I work for Fleet Farm in Hudson and it’s nice to see through these threads that our stores are considered a decent alternative to the specialty shops. I mean, Fleet Farm really is…….. a department store! If we’re doing well enough to be perceived as a decent alternative, maybe we should send some word to corporate to further specialize in Sporting Goods????
Anyway, let me voice some observations:
1) People in the departments can’t know everything. Employee coverage, availability, and knowledge base factor in. We have guys that know a lot about hunting. Some know a lot about camping. Some know fishing. With over 20,000 SKUs in the department, we can’t know it all or keep up with it all. So please, we will all do the best we can to find answers and meet your needs, but please come in with a kind and considerate approach. I’ve had guys ask for my recommendations and then tell me 2 inches from my face that “I’ve been fishin’ them blankety-blankin’ walleyes for 30 blankety-blankin’ years! I know what I’m doin’ and I know what I need!” Well, nothing like being told I’m an idiot……. and still being asked if I can recommend a new rod and reel combo! Please guys…….. be nice. 
Some of us have learned other things that DO work.
2) Inventory control is not up to the floor sales people. Therefore, talk to the store manager AND voice your concerns with corporate. If there’s a great enough demand for a product, they’ll get it in. Thus, a new UPC for 1/2 lb. leeches.
3) A store that has properly delegated space will seldom have “any more in the back”. But please, ask. We’ll look. If we’re not standing next to you, track one of us down. We have projects to complete, shelves to stock, cleaning to do, but we’ll drop everything to help the customer. If we’re already helping someone, we will acknowledge you and let you know that we’ll be right with you. Please don’t jump in like we’re just chatting with people we know. Be patient and considerate of us as well. Sometimes we get stuck juggling 3 to 4 customers and it’s difficult to do, but bear with us, we WILL personally attend to your need.
4) Items mismarked on the shelf. Big problem! Pricing control should be a part of weekly efforts too. When an employee price checks, they will find items on the wrong peg and/or wrong tags. It will aid in accuracies and CLEAN UP THE AILES at the same time. Mention this to the store manager and to HQ if you’re running into this a lot.
5) Items on the wrong peg are MOSTLY CAUSED BY CUSTOMERS. If you find an item easily, because it’s where it belongs, PLEASE PUT IT BACK EXACTLY WHERE YOU FOUND IT. 
This takes up our time, creates overhead dollars, and directly effects our availabililty and pricing. Believe me, if a store has enough traffic, they will find the need to hire another person JUST to clean up after the customers. That creates overhead and higher price settings!
6) No one can be the lowest priced on everything and they can’t carry everything. The most efficient inventory is the one that sells out by the end of the season. New products have no history and can boon or bust. This year’s hot lure isn’t necessarily next years hot lure. Work with the staff and ORDER the item (or call the corporate buyer) and BUY IT FROM THE STORE YOU REQUESTED THIS FROM. If they can’t see an increase in sales, you’re not likely to see an increase in stock.
7) “Stuff” happens. Be prepared for it and keep your shirt on. Errors in inventory, receiving, corporate instruction, etc., etc.,….. We will do the best we can to correct the issue.
8) USE THE PHONE! It’s a pain in rear for us at the store who are trying to help people who are actually there, but it can help us help you. Call and ask if we have an item in stock. Have us visually verify this. If we have a low stock, we (retailers in general) will likely set it aside for you to pick up. This practice can save lots of $$$$ and miles. PLEASE SHOW UP if you reserve an item. Nothing worse than turning someone away when you’re holding an item, only to have that person “no show”. Personally, I gather contact numbers to help prevent this but sometimes, I still get stuck disappointing someone else. Is that poor service? No. That’s poor conduct from those in control… the customer.
9) The customer is NOT always right. Only in control. Give us a chance to provide the best option or explanation. Every week, someone wants “that thing on sale”, that was actually from the week before. Every week, someone wants to know “why the sale item is sold out?” There are a few variables that lead to this and most of them have little or nothing to do with the store itself. Suppliers don’t meet anticipated shipping dates. Corporate didn’t get the memo in time for correcting the advertisement. This particular store was only expected to sell 3 units. Demand sold us out before the sale even began.
10) Do your homework. Know what the item is called. “DewHickey” isn’t good enough. “That thing that does this” is unacceptable. We CANNOT meet the needs of those who give us nothing to work with. I’ve sent people away only to later find out I could have given them the very thing they wanted……. but because I couldn’t understand them or guess proplerly enough, I failed. Please don’t show up at our stores clueless. GUYS…….. stop sending your wives to do your shopping! 
“He needs a plastic worm for bass fishing.” GIVE US A BREAK PLEEEEEEEASE! What style? What size? What color? Scented? Unscented? Pre-rigged? Weedless? Is there a particular brand he likes? HELP US HELP YOU!!!! Write it down before you ask her to pick it up! Trust me, she’ll love you more for it. 
11) Talk to us. When we approach and say, “Hi!”, that’s your queue. “Can I help you locate anything today?” “Naww, just lookin'” (5 minutes later) “Say, don’t you guys have any…… or carry the ……… cuz I’ve been looking high and low for it.” HELP US HELP YOU. What if, in that few minutes later, we go to lunch? Sometimes I ask a 2nd question. “Naww, just lookin’.” “For what?” “Just seein’ what you have.” “What would you like to see or possibly bump into?” Then, I FINALLY get somewhere and many times, it leads to “thanks man, you just saved me a lot of time.”
12) If you just want to be left alone, tell us “No thanks. I’m just window shopping today” or “No thanks but if something stirs a question, I’ll be sure to look you up.”
13) Use your head. HELP US HELP YOU. Don’t umbrella us with expectations because everyone’s got a different list of them. Do your homework and be prepared, not for disappointment, but to work with us. If there’s nothing we can do, we will at least try to refer someone or someplace that can meet your needs.
After all this, I’m guessing Suzuki has some level of repoire with Gander in Woodbury. He’s there a lot, knows the guys, and the guys know him. However, I’ve had numerous complaints come into my store this year about unknowledgeable people and difficulty in finding items, along with unattentive personnel. I’m guessing for as many people as I refer to Gander or Sportman’s Warehouse, that you guys are probably hearing some of the same about Fleet Farm. Know this, I’ve never bashed either store while hearing complaints. I simply let them know that I’m sorry to hear about their experience and invite them to see what we can do. There’s no need to store bash and honestly, I think it helps no one. We should all work together to help each other along and I know that there’s good guys in all these shops that suffer from the actions of others. But I thought I’d mention that these things are reaching my ears……. in case you guys in Woodbury wanted to address it in your next store meeting.
…….. You know, maybe I should just write a book…….. 
