertised it as a police trade in and you were intentionally vague in the posting. As you mentioned, it did not have the tube extension like manufactured police shotguns but it was advertised as a plus two extension tube. You know that shotguns that are manufactured for the police are made different and you were deceptive about this being one of them. Also with it being used I did pay $25 for the insurance so it was the same price as brand new civilian model that would have been under the manufacture warranty. Not worth trouble and paying more money to send it back. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  **** ********

  

  Business Response

  Date: 06/11/2024

  We are very sorry again for any misunderstanding.  Most police firearms are not made with any different parts than other models.  We sell many firearms through our Qualified Professionals program and there are no differences between the models, they are just marked down for individuals that qualify.  This firearm was again advertised with the same model number as the civilian model as it is the same in almost every way, except that it has a higher capacity, with the police trade in having an 8 round capacity compared to the 6 round capacity of the standard version.  As for our supplemental lifetime warranty, that is an optional purchase that is available for all items, so it could be added to the new model as well and would go into effect once the original manufacture's warranty has expired or is no longer available.  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 06/12/2024

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  Attached are the differences in civilian vs police models per the manufacturer. I would not be making a fuss about it if there was no difference but there is. Thank you for the apology but I don’t think it is fair I cannot get a 100% of my money back because it was not advertised correctly(including shipping and transfer fee). Please make sure clarify in the advertisement next time.

  
  Sincerely,
  
  **** ********

  Customer Answer

  Date: 06/12/2024

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because: Attached are the differences in civilian vs police models per the manufacturer. I would not be making a fuss about it if there was no difference but there is. Thank you for the apology but I don’t think it is fair I cannot get a 100% of my money back because it was not advertised correctly(including shipping and transfer fee). Please make sure clarify in the advertisement next time.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  **** ********

  

  Business Response

  Date: 06/12/2024

  We apologize if there was any confusion.  We did not state that there are not LE models of firearms, but that many firearms that are manufactured for LE are the same as the civilian variations.  Our listing did not mention that it had any of the features that the customer mentioned in the attached documentation from *********, and as stated previously, it was listed under the model number for the civilian version of the firearm.  We are very sorry that the customer is not happy with the firearm, but with the customer opting to take possession of the firearm and paying the transfer fee to the FFL we are unable to cover those fees as we do not receive that money to reimburse it to the customer.  We always ask customers to inspect firearms at the FFL thoroughly to ensure there are no issues, and if they are unhappy to leave the firearm with the FFL and not take transfer of the firearm.  Since the information for this listing was correct as to what the customer received and we also advised the customer that we would be happy to take a return of the firearm since it was a used firearm and would have been eligible for return for up to 10 days from the date of the transfer.  Normally, under those circumstances a return for a non-defective firearm would involve paying return shipping costs and a 10% restocking fee.  In this case, as a courtesy we did reduce that to only paying the return shipping cost which is the $25 that we pay to provide the return label for the firearm.  The customer would not actually be required to pay that as we would have deducted it from the refunded total.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 06/17/2024

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  Again, you advertised this as an LE weapon and per the manufacture it is not.  Also, the manufacturer advised there are differences between the civilian and LE shotguns.  You did provide the model number but failed to provide much information at all or even the serial number so it could actually be verified what you were selling. I was not able to verify until after it was transferred. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  **** ********

• Initial Complaint

  Date:05/06/2024

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I purchased a handgun at the website ******************** The gun I received was not the gun depicted on the web site. The item number of the gun is#163193. Item number #1***** is still up on the site after I emailed my problem to buds. My order #******* was placed on 4/17/2024 and my FFL dealer received it on 4/19/2024. Since then I have sent them my concerns,documentation and all the photos that were requested. I cannot contact buds via phone that is not their policy. I sent an email two weeks ago with no response. I have already completed the FFL transfer putting the firearm in my name. I did a review of the gun on buds web site letting others know what I experienced last week, it did not post. I'm left to think buds feels I might just go away. Should I give this more time? I feel it's been long enough considering we're dealing with a firearm.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 05/06/2024

