Frustration Of Shopping Local...or Not...am I?

First let me state that I love to shop local if I can.
Second, I love me the Freedive Shop in West Sac.
So I decided to do some research on a new speargun and after several emails and much research I decided on the Rob Allen Tuna 70. I've seen what it can do in the right hands.
Being in Placerville I'm not going to go around the corner and pick it up.
By the time I get off work and drive to West Sac this time of year with traffic I might not make it.
Online purchase in my immediate future.
First search, the Freedive Shop in West Sac......$250 + tax + shipping.
Out of curiosity I search a bit more.
Neptoniks (Santa Cruz)...$215 + tax + shipping.
$35 dollar difference....hmmmmmmmm
So I look a little more and I find:
http://www.bluetunaspearfishing.com/store/ (So Cal).............$198 + tax + shipping......Two day priority shipping......$227 out the door.
Now that's a $50 difference.
$50 to me is a decent chunk of change so I bite the bullet.
It's 1:21 AM Wednesday December 3rd when I placed the order. If the stars align correctly I may have my gun Friday, in time for this weekend.
So when I get home from work on Wednesday (the 3rd still) I see if it's been sent.....I get nothing.
Then I do  Google Street view of the address of the business and it's some guy's house in a residential neighborhood. Not terribly worried as many people have home businesses but a little concerned that I cannot see if it was sent.
I'm a bit discouraged knowing I won't have it by this weekend. If only the would guy get it in the mail on Wednesday I have a chance.
Today at work my carrier comes up to me and asks, "Do you want your package?"
ARE YOU KIDDING ME????? How the hell? ...Oh yea, Post Office..We Rule!!! 
And there it is...nice long box. I know it's my gun. I have it in my hands a day after I ordered it. No driving, no gas, no traffic, and I have it the next day.
But here's the frustrating part and I'm still shaking my head.
I really really wanted to buy it from the Freedive Shop in West Sac. $20 difference I probably still would have, but I can't balk at $50, especially when that $50 is 25% above the other price.
And now for....... THE REST OF THE STORY.
Looking at the return address on the package...guess who sent it?
THE FREEDIVE SHOP IN WEST SAC!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I order it from SoCal, they send the order to West Sac and I have it in a day.
I almost feel guilty now...almost.
Man how I wish the Freedive Shop had the better price right off the bat.
I literally have the exact same gun had I ordered from the Freedive Shop in the first place only I got it for $50 cheaper...Not for the same model...for the EXACT SAME GUN.
And the registration card that came with it...from the Freedive Shop.
Looking forward to the new toy, but still shaking my head on how it all worked out.

Wow that was a lot to try and read and follow.  Did you get it.  If not you can borrow mine if you are going to be up in the area. I think ft Bragg shop charged $220. When I got it. 

And remember this Tote; FreeDive sold that gun to the reseller for much less than the $50 savings you got.  After all, he made a profit on that. 
I wonder what his price was from FreeDive?  Imagine he sold it to you for that price MINUS the shipping charges!!  Maybe $150? 

BTW, you DID see the one on Craigslist for sale, right?....
http://sacramento.craigslist.org/spo/4790688173.html

BTW, you DID see the one on Craigslist for sale, right?....
http://sacramento.craigslist.org/spo/4790688173.html

I looked on CL and didn't see it.
That's funny.

Did you get it.  If not you can borrow mine if you are going to be up in the area. I think ft Bragg shop charged $220. When I got it. 

Thanks DG. I got it the day after I ordered it.

Amazing transaction. I would not feel guilty.

BTW, you DID see the one on Craigslist for sale, right?....
http://sacramento.craigslist.org/spo/4790688173.html

I looked on CL and didn't see it.
That's funny.

That's cause it's only been listed 3 hours ago.  Ha! 
Nice score though. 

USPS ships pretty darn fast.  Usually much faster than their on-line tracking keeps up.  UPS and FedEX tracking is faster, but it's USPS that is now delivering on Sundays.  I've gotten a few Sunday deliveries and I was amazed that we are getting that way out our way. 

 did you ask if they would price match? Cause when I bought mine I was talking to one of the owners(the lady) I told her I was looking for a speargun and that I heard hammerhead was a good gun.and I told her on an east coast website it was going for 225$ and freedive had it for 279$ she said we'll price match it.this was a while ago I dont know if they still do it.

Dayuum! So, where you going shooting?

Weird for sure


BTW, the USPS is starting to rock it, despite congress...
last sunday I was expecting a package via FedEX.  the last package through them came via white unmarked van, but Sunday there was a USPS truck rolling down the street.  I asked the carrier if it was sunday and he said it was and that he had my FedEX package!!  Apparently FexEX is now subbing through USPS.  go figure
Go Mailman, GO!!!

Weird for sure


BTW, the USPS is starting to rock it, despite congress...
last sunday I was expecting a package via FedEX.  the last package through them came via white unmarked van, but Sunday there was a USPS truck rolling down the street.  I asked the carrier if it was sunday and he said it was and that he had my FedEX package!!  Apparently FexEX is now subbing through USPS.  go figure
Go Mailman, GO!!!

They ALL sub through us...no joke.

Vanessa is a great shop owner and a smart business gal. I've always enjoyed buying from her shop and will probably be back soon because my chubby ass doesn't fit any of my wetsuits anymore.

She is the distributor for Rob Allen, Yazbeck,  Elite and  Esclapez.

did you ask if they would price match?

I doubt there was anyone there to answer the phone at 1:30 in the morning. 
Time was not on my side.

Coming into the convo late, but I am a big fan of the freedive shop, if that is what you guys are talking. Really knowledgeable and they do offer discounts on certain clubs. I belong to the Tritons and they give a discount there.

LOL!

Glad you got your gun!!

FWIW, Freedive Shop, Neptonics and Austins have all been generous DOTY sponsors for the past three years so IMO can't go wrong supporting any of them.

http://doty.norcalkayakanglers.com/leaderboard/list

Neptonics is really not in Santa Cruz anymore...they still have a shop there but it is mostly empty now...all merch is housed in new shop in FL and shipped from there.

Anyway, stoked for you on your gun dude!!

 

Sincerely,

Jim

In situations like this, I feel comfortable calling up my local shop and saying something like: "I want to buy this from you, but it's $XX cheaper at Shop X. Can you help me out?"