Bad online experience Pro Hockey Life / Sports Rousseau?

[colins 246]

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Update: October 30th

For those new to this thread - it has a happy ending - Pro Hockey Life called and offered me a replacement stick of equal/greater value than the one my son had ordered. In the end I received excellent customer service, it just took a couple of days to reach the right person who could help me out. I'm very pleased with my experience with Pro Hockey Life and will continue to be a customer for sure!

Colin

End Update

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I've been a big fan of Pro Hockey Life since my first visit to their shop in Vaughn Mills Ontario this past summer. I spent a couple hundred bucks there on a new pair of Rbk 6K senior pants for myself, a pair of bauer gloves for my youngest son, elbows pads for my oldest, and a bunch of souvenirs from their summer hockey trip to Toronto.

When we returned home and started the hockey season this fall my oldest son needed a new pair of pants - so I tried ordering online from Pro Hockey Life and the pair of Warrior Hitman pants arrived quickly and were exactly as advertised. We were very pleased and so was he.

My son loves Warrior one piece sticks (what kid doesn't?) so he saved the money he got for his birthday recently and we went online to find the best deal we could on a new Warrior stick. Pro Hockey Life has the Mac Daddy on sale for $139 (most online stores do - I believe it's being discontinued?) so that seemed like the best deal for his money, and the best Warrior option to move up from the Warrior Hitman he is currently using. $140 seems like a crazy amount of money for an Atom age kid to drop on a stick (we had $25 Titans and thought we were doing good when I was a kid!) but relative to a Kronik or Dolomite I felt like I was being "reasonable". And it's his birthday money so if he wants to spend it on hockey equipment, I'm all for that instead of buying more video games or adding to his collection of teck decks and flick trix (the moms and dads out there know what I'm talking about right).

He'd been excited every day since the order was placed, anxious to know when it would arrive. What we didn't expect was the disappointment with the stick's condition when I showed up and we unboxed it! The condition of the stick left a lot to be desired - it'd obviously been used in store for a lot of target practice but no mention of this was in the online ad which can still be seen here:

http://www.prohockeylife.com/eng/products/...gr_jr?macdagr50

I took pictures of the stick immediately after unboxing:

http://picasaweb.google.ca/cstuckless/NewMacDaddy#

Am I just being too picky or does this stick look like it's seen a bunch of pucks before my son even gets to tape it up? He doesn't want to send it back because he really likes the Mac Daddy (he's moving up from a Warrior Hitman) but I feel like the $140 in birthday money he's spent on this was a raw deal since it wasn't advertised as being worn or damaged.

What would you do? Has anyone dealt with Pro Hockey Life customer service (or Rousseau Sports in Laval Quebec since that's where it seems to have shipped from)? Any advice?

Thanks...

Colin

[epstud74 24]

I'm wondering why you have not called them already??

[westcoastsniper 0]

call them up and explain, if they are worth their salt they will probably send a brand new stick and let you keep that one. If they don't accept the return (you said it was on closeout?) then I wouldn't use them again, as unfortunate as that is. Other than that, the internet is still buyer beware.

[colins 246]

I'm wondering why you have not called them already??

I didn't get home from work and the rink today (youngest son had power skating from 6-7) to inspect the stick until they were closed. I'll be calling them in the morning and have already emailed their customer service department with my concerns.

I'm torn with what to do since my son wants to keep the stick but if they have another in stock in the same left handed pattern I'd be interested in an exchange. But shipping it back is going to be a pain.

Ultimately I'm just somewhat shocked that anyone in their sales / shipping department would box this up and send it out in this condition without some kind of indication that it wasn't in "new" condition. As you can see from the online ad there's no indication it's a closeout or damaged stick. I'm also wondering if anyone else has experienced this scenario from this retailer so I know what I'm up against.

Thanks for the response,

Colin

[number18 0]

call them for sure. i'm sure they'll do something, i'd be shocked if they didn't. i've personally never had a bad experience with them "in store" but i've never ordered from them online either. the sticks they use inn the shooting area are all taped, blades and handels. but it does look used. i'd call them because they should be able to help you out

[jjleip11 0]

WOW that stick looks like it has seen some ice time already...call them! If they are a good store, they'll send you a replacement. That's just ridiculus even to send a customer a stick in that condition.

[87vert 0]

probably just had it stored badly. Some of the blades I buy at the local store look like that because they just pit them all in a bin together.

[MorePower4me 0]

Update the post with what they tell you, but IMHO that is NOT a new stick and shouldn't be sold as such.

Anything less than them paying shipping back/sending new stick will put them into the 'scam' seller list as far as I'm concerned.

If they give you the run around I'd do a charge-back with your credit card. You did not get what you ordered.

[ddbowdoin 0]

just sit your son down and explain the situation, its like when kids get skates or something are too big or too small but dont tell mom/dad because theyre so excited they just want to use it.

get on the phone and start barking down, they should send you a NEW stick and something extra on the side.... that is just unacceptable

[tro 4]

That's awful, they should send you a NEW stick and let you keep that one.

