The bad (and the good) of Wholesale Sports

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ILoveBigRacks

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Had a few hours to burn yesterday while my daughter was in tumbling class so popped into WS in North Ed for a look-see. Needed some reloading supplies for a 280 Rem that's on it's way to me and was planning a trip to P&D today, but WS was just more convenient yesterday plus I still had some $$$ on a gift card my wife gave me for my b'day last month.

Anyways, the bad first. Found a set of Redding dies in the case but no RCBS on the shelf. When my number came up I brought the fellow out to the shelf and asked if they had the RCBS in stock? "Sorry, don't know". So, seeing as NOTHING was priced on the shelf, I asked what the difference in cost was between the Redding and the RCBS die sets. "Sorry, don't know" and no offer to check for me. Meh...

Took the Redding dies anyways ($58.00 btw :eek:). Next, over to the Lee case to pick up case length gauge and trimmer. Never used this one so was a bit fuzzy on what was required. Found myself the last .280 Rem gauge on the shelf and grabbed that but the cutter itself I wasn't sure about. There was a regular cutter, and a large cutter. Hmmm... which cutter is required for .280 Rem? "Sorry, don't know" and again, no effort to ask anyone else or try and find out for me. Ended up buying the reg. size on my own guess.

Up to the counter for some bullets and some powder. Asked about some IMR 4831 and he asked the fellow beside him at the counter - yep, some in the back. 5 minutes later he comes back "Sorry, none there" (first fellow seemed pretty certain so am still wondering how hard my guy actually looked but wasn't going to wait longer).

Had already found by myself the 140 gr TTSX I was after and pointed them out and got a box of those. Next, asked about a box of .284 Accubonds. Anything larger than 140 gr. as I wanted to try a heavier bullet. Out comes a box of .284 140 gr. Accubonds. Ummm... something "heavier" than a 140 gr please. Aha, back he goes and he comes up with a box of 150 gr Accubonds and hands them to me - unfortunately they're .270!! Umm.. can i please have some .284 instead please? Oh, sorry, and down he goes again and comes back up with a box of .284 150 gr. (I double checked the caliber and weight myself) - perfect. Until I got home last night and had a closer look at the receipt to check prices (seeing as though they aren't on any items) and found my Noslers only cost me $30.00. Wow, good price for Accubonds I'm thinking until i notice the receipt shows Ballistic Silvertips, not Accubonds. Into the bag I go again to check the box and sure enough, there's a box of .284 150 gr. "Ballistic Silvertips"!!! WTF???? Should have caught it myself but the damn boxes look the same and I was more concerned with the correct caliber and weight at that point. Was planning on taking them back just out of principle but it's just not worth it. Besides, the mistake gives me a chance to try these out and who knows, they may shoots lights out. Still don't have any Accubonds to try out though - will be going to P&D for those.

Moral of the story, ask my wife for a different gift card than Wholesale Sports next year.

Although, on the bright side, the GOOD was that I meandered by the winter boots for a look at the Sorrels as I need a pair of warm boots besides my hunting boots to shovel snow in. Everything in their clothing and footwear section was 40% this week-end and unbeknownst to me I had stumbled across the sale purely by accident an hour before it ended. Got my boots at 40% off!! :cheers:
 
I had a similar experience at wss in Grande Prairie. Moose season was coming up and I noticed I was just about out of 165 partitions. Go to the gun counter ask for some 165 gr partitions only to hear a response of "sorry sir, sierra doesn't make those". I looked on the shelf for myself and did not see them.

Came back a few weeks later and noticed that some 165 partitions were in - I asked the guy behind the counter for a box and pointed them out. Right away he runs to to computer to look it up only to tell me that they are all out. It took about 5 minutes of convincing the guy that I can see about 6 boxes of them right infront of me could you please grab me just one???!!!

I will usually hit up Corlanes in Dawson Creek or Bartons in GP - most of the time they are not much more expensive than WSS (maybe a few $ on a box of bullets or lb of powder) but sometimes they are out of what I need.
 
i buy on internet from wholesale never had a single problem, their shipping based on price of your order is a major advantage when buying bullets.
 
