WARNING - Added $9 Turner's Operations Dealer Handling Fee

[TheCommonDenominator]

I recently purchased a handgun on sale from Turner's Outdoorsman to beat the 11% communist tax increase. I haven't purchased from Turner's in years, but upon checking my receipt I noticed I was charged $9 for "Turner's Operations Dealer Handling Fee" in addition to the standard DROS fee of $37.19. When I inquired why they were charging me $9 'to do business with them', they stated it's their fee for processing the paperwork and "they've been charging it for over 10-years". I received no additional "service" for this $9 fee than any other FFL has provided - no chair, refreshments, or walking it out to place it into my trunk, no 'service' at all.... lol

This is akin to utility/cell phone company's charging their assortment of bogus fees and is deceptive in my opinion... I tried looking up what FFL's can legally charge, but as long as they do not list it as DROS related, apparently they can charge whatever they want. Just thought I would attempt to warn others of Turner's 'fee' scheme....

[gwanghoops]

Back in 2019 I got a $5 "Dealer Handling Fee" from Turners.
At least they didn't charge me for a new gun lock on a new gun.

[hermosabeach]

We - gun owners - do a lot to destroy local gun shops!


Gun owners will grind a deal on a gun similar to battling with a car dealer.

Can you imagine customers at IHOP explaining how they can get pancake batter cheaper at costco, dennys or amazon.


most retail businesses operated on Keystone or more.

if an item costs them $10- then if you cannot sell it for $20 or more, you can't stay open.





the margin on ammo is slim.
the margin on firearms is slim

so we hunt out the best online deal and have it shipped to the local store.

while I love PPT, it hurts a busy store.


im thinking of the local store I shopped in as a kid. Yes - long closed.

I'm thinking of all the gun stores near me that are still open. Not many

i hope Turners has not loaded themselves up with debt to expand as that model has killed many many smaller retailers...

[9Cal_OC]

It was $5, then $7, now increased to $9 apparently.

[epags]

I recently purchased a handgun on sale from Turner's Outdoorsman to beat the 11% communist tax increase. I haven't purchased from Turner's in years, but upon checking my receipt I noticed I was charged $9 for "Turner's Operations Dealer Handling Fee" in addition to the standard DROS fee of $37.19. When I inquired why they were charging me $9 'to do business with them', they stated it's their fee for processing the paperwork and "they've been charging it for over 10-years". I received no additional "service" for this $9 fee than any other FFL has provided - no chair, refreshments, or walking it out to place it into my trunk, no 'service' at all.... lol
This is akin to utility/cell phone company's charging their assortment of bogus fees and is deceptive in my opinion... I tried looking up what FFL's can legally charge, but as long as they do not list it as DROS related, apparently they can charge whatever they want. Just thought I would attempt to warn others of Turner's 'fee' scheme....

Remember this is California......wait until you buy ammunition....must have bought a gun (in California and IIRC within the past 10 or 15 years)...must have a 'Real' California drivers license or a current passport and the dealer has to make copies and print out one or two pages of B---S California required documents to sell you one (or a case) box of 22LR (or any other ammunition). The GS is not trying to take advantage of you but has the requirement to do this documentation and maintain it at the place of business for 10 years, and at that time may store it in an another location.
I an not a gun dealer but have recently bought a rifle and ammunition and had to go through this process.
FWIW, local GS are charging $150 to receive a firearm you purchased from an internet GS (FFL to FFL to you) and as much as $40 to $50 to recieve (FFL to FFL to you) ammunition.
PS Let the good times roll.
PPS For all you folks who are not living in California and about to post something negative, the current temperature is 70 degrees with light winds blowing off the ocean..... No significant earthquakes in years and definately no hurricanes or tornadoes and that is why some of us put up with so much political B---S. End of Rant.

[TheCommonDenominator]

It's deceptive as they do not disclose the added fee prior to making the sale, nor at the register - only upon excising due diligence of reviewing your receipt does one notice. There's no added service provided for said added fee. They still have to do paperwork on processing ammo, but they do not charge you a $9 fee for that. They're doing their jobs regardless, it's not like you can opt out of the fee and offer to do the paperwork yourself lol. If I would have known about said fee, I would have went to a local competitor such as Ammo Bros. (less BS corporate paperwork too) and had them price match - which is what I will have to do from now on. It's my money and I have a say of where/how it is spent on commercial goods...

Imagine you went to a sit-down restaurant and upon paying the check you notice were charged a 'bus-boy' fee to clean your table after you leave. It's ludicrous...

[eaglemike]

Sportsman's warehouse will price match Tuner's and they don't have that fee. Very frustrating that Turner's is doing this. I used to shop there. no more for Arms/fodder. Discount Gun Mart has better prices than Turner's most of the time, especially when things are on sale.

[D-M]

Stop.

Buying.

From.

Turner's.



Problem solved.

[9Cal_OC]

Stop.

Buying.

From.

Turner's.



Problem solved.

[BajaJames83]

Stop.

Buying.

From.

Turner's.



Problem solved.

"But their prices are just so good... "
Same people that buy guns at turners probably kick tires fornhours at a smaller shop just to end up at turners.

Exactly the same with Optics Planet people will call around and shop around knowing they will just save a few bucks after wasting the small guys time

[foxtrotuniformlima]

I'm going to need to go back and check but I don't remember anything like that.

[TheCommonDenominator]

I thought a new California law took effect July 1 making it illegal for businesses to have hidden or junk fees. Bill SB478

Effective 07-01-2024, as long as the service fee is posted/displayed, then it is legal. [CC 1770(a)(29)(A)]

Civil Code 1770
(a) The unfair methods of competition and unfair or deceptive acts or practices listed in this subdivision undertaken by any person in a transaction intended to result or that results in the sale or lease of goods or services to any consumer are unlawful:
(29)(A) Advertising, displaying, or offering a price for a good or service that does not include all mandatory fees or charges other than either of the following:
(i) Taxes or fees imposed by a government on the transaction.
(ii) Postage or carriage charges that will be reasonably and actually incurred to ship the physical good to the consumer.
(c) This section shall become operative on July 1, 2024.

Thusly, effective 07/01/2024, Turner's Outdoorsman is legally obligated to notify potential customers and reflect their $9 "Operations Handling Fee" in their ADVERTISED prices of firearms....

[Quiet]

Thusly, effective 07/01/2024, Turner's Outdoorsman is legally obligated to notify potential customers and reflect their $9 "Operations Handling Fee" in their ADVERTISED prices of firearms....

File a lawsuit in order to get the CA Courts to award you damages and to get a Court order to make them stop charging the fee or make them add the fee to their advertised price. [CIV 1780(a)]
^If someone does not do this, then they can keep doing it.


AFAIK, Turners says...
~They are still compliant with CIV 1770 because their online pricing has as an "Attention: Pricing on firearms does not reflect governmental or dealer fees for mandated background checks and/or dealer transfer fees; these fees will be charged by the FFL dealer you select during the checkout process. See FFL dealer for details." in the description of each firearm advertised for sale and their physical locations have all their dealer fees posted inside their stores.
~Their online prices do not include their fees, because a person can buy online and have it shipped to another FFL, so those fees would not apply and their attention disclaimer meets their legal requirements.



Civil Code 1780

[TheCommonDenominator]

Unfortunately, I am technically exempt as the law did not go into effect until AFTER I made my handgun purchase. However, all those after July 1st 2024, are able and welcome...

[alfredmap1999]

The $10 fee is nothing new. If you buy a pistol at any gun store, it costs about $50 out the door to transfer a firearm ($37 DROS + "dealer fee"). Look at your receipt. Nobody is charging a flat $37.