Bass Pro Rant

[Rhino]

I don't rant much here so I figured it was my turn. Break out the popcorn! :eat:

I suddenly realized I still had a $200 gift card to Bass Pro from Father's Day so I decided to buy another Reconyx cam to replace the one that was stolen a couple of weeks ago. I thought I remembered seeing Reconyx cams at the local store so I checked the on line store to make sure they carried them. They did. So...off to the store that's about a 20 minute drive from my house. I get there and every trail cam you could name is there...except Reconyx. I ask a store rep for help. He tells me they had them but must have decided not to keep them in stock (after we walked looking for them). I took that as he didn't know why they didn't have them in stock. Oh well...I'll just go home and order it and wait on it. I may have to wait on it & pay shipping but save on the sales tax side.

I get home and go through the process to order it. At the end where it calculates the total cost I do a double take. What the heck...charging sales tax now! There's a link for the sales tax explaination. I hit it...and read a message that says effective 6/27/2010 Bass Pro is charging sales tax in all but 3 states. Now I'm not only paying $19 for standard shipping to wait on my purchase but paying sales tax too. That bumps the total price $51.78 over the price of the trail cam ($449.99). Needless to say I'm not happy. I decided to use my AMEX card for the balance of the cost since they'll charge Bass Pro more for me using that card than Visa.

Now when I submitted my order up pops one of those customer satisfaction surveys. Oh boy...I've been randomly selected to fill out a customer satisfaction survey. An opportunity to let them know how I really feel just at the right moment. Needless to say I enjoyed telling them how I honestly felt about having to pay sales tax now + shipping for an item that at least used to be carried at the local Bass Pro store. Felt real good when I finished my dissertation in the comments section at the end of the survey.

OK...I'm done.

Edited August 18, 2010 by Rhino

[colorado bob]

Vote with your feet.

[Michiganbowhunter_SQ2]

Been paying a sales tax to Bass pro and Cabela's for online purchases for quite some time now. Used to not have to, but I seem to remember this changing to where if there is a store in your state then you have to pay the sales tax on any purchase from them whether it is an online or catalog purchase.

[wtnhunt]

Not really a bass pro fan here either Al. Unfortunate that we do not have a cabelas closer to us, but at least they do NOT charge our state sales tax when we order online. Sales tax here is near 10 percent so yeah, that can add up.

[Jeramie]

That adds up quick! About the only online shopping I do is Ebay and Walmart. Beyond that I go to the store for everything. I still have a hitch about paying online, waiting for it to ship in good condition, etc.

[Newarcher]

I think that this is likely more of a function of your State law....if a retailer has a location in your State then you must pay the State sales tax. I know Georgia is that way.

New

[Newarcher]

Here's another eye opener most people don't know....

If you live in a State that collects sales taxes and buy something over the internet where you do NOT pay sales tax on it, you owe sales and use tax on that purchase.

http://articles.bplans.com/running-an-online-business/online-business-strategy/tax-on-internet-sales/159

[bigmoss]

I put up a few posts like this in the past, how these guys stay in business is beyond me, they suck at sales, they suck at customer service they are usually way over priced compared to Cabelas and the rest. After many bad experiences I refuse to use them unless I am really stuck and they have something I need that is sold out everywhere else.

[Newarcher]

I've been in their store here in GA and they NEVER seem to have enough people working the gun counter. I have wanted guns/scopes/knives/etc. which are all behind the counter and left frustrated.

I have never had anything but good results from their customer service local or online.

[c_lou]

Could you have had it shipped to the store? That would most likely have saved you on shipping.

[Rhino]

Here's another eye opener most people don't know....

If you live in a State that collects sales taxes and buy something over the internet where you do NOT pay sales tax on it, you owe sales and use tax on that purchase.

http://articles.bplans.com/running-an-online-business/online-business-strategy/tax-on-internet-sales/159

I did know that New but honestly never worried much about it. Haven't been audited by the state...just the feds...twice.

I think that this is likely more of a function of your State law....if a retailer has a location in your State then you must pay the State sales tax. I know Georgia is that way.

New

Could be New but you'd think they would have been doing it for over 3 years since the store opened here. Not the case. Maybe the state got on them about it. Who knows.

