Bass Pro Shops — Attraction in San Jose

The customer service had always been excellent, sincere and helpful--until today.

I was with my wife purchasing some match grade 6.5 creedmoor ammo. We were helped by Michael. We did not say we were doing any form of hunting and specifically said “match grade ammo only”. He helped us make a choice, we asked for x4 boxes of match grade winchester 6.5 creedmoor ammo; paid with card and left.

Driving off I noticed something wrong. The receipt said we bought hunting rounds! I inspected the boxes - half was match grade ammo other 2 boxes were lead hunting rounds. Which are useless to hunt with in California, because it is illegal to use lead rounds for hunting. According to the receipt it says I purchased x4 boxes of the incorrect ammo, which is also more expensive than the actual stuff we wanted and thought we were buying. The receipt says “ALL FIREARMS AND AMMO SALES FINAL” I can understand this if this was a matter of us changing our minds but, this was not our fault. I do not blame Michael, due to COVID the ammo purchasing has been modified, you cannot hand pick what you want – it is now all locked up and the attendant does it for you. I can see that this was not Michael's fault, this happened because whoever stacked the shelves, stacked them carelessly. The boxes look almost identical. I was not upset.

I came back to returns and told them what happened very calmly. This was a tiny error, nothing to be upset about. A young gentlemen passed me onto his supervisor, who then passed me onto the manager-- her name was Charlie. I told Charlie the mistake that had happened and she adamantly stated this was not her problem. There would be no correction on her employees mistake. She went as far to tell me ammunition sales are final because “it is California law”...her exact words - which are false. There is no such law, I have checked. An establishment can have a policy of all firearms and ammo sales are final but I know there is a universal policy among all business to sell customers the right things they want. We were sold the wrong stuff and overcharged! “Consumers have a responsibility to inspect what they are buying” were also Charlie's exact words. With her logic does this suggest that we should treat Bass Pro employees with extreme suspicion from now on because they are swindlers and con artists? Is this the new Bass Pro Shop business model? One of the main reasons I come to and recommend Bass Pro is because I thought you are all trustworthy, sincere and reputable. “Did you leave the store?” Yes we did. We trusted Bass Pro Shops commitment to integrity and compentency. But the fact that we did was Charlies final excuse to get us to leave the store.

Upon reflection I have decided this is completely unacceptable. Charlie used some well executed bogus facts and excuses to shoo us away. My wife has been working hard and saving so we can have a new hobby to share. That was a $155 USD purchase she made, half of it wasted for something we did not ask for or have any use for. We came back as loyal customers to have a mistake on their part corrected, but we have been swindled. Bass Pro shop made the mistake, everyone makes mistakes, but what really made me upset was when given the opportunity to be rational, show leadership and fix it, Charlie would rather lie and attempt to blame this all on me and my wife. Made us into fools! US, THE LOYAL CUSTOMERS.

Bass Pro Shops has made thousands from my patronage, and would have made tens of thousands more, but now they will not see another dollar. I will tell my friends and my extended outdooring community to avoid them like COVID-19 until...

I saw the online sale for Bass Pro Shops rifles and shotguns and was surprisingly happy with what I was seeing. I was excited at the idea of finding a place with more fair prices and service than my local Turner's seeking more information, and wanting to starting the background check I tried calling my nearest Bass Pro seven times with no success. With the intention of adding more guns to my gun collection I drove two and a half hours up to my nearest Bass Pro past to be told right when I got there that I could not talk to the gun counter without an appointment which I was fine with so I asked the employe when is the first available time expecting the way to be one hour- two hours max I was told one week. If someone would have answered the phone and told me this I would have been fine with the news not driving all the way here to be told the trip was pointless just for some questions and information. Not wanting to waste a whole trip for nothing I went to the gun counter in between his customers, I went and asked if I may ask a few questions about there sales and they said yes. I proceeded to ask I have a few questions I am interested in buying a few guns so I showed them the deals and on each one they said it was out of stock so my next question was would If these guns come back into stock can I buy them at sale price there answer was no because the sale would have ended by then and Bass Pro has no intentions on getting any of these guns back in stock while the sale is on. I proceeded and asked if it would be possible to pay for those guns upfront for sale price and get them whenever back in stock because It is not time sensitive I would just like the get the guns at sale price and was told no it can not be done. With no further questions and no way to get a single gun at the sales price that is still listed I left the store drove back two and a half hours home. I was shocked at a retail experience like this, with an advertised sale that a company refused to honor. Is this just the kind of experience that I can come to expect from Bass Pro Shop in the future, or would you say that this store is a...

It’s saddening to write this review. I enjoyed shopping at Bass Pro for gun, ammo, camping, fishing, and outdoor needs.

Ammo is locked up. Only employees are able to open the locked shelves, pick, and handle product. My husband and I told the associate working alone in the department our needs. The transaction goes smoothly for our boxes of ammo and we leave the store. Upon reviewing our items, we were sold and charged the wrong items, at premium prices.

We immediately go inside to exchange our items. The employees call the manager on duty. Interestingly, they say her name with cringe and fear: “Charlie”.

Charlie comes to the customer service desk and we explain our simple situation. And ask for an exchange. She denies our request, since we stepped outside their doors. And states the following: “It’s the responsibility of our customers to check their items before leaving the store.” Charlie...your ammo is locked away from customers. Customers are not allowed to pick their own box of ammo, because it’s handled exclusively by your employees.

I don't pay Bass Pro Shops prices, assuming your employees cannot do their jobs or are incompetent. I shop at your store, assuming they are paid a fair wage to do their job correctly. Attention to detail. The mistake wasn't our fault. And to blame us for leaving the store, only to immediately return after realizing the mistake, and denying to fix the issue--it tells much about your character Charlie.

This behavior and poor execution of management doesn't save the company money or their bottom line. It drives away loyal high-spending customers.

There needs to be a level of trust between merchant and their loyal customers. Charlie’s handling of the situation was not only poorly done, it destroyed trust. You can research yourself how much has been personally spent at your store. I must take my business elsewhere.

We have spent good money at Bass Pro Shops. No longer. No thanks.

I advise high caution dealing...