UFA closing all Wholesale Sports locations in Western Canada

[charves]

http://www.newswire.ca/news-releases...644511713.html

[tikkataker]

http://www.wholesalesports.com/ She gone!

[7mm12g22lr]

Oh well...their understanding on what online shopping should be was very weird anyway...not shipping between stores etc...let the overspending begin

[blueice123]

That sucks the only Canadian big store


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[Bganz]

I heard it was an executive order from Rachel Notley.

[300magman]

Good riddance. Maybe if they hadnt had the worst customer service in existence before Cabelas and Bass Pro forced them to "improve" it, then people would have had a bit more loyalty. No tears shed from this guy over this, im actually pretty excited....might actually buy something from there again in going out of business sales.

[peno]

this blows they were my favorite shop

IMPORTANT UFA NETWORK ANNOUNCEMENT
September 14, 2017
At 3:00 PM (MST) today, together with our Board of Directors, our co-operative will issue a news release announcing that we are conducting an orderly wind down of Wholesale Sports Canada Ltd. ("Wholesale Sports") business.

While UFA is showing strong financial results, we would like to stress that this was an all-inclusive business decision that, while difficult, was made in the best interest of UFA on behalf of our members. Numerous external factors that led to this decision; including an increasingly competitive environment, the continued shift to on-line purchases and an overall slowing of consumer discretionary spending as a whole, including the outdoor industry. As a result, it was decided that the orderly wind down of Wholesale Sports was required to allow UFA to focus on its core business of agriculture and petroleum.

Today there was a UFA senior leader at each of our Wholesale Sports locations to ensure there is an orderly process and so that everyone gets questions answered and knows the next steps in this process. We will treat all of our affected UFA and Wholesale Sports' employees with utmost respect during this difficult transition, and we have taken steps to support our affected employees and to try and lessen the impact of the closures.

To maintain order and process today and out of respect for your fellow team members, we ask that you please do not engage on social media, so that our management teams in place today have the first opportunity to work with each affected employee personally.

As a reminder, the news release will be posted today at 3:00 PM (MST). Shortly after that time you will receive a letter, and an article will be posted to our Intranet to further explain this orderly wind down.
Once again, please know that this difficult business decision was made in the best interest of our members and the co-operative.

Kindest Regards,

Carol Kitchen
UFA President / Chief Executive Officer

Kevin Hoppins
UFA Chairman of the Board

[elkhunter11]

One thread wasn't enough?

http://www.outdoorsmenforum.ca/showthread.php?t=329316

[Kurt505]

[FCLightning]

Originally Posted by elkhunter11

One thread wasn't enough?

http://www.outdoorsmenforum.ca/showthread.php?t=329316

I think there are 4 now.

[Grizzly Adams]

No business buying them in the first place.

Grizz

[angery jonn]

Sucks to see a Canadian business close their doors.

[Jayhad]

Capitalism at it's finest, the market has spoken.

[Grizzly Adams]

Originally Posted by Jayhad

Capitalism at it's finest, the market has spoken.

Gotta believe if they'd had better management, they'd still be with us.

Grizz

[JWCalgary]

Too bad. Although their service was wanting they were a cad retailer. Oh well good news for our smaller shops like proline, Calgary shooting center, campers village.

I guess the message is get your online house in order, improve your service or you'll die a quick death.

Maybe some deals to be had.



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[glen1971]

It sucks, but if you can't be competitive, you'll be out of business..

Will UFA still be carrying hunting and fishing gear or are they getting out of that too?

[pikeman06]

Sorry but I have to agree about the service. The gun and optic guys were a bunch of monkeys. I don't know if they were on a commission or what the deal is but they hardly look at the guy buying the 500 dollar savage. Just the atmosphere made me never go back. We all know you don't need a 5000 dollar gun to kill a deer when you get three days a year to hunt. Not running them down but found it way less painful to just do my own research and walk into crappie tire and the nice person just hands you your new gun without all the drama and eye rolling.

[Dweb]

Originally Posted by pikeman06

Sorry but I have to agree about the service. The gun and optic guys were a bunch of monkeys. I don't know if they were on a commission or what the deal is but they hardly look at the guy buying the 500 dollar savage. Just the atmosphere made me never go back. We all know you don't need a 5000 dollar gun to kill a deer when you get three days a year to hunt. Not running them down but found it way less painful to just do my own research and walk into crappie tire and the nice person just hands you your new gun without all the drama and eye rolling.

they can take our WSS but they will never take our Crappy tire!!!!

[KBF]

Originally Posted by 300magman

Good riddance. Maybe if they hadnt had the worst customer service in existence before Cabelas and Bass Pro forced them to "improve" it, then people would have had a bit more loyalty. No tears shed from this guy over this, im actually pretty excited....might actually buy something from there again in going out of business sales.

Was in a store a week ago. I had at least 6 employees ask me if I needed something. I hadn't been in the store 5 mins and made it out of the first I aisle. I had to look around and see if I was actually in Wholesale sports. Couldn't figure it out

[HIGHLANDER HUNTING]

Too bad they couldn't make it. It was close to my house, way more convenient than Cabelas. Some guys at the gun counter were good, some not but it's retail so I don't expect experts behind the counter. You have to do your own research anyway.

Reminds me of Home Depot vs home hardware. Home hardware moved out of the larger markets and focussed on smaller cities where HD wouldn't go. They emphasized local owner operators. Maybe WSS could have survived as a brand had they just closed Calgary and Edmonton.

Also with Grouse River going teets up, they seemed to focus heavily on e-commerce and I thought they did it well.
So who knows.

Cheers
John
highlanderhunting.podbean.com

[dmac]

too bad.

Their (UFA) announcement stated that the business provided strong results. Strange they wouldn't be able to sell a business with strong financials. Likely heading in the wrong direction.

[Lefty-Canuck]

Not sure which Wholesale you guys shopped at but I used to try sneaking by the front door before someone greeted me at the South Side Edmonton and it was really hard to get by without someone saying "Good Morning" or "Welcome". There always seems to be more employees than customers, and I would always have at least 2-3 employees approach and ask if they could help. Likely due to the ratio of employee to customer. So employee to customer contact was good, then after that it all depended who you got...just like any retail experince.

I hate seeing places shut down, even the places I dislike will have something I NEED at some point. There is variety between the different retailers. WSS will be missed...just wait next fall when guys who buy tags in person need to adapt to the change, and don't. There will be a ton of whine threads about "now that WSS is gone how do I get tags?" Love them or hate them WSS has been a Western Canadian staple for many years....it's like the Heinz Kethup of sports stores. You don't need it all the time but when you want some nothing else will do.

LC