A buddy of mine bought a few of those Bass Pro combo's for $69 bucks. It is the bass pro extreme reel and IM8 rod combo. He is like me and thought he would try them out. I just got out of college, got married, and bought a truck and house so my budget is pretty limited as is his. We can't afford to buy high dollar rods and reels right now. One of the combo's reel broke about 3 months after he had it. He took it up there to see of there was anything that could be done. He got there and Customer service sent him back to the fishing dept. where the manager met him at the desk. The manager looked at it and started scolding him about it. He told him, and I quote," you bought a penny rod and a penny reel, and if you want something that will last, you need to spend about 4 times the amount you spent on this one." My buddy told him that he only had the reel a couple of months and the manager didn't seem to care. This really got under my skin. I think that if they know it won't last more than a couple of months, then they don't need to sell it in the first place. I probably won't be back. Gander Mtn. is too close to drive that far. What would you do?

Take it back and demand an exchange. If they get an attitude then ask to speak to their boss. That's B.S. the way he treated him. No matter how much it cost, they should replace it.

Take it back and act like you bought it a few days ago and displeased about it. Tell them you dont have a reciept and just want your money back. If they start acting up, pull a Rick James on them, and start slapping people. Go to Academy and buy from them for then on. At least there if something breaks you take it up there and they wont say anything, except well run back there and get you another one. Kinda like walmart used to be. Well thats how ours is here anyway.
BK

Well, I can only say that I have NEVER had that problem at the BPS Grapevine/Dallas store. BPS Extreme reels and rods are all I use. I have had a problem with a couple of the reels and they were replaced, absolutely no questions asked, regardless of condition and no receipt required. Same for a couple of the rods; one that broke on the hook set and one I closed the rod locker lid on. And I can hardly believe that a BPS MANAGER would call the Extreme reel and rod "penny" units. I think these combo's represent about the best bang for the buck anywhere. I think your buddy got a guy having a bad day. Not making excuses for them, but I think at least one more try is worth it. I think he'll get satisfaction, even if he has to go one or two steps up the ladder.

Hossman

I had a problem with the Basspro in Katy, had one of the extreme reels purchased during a sales, rod snapped a month later and they gave me flack about it. Finally told them to stuff it and purchased from academy.

It all depends on who you deal with, I have had great experiences and horrible experiences at BPS.

I am not sure it was the BPS store manager. It was either the manager or supervisor in the fishing Dept. I use the rods also. I haven't had a problem with them. But when I heard this, it blew my mind.

Sounds to me like that manager (or supervisor) should be sent packing. There's no excuse for for treating a customer like that. It's good to see that there are still plenty of good experiences posted about BPS, otherwise I'd spend my money elsewhere.

~MAC

Tell us what happened to you and not your friend..second hand stories are B.S.. Hell, now you dont even know who your buddy talked to...maybe it was the janitor. BPS is noted for its liberal exchanges.

Go to Bass Pro's web site and find the e-mail for the manager of the store where you bought it. Send him an e-mail describing what happened. Be sure and include a phone number and most likely you will receive a call from the customer service manager. Worked for me.

There is something wrong with this story, I have been in the retail business for 35 years and I know you don't even recognize what is told after they leave the store. It either did not happen or he had such an attitude that he made the Mgr. mad to start with.

I think your on to something BBQ. This does not sound right at all. I have had a few returns to BPS and they don"t typically send you into the store with the broken product. They always take it at the customer service desk and tell me to go get another one, bring it back up and they exchange it (maybe different for reels since they are behind the counter). I have never been treated like this at BPS. If you are treated like this, don't be timid about it, jump some butt!!!!

excuse me BBQ but you sound like a man that has been on this earth a few years. In as much there is a different respect given to you as a young man out of college. I've seen it many times. As with my son at BPS. He didn't get the customer ackowledgement by the counter man that he should have for just being a costumer. So when I approached and made it more clear that his attitude should change, it did in a hurry.
But to say it had to be the customers fault in the first place is a little rough. I know, I know..there are always two sides to the story and then theres the truth!

I purchased one of the BPS reels for my brother in law when they were on sale. He had it about 10 months when it started acting up. He called me and without a reciept we went to the BPS in Katy. The guy at the front service desk told us to take it to the fishing counter and he would call them and them we were coming. The guy at the fishing counter asked us what was wrong with it and tried it himself. He said it was on sale when I bought it as they had discontinued that model and then handed us the new model and told us to go back to the front counter and he would call them. We went up front and they said, Have a nice day and come back soon". I'm still going back.

If you can't get the retail store to do anything about it give the headquarters a call. It might cost a bit of shipping and handling but it would get taken care of. I had one that snapped into three pieces on the first fish and that how I had to go about it.

hmmm. I just bought the pro qualifier on sale for $79. I hope it has no prob. It came with a warranty and would be surpriseed if yours didn't. I've been on two trips now and have about 17 fish on it with no problem. Hope the streak countinues, but if it doesn't I would like to know I'll be taken care of. Update the situation when you can.