Man this is almost as bad as hook post. Let me say this as a former Sportco employee and a fishing rep. The Owner of Sportco is a very good and Fair Guy, always willing to help anyone out. The managers there that work the Floor in the fishing area, Mike and Joe Q are very good fair people as well, they are willing to go well out of there way to make the customer happy. You have to understand one thing about sportco and that it gets just a krazy amount of traffic so of course they are going to be out of certain items at peak times. But we were not out of Vibraxes at all the summer and Fall because Me and Bill H bought plenty of them for our personal use.
Another thing is that all the formentioned stores are good, just some a little different than others depending on there location or clientel. Teds, 3 rivers, Gregs, OE are great stores and do a fair business to try and keep all of us fishing premadonna's happy, which to say the least is impossible.
Peace
Superfly

LOL Aunty, I didn't mean sportco supplies 3 rivers. I'm sure they order themselves. I mean that sportco buys in huge lots to supply everyone else. Most of the small shops you see, and some bigger. I just meant that they get huge amounts of stock (since I used to deliver their stock, and my buddy does now and he says it's only getting more and more). So meant, that since they are big, I'm sure alot of the bigger distributors will get their stuff to them faster, since turnover is pretty fast.

Glowball,
Your thread should have started out like this, "Sportco lost a valued customer" (I'm a bit of an optimist). But I hope this is not true.
Hello, my name is Joe Q. and one of the managers here at Sportco. First and foremost I would like to apoligize for our grave mistake and steps are being taken to correct our timely error. Secondly, if you do come back to the store and have a little more time (I'm being optimistic again) ask for me , and I'll buy you a cup of coffee!!!
Now for the hard part, the rest of the board. Wow, bad news does travel fast, uh, faster!!! The wonders of the internet who would of thought. But with it comes opportunity. Gone are the those irritating mall surveyors, the errant phone call at the most inoppertune time, dinner, and the worst insult to our intelligence that little both you know the one at Expo '76 stating "WIN THIS CAR" all we had to do is fill out the entry card with all those lines on it. I think I'm still on that data base. Thanks for all your input both good and bad, I'll use this information wisely.
Lastly, for the board members I know and the ones I've met personally at the store, or on the water Thanks for your support.
Winterun.

Winterrun (Joe Q)....Now that response is what good customer service should be. Listen to your customers and take action to get better. I said early on that one bad experience is sometimes all a customer will allow you but everyone should give someone a second chance.

I think if you guys stocked your shelves before the store opens or after it closes every day the store would take on a much better look and would also probably stop the complaints about you being out of stock.

Just a recap of my experience: I wanted a Scotty downrigger release and you didn't have it on the shelf where it was supposed to go. I asked and the guy behind the fishing counter which could have been you for all I know said the typical answer....If it's not on the shelf we don't have it....That is what I consider being blown off so the Bsing with a friend could continue...Anyway we found a pallet stacked high with Scotty merchandise and on the pallet were cases of the release I wanted....I dug a case out and opened it...took out 2 packages of releases, went to the checkout and left. Your whole store is like that...Seems like there is more crap on the floor than on the shelves ready for sale....

here's an old corny sales slogan: "You can't sell from and empty cart"

I'll bet if you fix that and stop slamming the door in your last minute customer's face you might really improve.

Thanks for accepting all the criticism in a professional manner.