Jerky Customer Service at Marine Fisherman In Tigard! YOU GET MY MONEY NO MORE!

[Simonpie]

I've always thought gun shops should build a small "pointing chute" for customers, especially if people are bringing in guns for trade and gunsmithing. I mean, if they're bringing it to a gunsmith because it isn't working right, the odds of an accidental hammer fall while clearing are pretty high. Everyone points at the back of the booth, but 2 pieces of drywall away is the back warehouse with people in it. A little steel and cinder block would make for a more comfortable experience for everyone.

Doesn't help "scope checking" any...

 

[marty8587]

That blows. But the Fisherman's Marine in Delta Park has always given me very good customer service. In fact got "over the top" good service from the gun counter last week during their tent sale.

I've only been to the DP store and like you spent thousands on several guns ammo supplies not to mention the fishing gear. I have always been treated politly there. I took my CCL training there and have a couple good guys that I seek out to help me, but there is one guy there who has a bit of the gun snob tude. I just tell myself that I'm gonna let the little guy think he's big this time.

Good luck, out that way I like the Gun Broker

 

[4Freedom]

I've always thought gun shops should build a small "pointing chute" for customers, especially if people are bringing in guns for trade and gunsmithing. I mean, if they're bringing it to a gunsmith because it isn't working right, the odds of an accidental hammer fall while clearing are pretty high. Everyone points at the back of the booth, but 2 pieces of drywall away is the back warehouse with people in it. A little steel and cinder block would make for a more comfortable experience for everyone.

Doesn't help "scope checking" any...

I agree 100% with you.. On another note, what is the point of the guys at Fisherman's allowing people to handle rifles and not tell them where to point the rifle. Rather, they expect the customer to know where the rifles are to be pointed and then chew them out and insult them for not being able to read their minds. THey all yelled at me, "YOU POINT IT IN THE AIR, THATS OUR POLICY!" Umm, I didn't see that policy posted anywhere and nobody bothered informing me about it in advance. "YOU WERE TERRORIZING OUR CUSTOMERS AND AIMING THE RIFLE AND A MAN AND HIS CHILD!!" Seriously, this guy deserved a thump on the head and to be fired for this false accusation. Rather than being polite, he starts insulting me and giving me a guilt trip. "PEOPLE DONT LIKE GUNS POINTED AT THEM". I would like to say, "HOW ABOUT YOU AND YOUR BUDDIES NOT CROWDING ME AT THE COUNTER THEN, YOU DUMBA##". I only pointed the gun at the only part behind the counter that had no people standing in front of it. That wasn't good enough.

In all honesty, handling rifles at close quarters like that is never very safe, but to scream at customers for pointing a rifle in the general direction where customers are is pretty stupid, because there really is no other place to point the rifle.

I've only been to the DP store and like you spent thousands on several guns ammo supplies not to mention the fishing gear. I have always been treated politly there. I took my CCL training there and have a couple good guys that I seek out to help me, but there is one guy there who has a bit of the gun snob tude. I just tell myself that I'm gonna let the little guy think he's big this time.

Good luck, out that way I like the Gun Broker

They've always treated me politely for the most part at the Delta Park store. However, please read the conversation I had with the manager at the Tigard store. The guy really could use a few lessons in business and customer management. ESPECIALLY, in CUSTOMER MANAGEMENT! The guy was a total hot-headed, rude, arrogant and condemning prick to me on the phone. Last I checked, stores were suppose to treat customers with respect, not like they are a boot camp instructor. The guy had such an attitude and was screaming and tell me how dangerous of a person I was and that his employee SAVED THE DAY.. Seriously, a less peaceful and forgiving person than myself would have thumped both the guy behind the counter and the jerky manager.

People here can talk about all the good experiences they had at Fishermans. I, myself, had plenty of good experiences. However, dare you ever get on the wrong side of the people there, good luck.. I just cannot fathom how a manager of a store can tear to pieces such a loyal customer who has put thousands of dollars into the store. For the most part my experiences were uneventful and there has been some good employees there who have helped me out quite a bit, hence giving me a good feeling of the store. However, there are bigger thorns than roses lurking at this store.