  We are very sorry to hear that the customer was unhappy with their order.  Our listing was for a Gen 1 model of the firearm, however, the stock photo we had for this item did show a Gen 2 model.  We understand the confusion and we reached out to the customer to explain the issue and we offered the option to return the firearm for a full refund for the inconvenience.  The customer informed us that since the price that was listed was for the Gen 1 model he would prefer to keep the firearm rather than return it for a full refund.  We also did provide our contact information which is listed on our website to allow customers to reach out to us in reference to their order if they are having issues.  We do also reply to emails quickly, however, in this case the representative that provided their email was out on vacation so we were unable to confirm the photos were received.  We apologize as well for that inconvenience.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 05/06/2024

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:I was not able to contact budsgunshop. If I was able to do that this would have already been resolved. The firstemail I sent them I requested a call back at my phone number listed on the email. Buds guns only contacted me promptly after the complaint was summited. After speaking with buds today I was left to feel I didn't do the right thing. SHAME ON THEM,THEY JUST LOST A CUSTOMER!!!!!!
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *** *****

• Initial Complaint

  Date:04/15/2024

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  They are crooks. My son put a gun on layaway, he is a minor... Asked me if he could pay me 450 to use my card to order my Christmas present. I said yes. He lost his job and was too embarrassed to tell me he couldn't complete the transaction. When doing my taxes I saw the charge and called my son. he was embarrassed and explained the situation. I contacted Buds Gunshop and asked if there was anything they could do. Could I complete the transaction or be given a store credit toward a purchase should the item no longer be available. They were completely unwilling to do anything, not even a single dollar off on a purchase. Horrible People, horrible policy. Oh, but they keep spamming me. Wake up Buds! Zero Customer relationship!

  

  Business Response

  Date: 04/15/2024

  We are very sorry to hear the customer was not happy with our service.  This order was placed on 8/15 under our 90 day layaway program.  The terms of this program is that it requires a 20% deposit to secure the item for 90 days from the date of purchase and that if the order is not paid by the 90th day it will be automatically cancelled without refund.  This order reached the 90th day on 11/17 and an email was sent out that the order was pending cancellation.  This email did state, "This order will be cancelled if payment is not received within 3 business days and all previous payment(s) made to this point will be forfeited."  If we received a cancellation request we would have been able to process that request and we could have issued a partial refund minus the deposit which would be 20% the cost of the item being purchased.  However, as we we did not receive payment or a cancellation request this order was cancelled as of 11/22.  Unfortunately, with the order being cancelled so long ago we were unable to reinstate the order, or provide a credit as the fees would cover our costs for holding the item and the order for the customer for the full 3 months of the layaway.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:04/11/2024

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  On April 2nd I ordered (2) of product *****. Bud's gun Shop created a ***** shipping label (TRACKING # ************) on 4-2 @ 10:16 AM from Paris KY, but the order never shipped. I've made 5 phone calls and initiated three online chat sessions with their reps, and they can only say they'll reach out to their shipping department and get back to me with a verified status. That has never occurred.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 04/11/2024

  We are very sorry for the inconvenience.  We did receive a chat from the customer yesterday informing us of the issue.  Our first step was to contact the warehouse to ensure the status of the shipment and we informed the customer we would follow up once we have further information.  We did receive conformation that the order was processed and shipped as normal on 4/2.  This conformation was just received back as of today 4/11.  With that conformation an investigation has been initiated to begin the shipping claim process.  This is the normal process for any order that has been lost in transit and we will make sure that once we have a resolution to the investigation and claim we will be able to assist.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 04/12/2024

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  

  I called this business five times, and chatted with three separate people.  They all said they had to follow up with their shipping department and would update me with status.  This NEVER happened.  As of this writing ***** still shows only a shipping label created, but the package was never picked up.

   

  I feel I'm continuing to get the run around from this business and they have no intention of actually sending me the order.

