Tried to get some infor off of the WWW.Kahlesoptik.com site and accidentally typed in Kahlesoptic. One guess where I was redirected. I will go back to iron sights if they were the only scope dealer left in the US

Done business with SWFA a couple times. Pretty good prices, very good service. Don't have any complaints with them.

Try www.theopticzone.com for another place with good prices and good service.

I have read mixed reviews of them on this site. I will err on the side of prudence and purchase elsewhwere.

I think that I've bought three or four scopes from them. They have been first rate by me. They even pulled up when I ordered my first scope(over three years ago) for some waranty work. I'll continue to order if the price is close. Sometimes they will even lower the price a little to off-set the tax that I have to pay, because we're both in texas. capt david

SempreElk,

That does not surprise me one bit!

captdavid, anybody that shows that kind of underhandness doesn't get my business.

If you want an eye opener about that outfit, I suggest you send an email to Chris Farris at SWFA with a request to address the ethical issues involved with name-stealing. FWIW, Dutch.

I bought 4-5 scopes from them when they were much smaller. I recieved descent service from them. The last few times I contacted them for purchases or for info their customer service was TERRIBLE. I will not buy from them ever again. Oh yeah, Try getting them to honor their so called %110 low price gaurantee I don't like false advertisement.

The Optic Zone is "The" Place to shop.

Reloader

Reloader,

Good point about their so-called 110% low price guarantee. There's so many loop-holes you could drive a Mack Truck through them......

I've often wondered how they stay in business. Their retail prices can be beat any day of the week and most of the stuff on their "Sample List" can be found brand new elsewhere for less money.

quote:

I've often wondered how they stay in business. Their retail prices can be beat any day of the week and most of the stuff on their "Sample List" can be found brand new elsewhere for less money.

Me too.

It'll probably bite em' in the rear end before long.

Reloader

It seems to be a common business phenomenon that most successful businesses inevitably reach a point where they forget what it was that made them successful in the first place...good products, good prices, good service.

Unless you are in a field that you can monopolize that’s a dangerous way to do business.

Good Point Rick,

Seems like most of the bigger companies forget about the little People.

Reloader

I just ordered a Burris 3x12x44 Ballistic Plex and a set of Talley rings with SWFA. The Optic Zone did not have the same scope without the Posi-Lock (which I would prefer to not have). After 3 days they sent me an e-mail said that all of it was on back order, not in stock. Asked if I wanted to wait or cancel. I e-mailed back and asked for an approximate date of delivery and they answered and said they did not have an ETA.

I cancelled and ordered the scope from The Optic Zone with the Posi-Lock. Ordered the Talley bases and rings from Talley.

They were nice about it although they did waste a bit of my time. It would be good if they had listed whether it was in stock or not at the time of order.

They could have the best prices and service in the world and I still won't buy from them.

I'm a www.BearBasin.com fan myself.

I usually talk to the same person at SWFA every time. I've bought a half dozen or so scopes from them and have gotten exactly what I've ordered new or used every time. Since I live close I've also gotten them the next day I ordered them every time. I can't say anything but good about them, though I'm sure their competitors here online would rather I cuss them...............DJ

quote:

Originally posted by Reloader:
Good Point Rick,

Seems like most of the bigger companies forget about the little People.

Reloader

My statement was a general one and not meant to point at any particular company. I’ve done business with SWFA and have never had any problems with them at all.

As far as “ethics†in web site linking, that’s not all that uncommon for businesses to do, and I’m sure Kahels has plenty of lawyers on staff if they have a problem with it.

I have bought several scopes from SWFA and they have beat the competitors prices every time and also shipped free when the competition said they would, nothing but praise. I've never had a problem.

Sempre,

That has bothered me also.

I suppose it's done all the time in business including buying names of existing businesses.

Maybe I don't know the whole story on SWFA but they are indeed the king of the links. I posted a complaint on thier forum a while back when they linked themselves to "theopticzone" or whatever it was.

I avoid them for this reason and will continue to do so until I learn otherwise.

I view hot linking no different than spamming. It's a deceptive practice and it pisses me off when I think I'm clicking on one thing and then taken to another.

I have only purchased one scope from SWFA but the price and how I was treated couldn't have been any better.

As for linking, I guess I don't see a problem as I haven't had one. Not sure what the fuss is about. Nate

quote:

Originally posted by BigNate:
I have only purchased one scope from SWFA but the price and how I was treated couldn't have been any better.

As for linking, I guess I don't see a problem as I haven't had one. Not sure what the fuss is about. Nate

Same here. Then again too, they might look at selling other stuff BESIDES their SS line as a necessary evil, and their attitude might reflect that. BTW it was a SS that I had purchased. I have noticed that for some stuff, snipercountry has better prices.

quote:

Originally posted by djpaintles:
I usually talk to the same person at SWFA every time. I've bought a half dozen or so scopes from them and have gotten exactly what I've ordered new or used every time. Since I live close I've also gotten them the next day I ordered them every time. I can't say anything but good about them, though I'm sure their competitors here online would rather I cuss them...............DJ

I have not bought as much but have had the same experience. If it is in stock (and they tell me that when I call) it is generally here the next day.

I have never had a problem with SWFA, the site you listed on your question isn't SWFA thier web address is http://www.riflecsope.com/ .

