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Old August 29, 2002, 12:05 PM   #1
Dad-Gummit
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Join Date: June 6, 2002
Location: Home of the Noles
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Sportsman Guide-never EVER again!!!!

In the Shooters 2002 brochure on page 43 the Deluxe Rest is advertised at $79.97-showing the front and rear bag in ad. Since the $79.97 is a little above average price for rest, I called Sportsman Guide.The order taker said the bags were included, and they're selling fast. Went on-line that day, and ordered the rest,and paid their shipping ($12.99). Guess what-the bags are not included and the CSR I talked to basically said that I can send it back for credit and that's it. The ad right next to the "deluxe" rest clearly states-"gun and shootin bag not included". While the deluxe ad only has "rifle not included". Maybe this is how ol Gary does business, but this is not how I do business,and he will never see another penny of my money. And I will go out of my way to post this on as many sites as possible.
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Old August 29, 2002, 02:57 PM   #2
Sportcat
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the Guide

What I hate about the Guide is how long this are on backorder for. Example...

I ordered a jacket online in November. I was told it was on backorder until early January. I figured I'd wait on it.

Mid-January rolls around and I call to see what's up. Jacket now on backorder until mid-March. I decide I can wait a little longer.

In February the same jacket shows up online as "in stock." I call to check on my order, but they say it is still on back order until March.

I call in early March to see if my jacket will be in soon (especially since it was in the recent Government Surplus catalog). I was then told backordered until mid-June! SCREW THAT!!!

Everytime I saw the jacket in the catalog, or online it was the same jacket and listed that the size I ordered was available.

Hey Gary, please don't list items for sale in your catalogs or online if they are not available, or you have yet to get the merchandise to the back-ordered folks!
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Old August 29, 2002, 03:46 PM   #3
Jason Demond
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I have orderd from them 15 or 20 times now, and I have never had a problem. One time I ordered a couple pair of work pants from them only to have one pair backordered, they sent me a coupon for 5.00 and told me the other pair would be along in a month, it was.
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Old September 5, 2002, 08:18 PM   #4
Penman
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Dad and Sport,
Sorry to hear about your experiences. I've had good results so far, have ordered from them about ten times. I once got in an order that didn't work out for my purpose, and decided not to send it back because it wouldn't have been worth the postage. The best buy I've ever made was the Swiss Army wool trenchcoat for $19.
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Old September 20, 2002, 06:50 PM   #5
markmcj
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As soon as I hear back-ordered I pass. I've ordered from Sportsmen a few times and never had a problem.

Sorry to hear about your mess.


mark mcj
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Old September 21, 2002, 10:51 PM   #6
DRD
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I'm a slow-learner. I've ordered a total of 4 times, each time convincing myself that maybe they've got their act together. Every time they've messed up my order. If you insist, they'll refund shipping if it's their screwup but, even then, they won't cover the full amount. Only the amount that it costs them to ship with their volume discount from UPS.
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Old September 25, 2002, 05:26 PM   #7
HerrJaegermeister
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Bad ammo from Sportsman's Guide

I ordered 1000 rounds of what was billed as 8mm Mauser ammo from Yugoslavia. It was supposed to be really clean and from a sealed box.

I got Ecudorian 8mm ammo that looked like it was dug up from the jungle. I was mad. I called, and they said since it was ammo they could not take it back. A few mentions about truth in advertising and the Minnesota Better Business Bureau finally got a supervisor to change his mind and send me return labels.

I have had good luck buying off the Sportsman's Guide showroom floor in South St. Paul. That way you get to see what you are buying.

I ordered 900 rounds from Cole's Distribution for a lot less and it came in the military crate with a sealed metal liner. I actually got to pull the wire and open the metal sealer can. These rounds were in boxes and on stripper clips.
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Old September 26, 2002, 01:13 PM   #8
Mark II
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I'v never had a problem with them. Sorry you guys had so many. Orderd lots of stuff to.
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Old October 17, 2002, 11:36 PM   #9
FlyboyAZ
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I just ordered from them a couple of months back. I got a Mauser sling that I wouldn't trust on my rifle and sent it back a little later. A week after that they had refunded my account.

Over the last 5 years I have had no problems with the Sportsman's guide. I am sorry to hear that you guys have had trouble.
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Old October 18, 2002, 09:13 AM   #10
FPrice
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ANY mail order business...

can have problems. The better ones minimize your inconvenience by rapid adjustments, replacements, or other actions to satisfy the customer. My biggest problems with Sportsmans Guide has been the quality of some of the items I have ordered. But that is to be expected with this type of operation. If it isn't up to your satisfaction, return it and ask for, firmly but politely, for a refund or whatever else you think is fair.
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Old October 19, 2002, 08:46 PM   #11
OneFreeTexan
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Awhile back I placed an order online. A screen popped up that said I could "have free ground shipping AND save almost $10 on renewal of my Club Membership(which wasn't due for 3 more months). When i got the bill they didn't charge for shipping but charged full price for Club renewal.
When I called them on it they admitted that the wording was mis-leading, but "tough, that's the way it is!" They said they'd cancel my Club membership if I wanted, but then they'd charge $20 for shipping on that order.