  
  Sincerely,
  
  ****** ****

  

  Business Response

  Date: 04/18/2024

  We understand the frustration and we are very sorry that the items have not been received.  We were notified of the issue on 4/10 and first checked with the warehouse.  The customer then contacted us back on 4/11 before we had a response and we advised the customer we were still awaiting information from the warehouse.  We did get a response later that day that everything was confirmed shipped and a shipping investigation was started.  We then provided this update in response to the original complaint as it came in shortly after we received the response.  The customer then contacted us again on 4/17 for an update and our representative checked in with our claims department and they confirmed that we did get conformation of the order being in transit and that the claim was not able to be completed for this order at this time.  We then advised the customer to please give the order some more time to see if the items are delivered based on the response we received to the investigation.  We also provided the customer with the date that we would be able to re-issue the claim if the delivery is not completed.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 04/22/2024

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

   

  ***** shows it never received the item, and they requested either a Case number or a driver name so they could follow up.  In my subsequent chat with Buds online they could not provide the information ***** requested.

   

  To recap the issue:  Bud's says they shipped the two items.  ***** shows no movement on either the shipment or any followup, other than a packing slip created.  Buds cannot provide a ***** case number or a ***** driver name.  In fact, Buds can provide NO information that they actually followed up with ***** on this order, and ***** remains adamant that Bud's has not reached out to them.

   

  Somebody's lying....
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ****** ****

  Customer Answer

  Date: 04/23/2024

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because: 

  ***** shows it never received the item, and they requested either a Case number or a driver name so they could follow up.  In my subsequent chat with Buds online they could not provide the information ***** requested.

   

  To recap the issue:  Bud's says they shipped the two items.  ***** shows no movement on either the shipment or any followup, other than a packing slip created.  Buds cannot provide a ***** case number or a ***** driver name.  In fact, Buds can provide NO information that they actually followed up with ***** on this order, and ***** remains adamant that Bud's has not reached out to them.

   

  Somebody's lying....

  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ****** ****

  

  Business Response

  Date: 04/24/2024

  We understand the frustration and apologize again for the inconvenience.  Our shipping department was in contact with ***** once we were notified of the issue and they were following the investigation.  We did get conformation that the items were shipped out and in transit by the carrier and we did give some time for the package to update and be delivered since the initial investigation was closed.  Unfortunately, it does appear that even though the package was confirmed to have been received it was not able to be updated with future scans so it did appear to still be lost in transit.  We were able to re-open the investigation into the issue and the claim has been confirmed.  We have since issued a full refund to the customer under the shipping insurance that was purchased.   The refund will go back to the original payment method that was used to place the order.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:04/04/2024

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I have been the victim of what I believe to be a marketing/advertising error by Bud's Gun Shop. 1. received one case and two boxes of shells. 2. I was charged for THREE CASES, not ONE CASE and TWO BOXES of shells from this specific distributor. 3. If you are saying I was supposed to pay CASE PRICE for single boxes (2) of shells, then Buds would be correct in denying my claim. I sent in a photo of the website page which shows the FULL CASE PRICE, but reflects a confusing verbiage. That specific item has yet to be corrected (please see for yourself!!!). 4. Apparently, given your lack of willingness to provide a direct customer service phone number or individual to speak with directly, I am being penalized $163.80. 5. AGAIN, I was charged $181.98 (90.99 for 2 boxes of shells). I am requesting a refund in the amount of $163.80 ($181.98 - $18.18 for the 2 boxes of shells actually received, NOT 2 CASES...please look at the web page where it identifies 10 boxes per case). The above was sent to Bud's via email on the 4th explanation of what occurred. Bud's does not have any direct phone number to discuss any mis-shipment. I truly believe this is an unintentional error by their warehouse. I don't know of ANYONE who would pay $90.00 for a single box of 25 shotgun shells unless the shot was gold. I have spent a frustrating amount of time trying to get a resolution. This included pictures of both boxes containing the product shipped *********. I returned to the website and and took pictures for Bud's reference. The web page did not specify a full case as all other items do. Bud's has corrected this and I showed them the new web page and thanked them for correcting this error. Bottom line: I'm a simple guy and willing to accept the shipment of balance owed 18 boxes of 25 rounds, a refund for the difference, or I can even return the 2 boxes (at my cost) for a refund. I cannot speak with anyone directly, and frankly, exhausted with the lack of support from Bud's.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 04/04/2024

