R Macleod's of Tain

[paultap]

I've had two dealings with this shop, the first was very positive, I ordered a set of Stainless optilock Ringmounts for a sako 85. They were delivered to my door in South Wales less than 24 hours later, excellent service!

The second occasion was not so good and occurred when I enquired about the price of a set of Leica HD-B Geovid Range Finding Binoculars during last years promotional offer from Leica. (whereby you got a £500 trade-in value on any pair of binoculars you brought in against the new Leica's)

The price quoted at the time was very uncompetitive as they were using a rediculously high retail price before the £500 was deducted.... Other stockists had sold out and I think that Macleod's may have been taking advantage of this fact.

Price wise I would say it is certainly worth shopping around, delivery time though in my one off purchase experience was excellent.

 

[enfieldspares]

I have spent over £10,000 with his buisness, some face to face and some by phone and he never has much time for a chat at the game fairs. No calenders, no christmas cards and a website from the Eighties. I still use him but it's all take and no give?

FFS! I once bought a Boss, a walk in off the cuff purchase in fact, from the shop in Mount Street. And never even got a Christmas card. Nor a birthday card. And you'd have though they'd have known my birthday...what with it being on my SGC and all that?

I have dealt with Gregor for maybe ten or maybe a score years. He may be brief but he is straight, honest, and has never sold me anything that I regretted a a price that I begrudged. I have never met him and all the dealings have been on the 'phone and the goods...optics or fishing tackle...sent by post.

He has never let me down when a bargain has been agreed, or a delivery date, and is one of a half handful, only, of RFDs from whom I would buy something sight unseen on his word alone. You, RED DOT, may talk him down as all take and no give but I have nothing but praise for the man, his honesty, and his integrity.

It's a gun and hardware shop. Not a drop-in befriending centre for those who are lonely, lacking in social skills or the congenialitly challenged. Get a grip. If you're unhappy he doesn't send you a Christmas card call Moon Pig and ask them to send you one and have it signed "Best Wishes from Tain".

 

[Pedro]

The shop is a bit of a hotchpotch. Guns, then clothes, then pots and pans, then scopes, then...you get the drift. But perhaps that works. I went in whilst passing, never been there before and didn't really have anything in mind to buy. Came out with a knife sharpener and a soup pot. So maybe that works.

Although his site is antiquated, there's something to be said for that against an all singing and dancing site that harvests your details and then you get emails for ever more about half price wellies, fishing line, wooly jumpers and dog leads like an outlet nearer home. They don't send me a Christmas card either.

 

[2130martin]

If you had told him that, I'm sure he would taken the opportunity to look at his pricing. Most folks do, as long as you can back it up and aren't taking the p*ss.

I've bought a rifle and a couple of scopes of him, all previously-loved, and found him to be very easy to deal with.

You are right,he is very good to deal with but he doesn't budge on price,so you have to be happy with the listed price. I have been happy to date.

 

[2130martin]

Red Dot, i know what you mean about Gregors antiquated marketing policy but dont you feel there is a refreshingly purist feel about his aproach which more suits the shopping experience he provides rather than the constant bombarding the likes of BW and SGC choose to employ?

 

[20-250]

I have been to Macleod's a few times. I have bought more from Gregor over the phone than over the counter. One order took a little sorting out, all the other transactions went perfectly.
I would buy from Gregor again today with no hesitation whatsoever. Occasionally his prices aren't the keenest, often they are. His descriptions of used goods are honest and I have never once been disappointed by his claims about the condition of his used optics.
I have always found that if something is available elsewhere for less, if I point it out, he will discount. He's running a business, so won't give much away. Why should he?
I'd like to see his online stock lists updated a little more frequently, but can live with his website as it is.
Red Dot is allowed an opinion, surely? Do some of you really think he actually wants a card? Get off the guy's case for a change.

 

[I. Farticus]

The website is easy to navigate, and clean of rolling adverts. Within 10 seconds I can navigate to what I need to find, and in this day and age, that is a joy...

To "modernise" his site to be all singing and dancing will cost anywhere between £5k & £20k, and that would come from margin. So, where do you think that margin will come from?

