*Update* Epps got a hold of me, and just shipped my rifle today for the price we agreed on. Thanks a lot Epps!
This was originally going to be a great endorsement for Ellwood Epps, but sadly that has changed. I was looking to buy my first gun so that I might finally be able to join my friends on a deer hunt this season. I had decided on either a 308 or 7mm-08 bolt-action and after looking around I found an amazing deal at wholesale sports for a rifle I wanted. Wholesale was out of the 7mm-08 models, my first choice, but did have 308 models in stock. Before settling on the back up choice I decided to see if any other stores would price match that sale price in the caliber I wanted.
So I explained my situation to Ellwood Epps, telling them I would prefer the 7mm-08, but wholesale was out of stock and wondering if they would be willing price match or if I was going to have to settle on the 308. When I asked if Ellwood Epps would be willing to price match they replied by saying they do not play these kinds of games and to just tell them what price I would be willing to pay and that we can work out some sort of deal. So I told them I wanted to pay the sale price that wholesale offered. Now fast forward 4 days later, and so far no reply from Epps and its now the final day of the sale at wholesale sports. So I figure I am going to make a trip down to wholesale and buy the 308 after work. But when I checked my e-mail that day I was very pleasantly surprised to see an e-mail from Epps saying that they would sell me the rifle for the price I wanted. I just had to send them my shipping, PAL, and credit card info and they would mail the rifle out, so I thanked them and told them I would send all the information when I got home from work. So instead of heading to wholesale sports, I head straight home and send them all the information they need and asked them about shipping plans and costs. I was in such a good mood that I even took my mother out for dinner that night.
The next day I get a reply and we chose a shipping option, they then ask for my information again, which I again give them. At this point they tell me that they were only willing to offer me that price while wholesale had their sale on. And since this is now the day after the sale, and no order was officially processed yet, they would no longer honor the price we had agreed upon. At no point did they tell me that our deal would expire in a mere 7 hours. The very first thing they told me when I asked if they would price match was that they did not play these games and to just make an offer. So I made my offer, and the offer was accepted, and then not honored. Needless to say I am very unhappy with the customer service at Epps. And to make things worse if they had just not bothered to e-mail me that day telling me that my offer was accepted, then I would have happily gone to wholesale for the 308. Now that is no longer an option either and I am back to looking for something I can afford.