  We are very sorry for the issues that arose with this order.  Upon reviewing the order we did receive notice of 2 missing cases of ammunition on this order which our representatives requested photos so that we could notify our shipping claims department.  Unfortunately, there was a misunderstanding by the representative as they submitted the claim for one of the other items that matched the description on the listing which caused the claim to be denied.  We apologize for this misunderstanding.  We have confirmed that the item in question that the customer was referring to a case, and that listing has not been updated as that is the correct listing for the UPC information listed.  However, there was a feed error from one of our warehouses at the time which linked their boxes inventory to this listing which is what caused the 2 boxes to be shipped in place of the two cases.  That feed error has been corrected, and we have issued a full refund to the customer for the items that were incorrectly shipped.  We apologize again for the inconvenience and misunderstanding.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 04/07/2024

  
  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. 

  I was relieved that someone at Buds actually understood exactly what had happened. I'm confident that Bud's will apply the stated refund shortly. Up until this situation, Bud's has been an acceptable company to work with.  If this refund is not seen this coming week, I will advise Bud's first, the BBB next.

  Thanks BBB for your involvement and professionalism. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ****** *****

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• Initial Complaint

  Date:04/02/2024

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  order placed 3-19 -24, received email 3-19-24 saying order number ******* was successfully received. On 3-26 i contact them by email to get tracking number -later that day i got email back saying they were not comfortable processing my order.On 3-27 i sent email back saying i don't understand what you mean by not being comfortable,and asked if item was out of stock?and didn't you already charge my credit card? i was told they were not comfortable processing my order,again no explanation,but was told they refunded my card.I told them i did not get a refund and asked for last 4 numbers of card that they refunded and was told it was card on my order,and if i needed any further assistance ,please do not hesitate to contact them.I waited a couple days and sent them email saying i didn't get refund and asked for help--no response--waited a few more days and asked for my refund--no response,witch led me to this complaint

  

  Business Response

  Date: 04/02/2024

  We are very sorry for any inconvenience.  This order was received on 3/19 and was cancelled the same day.  When we process a refund the payment can only be issued back to the original payment that was used to place the order, we cannot issue a refund back to another payment method.  In this case, since the order was cancelled so quickly the payment was voided.  This means the customer likely does not actually see a refund, but that the original charge is no longer on the order as it does not have to go through the normal refund process.  If the customer has any questions about this we would recommend that they reach out to their bank or card company for confirmation that the charge was voided out.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 04/02/2024

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because i see no activity on card and perhaps you put it on someone elses card? if you could tell me last 4 or even last 2 numbers of card your referring to,that would maybe solve this.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  **** *******

  

  Business Response

  Date: 04/10/2024

  We apologize for any confusion.  As we noted previously, this payment was voided out the same day the payment was made.  This means that there would not be a refund showing since the payment itself was voided out.  There would be no record of the original charge or a refund.  This was all processed with the card that was used to make the purchase.  We cannot issue any refund or void a payment out on any payment method other than the one that was used to submit the order.  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 04/10/2024

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:i was told my money was refunded,then im told it was not refunded but the order was cancelled so quickly that it was voided. Then i'm told i would not actually see a refund but the original charge would no longer be on order [which means it was on there at one point]. i'm told to reach out to my cc company,which i did,and was told maybe buds put it on a different card. i know you can only cancel or refund the card that was used for the order,so if you would give me the last 4 numbers of card your referring to, we can get this figured out. Thank you.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  **** *******