One thing about WSS. Go in knowing exactly what you want. Know where it is. Ask for it and tell them where it is. Expect NOTHING along the lines of customer service......or competence for that matter.

OR, you could just go to P&D and have a pleasant day. Too bad they don't have any bullet casting stuff (or at least didn't the last time I checked)......are you paying attention Phil :) Nudge nudge, wink wink.
 
I had a similar experience when I visited Edmonton two weeks ago. Managed to catch their mistakes though. Had the lad behind the counter arguing that Nosler didn't make a 125 partition in 6.5 while showing me boxes in .257 as proof.

To cap it off...when I left I asked at the counter (no one else in line) if they had a number for a cab company. The young girl looked through various pieces of paper around her cash register as she used to have one. She turned to the lady at customer "service" who was just standing there leaning on the counter and the CS lady said she didn't know the number. My clerk then asked the guy at knives and he said there was a phone book at customer "service". I went over and looked through the phone book not two feet away from the motionless customer "service" expert. She continued to stare into space ( catching flies?, contemplating deep thoughts? planning a suicide? no one really knows, ) Really piss poor. I won't go back. P&D for me.
 
What I do before dealing with any store that offers reloading supplies:

-Make a list of exactly what I need before I call or go in to the store.
-Know exactly what I want, exactly. Bullet weights, powder numbers and part numbers etc etc...
-Have back up ideas in case they don't have what I am asking for.
-Don't take their advice as gospel as they are generally wrong or making guesses. Again know exactly what you want.
-Sometimes it doesn't hurt to ask another employee behind the counter, the first guy might have missed something when looking or doesn't know where to look.(happens all the time)
-Double and triple check everything before I leave the counter, it sucks standing in line or taking a number for a second time.

I know as many others do what it is like to get home and find out they gave you something wrong or you forgot something that you really needed, it sucks :mad:
 
My nephew just got a job at WSS on the south side in Edmonton and already it has been a huge benefit to me,lol.

P&D Has never had any casting equipment as far as molds go or any supplies on those lines. The older gentleman there (can't remember his name) knows at least what you are talking about but the rest of them it is like you are talking Russian if you mention anything to do with casting or equipment.
 
hunter64 said:
My nephew just got a job at WSS on the south side in Edmonton and already it has been a huge benefit to me,lol.

P&D Has never had any casting equipment as far as molds go or any supplies on those lines. The older gentleman there (can't remember his name) knows at least what you are talking about but the rest of them it is like you are talking Russian if you mention anything to do with casting or equipment.
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Your right, we do not carry casting equipment (I guess I'm the older guy your talking about). I have considered carrying these products in the past but due to the specialized nature of the equipment (no one in the store casts bullets) and the obvious questions that would ensue if we carried the product, I decided that the market was too small to dedicate space and time in the store. When we do carry a product line we try to be as complete as possible and because of this we would have to dedicate a fair bit of space to it. I can usually tell if we are missing the boat on a product line by how many time we get asked for a product we don't carry and unfortunately we seldom get asked for casting equipment...sorry. Phil.
 
buckbrush said:
W.S.S. service is what you get when you buy from the cheapest place. I wish there was a P&D in Calgary.
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This seems to be the mentality - but why is this the case? Is it a case of not paying or treating employees well enough to have them stick around, resulting in a revolving door of untrained staff? I do see the same guys behind the gun counter on successive visits (usually months apart) so they are managing to keep guys for a while anyways.

I think it comes down to them just not training their staff properly in the products that they sell. I don't expect a reloading expert behind the counter when I'm after something but at least someone who is trained enough to check the mfg/type, the caliber, and the weight of a bullet. This generally comes down to just poor management, plain and simple. If the employees aren't trained enough to distribute the products they sell and aren't motivated enough to put forward the effort to assist customers properly then that falls on the head of their manager.

