Why I shop online these days...

[TritonGlenn]

Years ago, if I got a Bass Pro Shops gift card, it was awesome. I could very easily go to the store and spend the entire amount + more. This year, I got several BPS gift cards, as well as a few other store cards. So I went shopping. Kinda.



Walked through BPS San Antonio. NOTHING that I wanted was in stock. I was finally going to get a Hornady Lock N' Load press. Only one in the store was the display. There wasn't even a place on the shelf for it! Salesman told me "Well, Santa kinda wiped us out recently..." Really? That was two weeks ago? Your store hasn't got a truck in two weeks?



Ammo that I wanted? Not in stock, or not carried by the store.

Scope mount that I wanted? Don't sell it there.

New lures? Nothing that I could find.





So then I decide to go to Dicks Sporting Goods. I wanted a new speedbag and they had one on sale. However, they couldn't find it. Store inventory said they have 4 in stock, but they can't locate them in the back. The guy then tells me "Yeah, we had someone else come in yesterday looking for one, but we couldn't find them." Well... either keep looking, or get some on order! They aren't going to just magically appear! How do you put something on sale, and then don't carry it in stock, or not know where it is?



So I head to another Dicks Sporting Goods. They have one in stock - but it's missing the bag. The bag. The BAG. The thing that makes it a "speed bag" is missing. Just the frame exists. But the guy asks me, "Would you like to buy the display?" So I tell him that if he adds a bag from the shelf and gives me a discount because it's kind of banged up a little, that I'd take it. He comes back and says the manager will give me a discount on the display... but that it "Won't be worth your while because he won't throw in the bag". Huh? So he is going to give me a "discount" on the frame only, but then I add in the bag and the price is now going to be MORE than what the regular price is? :blink: Pass.



I was about to make one more stop and then decided just to go home. I'm frustrated enough. Came home and placed an order online with Cabelas. Feel much better now.



Where is the little smiley face waving the "Rant off" sign? :lol::lol::lol:



All the best,

Glenn

 

[Jeffry Skidmore]

Glenn,



I kinda did the same thing, but I started on line. Spent the whole gift card and then some. Got an email from BP two days later, and everything but * the thing I wanted most *

was shipped. It's on backorder!

 

[Berry Lindley]

All about inventory managent ($) now. BPS in Nashville is pretty good but inventory usage is not seasonally adjusted. No 3/8 ounce walleye heads in stock. Happens every winter. You'd think they would learn...... I felt your pain earlier this week, drove 30 minutes 1 way for nothing.

 

[TritonGlenn]

:lol: Sorry to hear that jeffry. I hate when that happens. I started ordering a lot of my shooting stuff from Midway (online). They sometimes have stuff out of stock, but I always know it before I hit the "submit" key to place my order.



BPS and Cabelas have both done that to me in the past. One time, I placed an order with Cabelas and over half of the order was on backorder! I was expecting a large box to show up and instead I got this little 12" cube box with less than half my order. Disappointing to say the least. But, I still find it less frustrating than driving to a store and them not having what I want.



All the best,

Glenn

 

[Bill Hamilton]

Glenn I feel your pain! Only issue I have is that unless I know the product it is difficult to buy on line without seeing it first. I think they call it a pig in a poke! My entire Christmas for my wife, children and grandkids were bought on line and NOTHING had to be returned! Didn't have to drive anywhere. Did get a bunch of BPS gift cards and will wait for the Spring sale and head to Richmond BPS for my bargains. Cheers

 

[TritonGlenn]

My entire Christmas for my wife, children and grandkids were bought on line and NOTHING had to be returned!

Awesome! Mine was about 95% online, 5% local. My wife handed me a list of stuff she was looking at, and most of it was online. The only thing that wasn't is a easel she wanted from Michaels Arts and Crafts. After waiting in that line forever (they had 2 cashiers, and the lines spanned half the store length), I was happy that everything else was online.



Hey... blessing in disguise though! Bass Pro Shops wanted $20 more than Cabelas was asking for that press. In fact, BPS was higher by at least $20 on just about every brand and model reloading press. I've noticed that has been the trend lately - BPS prices are pretty high. They have been for years, but they seem to be getting worse. Maybe it's just the stuff I want to buy. :lol:



All the best,

Glenn

 

[Bruce Freeman]

For me it makes more since to shop online when I know what I want and have used it before. If it's something new to me I want to put my hands on it first and will make a trip. For me the shipping is cheaper and the drive and there are not all those other things to look at and purchase.



BF

 

[Jim in VA]

Funny - I seem to be going the other way, shifting back to "brick and mortar." Call it my "supporting the little guy" or more probably, the desire for instant gratification! Online shopping doesn't seem the bargain it once was. On top of that, returns/exchanges are getting harder, not to mention not being able to feel/touch the product. Granted, there's more time involved, but it seems to work out pretty good. For example, I drove 25 miles recently to check out some boots I've wanted. Ended up buying them at a price cheaper than online - and that was WITH sales tax.



Of course, to combat the problem TG mentioned, I did call the shop first and asked if they were in stock (in my size!). Helps to avoid the frustration. Also nice to actually meet the salesperson face-to-face. Turns out he was the owner of the small shop and his son, home from college for winter break, was helping him out in the store.

 

[Mike Newman]

I totally agree with the inventory issue. I have to drive a minimum of 20-30minutes to the nearest store(50-60 big box) so it is costing me time and money to find them out. I am buying more online. Unfortunately the more we buy online the worse for the retailer so to cut costs they reduce more inventory. Not a good cycle. My company supplies Home Depot, Sears, etc and they are all reducing inventory further it seems.



My sister made an interesting analogy over the holidays. In the early 1900's retail existed out of a big catalog that you bought from and then waited for shipment. Then we had mass local retail until the Internet took off and now we are back to picking things out of a big catalog(the Internet) and then waiting for the items to arrived via direct ship again. We have gone back to the future.

 

[Mike Newman]

I totally agree with the inventory issue. I have to drive a minimum of 20-30minutes to the nearest store(50-60 big box) so it is costing me time and money to find them out. I am buying more online. Unfortunately the more we buy online the worse for the retailer so to cut costs they reduce more inventory. Not a good cycle. My company supplies Home Depot, Sears, etc and they are all reducing inventory further it seems.



My sister made an interesting analogy over the holidays. In the early 1900's retail existed out of a big catalog that you bought from and then waited for shipment. Then we had mass local retail until the Internet took off and now we are back to picking things out of a big catalog(the Internet) and then waiting for the items to arrived via direct ship again. We have gone back to the future.

 

[Berry Lindley]

Forgot to add this earlier, Gander Mountain ships for free every day. Really good if you only need an item or 2 and can't get it locally.

 

[TOMMY RICH]

BPS in Cinci is terrible when it comes to having something I want.

I've been supporting my local Gander Mountain lately.