Problems? What problems? Just because I'm standing there with a reel in my hand, looking at rods, and no salesperson will escape the counter they are leaning on? Just because the shoe person gets lost in the back room for over 30 minutes trying to find a pair of 9 1/2s? Just because the gun salesman acted like he was nailed to his counter and told me that anything left handed would be special order, and paid for in advance? And that neither Savage nor Ruger MADE LH firearms? Just because one of their employees was rude to The Bookkeeper, and pushed by her on his way to wait on a new arrival? Just because their Customer Service Manager, when I demanded to see him, was more interested in the contents of the tight pants of the blond dingbat who was checking than my issue? Just because the item that I'm looking for is advertised, but not in stock, and they can have it for me next week? Just because I exchanged E-mails with the store manager for a week with no satisfaction? Problem is, I won't be going back, and will be telling anyone who will listen!

I have found that to be the case in the bass pro here in Ga. A lot of teenagers work at our location and they don't know where anything is in the store. When I go in there I end up helping more people than the employees. Most of the time I know what I am getting so I don't have to deal with the folks that work there.

When you pay barely above minimum wage, what do you expect? I just finished "fixing" a .243 Howa for a fellow who works in the gun department of a Sportsman's Warehouse. Amazing what properly mounting a scope and a good cleaning will do for accuracy. Your experts at the big box stores probably were selling cell phones at Best Buy or paint at Lowe's just before tehy migrated to your Cabela's, Bass Pro, or Gander Mountain, or whatever.

I live about 5 minutes from the BP Broken Arrow. You have less than a 50/50 chance of finding a quality product in stock, and an even worse chance of finding an employee that knows what the heck they are talking about. The gun department seems to have an adequate number of staff to "help" you, and it seems as only a few have any real knowledge at all. I always seem to get the one guy that has to recall every gun he's ever owned(which all "happen" to be "availible" at Bass Pro) and why you should by that gun even if it's not what you were looking for. A few weeks ago I went in to look for a new pump 12 gauge. I must have got the rifle "expert", and after 30 seconds tried to move me down to the rifles and make a sell. FAIL.

And forget about archery help. This is my first year bowhunting, but after only 3 months of help from friends/reading/visiting archery shops, I had surpassed the "archery experts" knowledge of their own products.

I have to agree with this post...it seems that the sales people could care less at BPS...I do shop online, primarily because I don't have to worry about salespeople. My wife and I were in BPS last sunday and they had a demo of the BPS fishing game for XBOX 360...i picked up the game and immedialtely a salesman came over to ask if I wanted him to show me how it worked...i said know, and later learned that he wanted to play the game himself, rather than show me how it worked...it's almost hopeless to find good, knowledgeable help at the BPS in Gurnee...I usually never buy anything from there, just go to get away for a while.

I do Bass Pro online and its my favorite sight! I have never ever had a problem with them............

I have to say that this post is basically typical of several of the BPS I have been to,,,I think alot of it has to do with the managers,and there is not enough suprise visits by the district/regional managers......I also had problems with their brass and had to return the majority of the casings in a 100 count bag...the next few times I bought brass from them I opened the bag and checked each of them,and flopped the bad ones out on the counter and told them I cant use them with this kind of damage...they were never happy to see me come in for brass..but I found better quality and prices for brass online......I am usually a very patient person,but I have no tolerance for being made to wait because of sales people goofing off or just not working like they should......so if I had taken a number and waited in line and a new customer walked up to the gun counter and immediately got a salesman without taking a number I would not have kept my mouth shut,I would have asked the salesperson loud enough for everyone to hear it"""HEY Doesnt that customer have to take a number and wait in line like you are making us do?
Isnt it your job to take the next customer inline?
Why do I have to take a number and wait if they dont??""
This may seem rude but if no one speaks up for fairness then it will continue to happen,and usually a few other people in line will then speak up and agree with you.....it usually causes the salesperson and the customer they decide to put ahead of fairness to get embarrased,I have even seen the customer sometimes just walk away.....
I guess I am just an ignorant man for speaking out loud on fairness....my wife tells me that all the time...but hey if I waited in line then they should wait in line too...

I rarely shop at BPS but I do frequent the one in Las Vegas NV when the wife and I are visiting. It's a great little store and lots of good folks work there.

Driving home from Michigan last night I stopped at the BPS just south of Toledo. I purchased a knife and fly rod with no problem.

I thought it was strange though that the kid working behind the counter said BPS prices are very high as I was looking at reels.

WAMtnhunter- are you talking about my username? If so it was the year I was born.

I've never had a bad experience at the BPS here near Baltimore. Maybe that's because most of the folks working there are a little more "mature" and have a better idea of what things are, how they work, and where one might find them. Unfortunately, kids these days don't seem to be up for the job...

What's with all the "88" tags ?

I actually have pretty good luck at Bass Pro and the employees are really helpfull. Its about a 1 1/2 hour drive for me to my closest Bass Pro, in Foxborough near Gillete Stadium, and its definetly woth the drive for me. But, I have to say that alot of the Bass Pro branded items aren't very quality and usually breack.

The one in Springfield and Branson Mo is pretty good. What kind of brass did you buy?

I'm heading down soon to mine, got a gift card! I have had problems at all retail stores, it is a sign of lack of workmanship in a job, not the stores actual fault, maybe except for hiring the ding-bat's but then they could be a home care provider and not carring?

My personal favorite part of BPS is the hot dog stand out front.