Primary Arms Has DISCONTINUED Curb-Side Pick-Up.

[Rex G]

I placed an order for a complete AR15 upper and a set of small parts, and checked the little circle for local pick-up. This was not my first order, as I had bought an BCM upper in late June, and chose curb-side pick-up that time. Well, I arrived at Primary Arms, and the employee outside the front door told me that curb-side pick-up had been discontinued. He told me to send an e-mail, requesting that my order be shipped. (Shipping is free.)

Well, so I not only wasted the better part of two hours, for the round trip, but now I will have to track the shipment, and maintain a watch for the delivery truck. (Package theft, from front porches, is a thing, in general southwest Houston metro area.)

When I got a chance, I looked at the Primary Arms site, and saw this:

(Start of quote.) First, we would like to thank all our Houston locals for their continued patience during the temporary closure of our retail storefront. We still encourage everyone to take advantage of our current Free Shipping Offer, as it is your safest and most convenient delivery option. If you live nearby and want to take advantage of free shipping, just select the 'free shipping' option in the check-out menu. If you are local and do not see this option, send us an email at info@primaryarms.com, and we'll be happy to assist you.



However, If you need to make a curbside pick-up, we are re-opening with new protocol that will allow you to collect your non-FFL orders. After you complete check-out and wait the requisite 2 hours for order preparation, you can drive to our store and park in one of the marked parking spaces at the front and side of our building. Once parked, send a text message with your name, order number, and vehicle description to the phone number posted outside, and we'll bring your order out to you. Please remember to have your identification ready as well!



For FFL orders, we are still operating under an appointment system. If you have placed an order for an FFL item, a customer service representative will reach out to you to schedule an appointment for pick-up.



Once again, we'd like to thank you for your continued patience and understanding. We believe speed and service are a top priority for all our customers, and we are working around the clock to improve our response times and accessibility for everyone.



Sincerely,

The Primary Arms Team

(End of Quote)

So, I followed the instructions, yet wasted a trip. Hey Primary Arms, update your site!

This is meant to be informative, rather than a rant, but yes, I was/am disappointed. I did not cancel my order.

[andre3k]

Yeah it's been like that for about 2 weeks now. One of their employees tested positive for the Rona. Having Primary Arms local has put a dent in my wallet many times.

[Rex G]

I arrived, at home, checked e-mail on my main computer, and verified that I received no communication that I should do anything other than follow the familiar curb-side pick-up instructions. They have my e-mail, and my mobile number, but took NO steps to keep me from wasting a trip.

If they are worried about ‘Rona, well, the employee at the door should cover his NOSE, not just his mouth, with the mask.

[sparkyv]

Never been there. Is this the one that has an indoor range? I go by near it when I'm heading down to the Bayou Rifles in Manvel.

[Rex G]

Never been there. Is this the one that has an indoor range? I go by near it when I'm heading down to the Bayou Rifles in Manvel.

No range. It is not a place to go inside and shop, but an on-line dealer with the option of local pick-up. They are located in a business park-like place, on the Beltway 8 westbound feeder road between Scott and Highway 288.

[TGS]

@Rex G, if it's more convenient for you, consider getting the package delivered to a holding location for you to pick up....like the UPS Office, Post Office, or even a grocery store......at least in this area, most if not all of them are affiliated with UPS or Fedex and can accept packages to hold for customers to pick up.

No worry about porch theft, no worry about having to wait all day for the truck that was supposed to arrive at 8am....

[Rex G]

@Rex G, if it's more convenient for you, consider getting the package delivered to a holding location for you to pick up....like the UPS Office, Post Office, or even a grocery store......at least in this area, most if not all of them are affiliated with UPS or Fedex and can accept packages to hold for customers to pick up.

No worry about porch theft, no worry about having to wait all day for the truck that was supposed to arrive at 8am....

True; I can log onto UPS dot whatever and select delivery options; I have an account. I’d probably opt to pick it up at a UPS hub, if the anticipated delivery date is inconvenient. This is assuming they ship it UPS. I have selected UPS as my shipping choice, in the past, for small parts, from Primary Arms. I do not know if UPS is their default “free shipping” service. Primary Arms does NOT provide a phone number, for customers to call, and they answer every e-mail with the same canned, copied-and-pasted narrative that seems to be supposed to cover everything.

I would have liked to have tested this upper unit, within the next few days. Now, it will not ship until Monday, if then. Annoying. I had almost ordered an upper direct from BCM, but decided to opt for an LMT complete upper from Primary Arms. BCM may well have shipped same-day, or early Monday, expedited. Sigh.

Also annoying is being without the pivot pin and takedown pin set, ordered with the upper, as one of my lowers somehow managed to lose a takedown pin. I have a complete, spare lower receiver parts kit, but it is still sealed, and I’d rather keep it sealed, for more interesting times, when time may be of the essence.