Bass Pro Sneaky?

[ValkyrieRider]

Just got back from the BP in Springfield, MO. Went up to pick up a couple Extreme Combos (Marked down 159.99 to 99.99 apiece) and got what I needed.

I was surprised to find that none of the sale prices they've been advertising in the catalogs sent out about 3 weeks ago have been updated and/or advertised in the store. In fact, I got the distinct feeling that had I not inquired about the issue, I'd have been charged full price. It also seemed as if it where a PITA for the guy ringing me up to get the discount done. (lots o paperwork)

No foul against Bass Pro, but come on, it's like 60 dollars difference. Seem a bit sneaky to me.. Anyone else experience this?

[K_Mac]

I have experienced the same thing a couple of times. I always check the catalog prices before I go, just in case. I am on the record as a BPS supporter, but this is an area that they don't get it right.

BTW $99 is a great price on the extreme outfits. 8-) If I had any extra cash I get a couple myself.

[Micro]

Bass Pro has a history of questionable practices.  Each year they will advertise a combo, usually an "Extreme" or a "Pro Qualifier" that makes one believe you will be getting a great deal on a rod and reel that seperately would cost much, much more.  And when you finally see the combo in the store, neither the rod nor the reel bear any resemblance to the current "Extreme" or "Pro Qualifier" rod or reel, except in name.

[swilly78]

I always check the internet specials before hand, and they have always honored them in the store, even though they dont post the sale price in the store.  I dont have a problem with them making people work alittle for a good price.

[n8sbassin]

I go into the Springfield Mo store 2 or 3 times a month,  and I've definately noticed some of their practices!

It looks crooked, but they always seem to have things at sale price in the computer.

This happens alot during the spring fishing classic,  but I've never had to tell them that something was on sale, they always seem to have it right in the system, they just don't always mark it on the racks.

[5bass]

They did the same thing to me when I went in to buy a trolling motor. $959 in catalog, $1089 in store.

I called the guy on it when he rang it up at $1089 so he had to call a manager over (to make sure I wasnt telling him a lie) and to get everything in the register straight so I could get it for the catalog price.

[roadwarrior]

It's their standard procedure. Unless I am buying

something generic or looking for a particular item,

I won't shop there. Sale items that YOU have to

bring to their attention? C'mon, give me a break.

>

[Bassnajr]

It's a little work, but here's what I do:

I go on line, pick out what I want from reels to plastics. I write down the Bass Pro SKU#, a short description, and the price. IF they have it in the store (remember the stores don't have everything they have on line) they will look it up and match the price. Go in un-prepared, and they play "Mickey the dunce" Huh, what...then it's "I'll have to call a manager", and then you flip out, and they ask you to leave, but you won't because "this is a free country" and you pay taxes... and.....OOPs...did I say that out loud!!!!

AJR

[KYntucky Warmouth]

Happened to a buddy last with the crankin sticks.  On sale online but not marked in store, told the girl at the service desk who said she couldn't check the website instore.  Had her call a manager and magically they pulled up the site and printed off the sale page.  We went to check out, gave the guy the paper from the site, paid and left.  I thought the price was a tad high, checked the reciept and it was full price.  Had to take it back to the service desk to get the refund for the sale price.

[K_Mac]

The answer that BPS customer service has given me is that the catalog and online stores are different divisions of BPS, and do not necessarily know the prices of the other operating divisions. It is not a very good answer, but I  do know JCPenny's has a similar policy.

As bassnajr said, write down the number and take it along. It ain't that big a deal IMO.

[Long Mike]

I went to my local BPS to purchase an item (can't remember what it was) I found on sale on their website. When I went to check out I showed the clerk a print-out of the on-sale item. She then proceeded to get a little snotty and told me that the store did not honor prices that were posted on the BPS site. It was then a case of "Wanna bet? Call your manager." Needless to say, I bought the item at the price noted on the print-out.

