Sporting Life Reviews 201

This is second time they canceled our on line order in spite of the fact that items were in stock during purchase. Last week ordered ski set . Today learned they canceled order- out of stock. Went to their home page. it still shows ski are available and in stock???
They are not updating their page. NOT A SERIOUS COMPANY, just a bunch of snobs. I missed an opportunity to get a deal with another store.

Ordered ski boots online and picked up in Sherway store. Boots didn’t fit and wanted another size. They did not have them but other stores did. They told me I had to order online and have them delivered to the store or drive to a store who has them in stock. Would also not hold a boots at the store.
The manager told me that it was their policy to make customers deal with their inventory issues rathe than have the store help. On top of that… he was rude and did not care about the experience.
Sporting life has gone down over the past 5 years. Seems they think the customer needs them more than they need the customer… or they just don’t have people who know how to build a omnichannel business.
Either way.. they have lost their way. Too many options out there to deal with such a poor experience.

I would have given them a negative rating if that was possible. They put on a Boxing Day promotion get 50% off with your $100 purchase that apparently excludes everything in their store. So pretty useless and fake advertising. You should be ashamed of yourselves. It excluded all sale items and about 125 brands.

I ordered a pair of black adidas ultraboost and they sent me some blue shoes. They refused to send me the shoes I ordered and said I should send them back the blue shoes and I “might” get a refund… what the hell.

They charged me a large amount of money out of nowhere, and they refuse their responsibility on their end.

Advertised a puffer jacket for 50% off. Ordered on November 23,2023 and was not out of stock. I even checked the next day, that is November 24, 2023 to make sure that the item was in stock and their website mentioned that low in stock and but 3 was still available.
Received an order cancellation today(November 27,2023) claiming that item is out of stock and they gave me a 10% off-which is not even valid on brands that i usually shop.

Best thing is that their cancellation email mention that i ordered on November 24,2023 when in reality i made the purchase on November 23,2023!!!

This is the worst experience I’ve had with a company, period!

I ordered 2 hoodies for my son as a Xmas present so I thought I’d get it early. The package arrived however only 1 hoody was in there. I contacted the company and spoke to Kody who actually was helpful and polite. He told me an investigation will take place. I said fine. Few days later he emailed me stating an investigation has taken place and both hoodies were packaged in the parcel!

I am shocked! I’ve asked for proof of their investigation and unless they can show me a video or something showing both hoodies being packaged, I call this daylight online robbery!!!!

I paid good money and seems as though I’m losing out. I don’t know what else to do… I’m not even sure if we can report the company to a body who can investigate them.

It’s so sad that these days customers who pay good money are always the ones who get scammed!

Order a jacket and it arrived as they stated it would, on time. Unfortunately, it was not something we wanted to keep so returned it. Refund received promptly. I would definitely recommend this company. Very happy customer.

Sporting Life is owned by Fairfax. Their own company description clarifies the poor rating for Sporting Life, personal encounter. Its focus is on property and insurance,investment management. Customer service as part of Fairfax "investment management" couldn't be a core part given the reviews. "Founded in 1985, Fairfax Financial Holdings Limited is a holding company which, through its subsidiaries, is primarily engaged in property and casualty insurance and reinsurance and the associated investment management."

The success of Sporting Life was likely built on a "local feel" where they were an informed source for items the "big retailer" may not carry. If they did, the experience was lacking, something Sporting Life delivered.

With retail competitor online options that include brands they sell who do direct B2C. Some with their own branded stores. Sporting Life is redundant. Add sub par customer service, risk of bankruptcy can be a real event. On street locations replaced by a condo development won't be a surprise.

Fairfax owns Golf Town who faced financial problems at one point.

With COVID,consumers became further acquainted with e-commerce. I bought a bike online in August from the OEM, about $600 CAD discount. Riding, highly visible to consumers, word of mouth (SEO, social platforms). October, spent directly with up market OEMs Sporting Life sells, about $500 CAD in discounts.

Despite wanting to support local. Sporting Life underscores why you wouldn't want to support them. They add zero value when consumers can buy while in the USA. Or in another continent where items aren't available locally.

Speaking with a long time customer who grew up in Toronto. It appears Sporting Life founders appear hands off. A culture shift where a consumer can hear from their lawyers in response to their consumer inquiry. Typical of insurance ,and clarifies my own impressions of "something isn't the same. " Conglomerates ( $B revenue) don't send their legal to respond to consumer inquiries until the latter initiates.

Yonge & