Big giant thumbs down for Cheaper Than Dirt

[ak474u]

So, today I had a little spare time, and a little cash burning a hole in my pocket. I drove 25 miles to CTD's retail store in McKinney TX. Great store, lots of stuff to look at, and though they have a less than perfect reputation, I've always found the McKinney retail store to be well-stocked, friendly, helpful, like-minded staff, etc. I cruise around the corner and find the windowless PMags for 17.99 each, slightly higher than before the election, but ehhh, after last week, I'll let it slide. A buddy calls, and I mention I'm at CTD... He asks me to check the price on TulAmmo x39 so I go one aisle over, and let him know they have it, and how much the 500 round packs are... This takes approximately 3 minutes (there were about 300 people in the store, I got stuck in traffic). Fast forward... I walk back up to the PMag rack, and there's an employee restocking the shelves. I noticed that he was putting stickers on the price placards, and thought woohoo! Markdowns! (Insert giant game show buzzer here). He was raising the price by $12 each. This being a dickhead thing to do, I bolted from the store, and drove 4 exits south to Cabelas where they had PMags windowless in black or FE for $14.99, windowed for $17.99, and 20 rounders in black for 14.99.

Way to go CTD, you lost a customer that has spent more than he cares to think about over the last 15 years in your store. When somebody does me right, I'll tell someone, when somebody does me wrong, I'll tell a thousand someones. I saved $144.00 on my purchase by driving 4 miles south. I won't be back unless you have a buy none, get 3 free sale.

I have a full understanding of capitalism, and would gladly defend CTD and their rights to gouge their customers but today, I voted with my dollars. BTW, cabelas 4473 counter was so busy, they had those restaurant pagers and were handing them out to people so they could get a spot at the table to do paperwork. Merica!

[GunnerMax]

I don't use CTD. I haven't in over a year. They are expensive...

[renomax]

I have bought several items from CTD some good deals but I compared prices on a streamlight flashlight with amazon and amazon had the same light for about $7 cheaper. Hate to hear about price gouging. I will be doing a lot more shopping around.

[The Stig]

When I first got into prepping I used CTD quite a bit to buy surplus items and gun parts.

Over time I realized that they not the cheapest option by far. Also, they stock far too much Chinese made crap for their gun accessories.

Then after the 2008 election they jacked the prices through the roof. As AK said, I have no real beef about it as that's the beauty of a free market. Supply and demand works. I do, however, choose to vote with my dollars by going elsewhere.

[prepguide]

CTD has a history of jacking prices to suit the situation. I too used to be a big fan of theirs but no longer.

[izzyscout21]

The CTD catalog sits next to my toilet. It's fun to flip through..........and use as emergency TP.

[ak474u]

Back in the old days, when CTD was a small store, and a catalog, I knew the manager of the store. He was pretty cool, I got invited to a Christmas party at the store for loyal customers... Upon entering, they had you fill out a form of what you shoot, what you wear, etc. and when it was over, everyone had a goody bag/box IIRC, I walked out with: 4 factory hi cap beretta mags, 4 E. German ak mags in Cosmo, a bSquare bipod for my 30-06, a Swiss Army knife, some t-shirts, and a rain camo ak mag pouch. That built a great deal of customer loyalty, and back then, they really were Cheaper than Dirt, the catalog is a separate entity from the stores, and is still ok on pricing, but probably only because they can't raise the prices every day after the catalog is printed. Lol. I've got wolf copper jacketed x39 sp and hp ammo that I used to get for $85/1000 from them. Those were the days. Sigh

[carolinasurvivalist]

They have now suspended online sales of firearms...spineless bunch of price gouging little shats

[ak474u]

They have now suspended online sales of firearms...spineless bunch of price gouging little shats

An man! I was just about to order an RPG7 and have it shipped to my door with no ID, no paperwork, no nothin! I think it's because they're overwhelmed with retail store sales, and the inventory is dwindling, not a PC, thing. There were probably 300 people in the store yesterday at 11am.

[carolinasurvivalist]

An man! I was just about to order an RPG7 and have it shipped to my door with no ID, no paperwork, no nothin! I think it's because they're overwhelmed with retail store sales, and the inventory is dwindling, not a PC, thing. There were probably 300 people in the store yesterday at 11am.

No they said they were reviewing their policies... definitely a PC thing

[greg48]

i've bought a s@@t ton of stuff from CTD, no more. spinless. i'd say it's also a chance to hold on to their inventory, till the prices go thru the roof...i was in the process of buying a couple stun guns for the women in my life. i also just send them an email letting them know i am no longer a customer and they can delete my account.

[FL-Jeeper]

CTD has a history of jacking prices to suit the situation. I too used to be a big fan of theirs but no longer.

Truth right there. Last week 1k rnds of LC penetrators was $485, now $899. WOW!

[Stormfeather]

I remember when the prices were awesome and they had free shipping. . .holy shit did I spend a metric ass ton of my kids college money with them! Nowadays. . .not so much.

[cwconnertx]

I hate cheaper than dirt, I vowed to stop doing business with them after the 08 election when they were trying to sell a 50 round box of Blazer aluminum cased 90 grain FMJ 380 ACP ammo for $70.

The cheapest crap ammo for a handgun for $1.40 a round... I understand the premium self defense ammo in small boxes at that price (maybe), but for real, blazer aluminum FMJ for $1.40 a round just stinks.

As a capitalist, I support your right to sell it for whatever you can get, but as a customer, it is our obligation to remember and not reward that behavior. So if you have something people want, sell it, especially as a individual, but as a business if you screw people in the short term, you should be punished in the long term. I fear though that many people who got screwed last time will line up to get screwed again.

I'm a capitalist, so if it works do it, but think long term.

[izzyscout21]

I'll never buy ammo from them, but I've bought some of their other surplus crap. More often than not, nowadays, I can find the same shit from SPortsmans guide or a few other smaller shops.

[helomech]

I have been using sportsmans guide a lot in the last couple years. With a membership you always get a coupon that pays for shipping, even when they are not offering free shipping. So far I have not had a single issue with them. Got a bad item years ago, but they replaced it and paid shipping. Can't ask for more than that.

[tan2sie17]

Cheaper Than Dirt is not reliable anymore. There are plenty of bad reviews online lately, and more and more people hate them and their services. They once offered great promo codes for free shipping (http://cheaperthandirtpromocodes.com/cheaper-than-dirt-free-shipping-3-types-of-websites-where-to-find-such-codes.html), but that once a long time ago. I don`t understand why this change. They had a good business going.

[ak474u]

Cheaper Than Dirt is not reliable anymore. There are plenty of bad reviews online lately, and more and more people hate them and their services. They once offered great promo codes for free shipping (http://cheaperthandirtpromocodes.com/cheaper-than-dirt-free-shipping-3-types-of-websites-where-to-find-such-codes.html), but that once a long time ago. I don`t understand why this change. They had a good business going.


Yup, they've cut the throats of their customer base, and I can tell you from experience living 1 exit from their store in McKinney TX, that the boycott worked. I don't know anyone who shops there, and it used to be that they had a full parking lot all day, every day, and these days, there are lots of open spots, like at least 2/3 of them, and there's not any real traffic in the store compared to what they had even way before the election or Newtown. I walked thru there a few weeks ago while wife was at the fabric store, and they're still way overpriced on ammo, other things have come back to normal, but it may be because they've got contractual pricing limits on some items. Around here, you can get a gen 4 Glock 19 for $438-$479, no more, no less, anywhere from mom and pop stores to CTD, and cabelas. I suspect that the manufacturers may control some of that, or they'd be higher due to their popularity.

[helomech]

I have not shopped on their website since I saw a GI mag selling for 130 bucks. They can kiss my ass.

[Fidel MD]

Well, I am happy I bought a hellalot of G3 mags when they were $0.99 each. Most were new unused, maybe 10% were used excellent condition.

But, those days are over. Caveat Emptor, of course....know what you are buying, and shop around.

[Stormfeather]

Cheaper Than Dirt is not reliable anymore. There are plenty of bad reviews online lately, and more and more people hate them and their services. They once offered great promo codes for free shipping (http://cheaperthandirtpromocodes.com/cheaper-than-dirt-free-shipping-3-types-of-websites-where-to-find-such-codes.html), but that once a long time ago. I don`t understand why this change. They had a good business going.

WAY WAY back in the very begining, CTD had free shipping, that why I spent so much money with them! I remember getting wool blankets (mil surp) for $1.99 each and H&K mp5 mags for 14.99 for 3 plus a free mag pouch!

[ditchmedic]

I disnt get heavy into guns till after the first AWB was lifted so I had no knowledge of their history of gouging.

After what I saw this last time they get none of my money.

I was already pissed that they started charging individual shipping out of each warehouse.

[greg48]

CTD set's in my office also, when I'm in there doing paper work, wipping the obama off my a$$. I do use their website as a price reference.

[2die4]

I got turned off by them when they decided Pmags were worth an ungodly amount. Then hearing the other horror stories of similar price jacking of other products has me shopping on Amazon and other smaller sites.