Recently got a new catalog from Midway USA. Checked out a few things I wanted to order even tho I dislike Midway.
 
1.....Adams & Bennet 6.5 barrel blank F34 contour.......NOT AVAILABLE.
2.....PTG 6.5x55 Swede chambering reamer   ..........NOT AVAILABLE
3.....Douglas 6.5 barrel blank, #3 contour    .........NOT AVAILABLE
4.....Wildview trail Camera, Infared Extreme......NOT AAILABLE
 
It seems they don't have much of anything in stock they advertize. The price on the trail camera was listed at just under 150 dollars. I bought an identical one locally at ****'s Sporting Goods for 90 dollars after rebate. I have come to the conclusion the only reason they put out a catalog is so the owner can have his picture plastered all over the front.   .........Paul H

Midway has definitely slipped in the last few years.
 
I'm in MO, so I get to pay sales tax too.
 
I don't order from them much, but there are some things they have that I will buy.
 
They have started a new branch of clothing and outdoor gear to compete with Cabelas, Gander, and Bass Pro. I think this will only make things worse...

When I'm going to order something from online, I usually check with MidwayUSA to compare prices with other places.
 
But, I haven't ordered anything in a while, so I haven't really noticed them slipping.  If they don't compete in price though, I won't order from them.  Other online places are just a click away.
 

 
Daryl

Hello the fire!
 
I am a long time customer of Midway USA and agree they have gone the way of egomania and backorderd stock.  They get a trickle of my business now and only when they have what I want on a good discount.  I was also a good customer of Cabella's but slowed to drops and dribbles once they started sending me catalogues on a weekly basis and again only discounted stuff.  Here in the great state of California Bay Area we get to watch the sporting goods stores dissapear at an alarming rate so on-line has become a way of life and the Liberals haven't figured out they are loosing all that tax money by insisting we not hunt and fish.  Hunting out of state has become affordable in many cases.  Go figure.  My appology for rambeling on.  Lawrence Townsend:Banghead:

I still do a bunch of buissness wth Midway. Mostly bullets, the odd set of dies, brass, bullet casting equipment, you know that kind of stuff. Being in "the sticks" has it's disadvantages. I don't go to Denver or Grand Junction if I can help it so the on-line ordering is pretty nice. I'll aagree that Larry has maybe gotten to big, but the service is still great.

I just got a Gerber 'FLIK' tool that was "defective". After a call to customer service, not only do I get to send the tool back but they are picking up the tab to have it shipped back. That's pretty cool. I even got an email from Larry thanking me for my buissness for the last 20+ years. It was probably a "canned" email, but it still made me feel pretty good.

RJ

You know, RJ, my brother bought a pair of Steiner bino's from Cabelas many years ago.
 
He used them for several years, but he started seeing two images out of them on an elk hunt one year.
 
Being the ornery, hard headed type (as well as a little impatient), he decided to try to "bend" the barrels back towards each other to make them align.
 
Of course, it didn't work.  He broke on end off of his bino's.
 
So, after the hunt, he was trying to find contact info for Steiner, and called Cabelas.  They told him that since he'd purchased the bino's from them, that he could send them back to Cabelas and they'd take care of it for him.
 
And they did.  They sent him a new pair of bino's, and since the price of that pair of bino's had actually came down since he bought his, they also sent him a refund check to cover the difference in price!
 
I still shake my head when I think about it.  That's the type of customer service that's hard to find these days, but we've both remained customers of Cabelas as long as the price is reasonable.
 
Daryl

The kind of customer service you got from Cabela's is the kind of service companies should provide.  My Dad had a similar experience with Cabela's and he is still a loyal customer.  

Whatever they're doing, they're doing it right.

I like Cabelas too, especially compared to some of their counterparts.

QuoteCabela's

they are hands down my favorite company to order from! I was looking at my past orders in the order history and did a quick total of cash spent this year, I did not show my wife! it even made me wince, but I got over it fast. God Bless.

Cabelas has great customer service no doubt, but there prices ARE high and even with the non-stop discount/coupon/sales they have, some independent shops are still cheaper here.
 
Service at the independent gun shops is pretty good too.

there is really only one shop here and it does not have a quarter the merchandise that cabelas has and cabelas prices are lower. next closest thing is wal-mart and  I usually only buy my clothes there. God Bless.

In general, I have gotten considerably better service from internet-based businesses than I have local ones. The 'closer' one gets to a "hunting store", the truer that seems to be. Most of the local "Mom & Pop" stores in this part of the country act like they're doing you a favor by letting you buy their merchandise, and if you mention their prices they treat you like you're and ungrateful son of a bachelor. I do most of my business these days via the web. We recently got a Sportsman's Warehouse in Wasilla. Their prices are high, their staff is ignorant for the most part, and they don't keep much in inventory; BUT... their staff is at least friendly and courteous.
 
Midway USA ships my orders like lightening, but their catalog lists many items that they keep low stock of - especially A&B barrels it seems. It's just difficult for me here in Alaska to beat their prices - including shipping -  AND their selection. Maybe if I lived Outside it would be different.
 
Paul

Paul, I understand your position. It just irks me no end that someone advertises something and doesn't have it in stock. The local ****'s Sporting Goods price on the trail cam was 50% cheaper than Midway. At least they had them in stock. other items I checked there were about the same price as Midway or less and I can look at it personally. I hate buying a pig in a poke. I just got the third catalog from Midway yesterday with what's his name's picture all over the front again. I wonder if he takes his makeup artist and clothier on these hunts he does?    ............Paul H

I have used Misway for years and have never had any problems with them.  Of course, my purchases have been curtailed a great deal within the last couple of years.  Now that I live about 6 miles from them, I thought "Great, I'll just pay them a visit."  It's a catalog sotre.  No local retail.  To place an order I have to go online or call them.  Can't just go place an order.  I can designate it for pick-up rather than ship and get it by the next day, sometimes the same day, if it's in stock.  Recently I picked up a clearance stock for one of my 98's, for $49.  I just figure if it's being mailed, I have to wait a while anyway.  I think high volume items are usually on hand.

QuoteNo local retail.

I wasn't aware of that.
 
Paul