Why I have stopped shopping at Camping World

[RoadNomad]

The following is actual experiences I have had and the reason for my actions.

Onward: We all get tons of emails and flyers from Camping with great offers and low prices. But here's the rub, you get an email, drive all the way to the store and are told "the item is not in stock" and it must be ordered. Then they tell you shipping charges will apply (unless the item is over 99 dollars). This is really frustrating when you just got the flyer in yesterdays mail and there's no stock in the store, Why even send out a flyer?

Here's another good one, you go to the camping world web site, you check the price on a part for your camper, then you go to the store to find out the item is 75% more then the internet price and they won't give you that price in the store unless they add shipping to the cost.

This brings up the questions, why should I burn 10 bucks in fuel back and forth to the store when I could order it off the internet, pay the shipping and still be money ahead? Better yet, order it off Amazon prime for the same price and get it shipped for free?

I want to do my part to support the brick and mortar but with practices like that I say why? Add onto that the attitude I get from the employees at the Camping world store and to me its not worth the effort.

In another case I ordered a pull down Dometic awning from my local store, I provided all the necessary info, long story short they ordered the wrong awning. After multiple back and forth to the store trips they took it back (but did not refund) and said they would order the correct part. Almost a full month went by and no replacement unit. Excuses: We haven't heard back from Dometic, were waiting on Dometic to credit us back, still no order confirmation for the replacement.
That same night I got a promotional email from camping world advertising the item I had on order.
I went through the process ordering online, got the same unit over $125.00 cheaper and $25.00 less on shipping which was great. I also received a tracking number within 2 days and received the correct awning by the end of the week.
I ended up going back to the store to get my money back on the original awning I had ordered. Needless to say they still hadn't sorted that order out and I got credited back the moneys. (this wasn't easy either).

Anyway, to add insult to injury about a week later my wife received a nasty phone call from a regional manager of Camping World store saying we were impatient and should have given the store more time to resolve the problem. Good thing I wasn't home for that call! Anyway, perhaps I have just had bad luck with the local store but to me supporting them is not worth the effort. There are so many other retailers in the business that seem more appreciative for your business.

This on top of recent developments in the news has helped me to make my decision to stop supporting Camping World. I have since requested them to stop sending mail, emails, insurance offers and anything else, about the only thing at this point that is useful to me is the Good Sam membership that saves a little at the camp grounds. IMHO and for what its worth....

Hope you all get to read this!

[bshort]

I can usually find everything cheaper at places other than Camping World.

[Gonefishing1]

It’s not only camping world. I found this to be true at many of the local stores. Customer service is a thing of the past.

[ryand]

Agree with you, their transaction and price match policy are a joke. I would hesitate to purchase an RV from them based on that alone. I also shop on amazon, but frequent the locally owned dealers as well in my area. Some more than others. Many of them have long time, experienced people and most often are equal to or less than that of CW for odds and ends. I suggest you spend your money with those folks. With the mark up in the RV industry on pretty much everything Why I didn't get into the game years ago is beyond me.

[Crabman]

Amazon....Amazon......

[toslow]

it's funny but this is a very shady industry at best. there are a few dealers in Ontario that i refuse to spend 1 penny at because of the out right dishonesty.

[NMWildcat]

Don't really see your point here OP. You want to support a physical store? Why? We buy mostly online now, even from CW when the price is right. We rarely pay any shipping. We take advantage of ship to store from places like Walmart. I feel no loyalty to any brand or store, much less feel obligated to do my part, as you, to keep physical stores open.

I feel if sellers can't keep up with the changing technological world, they deserve to go the way of other out of touch stores, like Sears and K-mart.

I like CW. They have their use, and are in most places we travel to. They definitely have their faults, but I won't limit myself by getting irritated and refusing to ever go there again when they don't do business as I think they should. If you just wanted to vent, great, you vented. But seems to me most of your problems with them are due to unreasonable expectations, and lack of research on your part.

[aceinspp]

Originally Posted by NMWildcat

Don't really see your point here OP. You want to support a physical store? Why? We buy mostly online now, even from CW when the price is right. We rarely pay any shipping. We take advantage of ship to store from places like Walmart. I feel no loyalty to any brand or store, much less feel obligated to do my part, as you, to keep physical stores open.

I feel if sellers can't keep up with the changing technological world, they deserve to go the way of other out of touch stores, like Sears and K-mart.

I like CW. They have their use, and are in most places we travel to. They definitely have their faults, but I won't limit myself by getting irritated and refusing to ever go there again when they don't do business as I think they should. If you just wanted to vent, great, you vented. But seems to me most of your problems with them are due to unreasonable expectations, and lack of research on your part.

expectations, and lack of research on your part.[/QUOTE]

And then you wonder why stores close. I support my local folks and I get it faster but maybe pay a bit more but then you pay a fee to get free shipping.. Avoid camping world. Later RJD

[NMWildcat]

Originally Posted by aceinspp

And then you wonder why stores close. I support my local folks and I get it faster but maybe pay a bit more but then you pay a fee to get free shipping.. Avoid camping world. Later RJD

Stores close when they can no longer compete. I can almost always get products cheaper online, which I do when I have a few days before I actually need it. And if, as you say, there is 'fee' for free shipping, what does it say about locals prices when my total online cost shipped to my door is still substantially cheaper? I support locals if they support me with cheaper prices and services.

Camping World is a great store in certain circumstances. Later

[benchmarks]

They have more pet supplies and pretty curtains than parts lol.

[spock123]

C/W doesn’t want my business

[davel1971]

Originally Posted by spock123

C/W doesn’t want my business

[CaptnJohn]

Originally Posted by Crabman

Amazon....Amazon......

6 of the last 7 items wanted were found for less on other sites. Less with shipping included or was free as well.

[wmtire]

This vent thread is being closed after several political posts have been removed and are against our site guidelines. The site team can not/will not babysit this thread any longer, as it is taking away our time from helping members with RV'ing problems.

OP, please do not repost anything similar.

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