My thoughts on GM

[the_force]

so here goes...

I personally do not like shopping there. I'm originally from Michigan and always went to peranis since it was only a hour or so away and my experience there, well was probably tainted cause one of the managers there knew my uncle from back in the day, and i got great service as soon as i walked in the door. I know it's not fair to compare, but i'm spoiled i suppose. But bottom line is i'm willing to pay a little extra for GREAT service.

Recently i went in to try on some stuff and look at other things. I had the intention of going in and purchasing a RBK x-pulse 6.0 c/a and the koho 570 mask. I wasn't 100% sure about the chest protector. So, after seriously standing around by the chest protectors, which is easily in the eyesight of the counter for about 30 minutes... (no exaggeration..i was with my girlfriend and she wanted to leave cause of this)...expecting someone to come over and help me. I finally approached the counter and asked for assistance. Before i left to go to the store, i checked their website and saw they had listed my size and everything. And i asked if i could try one on. They checked their computer and said they don't have any in my size in stock. I was annoyed with this, mostly cause i drove all the way down there (about 45 minutes with traffic) under the impression they had it in cause that's what their website said. Either way, i asked the gentleman (i apologize but i didn't' get his name) about the 10.0 model. I wanted to know the difference basically cause i was ignorant to the differences, aside from the price. He didn't know...he rambled on that it's a pro version or something of the sort but couldn't tell me exactly what was different. Seeing how i didn't know, i would have expected a knowledgeable sales person to educate me. He could have easily talked me into spending the money if he pitched it better then just saying "well i think it's the pro version". Now i do have to say i'm very impressed with the fact they're willing to bend over backwards to go to their warehouse and bring any item over for you to try on. I think that's fantastic and that stands out above and beyond almost any other place i've ever dealt with. I just like a knowledgeable staff that acknowledges me when i'm in the store. At least approach me and ask if you can help me find something. Maybe it's my personal experience in sales that makes me feel this way. But i don't think a customer should "ask" for help. I hate it when i have to "ask" for a waitress or waiter to refill my drink at a restaurant too though...so i digress. I left the store honestly not wanting to go back and not wanting to spend my money in there. Now, this hasn't been a isolated incident...i've gone in a few other times and have never been met with any sales people trying to assist me...(maybe it's just me). But this is honestly like the 6th time it's happened.

I ended up picking up the mask there, cause they're the only ones i could find that have it and i was able to try it on before purchasing it.

But the c/a....a few days ago, i called them to ask if they had gotten any in stock yet...again....i was gonna bite the bullet and go there to buy it cause it seemed to be the cheapest i could find. But the gentleman informed me they wouldn't be getting any in until december. So i asked if he could recommend another c/a that would be comparable in terms of sizing and i got "well...not really..cause the x pulse is kind of a unique design". I was kinda shocked with this....i openly offered him the ability to up sell me and i got...well...nothing. i was just utterly disappointed. I wish i could have had a better experience with them cause i'd love to go there..it's like a goalies playground in that place. And my little local hockey store, his RBK account is inactive and he can't order any more stuff from them.

Needless to say...this weekend...i drove 3 hours north to another hockey store to be able to find the xpulse 6.0 and buy it for 4 bucks cheaper then GM.

I'm sure no one is gonna read this and give a fudge what i think...i know GM has a tremendous following and i wish i could be apart of it. I just wanted someone to see this in the GM hierarchy and hopefully fix these problems. So that if i have to go in there again for something...i'll be met with better service. Thanks for listening...i'll get off my soapbox now

[hateclowns]

Originally Posted by the_force

i know GM has a tremendous following and i wish i could be apart of it.

(Warning - typo humor to follow: )

You are.

[JON]

I think youre seeing it from the wrong perspective. More as a salesman, not as a goalie looking for something in particular. There are a lot of people that would complain if they went into a store and was sold on something that they didnt really want. The sales associate was being flat out honest with you when he said the X-Pulse C/A is a unique design and didnt want to sell you something other than what you were looking for. For instance, a goalie tries on a set of Vaughns from his friend and goes into a store and asks for set for himself. The Salesman says, "we dont have Vaugns in stock" Kid asks, "Do you have anything comparable?" Salesman says, "Yeah, I have a great set of RBKs sitting right here that you would probably love." Both totally different pads. See what I'm saying. This kind of makes it a double edged sword for the retailer. I personally cant comment on the uniqueness of the X-Pulse C/A so I'm assuming that the GM staff does. By the way, nobody knows the difference between the 6.0 and 10.0 ...Its one of those unsolved mysteries, but rumor has it that the difference is in the density of the foam. Try asking RBK directly, they don't know squat either from my experiences.

