Question about Brownells prices.

[CHEVYINLINE6]

I have been buying from Brownells for a number of years. Awhile back there was some changes to the website including a BIG jump in prices of replacement and aftermarket parts. Many of the parts I have bought from them have doubled in price, but when I go to the original manufactors website their prices are still very low, half of what Brownells is trying to charge. Midways prices are also half of what Brownells is trying to charge.

CHEVYINLINE6.

 

[dannyd]

Brownells has always been expensive, but now they have really gotten expensive. Their lifetime warranty does work, I just used it, but you only get a gift card in exchange for the item.

 

[Xrayist]

Dealing with Brownells since the 1970's as a dealer, I finally gave up about 3 years ago. I hadn't received a new catalog so I called them. They now charge for the catalog, even though I had spent thousands of dollars with them. Okay, fine, I understand, so I gave them my credit card and requested a new catalog. Six weeks go by, no catalog. I called them. They said give it a few more weeks and call us back if it doesn't arrive. Called back 3 weeks later, (9 weeks after they charged my card) and they said they would send another one out. The kicker, it would be a plain catalog, no inserts such as new items, no customer number on the catalog, (I had the catalog handy while ordering in the past and therefore had all that information right there), and it would be sent media mail...the slowest. About a month later, low and behold, my catalog appeared. So over three and a half months to get a catalog. Noticed that if you are building an AR platform weapon, 1911 platform weapon or a Glock platform weapon, then it is like the old Sears X-mas book. If anything else, well, about 10 minutes of looking through it you have covered all the other items. I do understand that prices go up, but it seems to Brownells that as prices go up, you have to cut customer service to balance it out....doesn't make sense to me, just what my perception is of the company now.

 

[CHEVYINLINE6]

About a year ago I ordered a 1911 spare parts kit. After a certain amount of time I got a notice from the Post Office saying my package could not be delivered because my business was closed when the Postal person went to deliver the package. I am a private party and do not have a business. I contacted the Post Office and asked them where is my package was several different times and they had no answer for me. I contacted Brownells several times about the matter and they never replied. Now I buy items I need from Midway or other websites.

CHEVYINLINE6.

 

[OMCHamlin]

Other, subtle things as well; slower shipping (slower PROCESSING on Brownells part, I'd bet), poor customer phone service, used to have a worthwhile FFL & Veteran discount on almost everything, now it looks like it's just their slow inventory, chinks in their "no questions, lifetime warranty", like you said, prices much more out of line with competitors (or even "old Brownells). No, they're a company that's run it's course, I'd wager. Leadership is probably tired, 1st line staff is... well, it's 2023, so 1st line staff is about average, so you know what that's saying. They used to be my absolute first choice, now about number 4 or 5...

 

[Enigma]

Take that new catalog and thumb through it, then look for the same part online. I'm betting that it's not even listed. I bought a new hard copy catalog a year or so ago, because I hadn't had one in many years. I looked through it and found something that I wanted. Went to look it up on their website and order it - no longer stocked. And not just one item; I had the same experience with several items. I finally stuck the catalog back on the bookshelf and found those parts elsewhere. I've been patronizing Brownells since the mid-late 70s. They certainly have changed, and not for the better.

 

[CHEVYINLINE6]

I may be wrong, but I think somebody new is running the company. I kinda remember about a year ago they changed the format of their website. Maybe a younger family member is running the company and wants to see bigger profits. Years ago My wifes family had a business that employed a lot of family members. It was out selling another big well known company making the same things. My wifes family had a lot of military contracts that brought in a lot of money. Over the years the older family members retired or passed away. Pretty soon younger family members started running the company, got greedy and lost all the military contracts. Within a few years the factory shut down and the build and property was sold off. Now there is a bunch of fast food places where the factory once stood.

CHEVYINLINE6.

