Great experience at BPS

[Buffdaddy54]

Just had a great experience at my local BPS. Came in looking for a specific bait I had heard about here and other places and was confused as to what color and size to buy. So I went to the fishing counter and spoke with Ron about what I was looking for. 20 min later he had me purchasing something totally different based off of his local knowledge of where I like to fish. He explained what color and size to buy based off of not only his experience but that of others as well. 

Almost did not go back due to previous experience I had there 1 week ago.

WELL DONE RON! 

If you get the chance to shop at the BPS in Hanover Md (between Balt and Wash) talk to Ron, you will be glad you did.

And yes, I did go to there website as well and left comments.

[avidone1]

Hmmmmmmmmm  could be a bait.................(wait for it)

and switch...........................yeeeeehaaaaaawwwwwwwwwwwwwwww..

[Bluebasser86]

Did you try the bait he talked you into? We used to have contest when I worked at Cabela's to sell certain items. If you sold enough of them you'd get a free rod/reel/giftcard. Some of the people I worked with would lie like dogs just to get another sale for the contest. Others were clueless and would just repeat a story they'd heard someone else tell because it sounded good, despite not having a clue what they were actually talking about. Hopefully you didn't run into one of those types. 

[Sam]

Buff, having guys who actually bass fish working in a store is a great advantage to us all when we are considering baits and tackle.

The new Cabela's in Richmond's west end does not have a fishing department staff knowledgeable about local bass fishing in Virginia.

The guys at the BPS store north of Richmond actually fish bass tournaments and it is fun talking about bass fishing with them even if you are not in the market for any fishing gear.

Glad you had a good experience. And the Bait Monkey is happy, too.

[MDBowHunter]

I wish my latest and last experience with BPS would've went as smoothly. I went to the Hanover store a few days ago to buy a few things . Well one of things I picked out was a white Columbia fishing shirt for th upcoming summer. Well as I'm standing watching the clerk remove security tags I noticed black stains on on of the sleeves. So I said to the cashier. Can I just go right there and grab another one and swap them, mind you this shirt hasnt even been rang up yet. Well the cashier says it will be best to just pay for it then handle it with customer service. Alright so I pay and walk straight to customer service, not even leaving the store. On my way there I went to grab another shirt to exchange when I realized they only had the one in my size. Ok well I would like to get my money back which I just paid in cash about two minutes prior. So they proceed to ask me for a drivers license, which I left home in my work pants on the bedroom floor( which is totally my fault). Well they tell me they can't give me my money back without a drivers license bcause I might be pulling something shady. Now I had a bag with well over $200 worth of stuff I just bought and I was trying to return a $30 shirt. The main manager who's name is David tells me he can't give me my money back for the shirt, that I had to go home( which is 20 miles one way to get my license. So now it's going to cost me $10 worth of gas the return this shirt. That was stained from the beginning. All the time I was telling them that I know my drivers license # and I would give it to them, also I just put it on my rewards card. Which again he said too bad. Well that's when the stuff hit the fan and I had to act like an idiot, but he did give me my money back for the shirt but he made me curse and act like a fool before he did so. Well they just lost an above average spending customer, I won't give that sorry excuse of a store another penny. I went right home hit up TW and had a nice clean shirt three days later. Since BPS has become a brick and mortar store they're customer service has suffered. 

[Buffdaddy54]

5 hours ago, MDBowHunter said:

I wish my latest and last experience with BPS would've went as smoothly. I went to the Hanover store a few days ago to buy a few things . Well one of things I picked out was a white Columbia fishing shirt for th upcoming summer. Well as I'm standing watching the clerk remove security tags I noticed black stains on on of the sleeves. So I said to the cashier. Can I just go right there and grab another one and swap them, mind you this shirt hasnt even been rang up yet. Well the cashier says it will be best to just pay for it then handle it with customer service. Alright so I pay and walk straight to customer service, not even leaving the store. On my way there I went to grab another shirt to exchange when I realized they only had the one in my size. Ok well I would like to get my money back which I just paid in cash about two minutes prior. So they proceed to ask me for a drivers license, which I left home in my work pants on the bedroom floor( which is totally my fault). Well they tell me they can't give me my money back without a drivers license bcause I might be pulling something shady. Now I had a bag with well over $200 worth of stuff I just bought and I was trying to return a $30 shirt. The main manager who's name is David tells me he can't give me my money back for the shirt, that I had to go home( which is 20 miles one way to get my license. So now it's going to cost me $10 worth of gas the return this shirt. That was stained from the beginning. All the time I was telling them that I know my drivers license # and I would give it to them, also I just put it on my rewards card. Which again he said too bad. Well that's when the stuff hit the fan and I had to act like an idiot, but he did give me my money back for the shirt but he made me curse and act like a fool before he did so. Well they just lost an above average spending customer, I won't give that sorry excuse of a store another penny. I went right home hit up TW and had a nice clean shirt three days later. Since BPS has become a brick and mortar store they're customer service has suffered. 

WOW, that sucks. There have been times I was not real thrilled with associates on the floor but never had an issue with people at checkout. You can blame that stupidity on management. I used to manage a golf super store years ago and NEVER would have treated a customer like you were. The cashier would have been able to make that return right then and there. All she had to do was have her supervisor void the sale. I will never understand why people make things so freaking difficult.?

[avidone1]

BPS is like any other corporate run retail store.  Policies are usually pretty good, but the help especially customer service phone reps get paid next to nothing and that's pretty much how much fishing knowledge they have.   some days you get a good one other days you get one who likes to pretend they know something.  anyway, my last two experiences went like this:

Last week I'm looking at the shimano stradic ci4+ spinning reel.  A very sweet reel indeed.  I ask the guy behind the counter how it will stand up the brackish water conditions for inshore fishing, and he says 'not great'  if you dunk it it's toast".....so I asked about the daiwa ballistic.  he says that's what he uses and it's good for brackish water.  Now for the headline.  This BPS doesn't sell any daiwa reels.  So he recommended a reel that BPS doesn't sell.   How about that?......................................ok ...fast forward to yesterday.  I'm again looking at the ci4+ and there is a different salesperson who sees me eyeing the reel and immediately pulls out the stradic fk and proceeds to show/tell me why it's a better reel than the ci4.   So I hold it and immediately notice that it is heavier and there is a subtle but distinct wobble.  I mention this to him and tell him I am a weight weenie when it comes to rods and reels to the point that I'm usually under-gunned a little but that's how I like it.  He says "it's only a little lighter" then shows me how the drag is stronger and some other stuff.  So I ask him  "if it's a better reel then why is it cheaper than the ci4+?....He doesn't really know but tells me that he 'thinks' the ci4 is being discontinued.   So I ask him the question "are these good for brackish water"  and he says "yes, they are designed for inshore fishing".

I didn't buy either reel.  and when I got home I did a search for "shimano stradic spinning reel" on the bps home page.   The FK was the only one they now carry.  hence the push at the store.

I hate this crap, but it's just a part of life.     Buyer beware!