• Initial Complaint

  Date:04/01/2024

  Type:Customer Service Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  On 3/18/24 I purchased one ****** **** *** ***** ********* ***** ********* bolt action rifle, new condition, from ***************. With shipping and tax I paid a total of $1797.75, and got a cash discount by paying with a personal check. I had been on a list to be notified if this item came back into stock (it was out of stock on their website for a while). They notified me it was in stock and I purchased it that day. The rifle arrived at my FFL, ********** ****, on 3/28/24 and I went there for the transfer and to pick it up. Upon inspecting it I discovered it was a used, not new gun. It was shipped by ***** ***** *** rather than Buds. I refused the transfer and emailed *************** and have had no response. I have no phone number and can't find one for *************** so I found one for ***** ***** *** and called them. After being transferred to ******* she informed me she sent me a new gun and had personally boxed it herself. She refuses to offer a replacement new gun or to offer any remedy. My order number is ******* dated 3/18/24 for $1797.75. ******* did state this rifle had been a display model they had since August, which surprised me, but reiterated it was new and had only been factory test fired. I and my FFL strongly disagree and I have the photos of conditions to prove it is used. I want a new gun in this same brand and model but not the one *************** caused ***** ***** *** to be sent to me. The first lady who answered the phone at ***** ***** *** stated they have great difficulty communicating with Buds and they don't have a phone number for Buds to give me. Update: I did find a phone number for *************** which is ************* I called it 4/30/24 9:55 am and recording states phone reps for online orders unavailable at this time. I went through the options and wanted to speak with the shop but their recording states the Buds Gun Shop kentucky retail staff is unable to assist with online orders. No communications.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 04/01/2024

  We are very sorry to hear about the issue the customer had with their firearm.  We did reach out to the customer to provide assistance with the return of this firearm.  The item shipped from one of our retail locations and it was confirmed that the firearm was factory new.  It is very normal for a firearm to show signs of use as all firearms are test fired by the manufacturer before they are sent to us.  However, as the photos showed it appeared there was some damage to the muzzle break of the firearm, and we are happy to assist with a return due since it was damaged.  We have started the return process to have the firearm sent back so that we can issue a full refund to the customer.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 04/15/2024

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because: 

  Following up on my complaint ******** to BBB and your email response dated 4/11/24, *************** changed the order status to "cancelled" on 4/11/24.  Today I recieved a blind no reply email from *************** stating they have issued a refund check for $1772.75.  Note that my original purchase total was $1797.75, so they deducted $25 without explanation.  There is no phone number or email to contact them; just $25 has been removed.  Copies of original invoice and latest email from them attached.  I ask that you request them to send an additional $25.  I have photographic evidence proving the rifle was used not new; this should not cost me $25 to return.   

  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *** *******

  

  Business Response

  Date: 04/15/2024

  We apologize for any confusion.  This order was paid with two separate payment methods, since there is a $25 deposit that is made when submitting an order via a mail in payment option.  The email that was sent was sent out by the financing team for the check that was mailed out to the customer while the original $25 payment made with a credit card was returned back to the payment method that was used to place the payment.  The customer has been refunded in full for this order due to the damage that was found on the firearm, as the firearm that was sent was a factory new firearm.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 04/30/2024

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because: 

  Since our last communication, Buds clarified that they refunded $25 to my credit card that was initially charged as a deposite while they awaited my check.  *************** sent me an email at 8:05AM on 4/15/24  stating, "Your check ******* for $1772.75 has been sent..."   Today is 4/26/24, 11 days later, and I have not recieved the check.  I see BBB has closed the complaint and is satisfied Buds took proper and appropriate action.  I am not at all satisfied and feel Buds is continuing their scam. 

