Something's up at Front Sight

[JohnP]

Looks like Front Sight is "sold out" of their Diamond memberships. To my knowledge, this has never happened before. What do you guys think is going on?

It sounds like their last "final offer" might really have been a final offer. Just wondering what the rest of you think is going on.

I'm hopeful that they are limiting membership (since I have some Diamond memberships for sale), but i'm also wondering if something less positive is going on.

http://www.frontsight.com/diamond-membership.asp

[barrym66]

We'll see. I've long been past the state of "chicken little" with all the FS "last chance!" offers. We'll see....

....on the other hand, if anyone has a $200 Diamond upgrade they want to sell, PM me!

[GW]

Don't sweat it. There will be another offer along shortly.

[c.j.]

Well, a couple thoughts. First, they USED to offer 'Gold' memberships (which are now only available through the sales where you can get a membership duplicating your own), so it seems they have discontinued certain levels before. So maybe there's a new level in the works (platinum? palladium?) with 41% off in the pro shop or something.

Or, it's possible after two rounds of duplicating Diamond memberships, with all the people snatching them up, that if members did a 'diamond day' and everyone decided that they'd all call in for their 'guaranteed placement' two weeks before a...lets say 4 day shotgun course, they'd suddenly need to figure out how to get thousands of people into a course that usually only takes up a couple ranges at most.

[Bert Gamble]

I bought a Diamond membership and attended the 4 day handgun class.

When I bought it, I was thinking that it would only be good for one trip, since often when a place goes out of business, they try to get as much cash out of it as they can first.

I am now thinking that I will get more than one use out of it, but I am far from convinced. I am scheduled to go again on the 20th of June, so if I get that one I will consider myself blessed.

I hope that I am able to go twice a year for the next 20 years, but we will have to wait and see what happens.

I am ok no matter what, because I think I got good value out of the course, even it were only the one time.

[Hersir]

I've been attending FS courses for 10 years and have seen every last and final, "amazing" deal offered since 1998. He's grown the membership base many times over and is plainly striking for the 95% of gun owners who have never received any formal training. Piazza is happy to leave the other 5% of shooters seeking very advanced training to all the other high speed schools to fight over. This is why he's training 12,000+ students a year. FS may not provide the same type of training as GS or Blackwater but it's not $3500+ a class either.

I think Piazza is changing up his business model some and perhaps ending the all-inclusive lifetime memberships in favor of a pay as you go model. Like the poster above I also bought several extra Diamond memberships and have sold most already to friends. A group of us were just our there and found 10 new ranges and hardstand bathrooms have been added. There were at least 450 students there this past weekend.

I think FS will be around for some time and I plan to take every course time allows. The cost per training day is just too ridiculously low not to.

[GW]

Just think how big that Front Sight Monument is going to be to fit all those First Family names to be engraved on it

[Hersir]

Piazza e-mailed the membership today that he's systematically shutting down the lifetime memberships, beginning with the Diamond level. Some sort of big announcement forthcoming.

[jerryballs]

here is what I see happening...They are moving to the next phase of memberships..Time share type. There have been talks about a hotel taking stake out there. They put 70,000 rooms a year into pahrump, which they want a peice of. I think all the membership drives as of late are to get the member numbers up in order to get hotel/condo financing. This will enable him to take the FS resort to the next level....Thats why no more member offers, they will restructure them once again to include new classes, lodging, etc...We (exhisting) diamond members won't have access to these new classes and will be forced to purchase a new structure of memberships. Mark my words...6-6-11 12:11pm

[PatriotnMore]

Piazza e-mailed the membership today that he's systematically shutting down the lifetime memberships, beginning with the Diamond level. Some sort of big announcement forthcoming.

I am a Diamond member, and I have not seen the email, yet.

[IrishPirate]

I wouldn't be surprised if he's expanding to other states. He's a business man, pure and simple, willing to do ANYTHING to make a buck. I wouldn't be surprised if he's going to shut down memberships until people holding onto their extras sell them off, that way he can sell them at higher prices again.

[jerryballs]

Johnp

Not sure how, but I am certain our memberships list the classes available. If they develop new classes they probably will reserve the right to keep them exclusive to a different segment of members.

[NorCal Einstein]

Jerry, how would they be able to exclude a lifetime member? I hope we see the hotel but I'm not so sure they can offer classes and make diamond members pay

Well, didn't they do exactly this with the "Diamond" vs "Diamond + Alaska"? If I remember right, if your Diamond membership was not purchased after the Alaska introduction (or from a member who did the same), you don't have access to that facility. I could see the same concept going towards new classes.

[echobeach]

Front Sight's marketing ploys /strategy does my head in.

Hyper overkill , battering ram e.mails . i have attended in the past but the marketing bombardment put me off attending again.

That and the political stuff. As a would be Democrat (ENGLISH) then all the patriot talk, Tea party stuff turns me off. I want to learn to shoot, improve my shooting, and have a clear picture as to the costs involved and no political bludgeoning .

Rants...... :>)

[retired]

We got tired of the phone calls at all hours and days. I called and spoke with a gentleman that nicely told me he would remove my phone number from the Computer "Roledex" of calls.

I probably won't be able to use it until next year anyway due to a surgery this week and a more extensive one later in the summer. I hope by 2012, my son (I bought him a Diamond also) and I can attend some of the classes. I bought at the recent $250 price.