Personally, I think not asking for help, especially since the counter was that close, is just being stubborn. How many people complain that they hate going into a store and being hassled by the sales associates? How many people go into store and say, let's see how long it takes for someone to notice me and offer some service? Once again, a double edged sword. Are you familiar with that hat store "Lids" I mustve went to the mall on 5 different occasions with 5 different people looking for a hat and when I recommended "Lids", they all had the same comment. "They're so annoying in there, why wont they just leave me alone and let me look around. Eff that, I'm going somewhere else" How many times have you completely ignored a sales associate when they mumble the specials and sales? Is this just me or do I make a good point?

[kevinsane]

I'm with Jon. Leave me alone unless I ask for you, but don't make me do a corn maze to find someone.

[CKeelty]

Originally Posted by JON

By the way, nobody knows the difference between the 6.0 and 10.0 ...Its one of those unsolved mysteries, but rumor has it that the difference is in the density of the foam.

It's exactly 4.0.

That wasn't even hard.

[bigbadcapitalist]

Originally Posted by the_force

Maybe it's my personal experience in sales that makes me feel this way. But i don't think a customer should "ask" for help. I hate it when i have to "ask" for a waitress or waiter to refill my drink at a restaurant too though...so i digress.

Dude. Stop whining, strap on some balls and ask the people to help you. If you were waiting for 30 mins for them to help you, it's your fault for not asking earlier.

[kohomcm]

Originally Posted by the_force

... Before i left to go to the store, i checked their website and saw they had listed my size and everything. And i asked if i could try one on. They checked their computer and said they don't have any in my size in stock. I was annoyed with this, mostly cause i drove all the way down there (about 45 minutes with traffic) under the impression they had it in cause that's what their website said. ....

Their store location and their distribution center for online orders are two different places. Don't be surprised if they do not have something in stock at the retail store that they might have listed on the website. If you really wanted to make sure they had it in stock before your 45 min drive, a phone call could have helped. You could also have tried other CA's that they would have at the store. Store inventories can be a toss up. They could have had one unit left that was sold 15 minutes before you got there. That is also a possibility. I know you are venting, but your experience really does not sound as bad as you made it out to be.

Also most hockey shops I have visited they usually leave me alone until I ask for help. I prefer it that way since I wont feel pressured by the sales staff.

[hroark2112]

I think the Monkey guys have said more than once here on the board that their inventory system doesn't update as quickly as they would like it to, especially online. Not saying this is a defense, but it doesn't update "live" like they would like it to.

If I'm in a store standing around for 30 minutes, I would hope that someone would come see my lost-ness (nice word, I just made that up!!!) and help me...so I do partially agree with you. However, I won't stand around for 30 minutes. I'll go find help. Remember, the employees of the store have lots of responsibilities, I'm sure...so they might not be jumping on everyone as soon as they walk in the door. Also, lots of goalies know what they want without help, so they aren't going to grab you by the hand.

As far as online orders, the last time I ordered from them, the item I wanted was not in stock like it said on the website. They called me within a day or so, and recommended a substitute. They shipped it out quickly and took care of me like I expect to be taken care of. If I were near their retail store, I'd be more broke than I am now.

[the_force]

Originally Posted by JON

I think youre seeing it from the wrong perspective. More as a salesman, not as a goalie looking for something in particular. There are a lot of people that would complain if they went into a store and was sold on something that they didnt really want. The sales associate was being flat out honest with you when he said the X-Pulse C/A is a unique design and didnt want to sell you something other than what you were looking for. For instance, a goalie tries on a set of Vaughns from his friend and goes into a store and asks for set for himself. The Salesman says, "we dont have Vaugns in stock" Kid asks, "Do you have anything comparable?" Salesman says, "Yeah, I have a great set of RBKs sitting right here that you would probably love." Both totally different pads. See what I'm saying. This kind of makes it a double edged sword for the retailer. I personally cant comment on the uniqueness of the X-Pulse C/A so I'm assuming that the GM staff does. By the way, nobody knows the difference between the 6.0 and 10.0 ...Its one of those unsolved mysteries, but rumor has it that the difference is in the density of the foam. Try asking RBK directly, they don't know squat either from my experiences.