  

  Business Response

  Date: 05/01/2024

  We have attempted to reach out to the customer since they have reported they have not received the check at this point in time.  The check was made on 4/15 and would have been picked up by **** on 4/16 to be sent to the customer.  It is possible that the check is currently in transit, or that it could have been lost in the mail.  We attempted to call the customer and left a message they can use to contact us back so that we can discuss what options we have for this refund that was issued out.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 05/06/2024

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because: I do not have a refund check in hand, their response is causing further delays in which I've agreed to wait until 5/4/24 to see if a check shows up, and if not, then I have to contact them at which point they state they will put a stop payment on that check, then after that send a new check out 4 or 5 days later, so this is going to take at least several more weeks to resolve.  I asked them to stop payment immediately and to send a new check by traceable carrier such as Fed Ex overnight immediately but they refused.  They state they are doing everything they can to resolve this.  I disagree, they are not.  So I continue to be stuck without a refund check.  I will not agree to close out this complaint until I have a refund and the funds clear when I deposit it.  This entire transaction has been pulling teeth and it continues to drag on and on due to their actions, or inactions.  I appreciate that they want to resolve my complaint but they have not adressed and remedied the root cause of it, and quite frankly, based on my history with them in this transaction, I do not trust their words.  "The check is in the mail."   It was allegedly mailed 4/16 and today is 5/1.   
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *** *******

  

  Business Response

  Date: 05/06/2024

  We understand the frustration in not receiving the original check and we have worked with the customer in order to resolve it.  We did advise the customer that the original check was sent out on 4/16 and that it was very possible that it was just stuck in transit if they would like to wait to see if it arrives.  We did offer to start the check cancellation process that day if the customer would like, but did advise that process does take a few days for us to confirm the check is cancelled before we can issue out a replacement.  The customer opted to wait until Friday 5/3 and if the check is not received they would contact us to issue a replacement.  We did get notification from the customer that it was not received at that time and our financing department did issue the cancellation request that Friday.  As of today, 5/6, the new check has been created and it should be picked up by **** as of tomorrow to be sent to the address we have on file for the customer.  We again understand the frustration and we do want to make sure that the customer is able to receive their refund as quickly as possible, but as the order was paid via a mail in payment we are only able to issue the refund back via a return check.  If there are any issues the customer is able to reach out to us again to notify us and we will be happy to assist.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 05/07/2024

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  I do not yet have a refund check in hand and am not willing to close out this complaint until I do recieve and deposit a check.  Further, business refused to send by a trackable method, saying they can't do that, which is easily accomplished, for example **** priority mail envelope or fed ex, so I just have to take their word for "check is in the mail."   I'll wait for this new check to arrive.  If I accept this business response as resolving my complaint I may end up right back where I started from - no refund in hand.  A lack willingness to send a check with tracking is puzzling at this point.  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *** *******

• Initial Complaint

  Date:03/28/2024

  Type:Delivery Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I purchased a new firearm from this online vendor. It was defective. When I tried to return it, they would not honor their stated returns policy written on their website. Their policy states: Used Guns: Customers have 10 calendar days from the date of transfer to request a return, unless the Buds Lifetime Warranty is purchased. *************** will accept a return on your used item for a full refund during this time frame if the item is malfunctioning. Shipping arrangements for the used item will be made solely at *************** discretion. If items are found defective upon receipt, *************** will provide YOUR CHOICE of a replacement item (pending availability) or full refund AND pay the return shipping cost. For your added convenience, *************** will also arrange for the defective items to be picked up and returned to us by the original shipper (for firearms only). Clearly the firearm was used. How else would I know it to be defective. I tried to return it three days after receiving it. Don't buy from this online vendor. Use a local gun show that will honor their own policies.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 03/28/2024

  We are very sorry to hear the customer was not happy with their firearm.  However, as the customer noted in their initial message, they purchased a new firearm, not a used firearm.  So our used gun return policy would not apply.  Our return policy for factory new firearms states that we can only take returns of a firearm before it is transferred, if any issues are found after the transfer has been completed for a factory new firearm those would be covered under the warranty offered by the manufacturer.  The manufacturer would be able to assist the customer with the issue under the terms of their warranty.  We have offered to provide the customer the information so that they can start this process.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 03/28/2024

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  

  The firearm was new when I bought it. Now its used. How else would I know that it was defective other than using it. Your policy is very clearly written and you should follow your own policy.

