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Natchez won't sell to me

MikeD987

Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Jul 5, 2013
212
0
Waco, Texas
So I was sent away after I put about 700 dollars worth of stuff in my cart. Apparently they have an agreement with some of their whole sales that they wont sell to anyone in the state Alabama, Georgia, or Tennessee.. Then I explained i'm just stationed out in Fort Rucker and that my home of resident is Texas. Would it be okay for me to buy and send it to Texas? He said No!! Because he knowingly knows i'm in Alabama! :mad: I could just order it online and have it sent to my house in Texas and be done with it but it's the principal! I feel discriminated. :mad:


Anyways for you fellow SH reloaders out there they have 4064 in stock both 1 lbs and 8 lbs! Go nuts

http://www.natchezss.com/product.cfm?contentID=productDetail&prodID=DU40648
 
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Now you get a taste of what its like to live out here in CA and have your purchases turned down simply because of where you live. I tried to order a pump .22 from a national sporting goods chain last year and was turned down because I live in CA.
 
Their reasons have nothing to do with shipping anything to any particular state as much as they have to do with business policy and professional ethics. Without details, they also sell to other entities (thru their wholesale business) who do business the retail arena in AL. Therefore, they made a decision to not compete with those retailers in the state. I am sorry you couldn't get your powder but this is not something new for them and, IIRC, it states in their site and in their print ads they they do not ship to AL, TN and GA. I know them well and they are good people. Don't be hatin'!
 
try living in MA my friend…. most online retailers will not ever ship reloading components like brass and bullets to us. The sportsman's guide for a while wouldn't ship lasers to us. I feel like I live in East Germany...
 
It has ZERO to do with legality, etc., but is a part of their exclusivity/wholesaler agreement with certain businesses in the aforementioned states.

Same BS happened to a friend of mine about 3-4 years ago while he was in Birmingham for work an extended position at UAB. He'd been a loyal customer of Natchez while a life-long resident of WV but got more than a little bent out of shape when he tried to purchase some ammo with a WV-based CC/address and have it shipped to his temp address in B'ham since he couldn't readily reload while 700mi from home.

Sadly, that is not an uncommon practice for some large businesses to have "exclusivity" or "do not compete" arrangements built into some of their contracts so that they can't sell to customers directly and potentially undercut their wholesalers, etc., in certain states/areas. Natchez isn't exactly a GREAT place to conduct business any more unless you just happen upon something that's an incredible deal or can't be sourced elsewhere...their prices have just gotten stupid on many things over the last several years!
 
yep they have had 4064 in for a while now. I ordered from a distributor in TX and he charged me for hazmat and didn't ship it hazmat. He just sent it USPS 5000 primers and 10 lbs of Varget & RL15 just thrown loosely in a box, no packaging. Primer bricks broke open and started leaking primers all over the place... Someone noticed what they were and now he's in deep trouble.
 
Straight from their facebook:

" We are a wholesale distributor that provides product to small businesses in Georgia, Alabama and Tennessee. In an effort to support those business owners, we do not ship to those states. We aren't set up to sell to customers from our location. We hope you understand and appreciate your support. Best wishes to you for 2013."

Seems like they are doing a good thing, just go to your local gun store and have them order it.
 
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The long version:


"Why we don't sell in TN, GA, or AL

Over 21 years ago Natchez Shooters Supply was started as a wholesale distributor of reloading components. The entirety of our sales came from making local deliveries to dealers throughout Tennessee, and the northern Georgia and Alabama areas. It was upon this dealer foundation that Natchez Shooters Supply grew from a two man operation in the basement of a house into the large warehouse distributor that it is today.

Due to strong loyal commitments with our local dealers that have supported our business for over 21 years, we feel that it would be best if we did not compete with our them by selling directly to their customers. We will be offering links and contact information soon of dealers in TN, GA, and AL that loyaly support us. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and thank you for your understanding.

Natchez Shooters Supply"

http://www.natchezss.com/customerService.cfm?contentID=orderingInfo&section=13
 
Their reasons have nothing to do with shipping anything to any particular state as much as they have to do with business policy and professional ethics. Without details, they also sell to other entities (thru their wholesale business) who do business the retail arena in AL. Therefore, they made a decision to not compete with those retailers in the state. I am sorry you couldn't get your powder but this is not something new for them and, IIRC, it states in their site and in their print ads they they do not ship to AL, TN and GA. I know them well and they are good people. Don't be hatin'!

problem is retailers do not extend Natchez discounts to end buyers. In the Natchez losses because people like myself go to other online stores who have competitive pricing.
 
The long version:


"Why we don't sell in TN, GA, or AL

Over 21 years ago Natchez Shooters Supply was started as a wholesale distributor of reloading components. The entirety of our sales came from making local deliveries to dealers throughout Tennessee, and the northern Georgia and Alabama areas. It was upon this dealer foundation that Natchez Shooters Supply grew from a two man operation in the basement of a house into the large warehouse distributor that it is today.

Due to strong loyal commitments with our local dealers that have supported our business for over 21 years, we feel that it would be best if we did not compete with our them by selling directly to their customers. We will be offering links and contact information soon of dealers in TN, GA, and AL that loyaly support us. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and thank you for your understanding.

Natchez Shooters Supply"

http://www.natchezss.com/customerService.cfm?contentID=orderingInfo§ion=13

Knowing one of the owners, I can tell you there is a good reason for their policy, and it has nothing to do with anyone outside the company. They're not discriminating or maliciously singling out people because they are from a certain state.

As stated before, these folks are REALLY good people. Just accept that they have a reason/agreement not to sell in these states. I can tell you it has nothing to do with money.
 
As a small business owner yourself, I am sure YOU would pass merchandise along at zero markup (sarcasm intended).

Hey Jerry! Didn't realize it was you. No one mentioned zero markup. I would imagine Natchez has a wholesale price structure they extend to those states. My point was when Natchez sells a $500 MSRP item for say $199 but the local retailer in say GA is still selling it for $500 then something is going on. I cant say for sure but I imagine Natchez is still making money at $199. Their intent is to push people to the retail stores but what is actually happening is people are seeking out other online options and neither the retailer or Natchez is winning. This is the problem with wholesalers undercutting retailers. I see it all the time.

As far as my business goes. We give a lot of product away at no cost and we occasionally sell near cost. We operate our business on a markup model and yes if we get a good deal we more often than not extend it to the end purchaser.

On a different note will you be out at the range any this weekend? I think I might head out later this afternoon
 
Now I understand the exclusive sell to any other state for Loyalty reasons but come on I'm only in Alabama because i'm stationed out here (FOR AMERICA). My home of record is in Texas and I even said it was going to be shipped to my Texas address. There would be no difference in me Hanging up the phone and recalling or ordering online and use my Texas address. The right to refuse service to anyone, is yes, entirely up to their choice, but to someone who just added 700 dollars worth of stuff anddd meets the guidelines of residing in any other state than AL, TN, Or GA. Who just happens to be in Alabama when I called is crazy! That's the discussion, So thanks for the quotes from their facebook page but I understand their policy loud and clear.