UPDATE 7-6-2013 Received a refund check today. I've placed a lot of orders in the past with Midway and this is the first bad experience I've had with them. The takeaway should be that they have a communication issue with their powder distributor. I ordered powder from Natchez and Mid-South the same day (different types of commonly used reloading powders) and received them in March. I've also noticed that Midways 'sale' price on several items I've been shopping for aren't as good as their competitors.


Last January 15th I placed an order with Midway for some powder. They billed my credit card that day. Over the past six months I've had a couple different communications with them and it's not been a good experience. No powder ever showed up, and they can't refund my credit card.

Midway cannot keep powder at their facility (was told due to it's location close to I-70), so everything is drop shipped from their distributor. I've heard a lot of excuses about backlog and communication issues with their distributors.

The order has been cancelled. I've subsequently ordered and received powder from other sources and even located some locally. But Midway apparently can't confirm from their distributor that the order hasn't been shipped.

So here I sit. They've had my money for six months and can't seem to be able to refund it.

Never again will I do business with Midway.

I had some less than ideal purchases from Midway as well and I don't order anything from them anymore. Nothing like you however.
What does your credit card bank say? There should be no problem with Midway making the change with your bank.
Good luck.
Bear in Fairbanks

I'm very much aware of the market situation the past several months and the volume of orders such places are getting. I waited over six months for the order and tried to be patient. And now it's been a week since I cancelled the order and still no refund on my credit card. And at the time I cancelled they told me it would take 24 hours and that they would email me to confirm. None of which has happened.

And today when I called I was again put on hold for ~10 minutes only to be told they didn't have an answer but would check into it and let me know sometime soon.

I don't know what credit card company you use, but with mine I just call them and cancel the payment. That's all too it. No charge to me for doing that either. That way Midway is stuck not you and they will have to take care of it.

I would dispute the charge via your credit card company. The credit card company should be able to make it right.

After starting this thread I contacted Customer Service (again), explaining that I had gone public on this website about what I was encountering. I included a link to the thread.

I promptly got three (3) email responses. First two were the same excuses of how they can't refund my money until they hear from the distributor that it hasn't been shipped. Third one was an apology along with notice of a refund.

Knowing what I do now, I cannot recommend ordering powder from Midway. They apparently don't have much control over order processing with their distributor and an even poorer communication system.

And I also think that bringing the matter to light on Accurate Reloading Forums helps too!

quote:

Originally posted by Matt Norman:
Last January 15th I placed an order with Midway for some powder. They billed my credit card that day. Over the past six months I've had a couple different communications with them and it's not been a good experience. No powder ever showed up, and they can't refund my credit card.

Midway cannot keep powder at their facility (was told due to it's location close to I-70), so everything is drop shipped from their distributor. I've heard a lot of excuses about backlog and communication issues with their distributors.

The order has been cancelled. I've subsequently ordered and received powder from other sources and even located some locally. But Midway apparently can't confirm from their distributor that the order hasn't been shipped.

So here I sit. They've had my money for six months and can't seem to be able to refund it.

Never again will I do business with Midway.

Why are you pissing and moaning here?

I think alerting members of this site is very appropriate and I appreciate you doing it. BTW I quit ordering from Midway years ago when they quit including postage in the price. Not that this was a price increase--face it folks we were paying postage. Potterfield the owner or president or whatever he is was very pompous in that it was his company and he could do whatever he wanted---very true but the customer can take it or leave it--I left because of his attitude. The second thing about this new change was that customers that had stuff on back order would now be charged shipping. A contract existed and Midway would not honor it. Midway should have bit the bullet--it was THEIR fault---not the customers that the order had to be backordered. The way they handled this situation is about what I'd expect from them.

I quit Midway, too. I bought a DPS camera system sold under Primos name. It would not work, two long waits on the phone and found out it was fussy on the brand name of SD card. First tech had no idea. I left feedback warning others to use the correct sd card. Never was posted. If I can't leave feedback I have no use for the place.

There are many other companies out there that are willing to do what it takes to make things right. I choose to do business with them.