  I will never shop at Buds Discount Scam shop again.

  ****

• Initial Complaint

  Date:03/11/2024

  Type:Delivery Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  failed to ship , even tho i was told from day 1 that it was not an inventory problem, just busy--2 weeks after payment cleared was more of the same--"election year, and we're swamped and can't find any help" and after 3rd week went by still the same, and was never told why it didn't ship, so i tried to get a refund but only managed a partial one-and if you give them a 1-star review on their site they won't post it, so it makes me wonder how many multitudes of 1-star reviews there are that public will never see??

  

  Business Response

  Date: 03/12/2024

  We are very sorry to hear the customer was unhappy with their order.  This order was placed on 2/16 and there was not an issue with the inventory for the order.  The order was submitted via electronic check which does take 5 business days to fully process and clear on the order.  It is normal for customers to see the funds be deducted within 24-48 hours but the payment does take the full 5 business days before it is deposited into our account.  In this case the funds were cleared on 2/26 and the order was moved into our shipping department.  Unfortunately, the FFL's license that was selected expired in March, and this led to the order being unable to process due to the item not being able to be delivered before the FFL expired.  We notified the customer of this and it was updated on 3/1.  This did mean that the item had to begin processing again which is what caused the delay.   We were then contacted on 3/9 which was on a Saturday, and would have been just after the 5th business day for the item that had begun processing again, that the customer would like to change the order.  Our team tried to assist with changing the order per the customer's request and even offered to waive the cancellation fee on the original item, but the new item was more expensive and we were unable to collect a payment for the difference in price between the two items.  We then offered the customer a full refund for the firearm that was cancelled, we could not refund for the accessory that had shipped out on the order and was already received since that item did not require an FFL to be shipped.  In relation to our reviews, our website does state that reviews are meant to be for the products themselves.  We will post any reviews that are submitted, good or bad, if it is in relation to the product.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 03/12/2024

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because: only half truth  --real story is gun ordered on 16th of feb-24-they say it could take 5 days to clear,but it wasn't untill the 23rd when they told me me that funds were received,but be 4 more days to run trough their system. They were given a new ffl within 24 hrs from when i was notified the original one was expired.On 1st i was told item was in shipping ,waiting to be sent out. Four days later and still getting "sorry for delay"",were swamped" ect. On 3-6-24 it was more of the same "we apologize for the delay,and are making every effort to ship".After a few more days went by it was obvious the gun was not in stock so l attempted to have something they had in stock sent in its place.I tried to call but was told their lines were down,and it would do no good to call the store because they couldn't handle online things.I got through on the 11th and completed the swap and thought at last we were moving forward,however 10 min later i was called back saying i owed more money,because the new gun cost more than original one which l already knew, but because of it having less cost for insurance,which l  go off their order form,they already had more than enough of my funds to cover the new purchase.There was a magazine in the original order,which i was told cost little to insure and ship yet they want to charge 65.70 for a 49.99 item.I was never told why my gun didn't ship, and wasn't even given a chance to get a full refund.i would gladly send back the magazine if they would give me a full refund.As of yet i've gotten nothing.As far as post goes they say they will not post profanity or inappropriate comments unrelated to the product being reviewed, but mine was neither,it just told the facts and the truth does not make buds look good,so i'm sure there are others that won't get posted either.

