Sporty's In Store Purchase Fiasco

Mooney Fan

Mooney Fan

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Mooney Fan
Tomorrow I will contact them again if no resolution, they're fired

I visited the store front 6-30-18. Decided to fly my Cherokee up to check it out as I have been a customer for years. I had a $25 VISA gift card to use so thought, what the heck.. might as well spend it there.

Purchased a $29 survival knife. Split payment using gift card and cash. The girl behind the counter was evidently a trainee as she was not familiar with how to process the payment. The more senior sales clerk took over. She called the number on the card to verify the amount available. Processed the transaction and provided me (2) separate receipts, one for the card, and one for cash. She asked if I wanted the card back and I said no, go ahead an trash it. I thanked them, then grabbed a hotdog and headed home

Fast forward to 7-10-18 and I receive a call from Sporty's saying the VISA gift card has been declined. He thought it was an online order and I told him it was indeed a purchase at the store counter. He said he would look into it and get back with me. On 7-14-18 I receive an invoice for $25 with payment due in 10 days. Well that ain't going to happen.

As I said they will get one more opportunity to make this right. I will talk with them again tomorrow morning. If no resolution, I will return the knife to them and will ask them to find my gift card and return it to me. I doubt the card is still around but it's the point. Secondly, I will ask them to refund my cash payment made covering the difference ($6.97).

I question how their process could be so screwed up. At a minimum, I will be out the $25 dollar gift card and the cost of the return.

Hopefully they make this right but I'm pretty skeptical at the moment
 
I have heard that the gift shop at Sporty's is a huge disappointment from more than two people now.
 
I have found talking to customer service reps in these situations is an exercise in futility. Many times they are doing what they are told, and have no authority to change it. I would ask to speak to their supervisor, and then just keep going up the ladder as needed. It usually gets solved that way.
 
Yep, I do see on their website if you are not satisfied with CS support, to contact Hal directly who is the founder and Chairman. But I will start at the bottom and work my way up.
 
Don’t hold your breath getting the gift card reinstated. At best, I’ll bet they’ll just refund the amount or give you an instore or online credit.
 
Ryanb said:
Don’t hold your breath getting the gift card reinstated. At best, I’ll bet they’ll just refund the amount or give you an instore or online credit.
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I just want the card back. But I imagine its been deep six by now. Still, they will get another opportunity to make this right. I have spent countless $$$ with then over the years, if they want to lose a customer like me it will be up to them
 
Somewhat unrelated, I had a $25 Walmart-Canada giftcard that I tried to use here. It didn't work, and the cashier said the card was invalid and threw it in the trash. I wanted it back because I knew I could use it in Canada, but she said no we can't give back invalid cards.
 
This is why I hate gift cards.

Limits on where or how you can use them.

Difficulty of getting a machine (or clerk) to do multiple payments when you want to max out the card.

Getting on unwanted mailing lists when you register the card, if it requires online registration to activate.

Nowadays they notify the gifter when you redeem the card! So great embarrassment when you don't redeem it quickly.

Having to physically track the damn thing until you're done with it.

Having to mathematically track how much is left on it.

The only good thing I've noticed is they seem to have done away with early expiration dates.

When I get gift cards I am deeply appreciative. The thoughts and love behind them can be amazing. They are a hassle to actually use, though. Except Amazon ones are pretty straightforward. If you get them via email nowadays you don't even have to copy paste them in, you just click a link and it's all done automatically and they are automatically applied to your purchases until gone.
 
I went to Walmart the other day, had a rebate debit card with $10.14 available. My bill was about $18. I carefully explained the situation. The experienced cashier did two debits, so to speak. The 1st was the $10.14 off the card, the rest I paid in cash.

At least if it runs afoul, they have no way of tracking me down, besides security footage.
 
I have had a couple of difficulties with Sporty's products (through no fault of my own) and I must say, it has always seemed to me that Sporty's bent over backwards to make it right...I'm surprised by this thread, and I'm wondering if you are talking to the right people.

As far as the an actual visit to Sportys...meh...yes @Timbeck2 , its nothing to write home about.
 
All software sucks. Specially modern software, for business use - it's OK for collecting data, and validating individual data elements (dates are dates, numbers are numbers, etc.) but usually sucks at business rules of any complexity.
Most are working on the 80% rule - if it works well enough in 80% of use cases, that's good enough. You were in the 20% realm.

Doing it "right", to get to 90% or better, would require too much $$$, as well as developers who had insight into the business process, neither of which are in great supply. Gotta get to a human who can apply business rule expertise.
 
Gift cards also suck because of loss rates, expirations, and faulty cards or a mistake in activating the card when purchased.
 
tawood said:
I have had a couple of difficulties with Sporty's products (through no fault of my own) and I must say, it has always seemed to me that Sporty's bent over backwards to make it right...I'm surprised by this thread, and I'm wondering if you are talking to the right people.
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Well, they best have the right people on the phone in the morning beyond who I spoke with last week
 
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Rushie said:
This is why I hate gift cards.
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Yup...If I wind up with a Visa/MC type gift card or rebate card I just go on line and load it onto my Starbucks card or Amazon account. Often too much of a PITA to use it for in person cash sales.

Rushie said:
The only good thing I've noticed is they seem to have done away with early expiration dates.
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So not all states work the same, but in California at least gift cards cannot legally have an expiration date...with a catch. That only applies to full value purchased gift cards. Ever see those promos especially around the holidays for something like "Buy a $10 Jamba Juice Gift Card and get a free smoothie"?...well, that gift card is now discounted and retailers CAN put an expiration date on those since they were not purchased at full value. Rebate type cards can expire.
 
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Mooney Fan said:
Well, they best have the right people on the phone in the morning beyond who I spoke with last week
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They handled it all wrong. They let you walk out of the store thinking it was settled. They trashed your card. They even gave you a receipt for the card portion that I presume says you paid and no mice type saying "unless it doesn't clear"?

Technically maybe you owe if there is the mice type but if they stand on that technicality I would do just as you're planning; take the knife back and never deal with them again.

The manager upon discovering the error should have marked the $25 as a loss, to keep the good will of a customer.

I had something happen when I ordered my mother-of-the-bride dress from Nordstrom's. When I got it, it was the wrong size or damaged or something I can't remember, so when I called they told me the fastest thing was to go ahead and get another on order, and ship the first back. They would credit the first when they recieved it. The dress was $250 and I was a little wary of having $500 out there and no dress.

Because I was worried about it, I was diddling around on their website and saw my dress had been put on sale half off! I got customer service on the phone and explained that I was upset with no dress and $500 on my card for what is now a $125 dress and I'm the mother of the bride and don't want to be at my daughters wedding in a dress with this negative feeling attached to it.

The woman assured me she agreed! She immediately credited me $125 and assured me the other $250 would be credited as soon as they got the return but if I didn't see it call them back and they will fix it. No need the credit came through.

That's an example of good customer service. Technically the dress was not on sale when I ordered it, but Nordstroms understood the value of good feelings associated with a purchase and the nuances of feeling cheated when such technicality gets you. If they hadn't screwed up the first shipment I never would have found out it subsequently went on sale and there would have been no negative feelings.

Yours is a similar situation- they created a lot of negative feelings in you about the purchase and about the store. The invoice was the final straw after what had already been a complicated and unpleasant purchasing event.

Because you and they all agreed at the time of the purchase that the card was valid, you let them trash the card and hence you lost that $25 and now they want you to pay another $25, which you cannot possibly pay and still feel good about the knife and about Sporty's. Even if you agree they are wrongly out the $25, you cannot make yourself feel positive emotions about your knife if you pay twice. Do they or do they not want you to feel happy with the knife?
 
If it were me, I'd just keep the knife and respond to the "invoice" with a polite written explanation and attached copies of the two receipts. They accepted the card and, after you said it was OK since they already checked on it and accepted it in exchange for partial payment on the knife, they tossed the card. The burden is on them and they have little recourse.

No way I'd return the knife or give them more money. No way.
 
I was based at that airport and rented a hangar from them for many years. While I'm not sure that Hal is still involved in the day to day business, I would be really shocked if they don't go out of their way to make this right for you. I was always treated like royalty, both in the store and on the flight line.

Not for nothing but in all the years I was there the only complaint I ever had was about snow blocking my hangar. By the time I got out of the bathroom there were 3 guys with snow shovels hard at it, including a vice president if memory serves.
 
I'm pretty surprised by this too. I'd recommend you call and talk to the store manager. You have a receipt and the item. It's a done deal. They owe you an apology for the grief they've caused you.
 
I've never had a problem with gift cards. My kids usually give me them for occasions such as birthday etc. a Restaurants, Lowes, Sammys Gentlemens Club, etc.
 
They should have never let you walk out without paying for merchandise unless the transaction was satisfied. Did you keep the receipt?
 
Mooney Fan said:
Yes, plus they sent me copies with the invoice
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Was there an authorization code on the transaction receipt? Regardless, they don’t issue the receipt unless they have received an authorization on the card. Plus you surrendered the card when you made the purchase. I would tell them that this is their problem to solve and not yours.