Also, what about that $.99 or $1.99 'insurance' charge they tack on to every order. What's that about?
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Old October 30, 2002, 01:18 PM   #12
Jimbo 7
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Agree: Guide is bogus

I have to weigh in here. I'm not a fan either. They messed up my first order and were charging me the club member fee when I clearly said no. It took a big pain involving supervisors to get it fixed. Their computer system is screwy!
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Old November 7, 2002, 04:25 PM   #13
toast78
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I've ordered SA .223 from them a couple of times and had huge backorder times. Something on the order of 6 to 8 weeks. But they always shipped it and it arrived OK.




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Old November 21, 2002, 10:37 PM   #14
vetts1911
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It was good

I got a leather jacket and ammo from them. They all were good deals till you tack on his shipping charge. I had a bad fit on the coat and the ammo was fine. They returned the funds for the coat.

They are okay in my book
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Old November 23, 2002, 02:56 AM   #15
Jager1
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I have used them a lot for ordering surplus and camping items.

I don't have any burning desire to pay his outrageous ammunition prices, though. Most of the items (especially ammunition) he sells I can locate locally for much less than his asking price. His asking price is typically what I pay around here, so why pay him to ship it to me? The only time I order items from them is when it can't be found locally.

I have recieved some real junk from them, too. A lot of the "mil-spec" items he advertises are in reality, emanating from somewhere along the Pacific Rim. He has been more careful in labeling and advertising over the last few years. Probably because of complaints like mine.

The shipping prices they charge are pretty arbitrary and he must make a killing on that alone. Charging by cost of the order rather than actual weight is a big tip-off to a rip-off.

Many of the items advertised are not in stock and the backorder runaround is a joke. Once, the order taker on the phone actually told me that they wouldn't be getting an item in again, ever rather than "it's on backorder". I almost had a heart attack from the shock.

I'll order from him again, but I'm always expecting the worst from the outfit.
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Old November 23, 2002, 09:43 PM   #16
Dr.Rob
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I've never had a problem with them, and in fact I've ordered some big ticket items, like a Colt signature series black powder revolver.

He has some neat stuff, and some screwy stuff. Any time you are catalogue shopping you run the risk of "out of stock" or shipping delays.
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Old November 23, 2002, 10:36 PM   #17
archeryfanatic
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I shop almost exclusively online. Sometimes making it to the bathroom is like going thru an obstacle course- boxes and packing peanuts all over the place!

All companies will get their fair share of poor employess in the CS and warehouse departments. The turnover rates for these types of jobs are pretty high (sometimes thru no fault of the company.) Esp. the CS folks who take a lot of [color=#FF0000]█[/color][color=#FF0000]█[/color][color=#FF0000]█[/color][color=#FF0000]█[/color][color=#FF0000]█[/color] from irate customers (some customers can be real A-holes because they think if they shout loud enough, they'll get a supervisor who'll bend over for them!). Takes a very special breed of people who can take that kind of abuse day in and day out.
Due to the turnovers, some employees are inexperienced and not fully trained (esp. with companies that have a gazillion products on their catalogs) so they sometimes misinform customers rather than admit they don't know what they're talking about.

Bought from SG a lot of times- ocassionally I get an email letting me know certain items on my order are backordered but so far no really big screwups. Luck of the draw I guess.
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Old December 4, 2002, 05:45 PM   #18
WhoKnowsWho
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I ordered a new SKS stock from them for a reasonable price, but that has been it. No problem with them in one transaction.

Cheaper Than Dirt was surprisingly nice though, back when I first started getting into guns (4 months after my 21's birthday ) I ordered a 300 pack of speer "bullets" Of course, that was before I had realized the difference between a bullet and a round, silly me! I called them and the lady offered a full credit card refund, with me paying the shipping to return. Jokingly, I said I wouldn't mind keeping them if I got $10 or $15 refunded. And they did! $15 was credited to my card!
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Old December 9, 2002, 05:14 PM   #19
Bottom Gun
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Their customer service is pretty good about making good for their screw ups and false advertising, but their major problem is the mouth breathers they hire as order takers.
Their order takers know absolutely nothing about their products or sporting goods in general and if there is any possible way to screw up your order, they'll do it.
Customer service is good about taking returns though and will send you post paid return labels if you remember to ask for them.
Careful ordering from their website though. I noticed some items are priced higher there than in their catalogs.
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