  
  Sincerely,
  
  **** *******

• Initial Complaint

  Date:03/11/2024

  Type:Delivery Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I ordered Ruger Precision .22 magnum rim fire. I’m a “Team Buds” member (or at least I was). I’ve ordered 3 additional guns within the past 2 months. I’m a good customer and a good guy. I’m not so sure about Buds. When ordering on line, I executed a search to locate the item I was interested in. A few options were presented. I selected the version with a 15 round magazine. I was also presented a version with a 10 round magazine. Who wouldn’t prefer the larger magazine? Less reloading. That’s the sole reason I selected the 15 round version. I finalized my order. Paid for the gun and checked out. The next day or so I received notification from Buds about an issue with my order. I called them. I was informed that the 15 round magazine was illegal in VT. News to me. I was not familiar with the law. But it did come to my mind that Buds was aware of my location when I was building and finalizing my selection. They failed to notify me then. Why even present the 15 round version of it is illegal in my State. I believe it is done intentionally. I’ll explain. So I told Buds it was fine to “fix” my order and ship out the 10 round version. All set I thought. However, I had yet another conversation with a Buds Tesm member who told me that the 15 round magazine was legal in Vermont. She said it was legal because it was antimatter cartridge. Great Intjought. I prefer the 15 round magazine anyway. So the order was amended yet again. It’s important to note that in neither case did I tell them what to provide. They made obviously incorrect information stating I could utilize the 15 round magazine in VT. I feel largely dependent on Team Buds on something like this. The gun was shipped to my FFL in Vermont. I was wondering which version I ended up with. So I called Team Buds. I elevated to supervisory level. They “took” my magazine with out replacement. They resell them for profit. I objected and got blackballed. They blocked my inbound calls. They “steal” customer magazines

  

  Business Response

  Date: 03/11/2024

  When a customer logs into their account they receive a pop up advising them to make sure that the item they are interested in meets their state's regulations and links them to our page that lists those regulations.  In this case, the customer did select a 15 round firearm and an additional 15 round magazine.  When checking out the customer selected our "Magazine Removal Service" for the firearm which as we state does remove any high capacity magazines to allow us to ship the firearm.  However, we still had to contact the customer to advise that we could not ship the additional 15 round magazine that was placed on the same order, and when the first representative spoke to him we did change that additional 15 round magazine to a 10 round version.  The firearm was okay to process as the magazine removal service was selected which meant that the included with the firearm would be removed and we would ship the separately purchased 10 round magazine to the customer.  There was a mistake made by a second representative, after the magazine was shipped, who stated that 15 round magazines could be sent to the customer.  However, as we have advised the customer that was a mistake as they misread the restriction and that has been addressed with the representative.  We advised the customer that the firearm would have to have the magazine removed as was originally requested and when the customer demanded that we replace it we advised we could not.  We attempted to advise the customer that the magazine removal service can not substitute due to our price for the firearm not changing and that we are unable to resell any items removed from the firearm.  Those magazines are disposed of and we cannot make any sales on them.  However the customer hung up after calling us thieves, as they did above, and threatening legal action so we issued a return to sender as it was clear the customer did not want the item without the magazine and we have issued a full refund.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 03/13/2024

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  
  The response from Buds is as I anticipated. They don’t care about customer service. What they do care about is all the profits they are booking using a deceptive business practice.The “magazine removal service”. What service? It’s more like a theft. In my case, it’s obvious they care more about defending this vile practice than retaining good customers. My purchase history proves I was a very good customer. But no longer. I refuse to be treated as such. Buds is well aware of any “magazine restrictions” in the States that have them. I content they could eliminate all this confusion up front. But that would also eliminate the “magazine removal service profit center”. They could have easily red flagged my order and routed me to the correct size magazine. They could take it one step further by only presenting compliant items to begin with. This action creates customer angst. Rest assured there are many others treated as such. Buds defense is they claim the service was authorized by me. Rather I believe it is automated. If not, it falls into the category of “fine print”  No one reads the fine print and Buds is aware of this. Most are just trying to get to payment and finalize. It’s a foolish policy in my view because it destroys customers  Most businesses want you to come back to buy more. They must be doing pretty good profit wise with this. Buds sells Nationally. I find it hard to believe that if this was elevated to an executive or ownership level, that it would have gotten to this point  I feel there’s a vindictive employee involved who doesn’t want this issue elevated within. A magazine typically costs $20-30. So why not just swap the magazine for one that’s compliant? Because there’s no profit in that and they don’t give a rat’s ass about repeat business. This sort of sleazy activity could also be illegal. Not sure  But it is certainly distasteful.