Big 5 Sporting Goods
reviews and complaints

The heels of the hiking boots I had purchased from the Big 5 Sporting Goods in Oceanside store became unglued and flopped half way through a moderate hike. This happened the first time I wore the boots! I have been given nothing but a great deal of hassle, run-around, grief and frustration since I brought these boots back to the store for a refund or store credit.

I brought the defective boots to the store about a month ago and asked for store credit since I no longer had the receipts. The assistant manager (Jordan) examined the boots and agreed that they were in brand new condition, except of course for the heels which were completely detached. However, he stated that they no longer carried this brand and hence the Company had removed from the store computers the information he needed to process the return. He asked me to call the headquarters for assistance and handed me an 800 number to call.

Jessica answered the phone when I called the headquarters. She was most unhelpful, unprofessional, disrespectful and extremely rude. She denied me access to the district manager overseeing the Oceanside store, or anyone else who could help bring the matter to a resolution. Instead, she continued in a series of outrageous remarks, claims and opinions; such as "I must have not used the boots for a while and that it is normal for heels to detach when the boots sit unused!" She became quite rude -- repeatedly interrupting me in the middle of each sentence, and eventually hang up on me -- while I was trying to explain to her that I, like the majority of hikers (e.g., members of the Sierra Club), go hiking once-in-awhile and no more than a few times a year, and that a pair of boots normally last a good few years regardless of how often they are used or set aside unused.

I called the store and explained to the store manager (Daniel) the ineffectual telephone conversation I had with Jessica. He told me to bring the boots back to the store in order to see what he could do. When I did, he examined the boots and seemed satisfied that they were still in brand new condition. However, he stated what I had already heard before -- that the store no longer carried this brand and that the information he needed to process the return had been removed from the store computer. I told him that I had paid about $35 for the boots and will be satisfied if he gave me store credit for that amount. From what I understood him saying, he agreed. I spent an hour or two to find another pair, but when I brought them to the cashier, Daniel said that I had misunderstood and that he had offered to provide a voucher toward the purchase of another boot. The voucher happened to be only $5.00 for the pair I had selected!

I left the store frustrated, disappointed, and dissatisfied. Before leaving, however, I asked him to contact the headquarters in order to get the support or authorization he needed to process the return. Subsequently, I kept in touch with him once every few days. But, to my utmost disappointment, he informed me yesterday that he had been unable to get the support he needed and has given up trying.

The store does not seem to have a clear warranty on the hiking boots it sells. By blocking every possible avenue from getting a remedy, I have no choice but to feel defrauded for the boots I have purchased and can not use. I have written letters to Mr. Steven Miller, CEO of the company and several executive management complaining about the matter. But I have not received any replies.

I bought sporting shoes from the company Big 5 Sporting Goods. I hoped to pay for the order with the check, but they denied it and no one explained me why. I called the agent and she tried to explain me, and when I hoped to cancel the order and get money back. The agent refused to return money, because it was their politics. I won’t recommend this company to anyone. These people are scammers and liars, who take money and provide nothing. Please post your comments about this company.

Don't go here! They never have what they advertise, and are notorious
for pulling a bait and switch everytime. My mother went there 3 years ago to purchase a Swiss Army watch that they advertised in the paper. When she got to the store not only did they NOT have that item, they tried to sell her a cheopo watch that wasn't even the Swiss Army brand(they didnt have ANY Swiss Army watches at all!) Then mom wrote to the company HQ and within a few weeks she was contacted by HQ and she was told that the problem store had her item available.
Today we went there and she wa looking for a particular jogging suit. Well, big surprise...they didnt have that item in stock, and yet again they tried to sell her a crappy brand that looked like someone had beaten it with the ugly stick. So after getting all upset, the clerk said he would give her a raincheck. I then told her loud enough for every clerk in that store that we would be filing a complaint on Complaints board.com, and any other consumer complaint sites that we can find. A man came from the back of the store and was being real pushy and wanted me to give him my e mail address so that he could send me coupons! Yeah right! He did not want to take no for an answer and I finally told him that I didnt want any junk mail on my computer. Stay as far away from this store as you can. I also got alot of bad vibes from there too, right when we walked in.

My fiance worked for Big 5 for almost 8 years. That was up until recently when he quit. He was a first assistant manager and got crap from the area supervisor Joe. This guy has picked on my man since the day he started. My fiance's work was never good enough or done right. All his co-workers have said nothing but great things about him and why doesn't he move up in the company? Why isn't he on the list for a promotion when a store manager position opens up? Because Joe shmo hates his ever being. This guy Joe is a bald, egotistical ###. He breaks a TON of rules and never gets in trouble. He drives the company vehicle for pleasure! He was going to fire my fiance, saying that he is more of a liability than an asset to the company. My fiance was so upset and worried that he just put his two weeks in to get it out of the way. That company doesn't care for it's employees or how long you work there. It's ###.

I purchased SEA TAC ROLLING BAG and shortly after the wheels wore down. But Ted, Operations Manager refused to exchange this product because of my race, African American.

I am writing this so no one gets in the same situation I was put in. About 3 months ago I had a $50 purchase that I needed to return to Big 5 Sporting Goods . A younger girl helped me with the refund, and gave me a receipt print out that she said I needed to bring back when I wanted to use the store credit. Two weeks ago I went in and found something I wanted to purchase with the credit, and I was informed that the piece of receipt looking paper I had was not valid. I got very upset and asked to speak to the manager. He told me that whoever helped me months ago should have given me a gift card with the money loaded on it. We went back in forth, with me saying "I never got one" like 10 times. He said, "That is impossible because she couldn't have printed this out without first issuing the card." It came down to me finally saying "what can you do for me because I am owed this money?" He took my receipt and told me that he would call me back after he looked over the security tapes to find out who it was that had helped me because I couldn't remember. Needless to say...it has been many days now and he never called back. I have gone in several times as well and the manager is always gone.

Unethical bunch of micro-managing idiots who run the Riverside Distribution Center. Long time employees mean nothing to them, they are marched out by armed guards. Surveillance cameras everywhere, including by the rest-rooms. I got the ax for some very minor paperwork errors. Our illustrious gutless Teamster Local 578 ('Our motto-don't rock the boat-EVER') is in bed with management and will help throw you under the bus. 9 years down the toilet, throwing cheap Chinese crap off the back of a truck. This company could care less about it's customers and holds it's employees in utter contempt. They run the business like it's still 1972.