Bass Pro Shops = love/hate relationship

lapoolboy · July 05, 2012, 07:38:37 PM

O.k. this is a bit of a rant...

I purchased a 2012 Bass Tracker ProTeam 175TXW from my local Bass Pro back in April. That wasn't the smoothest buying experience I've ever had, but it went O.K. and I forgot about most of the issues when I took delivery of the boat. I really like it, despite what most people say (or think) about them. I got a $500 Bass Pro gift card AND a VIP discount card good for 2 years that gets me 10% off most items and 20% off Bass Pro branded items (RedHead, XPS, etc.) Electronics are excluded as the policy states AND as I was told when I purchased my Lowrance chartplotter. That IS an electronic - I get that - no worries.

Anyway, fast forward to now. The mounting bracket for my Talon anchor will be here tomorrow from Amazon.com (Bass Pro doesn't stock it) and I decided to go by Bass Pro tonight and pick up the Talon itself so I could install it all this weekend. The guys in the marine department go in back to get it and come wheeling it out in a shopping cart. I ask them if the 10% VIP discount card works with it. They both said "sure, no problem". I get to the front register to pay and I present the cashier girl with my $500 gift card and my VIP discount card. She rings it up and I immediately see the discount did not work. I asked her about it and she said "oh, that's only for Bass Pro brand items." I politely corrected her and she went off to ask someone else. He comes back with her, looks at the Talon in my cart, and then says "well, corporate must consider this an electronic". I said I didn't consider it an electronic and asked if everything in the store that was battery-powered was automatically an electronic. He shrugged his shoulders and told me it was a corporate issue and to take it up with them. I told him to cancel the entire transaction and I left the store.

I called BPS customer service on the way home and the nice lady completely agreed with me. She sent a message to her customer service supervisor who will see it in the morning and they are supposed to call me. We'll see what they say.

I looked just now on the BPS website under "marine electronics" and there are no Talons listed in that category. Seems to me it is not an electronic then. This is not a huge deal, but 10% off a $1,449.00 item is worth arguing over!

Would I be able to get the discount on a battery-powered flashlight or a battery-powered livewell aerator?

Sorry, just had to vent to my bass brothers!

SonofDitka · July 05, 2012, 08:04:37 PM

Stories like yours, and a few of my own past experiences, are the reason why I'm exasperated with the shopping "experience" these days.

BassFlippin · July 05, 2012, 08:35:44 PM

I say BassPro will take care of you in the end. Let us know how it goes.

Mike Cork · July 05, 2012, 08:40:30 PM

Wow, really? That floors me, hopefully they will see the error in their corporate ways and understand that it's not electronics like the exclusion says. I've read it before, if they don't change this them I'd hit them up to change their advertising because it's very misleading.

They would need to change it to Electric instead of Electronics.

Another question I would have to ask is...

Okay, if you consider the Talon to be in the Electronic category, so be it, what about a power pole. Power Poles are hydraulic but the pumps are driven by electrical current?

The more I think about it the more this is BS. I've seen them write up exclusions before that say, Electronics and Cameras. If it was an all inclusive why would they include cameras separately.

Please keep us posted

OCBassman · July 05, 2012, 09:16:34 PM

I think they will take care of you.

loomisguy · July 06, 2012, 05:37:22 AM

I hope they take care of you.. I tried to buy a new Nitro last year and it was a terrible experience.. they dangle that vip card and gift card but it's surprising how little it's good for.. you would think when you have bought one of the most expensive items they have they would take care of you.
In my case I bought a Ranger through Cabelas and it was 1000% better experience .
Nitro's tournament rewards program sounds great but I wonder how it would be to actually collect..
Just like automobiles, I think the dealer makes or breaks it.

Mike Cork · July 06, 2012, 09:06:57 AM

Something I thought about this morning... This has been eating at me because while the giants can write their will I hadn't experienced that with BPS.

Anyway... BPS and Tracker marine while owned by the same man are two separate companies. I wonder if one is writing checks the other can't or won't cash?

The battle here way run you into a circle that is never ending. Hopefully they will take care of this

lapoolboy · July 06, 2012, 11:39:48 AM

As of 11:40am today, no call back or e-mail from BPS.

sigh

sctamadrummer · July 06, 2012, 11:50:37 AM

Was the other person a manager? You should go to the store and ask for the manager-on-duty or the manager of the marine department. That item should be included in the discount program. I work at the BPS store in Council Bluffs, Iowa and stuff like this is not tolerated without trying to exhaust all possible avenues to find out the correct answer for something such as this. Hopefully they will get everything worked out for you.

Mike

SonofDitka · July 06, 2012, 03:25:41 PM

Quote from: OCBassman on July 05, 2012, 09:16:34 PM
I think they will take care of you.

Yes, but ex post facto who cares? The fact that he's going through this now isn't going to be mitigated if BPS ends up doing what he considers to be proper. The experience has been ruined even if he gets some of his money back.

That's why I hate shopping these days. Retailers will make you go through hell to get what they promised to you and then expect you to be happy after you go the extra mile to make sure it happens. At that point it can no longer be "made right", only satisfactory -- and that isn't an endorsement.

Just my thoughts...worth what you paid for them.

coldfront · July 06, 2012, 03:46:40 PM

Quote from: lapoolboy on July 06, 2012, 11:39:48 AM
As of 11:40am today, no call back or e-mail from BPS.

sigh

always ask names and write stuff down as y ou go through this...might come in handy...

lapoolboy · July 06, 2012, 08:01:48 PM

Well, no one from BPS corporate ever called me, go figure!

So, I finally caved and called them. They told me the matter had been reviewed and forwarded to the store to handle. They tell me to call the store an speak to the manager. I called and got Shawn, who said he was one of 5 or 6 managers. I explained the situation to him and he said the Talon IS considered an electronic and is thus excluded from the discount. I said O.K. thanks for the confirmation. He went on to say he wanted to take care of me and he would make things right. He said he probably couldn't do the 10% off but he would do something. He said he would advise the employees and I hung up.

I showed up after work to buy the thing expecting maybe a gift card or something. He discounted it the 10% and that was that!

Thanks to Shawn for caring about his customers!

Canesfan · July 07, 2012, 03:53:26 AM

Guess that was better than nothing. I hate poor customer service. I had to return something this week my wife bought from Overstock.com and their CS is about as good as I've ever seen. They should give lessons.