I have had hit and miss service from Midway over the years. Been sending more and more business to Brownell's (right down the road).

quote:

Why are you pissing and moaning here?

Because it helped get him his money back, that's why. Glad it worked for him.



.

I have had numerous experiences with Midway. Thus far all have been positive.
Sorry to hear about this one.

I've done business with them for over 20 years and never had a problem. That said, I probably jinxed it.

I've always had good luck with Midway. They generally ship fast and the stuff shows up when they say it will. Lately because of all of the shortages I have used some other places. Seems it always takes an extra day or two to ship (or in some cases a week) and it doesn't show up when they say it should. YMMV

I all but quit ordering from Potterfield long ago. He used to have real competitive pricing and even after the charge for shipping crap he was still ok on pricing. Not so much anymore. I find bullets, scopes, cleaning supplies, dies, etc plenty easy from Midsouth, Grafs, Brownells, and others at better prices. Most of the time I buy local anyway as I live by a great shop that is worth supporting.

I've been doing business with Midway for decades.....IMO they have been better in the past but are still trying to do the right thing overall. Shipping has been a sore point, especially to AK. I shop locally as first choice whenever possible and then compare Midway, Brownells, Midsouth, etc...

Glad you got refunded,

Dan

quote:

Originally posted by BigNate:
I all but quit ordering from Potterfield long ago. He used to have real competitive pricing and even after the charge for shipping crap he was still ok on pricing. Not so much anymore. I find bullets, scopes, cleaning supplies, dies, etc plenty easy from Midsouth, Grafs, Brownells, and others at better prices. .

X 2!! Potterfield blew it when he had to financially cover his African Trips.Till than I thought Midway was #1. Haven't bought anything from them in years. roger

My only gripe with them is their shipping costs. The company I work for ships a ton with UPS, so UPS offers us a huge discount for all the business we provide them. I have talked to Midway's customer service and I know they ship more than we do. I told them they need to renegotiate with their shipper because they are being over charged or (more likely) making an extra 5-10 bucks by not passing the discount on to us as customers.

Having said all that, I usually can find a better deal (both in shipping and overall product price) at a competitors website.

I've stopped buying anything from Midway, shipping costs have become excessive; higher than the competition. They don't make a catalog anymore, you can't even buy one. They don't have cust serv like Brownells/Sinclair.

Once I called Midway and wanted to order 8 MTM boxes, were $9.95 each, weighed less than 1/2 lb each. Price was 70 some bucks and they wanted almost as much for shipping; I told the girl she was crazy as heck. Called Cabelas and they gave me free shipping when I mentioned it.

I feel good about Brownells/Sinclair, but they are always outta stock for me of late; so I end up calling Cabelas and they usually have what I want. Couple days back, I called Sinclair and they only had one item outta 8 that I wanted, so in order to save on shipping, I called Cabelas and they had every single thing. Heck, they even had Lapua Brass in 308 win; something I had on backorder from Brownells since last December.

Me thinks that before it's all over, Cabelas will be the main game in the mail order town.

quote:

Originally posted by SmokinJ:
I don't know what credit card company you use, but with mine I just call them and cancel the payment. That's all too it. No charge to me for doing that either. That way Midway is stuck not you and they will have to take care of it.

BINGO! problem solved!

Brownells is great!

Being charged postage at more double the value of an item means I shop elsewhere these days.

I agree that Midway has gone downhill and I use them minimally these days. I did not like it when they quit free shipping but what really gripes me is their practice of backordering when out of stock and then charging more shipping when/if the stuff comes in.

I wasn't a big fan and after Potterfield told me at the DSC show that he wasn't a tour guide when I asked him a question, that did it for me. I don't need people with his superior attitude.

NOTE: more pissing and moaning forthcoming so if that bothers you go to another thread

Thought I had this resolved but apparently not. Last week I was told a refund was forthcoming. I then received an email that I was receiving a store credit. Called them back and told them I wanted a refund. They acknowledged that a cashable check would be forthcoming. Received a letter couple days ago saying I would be receiving a refund check that would be mailed seperately (that seems kind of dumb, why not just mail the check?). Got an email today from a VP in charge of something (excuses?) and was told I was getting a credit card refund and to check with my credit card company to confirm that.

