Golf Outlets USA-shame!

[Robielucy]

I don't know if anyone here has experienced buying online from Golf Outlets USA in California.

I have purchased some clubs and a bag from them in the past and they were okay  Nothing to write home about.

Recently, I discovered a set of Hybrids for a penny, plus s/h mind you.  Too good to be true, but I ordered a set of four for a total cost of $7.03.  Cool.   Got e-mail  I was approved so I sat down and waited for the mailperson.

Next day comes the e-mail that I hadn't ordered fifty bucks of stuff to qualify for this offer.  I respond, with an attachment of their online ad, that there is no such mention of any "catch 22."  Their ad should be honored.

A few hours later I notice their ad and changed to a now $18.99 per club.  Guess I proved my case!

Ever read George Orwell's 1984???

I suddenly became an "non-person."  No answer to my e-mails, total lockout!

So my friends, beware of those Golf Outlets USA dudes.  I'm done with online golf shopping.

[inthehole]

you can't really blame them - but if they made that kind of an offer, you would hope they would man up & honor it.      I've had fantastic luck with Rockbottom Golf - fastest shipping ever & some really good deals... don't give up on online shopping - just go with the big national online companies

[Robielucy]

Thanks, I'll check them out.

I felt in the few items I purchased from Golf Outlets USA, that their quality wasn't job one.   Price was cheap, though.."yer get what yer pay for !"

I'll stick to named items and pay a bit more!

[erock9174]

Originally Posted by inthehole

I've had fantastic luck with Rockbottom Golf - fastest shipping ever & some really good deals...

I agree don't give up on online purchasing.  Granted I will buy most of my items in stores but there is occasionaly deals on the net that are tough to pass up.

I agree with the above poster...two thumbs up for Rockbottom.  Dealt with them for the first time this week.  Ordered late Friday night and had my order Wed morning.

My brother ordered from them last month and was very happy with the experience.

One word of advice always do your due dilegence before buying online.  Do searches on forums such as these to find the reputable and not so reptuable online dealers.

[Robielucy]

Agreed.

A guy in my foursome says Hireko is very good and trustworthy. He says their clubs are of better quality by far.

Guess I dipped my toe in the wrong waters one too any times.

Thanks for your input.

[jmanbooyaa]

Don't give up on online shopping. You will be doing yourself a disservice if you turn your back on the online deals. TGW, Rockbottom Golf, all good sites. For used stuff check out Global Golf and 3 Balls I frequent them all good. But remember which I am sure you know if it is too good to be true there is some fine print somewhere that makes it not so good.

[Shindig]

There are lots of good online deals.

By the way, do you still have the ad and the receipt?  In California, not following through on such an advertisement is illegal.  I forget exactly who it is you contact, but maybe let them know you'll consider reporting them to proper authorities and see if they make the sale?

[Robielucy]

I still have the e-mailed receipt.  However, Golf Outlets USA quickly changed their online ad after I contacted them which went unanswered.  As did all followup e-mails,

I have thought about filing a small claims suit, but decided really not to bother...I don't really need the clubs, it was just too good pass up.

Thanks for your info. I have reconsidered ordering online and will probably to do again in the far future.   I have my clubs and they work for me.  I was going to donate that hybrid set to my men's golf club for a raffle at an upcoming charity event.  Oh well.

Hireco online store, looks real good.  A bit more $$$$ for clubs, but I'm sure they're better quality than Golf Outlets USA which quality was not on the top of their list.  The three clubs I bought in the past--the 15* Hybrid  had glue sediment on the bottom of the shaft, and the 7W- the head had small dings.  Their grips started to wear after first use on both.

FOLLOW UP after posting.

Had a cup of java, and thought about your legal suggestion.....I don't really want to take those dishonest bas*ards to court-besides if i do win, they'd probably give me some banged up crap set.

I got their number, and spread it across the internet on this and other sites.

Soon enough it pop on search engines and hopefully cost them a customer or two.  Makes me happy to think that.

