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What's up with FX USA?

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Stoti. No doubt FX is top notch I have the wildcat mkII that is why I was leaning heavily on the Impact mkII along with Edgun West. Each has their rabid fan base I've gone the expensive way of working my way to the top tier of PCP I had the AT-44 long QE, Umarex Gauntlet, Hatsan Bullboss, Diana Outlaw and the FX Wildcat. Hindsight I should have gone from the start with the FX. But now I have settled in mind the next one will be my last PCP purchase. SO I am getting and absorbing as much information as I can and this "hiccup" about FX customer service might make me lean away from them. But who knows what would I pick when I hit the buy button..... stay tuned
 
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Seems to me, if the U.S. market is as important to FX as they say, there would be a bit more attention on the customer service offered out of their NC distribution center. If customer service has deteriorated to the extent posts here suggest, to think that is due to one employee's absence is absurd. And if true, it is just plain stupid, sorry. 

Regarding the profit margin discussion, I am not knowledgeable on the air gun industry. If it is similar to the firearm segment, then a markup of 40-50% might be more accurate, yielding a margin of 20-25%. What needs to happen is what we saw in the auto industry over the last 50 years. The world market needs to influence more robust U.S. competition.Hopefully, that will happen. We aren't talking about cheap materials and sweat shop labor rates that spit out poor quality products, such as Chinese brake rotors The prices of precision quality air rifles should attract more domestic competition, at least I hope so. 
 
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Having been in the Firearms retail business for over 40 years before I retired 5 years ago. The markup for firearms was a big 25% I was able to make a good living by being a custom gunsmith and did repairs for several Police departments and warranty for many brands. As a dealer and warranty station I always had problems getting parts from the manufactures. To be able to service my customers I had to buy and stock a large parts inventory to be able to repair the customers firearms.

I have emailed FX Sweden several times over the years and never received an answer. Now that they have opened up FX USA things are better not perfect but better . I think threads like this will help as FX reads them so vent but please be nice and let them know of our concerns. If they are the company that I think they are they will notice and take action to get up to par with what's needed.


 
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I did try and go through who I purchased from originally they said "sorry FX said we can no longer warranty or even get you parts" have the email! That's what is so so so frustrating, I get we are all human but business is business and I paid a lot of $$$ for a paperweight right now.
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So I am keeping an eye to the fact that this is your thread. I'm also of the opinion though that context matters, so if you're willing I'd really like to hear all the specifics of what rifle this is, what is wrong with it, who you bought it from and when (that says they can't warranty your rifle), etc? Heck, I would love to see the whole email. 

As an aside, depending on what parts exactly you need, there are a bunch of guys on here with machine tools, myself included, who might possibly be able to help you. This forum is a pretty friendly and helpful place, and a lot of people on here have helped each other out. It is part of what makes this community so great..... and also part of why I'm so surprised and dismayed to see this outpouring of frustration with FX. This is not an innately toxic community. 
 
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i wonder what happens if you show up at there door in NC lol
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I've been there, and it's just some typical flex space in an outlying commercial park. There is no showroom or sales force, kind of like the service area of a car dealership. I met a dealer there to pick up a rifle, just because the timing and location was good for both of us. Ernest was doing some work and I got to spend a little time with him, interesting fellow. It did not appear set up to deal with the retail trade, and I expect you would be unable to get much done, unless you wanted to just drop off a rifle for service, assuming someone was there to do the paper work. 
 
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We as a company wish to formally apologize for the frustrations you all are experiencing. As a few people have mentioned, we do have a large portion of our staff at the Pyramyd Air Cup. Also, as mentioned, one of our customer service representatives had a surgery last week and will need time for recovery. This being said, we may not be able to get to every phone call and email during this period, for which we apologize, but we will all be back this following Tuesday, and will do our best to address all backed up calls and emails, as well as new contacts. Thank you all for your patience.
 
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We as a company wish to formally apologize for the frustrations you all are experiencing. As a few people have mentioned, we do have a large portion of our staff at the Pyramyd Air Cup. Also, as mentioned, one of our customer service representatives had a surgery last week and will need time for recovery. This being said, we may not be able to get to every phone call and email during this period, for which we apologize, but we will all be back this following Tuesday, and will do our best to address all backed up calls and emails, as well as new contacts. Thank you all for your patience.
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Employee health is out of your control but the rest is 100% a management problem. Fulfill your current obligations before taking on more. You send a clear message to your customers when you say "we have better things to do and we'll get to you if and when there's nothing better to do".
 