Personally, I think not asking for help, especially since the counter was that close, is just being stubborn. How many people complain that they hate going into a store and being hassled by the sales associates? How many people go into store and say, let's see how long it takes for someone to notice me and offer some service? Once again, a double edged sword. Are you familiar with that hat store "Lids" I mustve went to the mall on 5 different occasions with 5 different people looking for a hat and when I recommended "Lids", they all had the same comment. "They're so annoying in there, why wont they just leave me alone and let me look around. Eff that, I'm going somewhere else" How many times have you completely ignored a sales associate when they mumble the specials and sales? Is this just me or do I make a good point?

i think i'm looking at it from both perspectives. As a customer that wanted to have good service and as a sales person that knows how to treat a customer and give them a 5 star experience that makes you want to come back. I don't think the x pulse is that different of a design to be honest. Maybe the materials inside, i'm not sure. And yea a lot of people would get annoyed if they were shown something else, but it's the sales person job to try and steer them in another direction. But i do know i'm looking at it from a salespersons persective when i say someone shouldn't have waited to approach me after 30 minutes of standing there. That's not acceptible in my opinion. A hat store is a bit different then a equiptment store where a knowledgable staff is welcomed. A hat store doesn't compare on the same level. When the counter is right there, to not even acknowledge me, idk..maybe i am being picky...but if it's caused me to not want to go there anymore, shouldn't the store consider that bad as well?

[the_force]

Originally Posted by wgeary

Dude. Stop whining, strap on some balls and ask the people to help you. If you were waiting for 30 mins for them to help you, it's your fault for not asking earlier.

you obviously miss the point....thanks for trying

[the_force]

Originally Posted by hroark2112

I think the Monkey guys have said more than once here on the board that their inventory system doesn't update as quickly as they would like it to, especially online. Not saying this is a defense, but it doesn't update "live" like they would like it to.

If I'm in a store standing around for 30 minutes, I would hope that someone would come see my lost-ness (nice word, I just made that up!!!) and help me...so I do partially agree with you. However, I won't stand around for 30 minutes. I'll go find help. Remember, the employees of the store have lots of responsibilities, I'm sure...so they might not be jumping on everyone as soon as they walk in the door. Also, lots of goalies know what they want without help, so they aren't going to grab you by the hand.

As far as online orders, the last time I ordered from them, the item I wanted was not in stock like it said on the website. They called me within a day or so, and recommended a substitute. They shipped it out quickly and took care of me like I expect to be taken care of. If I were near their retail store, I'd be more broke than I am now.

Thanks for seeing my point at least slightly. Their website isn't much of a issue with me as the customer service i recieved. And i agree most goalies know exactly what they want when they go in but me standing around in the same place kinda pokin around and not really doing anything, would be a cue for me NOT knowing what i want lol. And i wouldn't have complained if 3 of em weren't standing behind the counter playing with hockey tape. As for your purchasing things online from em, a experiiene like you had, i would have welcomed.

I'm not tryin to be a dickhead...i just expect a lot when i'm possibly going to be spending a lot of money in a place.

[the_force]

Originally Posted by kohomcm

Their store location and their distribution center for online orders are two different places. Don't be surprised if they do not have something in stock at the retail store that they might have listed on the website. If you really wanted to make sure they had it in stock before your 45 min drive, a phone call could have helped. You could also have tried other CA's that they would have at the store. Store inventories can be a toss up. They could have had one unit left that was sold 15 minutes before you got there. That is also a possibility. I know you are venting, but your experience really does not sound as bad as you made it out to be.

Also most hockey shops I have visited they usually leave me alone until I ask for help. I prefer it that way since I wont feel pressured by the sales staff.

I'm pretty sure their distribution center is just like...across the street from their retail store. Stores like that aren't pressuring you....it's not a car dealership that works off commission...a little customer service with a smile..that's all i'm lookin for

[GoalieMonkey1]

It is very unfortunate that you had this type of experience. That being said, Goalie Monkey does not manage the retail store. Goalie Monkey is an internet store and Monkeysports is a retail store, we supply them with the products to sell but is not involved with how the store is managed. I will pass along this information so situations like this do not happen again.

I would like to offer any service possible that would correct this situation. If there is any product you want, I will ship it to you free of charge. My phone number is 1-888-945-4295 X107.

Sorry,

Mike

[the_force]

Originally Posted by GoalieMonkey1

It is very unfortunate that you had this type of experience. That being said, Goalie Monkey does not manage the retail store. Goalie Monkey is an internet store and Monkeysports is a retail store, we supply them with the products to sell but is not involved with how the store is managed. I will pass along this information so situations like this do not happen again.

I would like to offer any service possible that would correct this situation. If there is any product you want, I will ship it to you free of charge. My phone number is 1-888-945-4295 X107.

Sorry,

Mike

i really really appreciate that mike. That's the type of service i'm looking for. And i apologize, i didnt' know they were separate entities. If you're around, maybe if i go back in some day...i'll just ask for you hah

[bigbadcapitalist]

Originally Posted by GoalieMonkey1

I would like to offer any service possible that would correct this situation. If there is any product you want, I will ship it to you free of charge. My phone number is 1-888-945-4295 X107.

Sorry,

Mike

WTF? Umm... I mean... I had a bad experience at Goalie Monkey too!! I demand you ship me free stuff!!