[Fishing Rhino]

Yep, you do have to pay attention.  I always bring the flyer with me when I go for a sale item.  Never had a problem getting the item at the sale price.

It is a crummy way of doing business, but, when you need something, and it's the only place to get it, whatcha gonna do?

They don't get any more of my mail order business.  Other sites offer better prices and in some cases free shipping, as well as quicker service.

[Bankbeater]

Yep, always take the flyer along. My mom taught me that years ago.

[Lund Explorer]

Nobody should expect a store clerk who gets paid minimum wage to be able to handle a pricing issue. That's what the managers are for.

If you are going to want an on-line deal when you plan to visit any store, just make a habit of printing out the web page and bringing it along.  It saves a lot of hassles, and it is a good reminder to you that what you have in your hands is what you saw to begin with.

[ValkyrieRider]

It wasn't even an "online" deal it was the price quoted in their Christmas catalog, which they had lying around everywhere. I think I got the price because I was able to open the book sitting on THEIR counter and point out what I wanted.

At first an older guy said "We can give you the reel and the rod at the discounted price separetly , but if the combos aren't stocked on the showroom floor TOGETHER you can't buy a combo" then I asked another employee and got better advice. Just irked me a bit is all. Seems like poor business practice.

[KYntucky Warmouth]

It wasn't even an "online" deal it was the price quoted in their Christmas catalog, which they had lying around everywhere. I think I got the price because I was able to open the book sitting on THEIR counter and point out what I wanted.

At first an older guy said "We can give you the reel and the rod at the discounted price separetly , but if the combos aren't stocked on the showroom floor TOGETHER you can't buy a combo" then I asked another employee and got better advice. Just irked me a bit is all. Seems like poor business practice.

Told me that about an Extreme/President combo, talked to someone else and they said it was fine  :-/

[Fishing Cowgirl]

I can only speak as "devil's advocate", from personal experience after having worked at Bass Pro many years back. I have witnessed people bringing in old rusted tree stands with a wrinkled receipt and demand a replacement (brand new) and get it. I have also witnessed people bringing in a torn piece from a  5 yr old catalog, on an item, wanting the old price, not the current retail price. I kept a notebook of all store sale flyers and catalogs, just to verify prices.

Others wanting the display model, even after being told it was display only, get a manager (I was assistant manager in that dept), get the item "marked down", then a few days later see that same item in the return bin and find the person was credited for the full retail price. That was not much different than the person who found a $300.00 hunting jacket hung on a $9.00 T-shirt rack, and insist on getting the plainly marked jacket for $9.00, just because someone else changed their mind about the jacket and hung it on the nearest rack! To me thats just plain attempted retail theft, and no they didn't get the jacket for $9.00. :

Store sales were for in store items only, internet sales was a different division, often carrying items that were overstock, no longer kept in the store and therefore those prices are quite often displayed on the web page as "internet item only". Again we would get the people bringing in the web page demanding that internet clearance price on a "similar" but much more expensive, not on sale item, and often get it if they raised a fuss. The same with catalog prices. There are items that are available only at the catalog warehouse and not carried in the stores.

Lastly on the flyer's (not saying that is the case every time) often it will say, in store supply limited, no rain checks (since the item is being discontinued), and when the sale dates were for. Sorry, but the person who showed up on day 29 of a 30 day sale, with a limited supply disclaimer on an item, is not very likely to find that item in stock and I wouldn't feel sorry for them.

What alot of people didn't realize, is that if you purchase an item within 30 days prior to a sale of that item, you can bring in the receipt and you will be credited the difference! I did that when I purchased a Lowrance fish finder that was going on sale. I knew from the flyer that supplies were limited and I would eventually save $50.00. I needed one for the front of the boat, paid full price for it and on sale day came in with my receipt and was credited the difference.  I did that to avoid the chance of the item being sold out on sale day.