I think the guy needs to be fired or write a letter of apology. I really hope he does the latter and that Fisherman's gets their act together, because we need more gun stores in the area. Also, hard-headed and irrational jerks like the people at Fisherman's hurt the RKBA cause by running their business like a marine boot camp. People will feel uncomfortable around guns and people selling them, which means less people will want to get involved with firearms. I think these guys do a good job turning people away and degrading them.

If anyone thinks the way the manager treated me is acceptable and still wants to spend money at the store, then go ahead. However, I would encourage people to write or call Fisherman's and tell them you don't appreciate loyal customers being treated bad and harassed by their management. If one person is mistreated, another one will be soon as well. It could happen to you.

Anyway, I am done with my rant.. My feelings were hurt.. My money goes somewhere else. If I can get the email of the regional manager of fisherman's, I will just post him the links of all my bad reviews. Sure, it won't do much, but every person's opinion does count in the long run.

 

[SargentMac]

I've only been to the DP store and like you spent thousands on several guns ammo supplies not to mention the fishing gear. I have always been treated politly there. I took my CCL training there and have a couple good guys that I seek out to help me, but there is one guy there who has a bit of the gun snob tude. I just tell myself that I'm gonna let the little guy think he's big this time.

Good luck, out that way I like the Gun Broker

The gun snob guy is probably the guy I dealt with. I was in there looking at revolvers and when I asked to see one of the .357's he told me there wasn't any point in checking out that gun. When I asked why not, he told me that .357 is way more gun than someone needs for defensive carry and that I should look at a .38 at most.

He didn't seem to like my response about how he must be a limp wrister since tons of people carry and shoot them. I walked out instead of waiting for another clerk, haven't been back since.

 

[EMP9596]

Sorry to hear that you had bad experience.

I understand you trying to help out the business. But it's a big chain store, they don't care how much you spend on there or recognize your face every time you go in there:

Fisherman's is locally owned by Dan Grogan and is not a big chain. They get confused with Fisherman's Marine Supply which is quite large.
Dan Grogan has always been a fair guy and he sponsors and supports a lot of local worthwhile events and originazations such as the CCA.

On line contacts here: Fisherman's Marine and Outdoor | Contact Us

 

[drew]

The gun snob guy is probably the guy I dealt with. I was in there looking at revolvers and when I asked to see one of the .357's he told me there wasn't any point in checking out that gun. When I asked why not, he told me that .357 is way more gun than someone needs for defensive carry and that I should look at a .38 at most.

He didn't seem to like my response about how he must be a limp wrister since tons of people carry and shoot them. I walked out instead of waiting for another clerk, haven't been back since.

I probably would have walked out too.

Sounds like some bad salesmanship to me. Maybe the guy is used to dealing with new firearm owners. Caliber and action selection are personal preferences which can make them horrible areas to make suggestions unless someone is looking to do something truly ignorant like planning on using a .22LR for grizzly protection.

 

[michael mayhew]

sorry to hear about your bad experience with fishermans.i love fishermans because i fish as well as hunt and shoot so they have everthing i need everytime and i live in beaverton so the new tigard store has made me happy because i dont have to drive to oregon city anymore.not to mention dicks sporting goods everytime i go there i stand at the counter for 5 minutes until i have to go search for a worker.
but i prefere to deal with gun shops for guns because like hardware stores if we dont give them business then the big stores will put them out of business and thats not the american way.
screw the big stores and saving a dollar,help your fellow american hardworking business owner out and not to mention a man who is an expert in 1 job is a true expert so you will get the info and help you need to make a good buy.
i am a hardwood floor guy and i specialize in just hardwood floors but a general contractor knows a little about everything,but doesnt know everything about anything.
if america is going to rebound and keep the little guy in business i guess we should all be buying from the local gun shops.
just my 2cents.

 

[PDXSparky]

if america is going to rebound and keep the little guy in business i guess we should all be buying from the local gun shops.
just my 2cents.