Hope I didn't misunderstand your situation.

cobra44-

riflescopes.com and SWFA are one and the same.

so whats so uncommon about typing in a word on the internet and being directed to beau coup places you could care less about.

SWFA have been great to me.
I consider Chris and the gang over there my friends.
I'll continue to support them.

So, are we to assume that someone will believe they are at the Kahles web site and not the SWAFA web site if they happen to type optic instead of optik?

What is the big harm done here? If Kahles was all that worried about this they should have registered both spellings when they got their web site.

quote:

So, are we to assume that someone will believe they are at the Kahles web site and not the SWAFA web site if they happen to type optic instead of optik?

No they are using mispellings of their competitors as well as some manufacturers they represent to re-direct you. Listen if it doesn't bother you ignore this completely. IMHO it is f.....ing sleazy.

SempreELK ...

I guess I can understand how you and others can think of the re-directs as "sleezy" ... but after all, SWFA is using domain names that nobody else had registered, and is drawing people in for possible business. What a lot of smart e-business companies do is buy up all the domain names "around" theirs that people might type in by accident, and re-direct to the proper website.

what I see SWFA doing is taking advantage (not in a good or bad way, but simply in the literal sense) of being an e-business with no possible "window shopping" that physical stores have. They do not have "fake" sites that emulate the site(s) you may have been trying to get to ... and then sell you a scope you think you are buying from a mfg ... but instead they are just getting you into their site to see if you might want to purchase from them.

There's no "mystery" about it ... it says SWFA in big letters on their home page, which is where you end up when you're re-directed ... If the web surfer in question has any brains, they will know they are not at "Khales Optics" website, or whatever website they intended to go to ... and they can easily try a new search for the proper website.

I guess my point is, whatever you can do (as an legitimate e-business) to draw people to your site can (or should) only help business by getting people familiar with your site.

I'd gather that most "joes" out there that don't frequent boards like this will never hear of the e-retailers like SWFA, or TheOpticZone, or similar ... So basically, if they offer their merchandise at reasonable prices, treat the buyer well, and offer good service after the sale... what does it matter how you got there? Seems everyone wins when you get a good deal on a good optic ... so what am I missing?

quote:

Originally posted by SempreElk:

quote:

So, are we to assume that someone will believe they are at the Kahles web site and not the SWAFA web site if they happen to type optic instead of optik?

No they are using mispellings of their competitors as well as some manufacturers they represent to re-direct you. Listen if it doesn't bother you ignore this completely. IMHO it is f.....ing sleazy.

If you want to talk sleazy...then lets talk about the totally bogus rip off perpetrated by US Optics when they made an exact duplicate (even down to a look alike logo) of Unertl Optics USMC 10x Sniper scope. They even stamped them with “USMCâ€...something that Unertl refused to do when they started selling the scopes to the public a few years ago.

Now that’s sleazy...and they have been paying for it.

Since I live in Tx and have to pay state sales tax if I order from SWFA, and Cabela's recently opened a store about 40 miles from the house, I will go there. Even with the price of gasoline these days, I would still rather go to Cabela's even though I generally spend lots more than I intended to. Sportsmen's Warehouse in San Antonio also has good variety and prices.

quote:

I guess I can understand how you and others can think of the re-directs as "sleezy" ... but after all, SWFA is using domain names that nobody else had registered, and is drawing people in for possible business. What a lot of smart e-business companies do is buy up all the domain names "around" theirs that people might type in by accident, and re-direct to the proper website.

Shake it and bake it anyway you want its sleazy. I have dealt with their customer service and was completely underwhelmed as well. That said if your comfortable paying Bear Basin,SWFA and Cabelas prices for your optics and dealing with salespeople and not optics experts then go for it. I take my business elsewhere.

SE:
Chris and the gang I HAVE DEALT WITH, have been top knotch. That's me.

Chris @ SWFA is an expert in the field of optics though, make no mistake.
I'm not sure who or what you deem an "expert", but if he's not, you have VERY high standards.

quote:

Chris @ SWFA is an expert in the field of optics though, make no mistake.

That may be the case but I don't recall ever speaking to a Chris there.

quote:

Originally posted by cheaptrick:
SE:
Chris and the gang I HAVE DEALT WITH, have been top knotch. That's me.

Not in my experience. I used to think pretty highly of him, but he's a very small person, based on my recent personal communications with him. JMO, Dutch.

Try this one: www.schmidtandbender.com

SWFA was good ... now they are far away the grade of excellency they used to have ... I purchased a couple of scopes and flip ups covers to them and had excellent service upto then... nearly six months later (almost one year ago) I wanted to buy a bino and was treated in rude and careless way ... used to deal directly with Chris Farris and the only answered I had from him when I emailed him with my complaints was to go shopping elsewhere, which of course I did after telling him what I thought (and still do) about his attitude ... later on I was told that at that time his mother had fallen down and broken a couple of bones which concur with his first child birth, which might have made him adopt such a careless attitude ...

The optic zone and quality optics are MUCH better places where to make your purchase, from both points of views: prices and service quality

I have purchashed 2 Leopolds from SWFA and have had no problems.
I probably would have bought them from Cameraland, but was not aware of them at the time.
To each his own.

I have bought 4 Leupold scopes from Bear Basin and have outstanding service from them each time. Even when I was not completely certain of what I really wanted they were patient and courteous. I'd buy from them again. I've recomended them to others and they had the same experieince.