Academy Sports + Outdoors — Local services in Evans

I spend a lot of money at this store and typical service is ok...however they have always been lacking in the customer service department. ..Today was the worse I have ever received though. ..I always keep every receipt and I have the boxes to prove it..however, for some reason (I'm thinking because the receipt was probably put in the back rather than handed to me ) I did not have my receipt.. I stood in the customer service line where a light was on for about 8 mins and when I it got to be my turn I was told she was closed and I would have to go wait in the other line (which I did). Then that cashier said just a minute and took my return (which was a pair of swim shoes that were worn one day before the entire front half of the sole separated from the shoe) she was gone another 5 mins before returning to tell me I could not return them because they were not resellable (uh yea that's why I'm returning them because they are junk and fell apart after one day..mind you this was a pair of $20 bodyglove swim shoes ).. Then she says well you can talk to the manager. ...so I wait again. .He agrees it looks like a manufacturer defect and says get back in line and she can do the return... So I do. ...then when I get up to be the next person she says. ..uh...you need to go to the other line. ....are you freaking kidding me! I was told to get back in your line... so then to try to save more time. .I walk all the way to the back of the store and get another pair..but they do not have same size..so they have a scu# to use. ..get back in line for the 3rd time. Explain to the girl at the register that the manager has already approved the return and I went to get a pair for her to use for a scu..but that I just noticed that isn't going to do her anygood because they are a different style. ..so she looks up the style and finds my puchase with my cc I used to purchase them and then picks up the pair I brought to use as a scu and rings them up....wth....I am born and raised in America. .I speak fluent plus english..I don't stutter and hers ears weren't flapping in the wind....I -yi-yi... where do these people come from. ...so what should have took me 5 minutes took me about 30....I have better things to do with my time. ..like post this review because I'm tired of lousy customer...

2022-11: Changing my 2 star rating to 3 stars. This is due to this location being a hit or miss. My experience here two years ago was great, last year was not pleasant, this time, it was okay. Came in with my father and son to look at turkey fryer single burners and was able to find what we were looking for. The same price was not shown on the shelf, and the website was showing a different regular full price than the shelf tag showed (we matched up the model numbers and SKU to make sure we were comparing the same item). The item did ring up at the sale price listed online. Still on the fence about this location since there hasn't been any consistent customer service.

2021-07: I had given 5 stars with my original review, but have since dropped it down to 2 stars. This is because I had looked at their website to see the prices and selection of bicycles for myself and my son. The website for this location showed an acceptable variety of choices at different price points, with the items I was interested currently in stock. When we arrived, I was stopped dead in my tracks when I saw two bikes on display. Literally, only two. With no employee to be found in the department, I ended up asking an employee who was walking through a neighboring department of he could help me.. He said he didn't work in that area and walked off before I could ask him to direct me to someone who could assist us. We just left.

2020-12:Always a clean store. Easy to find everything and a decent selection of all things offered. Personally, I was looking for New Balance shoes and had a great selection of styles although not a great assortment for sizes. Also, awesome selection of camping stuff, little odds and ends to tents themselves. Huge fishing supplies area. And athletic wear. Every employee I encountered was pleasant and approachable....

Very friendly employees and a relatively clean and organized store. I guess there’s been a run on raincoats cause the selection was severely lacking. Or maybe it’s supply chain issues. Basically it boiled down to two choices. You can purchase some weird stifling highly flammable no-name plastic for a premium and it includes velcro closures along with zippers (why not snaps? They come in plastic) which is not conducive to rainstorm activity since that stuff will stick where you don’t want it and there’s no time for that when you’re caught in a deluge. It is kid friendly however and maybe some people like velcro on their duds but many women’s fabrics are too delicate or otherwise velcro adverse. But I digress. Next up for your rainstorm pleasures are the ones labeled Columbia available in a variety of colors which you can purchase for a kings ransom. Columbia branded merchandise no matter where you buy it is so overpriced it’s mind boggling. Needless to say there were plenty to choose from with the Columbia label. But for 50+ dollars (???) I’m good with being soaking wet thank you very much. If anyone out there wants to get in the raincoat business hit me up I’m overflowing with ideas after my unsuccessfully attempted raincoat purchase.

To summarize Choice One: plastic and yuck for $20 + Choice Two: designer plastic (ha!) sans velcro for $50 +

I chose neither.

As luck would have it, a gullywasher was unleashing its wrath as I was leaving the store. So that was nice 🫠. I’m still sticking by my choice to choose neither. I ain’t afraid...