I'm just saying it isn't always shady deals or bait and switch, but often miscommunication or assumptions. Some people knew that if they complained enough to a Manager, the Manager would often give it to them at a discounted or sale price just to keep customer satisfaction up there, even if the associate was correct in their original pricing. The associates do not have the authority to discount anything and if they did, would be accused of retail theft and fired.

We also would put together combos of fishing rods/reels or rifles/scopes/slings and have the price listed as including what the items would bring seperately. It was just to illustrate how the piece would appear or operate with that combination and they were used as a display model, which were handled  ALOT and many times by unattended children. Therefore the discounted price if a display item was sold.

[roadwarrior]

Thank you!

The "other side of the story" makes a lot of sense,

but I still think "sale prices" should be the same

for everyone.

[cart7t]

I'm not siding 100% with BPS in any way but a lot of you are completely forgetting just how much BPS has marked down and on sale in their individual stores that aren't on their website.  You just can't have it all ways.   

[George Welcome]

Not that I agree with it, but most stores don't honor internet catalog prices - shipping handling and all that stuff makes the stores inventory more costly.

[rubba bubba]

I don't *** any retailer having to deal with the general public; it can make any employee bitter.  I do have a positive Bpro tale to share -

Was going to get a new reel a while back and the guy behind the reel counter got the one I wanted.  I looked it over, made the final "buy" decision and started to walk away when I realized I had a $10 off coupon in the mail I had left at home.  I handed the reel back to the guy and told him I'd come back the next day or so with the coupon.  He asked how far my drive was and I told him about 45 minutes.  He insisted I shouldn't have to do that, and I insisted that I really didn't mind (I did not, it was my own fault).  He contacted a store manager and had them modify the pricing to reflect the coupon saving me the 2nd trip, even after I insisted that wasn't an issue.

By no means does this invalidate anyone who has had problems with BP, it's just 1 positive data point, that's all.

[Fishing Cowgirl]

I don't *** any retailer having to deal with the general public; it can make any employee bitter. I do have a positive Bpro tale to share -

Was going to get a new reel a while back and the guy behind the reel counter got the one I wanted. I looked it over, made the final "buy" decision and started to walk away when I realized I had a $10 off coupon in the mail I had left at home. I handed the reel back to the guy and told him I'd come back the next day or so with the coupon. He asked how far my drive was and I told him about 45 minutes. He insisted I shouldn't have to do that, and I insisted that I really didn't mind (I did not, it was my own fault). He contacted a store manager and had them modify the pricing to reflect the coupon saving me the 2nd trip, even after I insisted that wasn't an issue.

By no means does this invalidate anyone who has had problems with BP, it's just 1 positive data point, that's all.

Did that for customer's many times. It is easy to look up a rewards member info, and credit them their discount amount. I enjoyed my Bass Pro employment and the only reason I left was to get my job with the county that paid a lot more.

It's true that sale prices will be different, but that is the same any where, why else do we have "discount" stores, like outlet shops. Same company, but where the overstock goes to, and where discounted prices are. Shipping and handling always applies to internet sales.

[rubba bubba]

Did that for customer's many times. It is easy to look up a rewards member info, and credit them their discount amount.

In this case it wasn't rewards but literally a $10 off $50 purchase coupon, so they had nothing to go on but my word.  There was nothing to look up.

[leserz]

how the heck you guy's get a sales flyer or a catalog. i keep on trying  to ask for them never have got one in i bet 5 yrs. went to springfield, mo asked for one they tell me to go to the catalog store fill out a questionnaire heck just walked back from there. legs hurting to much to walk back .

[Stasher1]

how the heck you guy's get a sales flyer or a catalog. i keep on trying to ask for them never have got one in i bet 5 yrs. went to springfield, mo asked for one they tell me to go to the catalog store fill out a questionnaire heck just walked back from there. legs hurting to much to walk back .

They're kinda like JC Whitney or Sportsmans Guide. Order something from their online store and you'll get a flyer in the mail almost every week. I get two of each flyer, one in my name and one in my wife's name because she bought me an anniversary present from BPS a few years ago.