Wholesale Calgary... painful

spi's just pissed off at life, I'm guessing he's probably lonely. The unfortunate thing is I sometimes agree with some of his points, but he just can't relay them without being an absolute f#%koff.

***EDIT: That doesn't sound right. What I meant to say is that you seem to be a reasonably intelligent person, so...*** I feel compelled to reply: No, I am not lonely. I have been married successfully for a decade and a half. I have children who are the joy of my days.

I am not pissed off at life, I am pissed off at people.

By and large I find people to be rude, inconsiderate, and I am done with being polite to people who have done nothing to earn my respect.
 
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I find that dishonest and would rather call you a dumass to your face, so to speak. Dumass.



No I suspect that you would stay quiet in the corner and avoid direct eye contact with me like every other Internet tough guy that I have met over the years. :rolleyes:

Also with your anger issues perhaps it is best you are out of the service industry anyway, as your bad attitude would be a liability to any company that would hire you. :rolleyes:
 
Some of the experts should step up behind the counter. Get a part time job there.

Think it was this thread that I mentioned about hanging around a gun counter on a Saturday and listen to the conversations around you.

Al Simmons. Eli's. Gobles. Shooters Choice. TSE. P&D. Wild West. Wholesale in Edmonton and Grande Prairie. Bartons. Buffalo Gun Center.

Hang around any of the above places and listen. On Saturday.

Shut your own traps and just listen................... ;)
 
No I suspect that you would stay quiet in the corner and avoid direct eye contact with me like every other Internet tough guy that I have met over the years. :rolleyes:

Yeah yeah, whatever. The reality is that you would find me to be quite personable and a good conversationalist. You would be hesitant to shoot your mouth off the way you do here, and I would too. People don't talk to each other like this over coffee. I say that because your post count indicates you don't get out much. But that's an interesting bit of projection you have there.

Also with your anger issues perhaps it is best you are out of the service industry anyway, as your bad attitude would be a liability to any company that would hire you. :rolleyes:

Oh I agree. I do agree. Just the mere thought that a f**kwit like you could be the guy across the counter from me is enough to dissuade me from supplementing my income in retail ever again.
 
Well now my feelings are hurt. Guess I must of struck a nerve there somewhere. Now tell me again about your 600 yard running shot...

It was early in the morning and the sun was in my eyes. The buck stepped out of the brush by the cut-line and I swear he turned his head straight at me. He was a well turned out buck. Six points, thick, and well developed. I had the antler made into knife handles.

Anyway. We had been shooting gophers. I thought, "holy smoke, that is one nice ass buck". I had my 243 and a license so it was all legal like. I flipped the rifle over the hood of the truck and shot him.

Jesus! What a mess! It was a Barnes Varmint grenade. I shot a dinner plate hole in that deer's ass without slowing it down much.

####. So I hop in the truck and go barreling down the cut. We come over the crest of the hill and that bastard is running like hell down the cut. I leap out and chamber a round. Friggin Winchester Silvertips this time, thank you. He's angling away from me and it's 600 yards easy.

BAM!

I put one behind his ear.

And that was it.

Aw hell buddy. Weren't it you telling me that story?
 
IMHO it should be treated as such, and trained and paid accordingly.
As it is a skill set, and IMHO a trade unto it's own at the vary least.

Take for example another service industry...Being a waiter in Europe.
Some spend years apprenticing and only bringing water to the table and what we call hosting here in North America.


Well, as much as I am trying to avoid this meaningful converstation.....:rolleyes:

Retail sales is a lost art that has been replaced by automation. 2.65 Mbs download speed has replaced the 20 min wait in line, and the ADD TO CART / CHECKOUT precludes me from even starting the truck. There is no longer a requirement for a local authority behind the counter. Most consumers research purchases, and make informed decisions, rather than influenced ones. How does a guy behind the counter compete with the infinite knowledge of the internet? Answer..they don't! All they are now is "Vanna" turning the letters....or, handing the cutomer the bullets / rifle / scope. Voila! the $12/hr pulse behind the counter.
 
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And I thought Calgary had the best gun shops :eek:

I guess even we Moronto (read: Idiot David Miller) and Bantario people have to feel super lucky that we have a store like www.ellwoodepps.com with great people working (they sure try hard) there. Great inventory (given the economy) and decent prices.

If feel for you, Western Brethren!!

:cheers:

Barney

I have to add I love Epps. But to me there is nothing like Williams Arms in Port Perrry. Very friendly guys, knowledgeable, and if they don't have something you need they can order it. The prices are competitive. So its Epps and Williams Arms for me.
 
