Went to cabelas this morning looking at rods. Found the one I've been looking at and as I'm inspecting it the end of the rod makes a very noticeable jaunt to the right. "Sorry its the only one we have". Well nuts, there goes the reason for this trip. Then off to basspro to get a rearm kit for my lifevest. I can't find the kit I need, its a basspro XPS vest from a couple years ago made by stearns. "We must not carry it anymore, best bet is to go online to their site". No offer to go check the computer or anything. After a complaint to the manager I was off.
OK, rant is over.
What gives with these retail stores now? Do they want online stores to close them down?

Note: cabelas is still my fav retail store.

The days of customer service are long gone. In the time they take to make you or any one customer happy they can gain 5 new customers. This seems to be especially true of the bigger box stores. I think the only place you will still find real customer service is the smaller, individual owned stores that actually value their customers and repeat business.

I think it is the individual sales people you deal with. I was at BPS in Katy on Saturday. I asked two different people for help. Both were helpful and courteous. I feel the individual sale person's attitude plays a more important part than the name of the store.

I used BPS when they was a very small store just outside of Springfield Mo.Stop on shoulder of rd. looked like a convenience store,WAS GREAT.Quit using them when they became outdoor world,sad scene!Use academy now.

I understand your frustration, but I also have to ask, "what's happened to our expectations?".

Years ago, if you wanted a part, you'd send off (US Mail) for a parts list, wait for it to arrive, send them an order, wait for them to process the order, then wait another week for your part. It could take over a month to get a part for a reel. Today, if they don't have it in stock when we show up at the counter, we rebel.

As far as the service they gave you, I suspect some retail employees get tired of apologizing for management that discontinues products, doesn't allow them to have enough stock to meet customer needs, and laid off half the help so they're the only one there on a Saturday morning.

Plus, it was the morning after Friday night. I cut EVERYONE some slack on weekend mornings, recalling my own hangovers from my youth.

I suspect you're not the first one coming in for a recharge kit as that seems to be a reasonable expectation. And rather than tell you about the 5 other people he looked it up for, he simply gave you the short story- go to the website.

Frankly, I don't know why anyone burns the gas nowadays to visit the big box stores to buy a specific item. They can have it to you overnight from their online site for less than the cost of gas, and a 100% chance of not wasting your morning and a half tank of gas.

But I love visiting small stores that carry the eclectic stuff that doesn't sell by the truck full. The stuff the big box stores have phased out. And I'll go to the big box stores to touch, feel and wiggle the goods that look intriguing on paper but I haven't made up my mind on yet.

I think its perfectly reasonable to expect them to carry a rearming kit for one of their branded products that is only a couple years old. On top of that the vest lists 2 different kits that would do the job.

Went to BPS in garland yesterday. I could not walk down an isle in the fishing department without someone asking if I need help. Actually got to wear I was avoiding them so I could look and be left alone. My only gripe with that store is that the lighting is so dim in the fishing section, I gabbed a hat light so I could see the exact color of baits I was looking at.

Just give me a wallet full of twenties, a BassPro or a Cabelas.....and I'm a happy camper!

Grandson and I go with maybe 3 or 4 hundred and just buy SPECIALS. We play all the games and eat lunch there. Then we get on all the boats and "go through the motions"! I can't tell you the number of big rigs we have "put out to sea" and then carefully docked to their show places.

I love those two stores!

But I can't take Wifey....no.....we can never take Wifey. Wifey is ready to leave after 10 minutes and then just "sits" and says......"Take your time!" ......while looking at her watch every 3 seconds. So no......we never take Wifey.

Our average stay is 4 or 5 hours. We spend at least an hour in the gun section alone. Fishing takes longer. We always find several shirts on sale and manage to find a couple or three to take home. We are big on gimmee caps and have to have a couple at least!

We have never had a problem with anything....except I lost a quarter in the target practice section when I accidentally scrubbed a handful of change off the counter..... excited at almost beating grandson at high score. Good times.

Boxstores are great places to visit.....I always enjoy seeing, reviewing, planning, and window shopping at BassPro, Cabelas and even Gander Mountain.....then I go home and buy out-of-state off of the internet and then save quite a lot. Although I may pay some shipping, it is most always much cheaper than paying the local sales tax and higher box store prices.

Everyone, keep impulse buying locally, but until they change the system and laws, it's foolish for me to not plan purchases and reward the free enterprise reputable on-line retailers offering the best inventory, availability, return policy and prices.

I feel like a lot of the time the employees at cabelas and bass pro know that you are gonna come and shop there no matter how terrible the service is and it reflects in their attitude. That being said there are always some excellent employees that will take the time to help you with whatever you need. Sorry you had a bad experience, a lot of time though I understand them not having a replacement piece for a 2 year + old product. It takes up room on the floor and I'll be there are not a lot of people coming in looking for that particular piece. If they don't offer it online that is a whole nother story!

There seem to be a lot of Justin Bieber lookalikes working at BPS Garland. I doubt any of them have ever even been fishing, but they sure are good at hassling people to fill out a BPS Visa card application.

WHAAAHH-OHHH----WAYYYY-OHHHHHHH-WAHHHH-OHHHH-WAAAAAAHHHHHHH

Fill it out sir!!

you get what you pay for,..retailers. Shelf stockers getting paid to keep the merchandise off the floors.

It's a simple problem, PEOPLE WON'T PAY FOR SERVICE. They go on the internet to complain about it, but in the end in today's economy, the price generally rules. Pick any retail segment and study the market. You'll find very few businesses are successful these days based on their service. Clearly there are exceptions, but they are just that, exceptions. Drug stores used to provide great service. We used to have local tackle shops in every town. Try to find a good hardware store these days where the person helping you actually is experienced in what they're selling (though I'll give Home Depot and Lowes a little credit, they have really upped their service locally be hiring a few experienced people).

If you want expertise and experience in any area, it will cost you and quite frankly, the general public has shown they won't pay for it. They'll drive 4 miles down the road to Best Buy to save 15% instead of buying from the local guy that has been doing home theaters for 30 years. Like I said, there are some exceptions, but the general rule is people shop price first and then complain about service.

I think they make mistakes in hiring. They should be hiring folks that are truly interested in the area of the store they will be working in. I enjoy going to the Tackle Warehouse off 45 in Houston for that very reason. Most of the guys in the shop are retired guys who like to fish. They seem to be relatively knowledgeable about their products. I wonder if they ever consider giving the employess product knowledge tests as a means of determining who gets raises?