Could you have had it shipped to the store? That would most likely have saved you on shipping.

Good question Lou...the Bass Pro rep I talked to at the store knew they had been carrying the cams but didn't have them now. When I asked him that question, I just got a dumb look. Don't know if he knew or not.

If I hadn't had the $200 gift certificate I would have ordered it directly from Reconyx. I wish I had now & used the gift certificate for something else...hind sight is 20-20. My mistake.

[wtnhunt]

First time ever that we went to a bass pro they had catalogs in large wooden box on the floor, picked one up and had a few things we were buying, probably around $100 or so worth of stuff. Got to the checkout and they said the catalog cost additional. What the heck is that about, drop some money on stuff and they are gonna charge you for a catalog you might order something from??? Told them they could keep it, too bad I did not leave the items I had right there on the counter too.

I've been in their store here in GA and they NEVER seem to have enough people working the gun counter. I have wanted guns/scopes/knives/etc. which are all behind the counter and left frustrated.

Same has gone for the Nashville store. Last time I was in the store there I had intentions of dropping a good bit of money on a particular rifle I wanted that they were supposed to have the gun "in stock" according to the store manager when I called the day before. The store was not overly crowded, we walked the length of the counter looking and then waited for help. The couple of people they had working the counter seemed to only be able to assist people they knew and did not seem to want our business and rather than be rude and interupt we waited. Stood there waiting for more than 10 minutes with my wife and daughters and they acted like we were not even there. Not real likely they will ever get any more of my business, sure won't drive the 2+ hours over there for anything. Ended up buying the rifle I wanted on line, did not get the caliber I initially wanted, but also did not pay near what bass pro was asking for it.

[Newarcher]

I just can't imagine spending $449 on a camera of any kind....especially after the last one was stolen.

Most states don't enforce the sales and use tax but probably will start more now that revenues are so far down.

New

[Rhino]

I just can't imagine spending $449 on a camera of any kind....especially after the last one was stolen.

Most states don't enforce the sales and use tax but probably will start more now that revenues are so far down.

New

I performance & reliability of the camera is better than any I've had New. I'll definately be more selective where I use it and my other Reconyx now. I have 3 Cuddes too.

BTW New...I was charged sales tax on the shipping cost too. It's 7% sales tax here. Camera - $449.99...Shipping - $18.95...Sales tax - $32.83.

[John]

Big box stores are big box stores.

[Newarcher]

I performance & reliability of the camera is better than any I've had New. I'll definately be more selective where I use it and my other Reconyx now. I have 3 Cuddes too.

BTW New...I was charged sales tax on the shipping cost too. It's 7% sales tax here. Camera - $449.99...Shipping - $18.95...Sales tax - $32.83.

Cool....should I ever be fortunate enough to own some land, I might look at them. I don't like leaving my $79 blind out in the woods for fear someone will steal it. If I paid that much for a camera, I wonder if the only pictures would be taking while I walked it in and out of the woods!

I read a story of a guy here in GA that was being victimized by thieves so he hid a GPS unit in his stand. He said it was so sensitive that it moved when someone climbed into the ladder stand. One day he checked it and saw it was gone. He looked on the history and it took him and the cops right to the guy's front door. He said you could even see where he backed his truck into the back yard to unload it. Cool stuff....maybe it will fit in a camera?

Good luck with your cameras......not sure why they would charge sales tax on the shipping. That doesn't sound right at all.

New

[Rhino]

If I paid that much for a camera, I wonder if the only pictures would be taking while I walked it in and out of the woods!

Haven't had that problem. The only problem has been setting it on something like these summer plots. a fall plot, or a mineral lick and forgetting to set the camera for a delay period in taking pics between trips. Imagine having a deer stay in front of a camera for say...5 minutes. It would be 5 pics on my Cuddes...a whole lot more on the Reconyx. I've had over 3,500 pics in a week when I forgot to do that on those kind of sets. Takes a while to download all them & then check every pic.

Talked to my buddy in Iowa recently. He has a couple of the new Reconyx cams and forgot to set a delay period when he set one on a mineral lick. A week later he had over 7,500 pics. Turned out to be almost all does & young bucks. It took him better than half a day to go through all that.

Interesting idea about the GPS.