Personally, I would rather he stick to what he does, which he does well, and leave the likes of SGC to have fancy websites, that then over promise and under deliver.

Retail should be about customer service. It's built on word of mouth, and can (as we constantly see on here) be destroyed just as quickly.

Try looking for as many positive comments about the likes of SGC, and you'll be hard pushed.

I will happily spend my money with Gregor again.

 

[highland stalker]

Thousands of thank you's on the WWW about Gregors buisness but he never seems to give anything in return. I have spent over £10,000 with his buisness, some face to face and some by phone and he never has much time for a chat at the game fairs. No calenders, no christmas cards and a website from the Eighties. I think he doesn't like giving anything back to the community that has made him a very very wealthy man. I still use him but it's all take and no give?

I understand to a certain degree what Red-Dot is trying to say here. I use both Gregor in Tain and Grahams in Inverness quite regularly. Token gestures from Gregor are few and far between but David in Grahams is a bit more generous and is an absolute gentleman to deal with. I get on well with Gregor and you know exactly where you are with him before you go there which I like and I can't speak highly enough of Dave in Grahams. I will continue to use both and feel fortunate to have two excellent gun shops nearby.

 

[Ranger22]

You are right,he is very good to deal with but he doesn't budge on price,so you have to be happy with the listed price. I have been happy to date.

I shop around before I buy a gun, Gregor was near enough £200 more than the best price I got. I also got mounts, rings, sling and swivels thrown in.

Just recently i bought a new OU shotgun, Gregors price on his site £1453. I paid £1208 for the same gun from another dealer.

 

[2130martin]

Where else stock such a large range of used scopes?

 

[Mungo]

Gregor has very frequently been recommended to me in the warmest terms. However, I've never bought from him for the simple fact that I have always been able to find what I want for £1-200 cheaper elsewhere. Not having interacted with him directly, I'd always assumed this was because he was marketing to the higher end.

If it works for him, good for him. If you don't like the price or service, no one is forcing you to buy.

 

[Mungo]

Where else stock such a large range of used scopes?

Guntrader or SD classifieds!

 

[Ranger22]

Gregor has very frequently been recommended to me in the warmest terms. However, I've never bought from him for the simple fact that I have always been able to find what I want for £1-200 cheaper elsewhere. Not having interacted with him directly, I'd always assumed this was because he was marketing to the higher end.

If it works for him, good for him. If you don't like the price or service, no one is forcing you to buy.

exactly

 

[JAYB]

I have as you may have noticed removed some posts from this thread. Now I don't care who started or who said what, it is the same old antagonists slapping away at each. This will be the end of it, we are not here to be on playground duty to keep naughty children in check, you are adults, not only that FAC holding adults who are supposed to be sensible.

Anymore of this playground behaviour, and I do not care who started it, and those involved will be banned, I do hope that is clear enough!

John

 

[Basil12]

Well I must be the odd one out, Gregor himself is very knowledgeable but I find his prices for equipment high. The price he quoted me for a rifle was a couple of hundred pounds more than the lowest price I was given.

+1 He is expensive for equipment, rifles etc... But he is pretty spot on for optics with a great knowledgable service.

 

[jamross65]

Have you tried mentioning to him that he's not the cheapest on a particular item, told him who was and given him the chance to equal or better it?????

 

[Grant.N]

Well I quoted Gregor, Sportsmans price for my Goevids and he matched it. Can't say fairer than that.

 

[Dickie]

I bought a rifle scope and mod from him a few years back his price was as good as I could find, when the package arrived at the delivery RDF he complained it was a package not just a rifle I explained that when I arranged it with the other person from the shop they said it was ok as they couldn't March the deal but would get money from the transfer and buying some boxes of ammo.

Also bought a couple of scopes over time good price and exceptional delivery time.

 

[Ranger22]

Have you tried mentioning to him that he's not the cheapest on a particular item, told him who was and given him the chance to equal or better it?????

i did when I was looking for a rifle, didn't even bother going near him for the shotgun

 

[Muir]

It's a very nice shop. I enjoyed browsing through there very much.~Muir