My dealings with Epps was no better if not worse than the OP's. A few years back I ordered a rifle via mail order, the wrong gun was shipped I had to cover the cost of shipping back to the store as well as the original shipping, then was expected to pay a third shipping of the proper rifle back to me. Upon receiving the proper rifle that gun was faulty right from the box. Obviously the store never so much as opened the box before shipping as the problem was visually evident. When contacted Epps I was told to mail it to the warranty center as Epps wanted nothing to do with it. That was my first and last dealings with a store that treats a customer like that. I now deal with a store that takes care of their customers as problems like what I experienced from Epps cannot be fixed. To me is sad to see how a store can diss their customers, only to try and justify their mistakes when it becomes known online.
There is always more to the story than what is being told here.
If the rifle in question was being returned to our store because the wrong item was shipped, we would cover the cost of return shipping, as well as the retail selling price, taxes and outbound shipping costs. This is standard policy. If we made the mistake, we fix the mistake. It is not up to the customer to pay to return an item they did not purchase.
As for an issue with the replacement rifle, we do not usually inspect new firearms, as we take it on faith that quality control is handled by the manufacturer. Wal-Mart does not open and inspect every toaster and microwave and vacuum cleaner they sell. Canadian Tire does not inspect every ratchet set and power drill and table saw they offer through their stores. It is taken for granted that the manufacturer has inspected those items and deemed them free from defect or fault. However, a warranty is offered so that if any such defect or fault does arise, the item can be serviced or replaced as the manufacturer sees fit.
The purpose to a warranty is so that the manufacturer or authorized warranty service centre can inspect and repair any fault or defect in their merchandise when such faults or defects are found by the consumer. It is standard warranty practice by all companies for the consumer to pay to ship a product to the warranty centre, while return freight is covered by the manufacturer once the issue has been addressed. This system has been debated countless times on these forums. This system is not one that is created by the retailer, but by the manufacturer.
As for "Epps wanted nothing to do with it", that is an over simplification, plain and simple. Again, this system has been hashed over and slagged and dragged through the mud
ad nauseum on more forums here on GunNutz than I can point out with a frying pan. Warranty issues must be handled by the authorized warranty centre, otherwise the warranty on that item is void. Ellwood Epps is the authorized warranty centre for Weatherby firearms as well as a number of other brands. That means every consumer who buys a Weatherby rifle in British Columbia, or in Quebec, or in Newfoundland, must ship their guns to our store for servicing if inspection and repair is required. And yes, every single one of them had to pay to ship the gun to Ontario, while those firearms are sent back to their owners at no extra cost once the required servicing has been completed.
If you choose to shop elsewhere other than at Ellwood Epps, that choice is yours. That is what a free market economy is all about. But do not stand behind a claim that says the reason you shop elsewhere is because Ellwood Epps (or Wolverine Supply, or Al Flagherty's, or Gagnon Sports, or Shooters Choice, or Wantalls, etc . . . ) "wanted nothing to do with" a warranty issue that is not theirs to handle. Instead, consider that we are in business to HELP our customers, as I have stated before, not to "diss (our) customers", as you claim.
