So I'm down for work in NC and I wanted to pick up a rod for when I'm down here for work every month.  I was going to pick up a Falcon or Ethos rod that was on sale until I heard a ruckus around the corner.  It made me "cringe", it was the sound of "rough handling" of rods.  You know that sound I'm sure when you hear your rods hit something hard!  It was like someone took a lot of them and slammed them against the wall.  When I looked around the corner it was a worker who was placing more rods to display.  He handled them very rough and I'm sure he's damaged blanks and I was appalled.  I put the rods back and will go find a local shop to go buy a rod. 

That's part of the reason I order my rods directly from the manufacturer and I don't even have them shipped, I just go pick them up myself. 

I always closely inspect the entire blank, reel seat, and guides if I end up buying a rod in store where the public can handle the rods. 

 

Just recently, a local Gander Mountain is going out of business and my tournament partner found two Abu Veracity's on a great deal and he called me asking if I wanted them. I told him to inspect them and if they looked good to get them for me. He called me back minutes later and said that the one had a cracked blank and they other had two missing inserts in the guides. 

 

So let that be a lesson. Inspect your rods thoroughly before buying them from a store. 

I've picked up rods at the local BPS and DSG, with the 

former having more damaged rods. Mostly bent guides

and so forth.

 

I always thoroughly inspect a rod I'm interested in before

I buy it at the store. But yeah, there are definitely people

who are less than careful in handling.

4 hours ago, WIGuide said:

That's part of the reason I order my rods directly from the manufacturer and I don't even have them shipped, I just go pick them up myself. 

St Croix?

Welcome to NC (my state).

 

My take is the worker may have little knowledge on fishing in general. Seems like a lot of people gets just placed wherever in a store.

20 hours ago, lmbfisherman said:

When I looked around the corner it was a worker who was placing more rods to display.  He handled them very rough and I'm sure he's damaged blanks and I was appalled.  I put the rods back and will go find a local shop to go buy a rod. 

 

Ya ain't seen the whole picture!

 

I worked for Academy & what your describing is minor. When the warehouse sends rods to a local store they a stuck in a card board with maybe 25-30 other rods all loose. These boxes of rods are then loaded into an 18 Wheeler along with everything else heading to a local store. Loading the truck may be with a pallet jack or forklift.

 

Getting a picture of what's taking place?

 

Oh by the way all companies do it!

Inspect all rods before buying them no matter what the store. That's the beauty of being able to handle a rod before purchasing it.

 

My local Dicks and Field and Steam keep a clean, no damaged stock. My K-Mart however is a sea of broken rods, reels and tackle.

14 hours ago, blckshirt98 said:

St Croix?

Yeah, I only live about an hour and a half from the factory so that works for me. I know not everyone has that luxury, but I've got it and I definitely take advantage of it!