Poulin Auctions

[1gunsnotenough]

Wasn't sure where to put this I paid for a MKI that I won at the auction thru proxibid and paid for the item four weeks ago. Can't get a answer when it will ship. Poor to non existent communication. Their Google reviews full of the same issues. Surprisingly all their other reviews are good they must pay someone for those reviews. Anyone have any experience with them. I called Proxibid and they told me to file a complaint with them. Last time I'll buy anything on their auctions.

 

[TATERARK]

I've bought four or five from them in the past. They usually do take a while to to ship but I've been pleased with the condition and such. They do have a lot of guns to ship so I'm sure it takes some time to get them all out. I've had the same experience with other auctions also. I bet it won't be much longer.

 

[tazbigdog]

Best to call them and ask.

 

[1gunsnotenough]

Best to call them and ask.

I did four times in four weeks. Plus email.

 

[hittman]

Cancel the credit card transaction for fraud.

 

[Huntfish918]

I have won items from them in the past. They have a small staff and carefully package every firearm. Like everybody else, I'm guessing they are having a hard time getting people to show up for work...but that's no reason to not answer the phone.

 

[GRAMPS 51]

Well i have dealt with them i assure you they havent been paid for a good review i cant say enough good about them give them another call be patient they are good people

Gramps

 

[hfcable]

bought a fair amount from them over the years. slow methodical shipping but they always have been courteous and helpful to me.

 

[bigbillyboy]

After reading through this thread not sure , but sure seems fishy .......

 

[KRuger]

It sounds like everyone who has actually dealt with them says the same thing; they have integrity, their work and service are competent and they ARE slow. I've never dealt with them; but I'm going to watch their auctions more closely. Maybe I'll be the blind hog that finds the acorn.
KRuger

 

[weaselmeatgravy]

They are good people, I've bought from them in the past but not for at least 5 years. I'd suspect the assumption about them not being able to hire enough help to be true based on how everyplace around me is continually short staffed.

Even the corner store/deli down the road now closes at 5pm every night and closed all day on Sunday (used to be open 7 days until 8pm and 9pm on Fri/Sat). They never even fire up their pizza oven anymore since they would sell most of their pizza in the evening. And we have a great mom & pop ice cream stand that closed early for the season because all their help had to go back to school. Wife went shopping today and said the manager of the grocery store was set up hoping to take applications in the entry way but looked bored since nobody was stopping. And the one person at the dollar store was busy interviewing kids, ready to hire anyone on the spot, but no takers.

 

[Bullthrower338]

I have bought from them as well, waited 6 weeks to receive a 3 screw but it was packaged extra good!

 

[flattop44]

I have delt with them and found them to be honest and straight up. They package the items well. Suspect not able to get help is a lot of the problem.
FT44

 

[GasGuzzler]

I would never say a company "is good people" if they hadn't shipped my item after four weeks and won't respond.

Good people don't do business that way.

 

[bigbillyboy]

Yeah , they need to do a reasonable shipping time , match orders to ability in a timely fashion .

 

[Feel the 'Pane]

If I got a smoking deal on a rare find I may wait another week or so, otherwise I'd cancel the purchase.

It's not your fault that a business is shorthanded.

 

[57springer]

That is a very poor way to conduct business.

 

[contender]

Any GOOD business will communicate with a customer if they happen to have issues with something. The poor communication is unacceptable. Even if they are short staffed, have a big backlog, or even worse stuff like a death in the family or other tragedies, they should communicate with customers. Especially if they've taken the money already.
They may be an excellent business. They may have excellent prices. They may be the most honest out there. But communication is the KEY to a successful business when any issues arise.
Even if you don't have a specific timeline about the issue,, communicate with the customer and do not lie about it.

 

[David Lee Valdina]

I worked a number of years for Pete Harvey who had four 2 day auctions a year. I am making a guess that about half of the items were picked up and the others shipped. One of my jobs was packaging and shipping. We would get back to the shop after the auction and unload. Then, the next day, we would start getting the guns out. Please keep in mind, guns need to be paid for before they ship. A absentee Buyer won't know what to send until after the auction ends. Many pay by check, and the check needs to be received. My recollection is that it took me a week to ten days to ship, and that was for guns already paid for. The labor leading up to the auction and following it was intense, but the time in between very slow. You can not expect to hire good people for just a two week period. You can not afford to hire a full staff for the periods when little is going on. It is just the nature of things. Be charitable, be patient and be happy a nice gun gets to you packaged well.

 

[contender]

I don't think the OP is out of line to expect a bit of communication from them, especially when he's tried reaching out them several times. If they say that are having staffing issues & such, fine. Just communicate that.
The fact that most auctions now require a CC to pay for stuff,, awaiting on a check to arrive & clear is almost non-existent. That reduces the time required to wait, or it should.
The OP is also right in worry, because of the large amount of internet scams, thefts etc nowadays.
Simple,, the auction house should communicate when an inquiry (or several) have been made.