[sm326 0]

I got sent a stick from hockey world that was cracked about 3" from the top on the shaft (badly cracked to the point that i could have broken off the piece with minimal muscle). The next day, I contacted hockey world and they blamed it solely on UPS even though it was the only one in inventory. They did however send another stick as a replacement and let me keep this one if UPS didn't contact me (which they never did). I would complain like a naggy wife on PMS until they send you something worthwhile as compensation just because damaged products are not acceptable unless noted beforehand.

[lampliter87 8]

I know Pro Hockey Life in Kanata has an area to demo certain sticks... perhaps you received one of these demos? Either way, you're certainly entitled to a new stick.

[aarondevera 0]

Yeah, looks like a Rapidshot demo.

[Sichy 6]

If you don't live too far from the Pro Hockey Life at the Vaughan Mills location, take the stick directly to them and explain how the stick arrived in the condition that it is currently in and then exchange the stick.

[colins 246]

If you don't live too far from the Pro Hockey Life at the Vaughan Mills location, take the stick directly to them and explain how the stick arrived in the condition that it is currently in and then exchange the stick.

Unfortunately I'm not near that location. I'm in Newfoundland so web ordering is the only option. Awesome store though, we went there this summer when we were in Toronto for a tournament. Their in-store customer service was great - I've never been in a hockey shop anywhere close to Pro Hockey Life in Vaughn Mills - it's well worth the visit!

But I did hear back from their online customer service today - they were apologetic for the stick's condition and acknowledge it shouldn't have shipped like that without warning me first. But they are only offering a $10 credit as they claim at $139 sale price they are already taking a loss on the stick! As if that's my problem - I was not impressed!

They said with the volume of sales they do they can't check each item in detail before it goes out. Ok... but I can't see how anyone working in a hockey shop could put cardboard and bubble wrap around this stick and not stop to question the condition of the stick. I didn't even mention earlier that I CLEANED it up before taking the pictures - there was a lot of dirt/grime all over the shaft that came off with some soap and water.

It looks like I'll avoid buying sticks (or anything for that matter) from Pro Hockey Life online in the future - a deal's not a deal when you run into poor customer service like this. It's a hassle to repack it and pay to ship it back and my son doesn't want to wait another week or more to enjoy his birthday money gift - he wants to keep it and I'll chalk it up to a lesson learned the hard way.

My younger son has his birthday next month - he wants a Warrior Johnson - I know where we won't be getting it from this time!

Thanks for the feedback guys - it was good to hear from everyone.

Colin

[K9 Unit 1]

:) sorry to hear it, pro life hockey's usually a amazing store

just make sure your kids don't find this site, they'll catch the MSH syndrome ;)

[n3ss 0]

They gave you a $10 credit? not going to let you exchange the stick at no cost or anything?

I'd be on the phone raising hell.

[VakarLajos 5]

they took a loss on that stick....and a loss on any future purchases from you. great business sense.

[vek 0]

. the sticks they use inn the shooting area are all taped, blades and handels.

That's not what I witnessed when I was there last week. Employees were there, looking bored, playing in the Rapidshot machine with untaped, new looking OPSs.

[Zamboni 6]

Yep, in the Whitby location numerous new sticks on the rack have marks. Not the type you see at other stores from scratching on each other-these OPS's look like they have seen game action from being in the shooting gallery. And its the latest top models, S19's and X60's!!!

[reyno2ac 0]

They gave you a $10 credit? not going to let you exchange the stick at no cost or anything?

I'd be on the phone raising hell.

If we're reading that correctly I would be doing the same! They give you $10 for a stick that has obviously been used?! No way should you stand for that.

[shifter 0]

. the sticks they use inn the shooting area are all taped, blades and handels.

That's not what I witnessed when I was there last week. Employees were there, looking bored, playing in the Rapidshot machine with untaped, new looking OPSs.

Exactly what I saw, walking around checking out the sticks. One of the employee's sees' the new s19, grabs it and just fires some shots and laughing with the other employee's hlooked like they were holding new sticks too taking shots. The machine was broken too lol.

[MorePower4me 0]

Well, the upside is that their stupidity cost them mine, yours, and hopefully other viewers business.

There is 0 reason a store, any store, should operate like that. If online monsters like Amazon, Overstock (or pretty much anyone else) can figure out a way to not ship used crap, so should they.

Since they don't seem to car about your satisfaction call your credit card company. They will, and will hopefully charge it back to PHL.

And the BS about losing money is just that. I've see the sticks cheaper than that, AND if they are a little beat up, they mention it. Like on HM, they clearly say that sticks may have some scratches/dings. I have no problem at all with that, I just need to know up front.

So, F**k you PHL. You'll never see a dime of my $, and I hope you gets whats coming to you.

[Esa_10 1]

Wow...just wow. Cross them off my list.

They sold you a new stick and sent you a used one. False advertising plain and simple.

I'd be going nuts!

[jjleip11 0]

Only one word to describe this situation...UNACCEPTABLE. If I were you, I'd be on the phone and be the biggest thorn in their side until they gave you a new stick AT NO CHARGE and let you keep the used one they sent you. The squeeky wheel gets the grease, as they say. I know I'll never shop at that store now that I've read this thread...