[Vladimir Puttin']

I'm with the seller on this one.  I placed on item on eBay once and fat fingered the buy-it-now price - instead of $599.00, I entered 59.90 with free ship.  The item sold within minutes.  He knew as well as I did that it was a typo but he insisted I send the item to him.  It never happened.

As for me, I'd kind of feel like a DB every time I used the item knowing I took advantage of an honest mistake.

[Robielucy]

Originally Posted by Vladimir Puttin'

I'm with the seller on this one.  I placed on item on eBay once and fat fingered the buy-it-now price - instead of $599.00, I entered 59.90 with free ship.  The item sold within minutes.  He knew as well as I did that it was a typo but he insisted I send the item to him.  It never happened.

As for me, I'd kind of feel like a DB every time I used the item knowing I took advantage of an honest mistake.

Who's to say it was a mistake?

Golf Outlet's USA had and still has the opportunity to apologize saying it was a mistake.  They never answered my e-mails. I wouldn't bad mouth them if they admitted it was an error.

Total cold shoulder on the whole issue.

[Ernest Jones]

I highly recommend looking around in the sandtraps market place. Then you "know" who your dealing with to a certain extent and if you get burned we'll all gang up on the bastid!

[Robielucy]

Thank you Ernest...mighty nice of you.

This drama is slowly fading from me...it's was just messing my head!

[dbuck]

If you want to pursue, you might check with your State Attorney General's office--they might have a consumer fraud department that deals with that sort of thing.

[Robielucy]

Originally Posted by dbuck

If you want to pursue, you might check with your State Attorney General's office--they might have a consumer fraud department that deals with that sort of thing.

I filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission as well the California Better Business Bureau.

At this point, I'm not looking for clubs, but a simple apology-which I don' think I'll get in either situation.

I feel I uncovered a distrustful group and am spreading the word via forums and word of mouth.

If I cost the Golf Outlets USA one customer-I'm happy.

Thanks for your reply.

[Gerald]

Originally Posted by Robielucy

I have purchased some clubs and a bag from them in the past and they were okay  Nothing to write home about.

Recently, I discovered a set of Hybrids for a penny, plus s/h mind you.  Too good to be true, but I ordered a set of four for a total cost of $7.03.  Cool.   Got e-mail  I was approved so I sat down and waited for the mailperson.

Even a three year old kid, can figure out you can't buy a set of four hybrids at a total cost of $7.03 including shipment.

You state you were a happy customer of the shop before, maybe you could also have contacted them, to ask if the $1.75 per hybrid wasn't a mistake !

[Robielucy]

Who's to say it wasn't some super closeout deal or slightly damaged goods?

It was a posted ad on their website!

Again, the order was approved and a receipt was issued and sent to the warehouse for shipping, where it was stopped!

I have no doubt that the ad was human error.  The sale should have been honored.  In my former business, you make  mistake in an ad you "swallowed"  the loss or make a counter offer.  They didn't-they cancelled the order and made no further contact.

My intent here is to alert you folks to this matter...

By the way thanks for your support!  May you double bogey your next hole.

Gee, Daddy I wish i could afford Titleist sticks, too!

[Gerald]

None of us would buy 4 hybrids for a total of $7.03 including shipment and be waiting for the postman to deliver them

[Shindig]

Originally Posted by Gerald

None of us would buy 4 hybrids for a total of $7.03 including shipment and be waiting for the postman to deliver them

I would if I saw a store I trusted advertise it.  I would suspect it to be a loss leader, or to generate word of mouth.  And if a store sold me them for that price, they'd be the first store I suggest when people ask for an online shop!  It's not unheard of for a business to take a big loss on a sale to promote the store in some fashion.

Ever have a new sandwich shop move in near you?  You get coupons from them for a sandwich, fries, and a drink for really cheap -- one shop near me had a 12" sandwich, large fries, and drink for $2 when they opened to get people to try it instead of the other food in the area.