I generally had good experience with Sporty’s until I absolutely, positively needed rivets overnighted. They buggered that order up so bad, it was beyond comprehension. An order placed on a Wednesday with overnight shipping from GA to FL (at a whopping $62 shipping charge) didn’t ship until Friday and the shipper must have left without charts because it arrived Tuesday. (My mechanic couldn’t complete the job and I had to reschedule all work, leave the airplane, and fly commercial home). Sporty’s customer service told me it was my fault for placing an overnight order on Wednesday afternoon. (I placed the order at 1:00 PM) and best they would do is refund my shipping because they would recover that cost from the carrier. No amount of escalation got me any further satisfaction. So unless I have an absolute need to use Sporty’s, I’ll shop elsewhere first. And even if I do, I’ll walk into the California store to pick up the part and mail the items myself or take it with me.
 
After a call this morning, followed with elevating the issue, I was contacted back by Sporty's saying the issue is resolved and they have cleared the invoice. I thanked them for taking the appropriate action and that I looked forward to continued business with them in the future
 
Good to hear the issue is resolved.


I recall reading about @jesse having lots of fun with them years ago over some aviation artwork. I forget the outcome, but do remember his frustration with them during the resolution process.
 
rtk11 said:
I generally had good experience with Sporty’s until I absolutely, positively needed rivets overnighted. They buggered that order up so bad, it was beyond comprehension. An order placed on a Wednesday with overnight shipping from GA to FL (at a whopping $62 shipping charge) didn’t ship until Friday and the shipper must have left without charts because it arrived Tuesday. (My mechanic couldn’t complete the job and I had to reschedule all work, leave the airplane, and fly commercial home). Sporty’s customer service told me it was my fault for placing an overnight order on Wednesday afternoon. (I placed the order at 1:00 PM) and best they would do is refund my shipping because they would recover that cost from the carrier. No amount of escalation got me any further satisfaction. So unless I have an absolute need to use Sporty’s, I’ll shop elsewhere first. And even if I do, I’ll walk into the California store to pick up the part and mail the items myself or take it with me.
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Huh???

Are you sure you don't mean Aircraft Spruce?? They have a store in Georgia and California. As far as I know, Sporty's is only in Ohio. And I'm not sure if they sell rivets.
 
they screwed me also.hal sheavers is a wise guy and trains there staff to be unyielding an curt.its all in the company dna . I stopped doing business with them 20 years ago . almost everything they sell is is now available on amazon f...,sportys.
 
The best piece of advice my primary instructor gave me once I had passed my initial medical and received my student card was (paraphrasing):

Trust me, you'll start getting junk mail from Sporty's. And trust me, they have absolutiely nothing you need. They sell a bunch of cute gadgets that starry eyed student pilots think they need but they don't. And, if on a rare occasion, they actually have something you do truly need, then you'll be able to find it somewhere else cheaper. They are the predator, you are the prey.

He also never told me "before your next lesson, you need to get a metal landing calculator"...or for that matter a cloud altitude sight level...or an altitude alert indicator...or colored highlight tape to mark my route on a sectional...or any of the other crap they sell.

Nooooooooo...

He said, just use your f***ing brain, young man. If you use your brain, you don't need that crap.
 
timwinters said:
The best piece of advice my primary instructor gave me once I had passed my initial medical and received my student card was (paraphrasing):

Trust me, you'll start getting junk mail from Sporty's. And trust me, they have absolutiely nothing you need. They sell a bunch of cute gadgets that starry eyed student pilots think they need but they don't. And, if on a rare occasion, they actually have something you do truly need, then you'll be able to find it somewhere else cheaper. They are the predator, you are the prey.

He also never told me "before your next lesson, you need to get a metal landing calculator"...or for that matter a cloud altitude sight level...or an altitude alert indicator...or colored highlight tape to mark my route on a sectional...or any of the other crap they sell.

Nooooooooo...

He said, just use your f***ing brain, young man. If you use your brain, you don't need that crap.
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So, you bought a lot of stuff from them over the years? ;)
 
I don't think I ever had a transaction with Sporty's that didn't get screwed up.
That's why I haven't purchased anything from them in a number of years.

And I never win the (expletive deleted) airplane.
 
Mooney Fan said:
After a call this morning, followed with elevating the issue, I was contacted back by Sporty's saying the issue is resolved and they have cleared the invoice. I thanked them for taking the appropriate action and that I looked forward to continued business with them in the future
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The power of POA! (you know they have bots roaming the net for when their name pops up)
 
I get periodic envelopes from Sporty's because I have a subscription for a few charts and the Chart Supplement (old A/FD) for my neck of the woods. Haven't bought anything else from them in years (but that stuff still works).
 
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