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I know exactly how frustrating that sort of thing can be.
I'm not really coming to Midway's defense here, but I will say this based on my knowledge of sales, marketing, advertising, and production in light of the situation we are currently in.
It's very possible that that flier was compiled and printed several months ago and has only recently been mailed. Major companies like this don't just come up with a list of sales items and prices a few weeks before the sale, slam it into print, and get it out to the customer. It's an involved process.
It's also pretty evident that the current run on components and ammunition has caught the entire industry flat footed. In talking to a few vendors at the most recent gunshow they all seem to be a bit bewildered that this has gone on for as long as it has based strictly on the possibility that something might happen with the new President.
Most of the vendors really expected things to peter out in December/early January, at the end of hunting season. If anything, it's gotten a LOT worse. My recent trip to the gunshow two weekends ago certainly supports that. I've not seen crowds, or sales, like that since 1994.
Ultimately, what Midway probably should have done, though, is moved to have the entire flier killed, or moved back. When the situation got better, they could have printed an overlay label saying "DATES IN THIS CATALOG NOW EFFECTIVE XX THROUGH XX."
Not the best solution, but far better than cheezing off LOTS of people who are going to pick up that catalog and run to the phone to order non-existent components.
Killing a mailing is the easiest thing to do in a situation like this as long as you get hold of the mail house at least 48 hours before it's scheduled to drop.
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