I don't want to paint them all with the same brush and I'm sure there are guys back there that I haven't dealt with who do know a bit more and are a bit more inclined to help - I just haven't had the pleasure of dealing with them yet.

Anyways, as mentioned, I'll be dropping the hints to the wife for next year for a different gift card I think. I don't mind going there for some things but I don't like to be nailed down to it, especially when it comes to reloading supplies. In the meantime, I WAS pretty happy to get my winter boots at the price I did. Great to walk into a 40% sale without knowing it - nice surprise.
 
When you go to Rona or Home Depot, do you expect the lady in the orange apron who's stocking shelves to know about framing an inside hip vault, or installing a power meter base?

Big box does not do specialized knowledge very well. And that is what WSS is.
 
I've been a WSS North Edm customer for years. I think the quality of staff there is hit or miss too. For reloading, I used to deal mostly with Doug Hill and unfortunately he has passed on. Most of the older guys there have a clue when it comes to reloading, avoid the young kids if you need specific help, in essence: Ditto to what was said about Home Depot and Rona. They are a Superstore or Warehouse style outlet, not a specialized shop with a full complement of professionals to assist you in all aspects of the shooting sports.
 
Silverado said:
When you go to Rona or Home Depot, do you expect the lady in the orange apron who's stocking shelves to know about framing an inside hip vault, or installing a power meter base?

Big box does not do specialized knowledge very well. And that is what WSS is.
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Apples and oranges. I'm not expecting the stockboy in the warehouse to help me. I'm expecting the sales staff behind the counter, who are specifically hired to help customers, to assist me. I don't care if they have an intimate knowledge of the product, but at least know enough to be able to grab the correct box off the shelf to give to a customer. As for the lack of knowledge, if they don't know the answer, care enough about the customer to at least attempt to find out - ask someone.

If I went to a Home Depot and asked the salesman (not the stockboy) at the appliance department to see some 38" side-by-side refridgerators in white then, yes, I would expect him to be able to show me those. Not take me over and say here you go, showing me a 30", black, top-freezer model. ;)
 
I've dealt with them once through an online order, never again, had to call numerous times just to get my order processed and then was shorted a 5.00 items that was included with a rifle I purchased and would do nothing to satify this. $5.00 and they lost a customer and it was stated in their ad that it came with the rifle. Too bad for them, I called the manufacturer and they sent me the item free of charge. I have a plan in mind for another order that will make their life miserable, give them an idea of what it feels like.
 
Came back a few weeks later and noticed that some 165 partitions were in - I asked the guy behind the counter for a box and pointed them out. Right away he runs to to computer to look it up only to tell me that they are all out. It took about 5 minutes of convincing the guy that I can see about 6 boxes of them right infront of me could you please grab me just one???!!!
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Had a similar experience recently. Asked for 6BR ammo and was told they don't make that, it is a wildcat only. I said no, they make it, I have seen it, Remington makes the stuff. Clerk goes and has a half hearted look and comes back to say they don't have it. Now I know darn well they do so when he goes in the back to look some more I sidle down the counter and find the stuff myself. I get another clerk to pick out the box.

Clerk #1 comes back and is all surprised that we have what I asked for. Then he says, "Oh, I thought you asked for 6PR" as though to make himself look good.

Who the hell ever heard of 6PR when 6BR is quite a common cartridge these days? Fricken numpty!
 
You guys really ought to try WSS in Winnipeg. I've never had anything but good experiences there. My questions are always addressed and I never wait long for service. My only real complaint is that whenever an item is not in stock locally it's always sitting in the Edmonton or Calgary store.
 
Saskatoon store has great staff too.. always knowledgeable, and friendly.. Yep, Calgary\Edmonton have more stock, but never an issue ordering it in...
 
The complaint I heard at Kamloops,anything new ends up in Calgary first.

Had good service on the phone today,rings and a clip,I got right through, and since I couldn't find the clip in the catalogue,she found it and phoned back confirming it.
 
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