Sportsman's Warehouse — Attraction in Federal Way

UPDATE: Manager reached out and collected details. Not sure if anything will come of it, but I appreciated the follow-up so I'm changing the review to two stars. I still probably will never be back for a firearm.

This review is for my experience buying a firearm. It will be my first and last purchase from sportsman's. I purchased a firearm online and this was my experience:

Paid for the fire arm and all that was needed was a background check. Came in for the background check and they couldn't find the gun, I had to show them the receipt and the tracking. They eventually found it. The process here is over the top. All I should have to do is fill in the form and leave. Instead they have to wait for a manager to review the form, review my license, sign this, sign that? Everything here needed a manager approval. There was no one ahead of me and it took over an hour to submit the background check. I am told it could take 3-4 weeks or longer before we hear back, I said that is not right it's 10 days by law unless further checks are needed due to any concerns that may pop up. They were telling me for a background checks submitted on the second that I would likely hear back after Christmas sometime.

I call in 8 days later to check if the firearm is ready and they told me the same excuse. I asked to speak to a manager and she LIED about the law, saying it can take up to 2-3 weeks or more. She said the 10 day rule doesn't work like that and the records division is backed up. STRAIGHT UP LIED. I called her out saying that I called the records division for King County and they also verified that it's 10 days and by law they will have it back in 10 days at max. She said they are down a person and if they called everyone at once they wouldn't be able to handle the volume. Not sure how that's their problem, customers can always wait in line.

I call back at the 10 day mark and sure enough the background check is back free and clear.

The process shouldn't be this hard. They basically were trying to keep my firearm hostage. All I had to do was pick it up and be on my way. NOPE. AGAIN I WAS THE ONLY PERSON THERE WHEN I WALKED IN, by the time I left there were several employees and only me and one other customer. Still they had to double check everything again, make me sign something again, and get the manager to check again. I mean come on guys, the sheriff's department has cleared me, I already own firearms, it's paid for, give me what I paid for!

Strange to me that both times it was not busy when I came in, yet they can't call everyone at once about there firearm background checks because it would get "to busy".

I think the worst part is the incorrect education they are spreading to employees. The employees actually believed what the manager tried to lie about for the background check times. The regular employees themselves seemed pretty nice and just stuck in...

I recently just moved to Federal Way area and decided to check out their inventories of rifles they had on stock. Due to the pandemic of people panic buying, I can't even purchase things I want from PSA or other reputable websites because it's sold out. Sportsman Warehouse has limited selections on AR-15s that were available. Overall the prices are good online for guns and they have clearance ammo instore. The only reason why I give this place a two star is because of the customer service that is provided at this Sportsman Warehouse location. I made my first visit to this location in Federal Way a week ago to get insight on buying a rifle and I had to wait approximately 35-40 minutes in line for someone to tell me they don't have much ARs in stock and he didn't know anything about rifles. The guy pretty much told me sorry and tried to show me rifles out of my budget range that I originally asked for. At this point I just did searching on their website and waited another week until finding a rifle I ended up purchasing from their website online. Took me almost a week and a half to initially get a email to just show up to store to wait another hour in line just to do more paperwork and background check you have to wait up to 10 more days for. The second guy who helped me out after waiting a hour in line was very professional and helpful along with the customer service representative at the front desk. The only complaint I have is the long waits, and need more efficient staff for the firearms section. You are losing more money having people stand in line rather then walk around your store buying things. People are having to wait in line after picking up their guns for another process.. Update: 06/29/20 On June 15th 2020 I completed the inital background check and paperwork necessary for the 10 day wait period. Now it's 10 day "business days later" which means almost three weeks of waiting for my semi auto rifle. I called the store today to get a update and the firearm dealer told me "it's okay to wait more then 10 business days for you're background check." Seriously? That's a infringement on my constitutional rights! I went to a local FFL dealer and got my pistol in less then two weeks! Support your local ffl dealers and save yourself from...

PS sorry in advance for the long story but this needs to be heard! I went into the store and was choosing out some sunglasses and chose the ones that I wanted to buy I put them on the top of my head still knowing that the tag was dangling right next to my ear a little bit so that I would remember to pay for them as I continue to go through the store I bought many other items and almost a full cart full of stuff I get to the checkout line and I pay for everything that's in my cart but I had forgot the sunglasses that were on my head as I come out of the parking lot and I get into the car and it's immediately as soon as I start it and drive one parking spot a cop pulls me over I had to mediately remember that I did not pay for the sunglasses and I was of course willing to pay for them seeing as how I already had bought $300 worth of stuff and the cop had told me he understands and he has done things like this before and he will talk to the owner and see what he says apparently the owner / GM or whoever the guy was said he wanted to press charges and make me pay a fine the cop continued to tell me that he believed me along with three other cops that were standing there talking to me and I was not allowed to go talk to the owner or GM because the cops were afraid that we would get into a fight the cop had then gone back a second time to talk to him to see if he would have him not press charges as even the copts had said he believed me and if this was to go to court the cop said 95% of the time the court will listen to you not the store in this case anyways but then the cop also started to tell me that there would be a few Court sessions you would have to deal with some stuff that you wouldn't really want to paperwork wise and possibly paying for a lawyer to make sure that you win so I ended up being really pissed off and paying $150 fine and I didn't even get to keep the sunglasses after this experience I have told my family and everyone of my friends to not go there any longer because they are a horrible store and don't believe their customers now my family of longtime hunters and Outfitters have been going there and probably spent well over $50,000 each year no longer go there because of my one...