I can factually say that I have been a regular customer with the Edinburgh branch since the day its doors opened.
I have visited there regularly (if around twice a month is regular). Great selection of goods. Their own Hi-Gear make is inexpensive & good value as long as you avoid their tents!
My family & I buy from more than one section in the store due to our different types of outdoor & weekend activities.
I consider myself a loyal customer of theirs as their open day last autumn was welcoming & fab & since then we have always usually been up for a regular visit since late last year.
I am interested in giving non knee jerk reactions to shopping experiences, as a one off bad day in a shop does not sum the whole place up, so I'm afraid this review gives me no pleasure to write.
So here goes:
The early visits to Edinburgh GoOutdoors were always a nice experience.
Admittedley the staff were a bit baffled back then about product knowledge & store procedures but everyone working there seemed positive & helpful.
I developed a soft spot for the store, visiting more often than really needed to be honest as there is something quite relaxing about shopping on the outskirts of the busy town near the sea in a place that sold about 70% of what I need in life due to being into multiple outdoor activities. They even have toilets & a vending machine
But, I would say that each time I visted the store though, since around the start of the year it has been a more negative shopping experience each time, give or take a visit. Staff are still lacking in product knowledge (to sometimes dangerous degrees depending on the type of outdoor equipment one is purchasing).
Most members of staff are dying for to make a sale, but if there are any problems with the item or if it does not function as intended it is extremely hard to find someone sympathetic who has clout in the place to help you. There is this weird protocol that exists in the shop where it takes talking to 3 people or so to get a refund
Another frustration is their pick up in store service, where half the time your order never arrrives.
All the shop sections has their share of good & not so good staff depending on the day. Frustratingly a member of staff who is very friendly one day will be ignorant or even passive aggressive the next week you go there, clearly not remembering you from the week before.
The frontline staff seem increasingly more strained due to what appears staff shortages. I actually feel sorry for the better members of staff who have always helped me in comparison to the ignorant minority as they always end up apologising for the inability of someone probably most likely higher up in the company.
Sadly on rare occasions I've even personally witnessed open bullying which was extremely unexpected & have noticed this more than once when in with family members to realise for certain how we feel about this.
Plus staff morale has appeared visibly missing on more occasions lately than preferable. Although it only seemed visible in the stores infancy admittedley.
I wonder if the management is aware of this or if perhaps the management has resigned...as the store shows signs of mismanagement in more than one area I feel (c'mon Go Outdoors HQ, get it together!)
Some of the excellent younger staff are surprisingly professional, always looking busy, yet clearly unsupported to many a customers eye, especially in comparison to the less helpful staff who are usually the mostly older differently dressed ones, who usually stand about just watching or moody, generally bored looking while passing their time.
What a pity.
It's disheartning to see this, as most negative customer experiences one would historically read of would be the opposite of above, with the younger staff usually appearing vacant or less keen with the older ones taking the ships helm with a smile.
I am still very impressed with GoOutdoors prices overall (& need to always buy occasional Horse/Camping stuff anyway) so will for sure remain a loyal internet customer of theirs from now on. They run rings round the competition pricewise for sure!
But after an initially okay visit last week that ended with my child & I overhearing unnaceptable verbal vulgarities by members of staff (unaware we were passing behind them) I really feel this will be my last visit to the store, as it is becoming an openly negative place to shop, lacking in good manners & cohesiveness.
It is definately better they exist as a company than not due to the variety on offer. And I suppose if their shop gets passed its obvious difficulties (which IMO would be easily rectified by any other experienced customer respecting retailer), then it will help to revitalise a known socially challenged area in Edinburgh.
I do hope the store one day becomes a warmer, more stable & better place to shop for a pleasing family visit minus the frequent unexpected sour taste left in ones mouth. read more