 

[deac45]

I was going to order a small item a while back...until I got to checkout. In addition to a high shipping charge there was some sort of shipment insurance charge added in also. No option to decline. All together the add on fees were more than the item I was purchasing! Backed out, checked Midway and found the same thing, cheaper and cheaper shipping!

 

[Enigma]

I may be wrong, but I think somebody new is running the company. I kinda remember about a year ago they changed the format of their website. Maybe a younger family member is running the company and wants to see bigger profits. Years ago My wifes family had a business that employed a lot of family members. It was out selling another big well known company making the same things. My wifes family had a lot of military contracts that brought in a lot of money. Over the years the older family members retired or passed away. Pretty soon younger family members started running the company, got greedy and lost all the military contracts. Within a few years the factory shut down and the build and property was sold off. Now there is a bunch of fast food places where the factory once stood.

CHEVYINLINE6.

Pete Brownell runs the company now, and he's a bean-counter. I knew both Bob and Frank Brownell slightly. I met them at their company back in 1981, and spoke with Bob on the phone a couple of times. I understand that times change and businesses have to change with them or they go broke. That doesn't mean that I have to be happy about it, though.

 

[Johnnu2]

"Bean Counter"......... there's your answer...!
Gotta remember, the cost of keeping their private jet, and yacht, has gone up exponentially as well.
Sorta like the "doctor industry" today, run by the bean counters; they even made the parking spaces smaller so they can fit more cars in to increase the revenue.
IMHO of course,
J.

 

[gunman42782]

I used to order from them a lot. Like others have stated, everything they sell is more expensive for the same thing from Midway. Can't remember the last time I bought anything from them.

 

[Hvymax]

Probably second or third generation running it now.

 

[bigbillyboy]

I have used them in the past ,for some older guns, sight parts, springs etc . .I thought they were okay but after reading this thread , hmmm .....

 

[Enigma]

Probably second or third generation running it now.

Third.

 

[G2]

It's sad, they used to be the go to gold standard and usually had "all the stuff"
Now the website is a joke, no catalog, and the prices are the gold standard.

 

[side by side]

In used to order from the old Brownells, I had a gun shop and received dealer pricing, purchased many firearms from them, even remember paying a yearly $50 for faster shipping and free returns. At that time,around 2000 to 2015 Brownells was Best in their Class". Now I don't use them for anything,very sad. Always remember receiving the Brownells new Catalog in August Every year. Nothing last forever.

 

[Yoter]

I'm another long time customer that has been buying my parts from Midway lately. Not only are Brownell's prices higher, but most of the parts I need are always out of stock.

 

[contender]

I can echo many of the above comments.

We've all seen a good, solid business go downhill after the founders pass away, or sell. So sad.

 

[Sam Summey]

Unfortunately when Frank retired and Pete took over (I think he has a degree in marketing) he decided to do away with the business model his grandfather and father had used for 80+ years. Same thing happened when Larry Potterfield retired from running the "day to day" Midway USA and hired a management "team" of marketeers to manage his business. Midway prices shot up, inventory went down, same with Brownells. I recently ordered a 22 LR barrel liner, it came in bent 3/16" out of straight. I called and informed them of the damage because of poor packaging and not having taken measures to prevent bending in shipment. No stiffener to protect liner (stiff cardboard tube), no external labels warning against bending. The shipping box had a clear bend in the middle. (BTW I used to design packaging for my company.) A few days later I received a replacement, instead of the few sheets of wadded paper they had thrown in a handful of bubble bags. Only by the grace of god or just plain luck I received the replacement. Again, the shipping carton was creased in the same place but not as severely as before. No effort had been made to place the liner in a protective stiffener tube. When I returned the bent liner I placed it in a protective stiffening tube to prevent the bent tube from being bent more, aka properly packed.

 

[RC44Mag]

I've used Brownells for years without issues at all. The last time probably close to a year ago again no problems. Sorry to hear the bad but hopefully it was just a couple anomalies. Come on Brownells, get back to being a Class A company for American shooters