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We as a company wish to formally apologize for the frustrations you all are experiencing. As a few people have mentioned, we do have a large portion of our staff at the Pyramyd Air Cup. Also, as mentioned, one of our customer service representatives had a surgery last week and will need time for recovery. This being said, we may not be able to get to every phone call and email during this period, for which we apologize, but we will all be back this following Tuesday, and will do our best to address all backed up calls and emails, as well as new contacts. Thank you all for your patience.
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Employee health is out of your control but the rest is 100% a management problem. Fulfill your current obligations before taking on more. You send a clear message to your customers when you say "we have better things to do and we'll get to you if and when there's nothing better to do".
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100% agree, that's the message I'm hearing.
 
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As customers, we all expect quality service and timely communications. But, it is totally normal for all types of support manufacturers to disappear from work during major events. What isn't normal is for that to happen with no prior disclosure to customers, or current information about their schedule. Whether motor sports, tennis, trap shooting, or air rifle, the makers need to realize that the great majority of their customers have no interest in high level competition, and these are the folks that keep the doors open, no money is made on champion shooters. The FX response above is late and lacks a sense of urgency. I don't know anything about business in Sweden, maybe there is a cultural element involved. But this level of service is not sustainable. As my boss used to say, we either change the people, or, we change the people. 
 
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i wonder what happens if you show up at there door in NC lol
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I've been there, and it's just some typical flex space in an outlying commercial park. There is no showroom or sales force, kind of like the service area of a car dealership. I met a dealer there to pick up a rifle, just because the timing and location was good for both of us. Ernest was doing some work and I got to spend a little time with him, interesting fellow. It did not appear set up to deal with the retail trade, and I expect you would be unable to get much done, unless you wanted to just drop off a rifle for service, assuming someone was there to do the paper work.
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thank you for this info, it saved me a big side trip in octber as i was planning on going there!
 
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It makes sense why FX is the way it is if you put yourself in their shoes.. They put most of their focus towards events like the Pyramyd Air Cup because it is a potent advertising tactic that sells guns. Creating a competent service/parts center doesn’t get guns sold as fast as Matt Dubber winning with an Impact. Because guess what? People will still continue to buy FX guns despite their unreliable service/parts center. I’m sure FX knows this. They arguably have the best product on the market and THAT allows them to neglect certain things and give precedence to other things that are proven to sell more guns. I just can’t wait until a good ol’ American company can give them a run for their money. (JSAR Raptor looks promising)
 
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It makes sense why FX is the way it is if you put yourself in their shoes.. They put most of their focus towards events like the Pyramyd Air Cup because it is a potent advertising tactic that sells guns. Creating a competent service/parts center doesn’t get guns sold as fast as Matt Dubber winning with an Impact. Because guess what? People will still continue to buy FX guns despite their unreliable service/parts center. I’m sure FX knows this. They arguably have the best product on the market and THAT allows them to neglect certain things and give precedence to other things that are proven to sell more guns. I just can’t wait until a good ol’ American company can give them a run for their money. (JSAR Raptor looks promising)
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Frankly it makes no sense to me to treat your customers like a secondary interest. Without customers you will soon find yourself without a business regardless of the number of competition wins. And while some people may continue to buy their products regardless of unreliable service, there are many others (including me) that will look elsewhere first. That is the primary reason that I own 2 Daystates.

“Win on Sunday, buy on Monday principle” works really well for auto manufacturers but unlike FX, when you called them they have sufficient staff to answer the phones and if you needed parts or service they are there year round. Plus when you need repairs, you don't have to ship your car back to Detroit, you take it to the dealer where you bought it.

Enough said.
 
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They’ve had this nonchalant attitude for years and yet they continue to grow and lead the market with innovative products. While there are some that will not buy their products because of this, it is not enough to impact their sales otherwise the CFO would’ve changed that. Like I said earlier FX is like a drop dead gorgeous woman that treats guys like poop because she knows they will keep chasing her and while there will be guys that will not compromise their integrity to be with her, others will drag their balls through a field of broken glass just to smell her fart
 
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