While there are 3 Fisherman's stores, they are hardly "big business" the way Cabela's, or even Dick's are. I think of Fisherman's as one of my local gun shops. Locally owned, employing local people, and paying local taxes.

 

[mat33]

Fisherman's is pretty open about their lack of respect for it's customers in their store design.Take a look at their gun cabinets - signs everywhere saying "DO NOT TRY TO OPEN SAFES!". Oh, right, I'm to friggin stupid to be trusted with a gun safe. Lemme look around...no assistance to be found. Oh well, guess I didn't need one that bad.

Next, let's go to the ammo section. Just about everything but birdshot is behind the counter. Great I'll ask for some help...

Me: "Hi, can you help me with some ammo?"
Salesman: "As soon as I'm done here I'll come down and help you."
Me "..."
Salesman: "Okay what can I help you with?"
Me: "Can I have two boxes of the CCI Velocitor 22s?"
Salesman: "Huh?"
Me: *putting my glasses on to read the tags from across the room* "a little to the left...left...left...up...up...down...there you go"
Salesman: "Looks like we're all out"
Me: "Take a look in that box to the left of the tag"
Salesman: "Ah, here you go"
Me: "Thanks, can I actually have two boxes?"

At Wholesale Sports in Clackamas the service sucks too, but the ammo is all out on the shelf for my fondling pleasure. Cabella's, ditto. At Wal Mart, they lock it up and don't know one from the next, but the price is right and I don't need to bring my glasses to see into the locked case."

 

[dario541]

A lot of these posts make it sound as though you were at the Gun Room! I'll never go tnere again!

 

[nforest]

If I ever find a gun shop that is kind to all customers and easy to deal with, I'll be broke.

 

[Spitpatch]

If I ever find a customer that is kind to all gunshop owners and easy to deal with, I'll open a gunshop and make a fortune.

 

[eldbillbo]

Thats too bad i have always had great service with a couple of the gun guys at the OC fishermans . I went in saying I was having some accuracy problems with my browning and i thought i should get new rings and the big guy behind the counter asked if i ever did a copper and lead specific cleaning on it and i said no just the usual cleaning so he took my rifle and spent a good 15-20 min cleaning it and checking out the rings and didn't cost me a dime.

i took my nephew there to look at scopes the counter guy was very helpful as i wanted my nephew to look through all kinds of scopes and he spent a good amount of time showing him with not pressure.

Its a bummer that the new store is like that . you might want to contact the store owner.

I have never had any problems with the OC store and I go in there a lot usually just to look around

 

[4Freedom]

Like I said, I have met some kind people behind the counter at Fisherman's. The guys at the Delta Park store worked hard to mount the scope I bought for my Marlin 60, even though they did it wrong. I know the big guy you are talking about and he always seemed friendly and helpful. I've personally not had any bad experiences at the Oregon City store, but rather mine have been at the Tigard and a few at the Delta Park.

If I ever find a customer that is kind to all gunshop owners and easy to deal with, I'll open a gunshop and make a fortune.

Spitpatch, I know there is a lot of jerky customers, but what about loyal customers, who have put thousands into the store, who made, what could have been an honest mistake? I know, personally, that the guys at Fisherman put me into a position, where I was d*mned right from the start. With their "POINT IN THE AIR" policy. If I had a customer who put thousands of dollars into my business and did something I felt was not acceptable at my business, I would be polite, considerate and respectful to him.

Both the employee and the manager at the Fisherman store in Tigard were very rude, inconsiderate and hostile to me. Please read, even re-read, the conversation I wrote between me and the manager if you haven't and tell me if this seems like good customer service to a loyal customer? Personally, if I want to be chewed out and treated like a dog, I will go recite religious verses of my Torah at a Neo-Nazi/White Supremacist meeting or something. At least I'll feel like I am sacrificing myself in a useful way. There are a lot better ways for me to use my time of being abused then forking out a lot of money to a store that cares nothing about my business.

