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I would gladly pay $29, I saw that same box at the gun show in Cedar Park this weekend with a price tag of $169!!!!!

03Lightningrocks wrote:
Exactly correct! Most individuals who work for companies rather than owning a business, seem to have trouble grasping this concept. Unfortunately for the individual mom and pop store who actually keep the money they make in our local communities, people tend to look for price. So they spend their money at academy and Walmart so these stores can send the money offshore and hire cheap labor to produce more goods at lower prices. The whole process is a suicide of sorts but what the heck? We saved a couple bucks! Who cares if it eventually works its way back around to bite us in the rump.

I think that is a fair point and at that price, if you really want .22 well then you can get some. But these mom and pop type places also need to treat their customers well and my experience with Carter's Country was anything but. When I was EDC shopping, I stopped off at Carter's and the salesman didn't want to give me the time of day. My guess is it was based upon my age because he was all too willing to help out many of the older folks. There's no reason to pay high prices for bad service.

I've heard the bad wrap on Carter's Country before, but my experience varies. I usually go to the one in Pasadena, sometimes the I-10 location when I'm out that way. I've always had a pleasant experience at either location. I find that their prices are a bit higher than academy, but that's to be expected since they're not a big chain. They aren't real chatty, but neither am I. I guess I never go there when I'm in a hurry, so that may have something to do with it too. A couple of the guys that work there do better when you know what you want vs when you have a general idea but aren't really sure. But hey. If you like the service at some other place, go there instead. I like the fact that their ammo ration policy is subject to change based on the size of the shipment. I've walked out of there with as much ammo as I could afford on a few occasions.

I've always had good service at the Pasadena store.

Been going to Carters Country for over 30 Years. They have always been High. Purchased 1 gun from them and rarely bought ammo.

I will remember CheaperThanDirt.com selling PMC 9mm ammo at $69.00 for a fifty_round box.

Baytown_Cajun wrote:I will remember CheaperThanDirt.com selling PMC 9mm ammo at $69.00 for a fifty_round box.

And you should.. From what I understand the website isn't part of a storefront which means it probably has very little overhead and shouldn't need to compensate much at all.

I agree that the local places need to make an extra effort to be friendly and welcoming to customers. As a small business owner I am constantly reminding not only myself, but my co-workers that the real product we have to offer is ourselves. People can buy air conditioning from many sources, many cheaper and many are more expensive. At the end of the day it is how we make our customers feel about us that makes the difference. Retailers have to do even more to make folks want to do business with them. While we can be a better choice based on criteria that is not out of a box, like service response and installation quality and techniques, retailers face the issue that they are all basically offering the exact same product. They must concentrate on how they offer that product.

At the end of the day, I will always spend a few extra dollars to support my local business with the one exception texascajun pointed out above. If they treat me with disrespect or act like they are doing me a favor by allowing me into their store, they aren't going to get my money.

I don't know the folks running carter country so my next suggestion might be a bad one. Maybe make a call or send an email respectfully telling them they made you feel unwelcome in their store. I would use some Dale Carnege and try not to get insulting and rude, but I would make it known.

I wish I could claim that my business always performs without flaw. I am not sure any business can. We business owners get beat down at times and forget ourselves at the worse possible moment. We are humans too. When I get feedback from customers that believe we fell short, it hurts like crazy, even embarrasses me, but is still appreciated and NEEDED. It helps me in the end. Keeps me on track. I can't correct a mistake if I don't know about it. Same goes for them.

Ericstac wrote:

Baytown_Cajun wrote:I will remember CheaperThanDirt.com selling PMC 9mm ammo at $69.00 for a fifty_round box.

And you should.. From what I understand the website isn't part of a storefront which means it probably has very little overhead and shouldn't need to compensate much at all.

Unfortunately, that reasoning may seem to make sense, it does not work like that. Web site business is not a separate company than storefront business. It all goes into the same bucket. The two work in conjunction with each other to support the entire company.

Is $29.95 for the 525 Remington HP's? It was going for $22 about a month ago but they we're out (at least in Spring).

Carter's ain't my favorite... unfortunately they're the best supplied 'round here... once things get back to normal, wouldn't mind driving a bit farther to support other shops that seem to have kept their prices fair (but have empty shelves).