Lack of real time inventory

[Handloader]

Is it just me, or is anyone else burnt out by a lack of real time inventory in online sites. I ordered a "package" optics deal today from one of the Hides vendors for my kid's christmas. A Leupy Mod AR 1-4, with mount and two magazines. I am trying to support this site, but I get an email that they are out of stock. So I call to see what part of the package they do not have, and they say...the scope...WHAT....Really?
They have been out for a while, and have no Idea when they will get more in. I can buy local as the scope is in shops here in Ohio, but that was not the point.

One would think that in todays internet world, real time inventory would be a no brainer.
Rant-off

 

[truth]

Do you have a phone?

 

[Decoy]

We'll the issue with RTI realities is that it is tied into your website. Sounds easy at this point.

Your dealers do not do website orders they phone them in, others decide to text them in, international orders can come in over night while you are backing up. End of the day you are back to doing manual input and things get out of stock one way or the others.

 

[Handloader]

Do you have a phone?

Is that Sarcasm? If not, I hear banjo music in my head when I read that.

I do not pre-call Amazon, Midway, Powder Valley, Cabellas etc. The whole point of internet ordering is speed, convenience, and the ability to rapidly price compare. If I wanted to call in orders, I would have. Hell, I would have bought local, as I held the scope the night before.

Furthermore, if in fact you had objectively and fully read my post, you would have been able to ascertain I had a phone as it clearly states I made contact with the vender AFTER I received an email at the end of the day stating they did not have the product in stock.
I will concede that the phone is almost 100%, but I have had Optics Planet say they had stuff in stock while on the phone, only to find out they did not (and no, this rant is not about Optics Planet…it was SFWA)!

 

[ORD]

How did I know this was going to be an SWFA thread before even clicking on it?!?!?

Look, simply put, an educated consumer is a happy consumer. I don't mean to be harsh about this, OP, but this one is on you at this point. I'm sorry that you've experienced this issue, but there are literally DOZENS of threads filled with rants/complaints/whining/bitching/etc. by SWFA customers over the span of MANY years now who ordered online because they ASSUMED that if a product was listed it was immediately available when in fact, it was not. That is just what's on the Hide, but there are many, MANY more such posts available in a simple google search that indicate this is an issue for some who deal with SWFA. They do not have (as you well know now) and have NEVER had RTI. I realize that RTI resolves this issue (at least as long as the system is correct/accurate), but you ASSUMED they had it when that couldn't have been more wrong on your part. A few minutes to do your due diligence before breaking out the CC and placing your order could have kept you out of this entire mess. While I agree it is SUCH a horrible PITA to become an educated consumer, or to otherwise take 2 minutes to call them or the same to e-mail them about product availability (admittedly sarcastic at this point), it resolves a lot of headaches after the fact with situations like the one you now find yourself in. With e-mail, I usually hear back from Kody or one of the folks in a matter of minutes. If you call...you can complete your order by phone and be done with it in one quick call in the same amount of time. SWFA is a FAR CRY from Optics Planet and never, when I have e-mailed or called to confirm availability of a product for many years now, have I ever completed an order to later be told it was in fact not available.

I hope you are able to get this resolved to your satisfaction and well in advance of Christmas so that you can help to make your boy's a Merry one indeed and I further hope, at some point, that SWFA will realize that an RTI system would be a wise investment in the infrastructure of their business which is now approaching the 40-year mark.

Take care and God bless.

 

[Handloader]

A few minutes to do your due diligence before breaking out the CC and placing your order could have kept you out of this entire mess. While I agree it is SUCH a horrible PITA to become an educated consumer, or to otherwise take 2 minutes to call them or the same to e-mail them about product availability (admittedly sarcastic at this point), it resolves a lot of headaches after the fact with situations like the one you now find yourself in.

You, Sir, are correct on all accounts. I failed to be an educated consumer, and shame on me. That said, I remediated my error by cancelling my order with SWFA. Amazon wins again (how sad is that). Financial education is a two way street, and I informed SWFA why I cancelled.

I hope that SWFA will consider RTI as an investment in their company.

 

[E. Bryant]

The thing that still puzzles me is how SWFA can maintain real-time inventory on their Sample List, but not across the rest of their site.

 

[High Binder]

You, Sir, are correct on all accounts. I failed to be an educated consumer, and shame on me. That said, I remediated my error by cancelling my order with SWFA. Amazon wins again (how sad is that). Financial education is a two way street, and I informed SWFA why I cancelled.

I hope that SWFA will consider RTI as an investment in their company.

Enterprise systems/modules (what these are part of) are super expensive but I agree, they have to know they're loosing business due disparate It architecture. You owe them no loyalty and if you don't like their system do what you did, go elsewhere. SWFA will eventually upgrade but in the mean time they're obviously not loosing enough to warrant an upgrade. That's capitalism, vote with your dollars.

 

[EddieNFL]

We'll the issue with RTI realities is that it is tied into your website. Sounds easy at this point.

So easy many, many online companies make it work.

That's capitalism, vote with your dollars.

Bingo.

I have neither praise nor criticism for SWFA as I've always found what I wanted at comparable prices (in stock) at other sites. No phone call required.