I just got back from a trip to Montana.... I envy that they have Cabelas, Scheels, Big Bear, and a half dozen other stores, all with the rifles out in plain view for anyone to handle, and at half the price (approximately) of what they are here. Even most handguns were close to half the price. Ammo on the other hand all seemed to be more expensive (I only looked at 7.62x51/54/39, .223, .22lr, 9mm and .45acp but those were all more expensive than my most recent purchases in canada)
 
I actually happen to work at wholesale sports, and have this to say. First off, maybe the employee didn't know exactly what you were talking about. But you can't expect everyone to know everything instantly. Even you had to learn what you know at some point in your life, and this is when that person is learning, so don't be so hard on them, they will learn eventually. I'm sure you would agree that becoming an expert on something such as reloading takes time.

Next point. The majority of the problems is the managment. People have been working there for 5 years and still only make $12 an hour. This year, managment has decided not to give raises. People all over are quitting, and I don't blame them. The reason they have to hire whoever they can get is because they can't keep employees. I work in the guns and archery department, and I can tell you right now its a joke. They won't even tell us what or when we're getting things in, how long it will take to order something, it seems that they're getting rid of more and more of our suppliers that we can custom order from, and we're not even allowed to order our own stock inventory! I've heard of stores having to buy things from their competitors to sell for themselves, because they can never get any stock in. Even for things like glue, or wax, for making arrows, has to be bought at local competitors so the store can make arrows for its customers.

There are many things that need to be changed with the managment at Wholesale Sports, and that is the underlying cause for nearly all problems. As a customer and employee myself, I am not just blowing smoke and making things up. Its ridiculous and incredibly frustrating, and there is nothing worse than having to answer "I don't know" everytime someone asks you a question because the head office refuses to treat its employees as they should be treated and give them the necessary information to do their jobs.

If that's the way they're running things, then it won't be long until Wholesale Sports Calgary goes t1ts up.
 
I feel like I've been cheated. I can't hop on the bandwagon and complain like everyone else. Those bastiches at WSS serve me competently every time i go there. Where's the fun in that? I'm gonna start a thread about WSS not abusing me like they obviously do everyone else. It's my right to complain even when it's stupid and childish, right?

Realistically - this rant is wasting more than the original alleged 15 minute waiting time.
 
I feel like I've been cheated. I can't hop on the bandwagon and complain like everyone else. Those bastiches at WSS serve me competently every time i go there. Where's the fun in that? I'm gonna start a thread about WSS not abusing me like they obviously do everyone else. It's my right to complain even when it's stupid and childish, right?

Realistically - this rant is wasting more than the original alleged 15 minute waiting time.

Glad to hear that for your sake. There are too many people with issues to deny it.
 
Retail sales is a lost art that has been replaced by automation. 2.65 Mbs download speed has replaced the 20 min wait in line, and the ADD TO CHART / CHECKOUT precludes me from even starting the truck. There is no longer a requirement for a local authority behind the counter. Most consumers research purchases, and make informed decisions, rather than influenced ones. How does a guy behind the counter compete with the infinite knowledge of the nternet? Answer..they don't! All they are now is "Vanna" turning the letters....or, handing the cutomer the bullets / rifle / scope. Voila! the $12/hr pulse behind the counter.


This is sad but true. I remember a time when Frechy's/WSS Calgary was an awesome place to go. Great selection and good service. I genuinely enjoyed shopping there. It had the same feel that Russels has now. Small with guys to help you picking out fly tying material or a new rifle. Having staff that knew what they were talking about without belittling you in the process was what made it a great place to get set up. Things have changed, from your point and others. I agree retail is a lost art, and while many people feel they can educate themselves online I believe it is still best to have a real person to tell you the things you didn't think to ask. I'm old fashioned I guess, I just like it that way. And for what it's worth as I've said before, I don't blame the staff at the Calgary store. In my experiance, Calgary has changed and not for the better in the last 10 years, and more so in the last 5. The big city attitude has replaced the home grown feel it once had. People are getting rude and pushy. I guess it's to be expected when the population booms like it did. And although I've never been to the Edmonton store, I'm sure it won't be a whole lot better. Now on the other hand I really like most of the staff at our local store and through several telephone calls to the other smaller stores I can say I've had great service and polite and courtious people for the most part helping me. The big thing that the managment of the Calgary store doesn't understand is their reputation is based on service. Instead of putting up signs telling customers not to yell at the staff and hurt their feelings, wouldn't it make more sense to get to the root of the problem and find out why the customers are so pissed off? I belive theres still hope, and common courtisy isn't completely lost. :)
 
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