SuperJudge:
First, let me start by stating that I was not part of this transaction at all, so I am not responding from a first-person perspective. I am only stating our usual policies with regard to price matching, and advising you as to the outcome of this matter.
To begin, our store does offer price matching with any competitor who lists an item at a lower price than is listed on our website. However, there are a few caveats to that statement.
Number One: We must confirm that the item in question is the very same item being offered at both locations. This means a member of the Epps staff will contact the alternate vendor to confirm that the product/catalogue number for that item is the very same. For example, if SAIL is offering a Savage Axis rifle chambered in .308 Win at a certain price, we will not match that price for a Savage Axis rifle chambered in .300 Win Mag.
Number Two: The competitor must have that item in stock when we call to confirm pricing and availability. Any retailer can state a price on a product they do not have in stock, but change that price when the item does actually reach their inventory. For that reason, the item in question must be available at both Epps and the alternate vendor in order for us to approve the price match.
In this case, Wholesale Sports had sold out of the 7mm-08 model at the time you chose to proceed with this purchase from our store. By the statement made above, we would not usually have matched pricing on the 7mm-08 rifle we had in stock, as Wholesale was unable to provide that model to you at the offered price at that time.
As it was explained to me this morning, the offer to match pricing with Wholesale Sports on a Savage rifle in which you were interested was extended while the sale price was in effect at Wholesale Sports. For whatever reasons -- either delays on our part or on yours -- the decision to proceed with that purchase was not received from you until after the sale at Wholesale Sports had ended and the sale price was no longer valid through that vendor.
Normally, once a sale price has ended at a competitor vendor, we no longer offer to match the sale price on that item. However, our manager did contact our Savage distributor and discussed this matter with their office. In the end, Savage agreed to allow us to release the rifle to you at the price that matched the now-expired sale price offered through Wholesale Sports.
I was handed the details of this order this morning, and did process this sale to you at the lowered price as offered to match the Wholesale Sports sale price. The rifle was placed in our Shipping department this afternoon, and should be picked up for delivery to you either later today or early tomorrow morning.
Again, I was not personally involved in any part of the negotiations that were conducted prior to this sale being committed under your name, therefore I cannot respond to any of those exchanges. I can state only that the matter was finally settled in your favour, with the rifle you were originally seeking being invoiced and sent out to you at a price that matched the Wholesale Sports sale price on that item.
If you have any further questions or concerns about this or any other transaction conducted through our store, please feel free to contact me either by telephone (705.689.5333, extension 230), or by E-mail (
info@ellwoodepps.com) at your convenience.