More drama, more excuses, and more hoops to jump through.

My credit card was charged six months ago ($202) and I've changed credit cards, so I wanted a refund.

Matt,

Sorry for you trouble. However most places will refund the the card no send a check. They have no way of knowing if a customer has failed to pay the card.

As to high shipping etc. I don't really give a darn what they call it. Shipping, smile fee, handling etc. Provided the company gives good service I just look at the delivered price. Some things I get from Grafs with free shipping others from Midway or someplace else. Call it anything you want I only care about the delivered price.

As to the other things mentioned I don't know a single place I order from that is entirely clean from those issues.

Really have had no problems. Don't use them as much, there are better price options these days. I try not to back order from any where if I don't have to.
Larry

Another case of Midway not doing what they said they would. Nothing new. I'd bet if years ago when people were charged shipping on back-ordered items when it had been ordered under the postage included policy that Potterfield would have lost in a class action suit. Poor thing couldn't afford to honor his word but could go on safari.

I miss the good ol' days when Midway shipped for free. They'd have bullets and brass on sale plus the free shipping. I had a new credit card at the time and Midway got most of my $. Kind of like Sears with the no more sales idea, Midway said the free shipping wasn't fair to all their customers, so they started to charge shipping and "lower the cost" of the items they sold. The first happened, I didn't notice the second. I still spend some of my $ there, but not much.

I'll give Midway credit for supporting gunning shows on TV!

Leonard,
That's called advertising.

Grafs has a better deal on shipping.

Some copanies that charge shipping(UPS) have an agreement to ship everything by one carrier. Therefore they get a cut in shipping costs which is pocketed and makes a little more proffit. I have run into that through the years and when asked, they will beat around the bush or sometimes outright deny it.A few years ago, Midway got a little irate with me when asked, so I do not use them anymore. It seems the ego is passed down from the top to the bottom.

quote:

Brownell's

now there's a class act!!!!!

Midway needs to change there name to... OutOfStock.com

I certainly don't boycott Midway. I just placed another order today.. probably the third or fourth in a month. I did learn though not to order powder from them because of inadequate communication between them and the distributor. There are others more seriously in the powder business.

Y'all do realize that probably all their powder orders these days are dropped shipped from the distributor? MidwayUSA is just about as much of a hostage as we are are on powder orders.

Midway has always treated me fairly. I think their shipping is high, but they have always been helpful!

quote:

Originally posted by mulerider777:
Some copanies that charge shipping(UPS) have an agreement to ship everything by one carrier. Therefore they get a cut in shipping costs which is pocketed and makes a little more proffit. I have run into that through the years and when asked, they will beat around the bush or sometimes outright deny it.A few years ago, Midway got a little irate with me when asked, so I do not use them anymore. It seems the ego is passed down from the top to the bottom.

That's what Midway is doing now. Their only shipping options are now UPS. For various reasons, USPS is easier for me, and the flat rate boxes are a really good deal that Midway only bumped a little for some handling. But no more. With the volume commitment that Midway probably gave UPS, as much as 1/2 of the shipping is staying with Midway and not getting paid to UPS.

LWD

I ordered some stuff from Midway USA just today. They told me shipping was $1.97, and it would go UPS to my local post office, and then the Post Office would drive it to my house...

Well I never heard of that, and since I live out in the country, I was a little worried to try that until I have a chance to tale to my PO...

So I told them to send it UPS all the way, as I know they will get it to my door...

My shipping was 9 dollars and some odd cents...

I have ordered from Midway several times, especially now that I live in the sticks, and I have always been happy with their service.

Yep, here is what Midway is doing now; shipping via FED EX or UPS to your local US Post Office. The package then gets delivered by the post man/woman. I called Mid on it and they said that method was used to save on shipping costs. I asked my mail lady and she said it is common now and they get lots of shipments that way. I was at the PO the other day and what do you know: the UPS truck was unloading stuff there. What next?