 

[Spitpatch]

4Free, my tongue-in-cheek response to nforest's speculation was exactly that, nothing more. I've already clearly and with length responded to your initial post. Nothing in the most recent quip refers to you in any way. It was merely a turn applied to nforest's comment, with the implied suggestion that we all once in a while place ourselves in the other guy's shoes. I am certain that if you have spent any time at all in a gun store with a GOOD proprietor, you have felt very sorry for him while you witnessed him dealing with certain customers. THAT is what I was trying to bring to light.

 

[Scott]

I know Dan Grogan, I would email him or call him and report this to him....................

When people start going to the top you get better results.

I go straight to the top and you will be suprised at what can happen...................

Bypass the managers and go to the top and you will win. I also go to the BBB a lot and I always win...............

 

[4Freedom]

Spitpatch, I apologize I didn't mean to say you were directing that post towards me. I understand exactly what you are saying about jerky customers.. Considering, I have had people dry fire guns at a gun shop right next to my face, I do know there is quite a few idiots out there. I also know gun store owners do have many things to worry about and I respect them for that.

It use to be I was offended if a gun store owner said no CCW in his store. But, after a few horror stories I would even respect a gun store owner who told me to leave my CCW in the car, assuming he had protection on him, like at NW Armory. I don't like carrying expensive guns in and out of gun stores without protection. So, sometimes I would even dismiss the no-CCW in that case, if they won't provide protection. However, I do respect the type of fears they have that may seem irrational to some.

On the other hand, I didn't appreciate the guys at Fisherman's treating me like the "jerky customer", when I did all I could to be polite, respectful and basically got chewed out for something that wasn't my fault. Fisherman's initial response is like any customer who challenges them is a jerk. I guess, that is why I got sensitive about this issue. If you treat all your customers like criminals, they go away feeling like criminals, not customers. That is not to say there isn't a few bad apples who deserve to be reprimanded.


Scott, maybe I will go and see if I can contact Dan Grogan. A few people here say he is a reasonable and decent person. I'm pretty upset about the whole situation and after getting an ear full of insults, I guess I am a little bit hesitant to have any more interactions with Fisherman's. I don't need a third person to tell me how horrible and dangerous of a person that I am. I think the idea about the BBB is a good one. If they are willing to listen to customer complaint like mine, I would be happy to share with them. My opinion is no loyal customer of any store should ever be degraded, humiliated and insulted the way I was by the manager and employee at Fisherman's in Tigard. Especially, considering the scenario. If Fisherman's wants to blame anyone for rifles being pointed in the general direction of customers, they should blame themselves. They shouldn't expect customers to read their minds and should have giant signs posted "POINT IN THE AIR" or have a special rifle sampling room. Tearing apart and degrading loyal customers who invested a lot in their store is a disgrace, IMO.

 

[orygun]

maybe I will go and see if I can contact Dan Grogan.

It's been nearly a week and you're still writing extremely long, angry posts and you haven't taken the opportunity to contact the head honcho?

And it's even been a few days since someone else posted a link for you to contact them?

Kinda seems to me that you want to just keep spreading anger instead of trying to find resolution.

 

[4Freedom]

No, I am all out of steam for now.. I'm just assuming I will get the same treatment. I guess this forum has given me a place to express my feelings. On the other hand, I am also irritated, because I am planning on purchasing several components and I now I have to look for some new stores to purchase them. My time is usually limited and my gas bill is already high. There is no way I will ever step foot in another Fisherman's. Living in Hood River, it isn't exactly easy to maneuver around Portland and find places to go shopping for firearms and accessories. Fisherman's was rather convenient, because it was near places I shop. Now, I will have to go and travel a bit more. I know Keith's is a bit out of the way, but maybe I can stop in there instead. Keith gave me a great deal on a Ruger LCR trade-in. Also, he had a better deal for a Ruger Redhawk than Fisherman's, but since I was at Fisherman's at the time I bought the Redhawk from them. I regret that now.

 

[ThemGunsThough]

Wow, I am sorry for your experiences. I've only had good experiences at one of the Fisherman's Marine & Outdoors store and that was in Oregon City. I've had a very similar situation happen to me over at a shop in Vancouver, WA, and never again will I cross the border to visit a gun store after that.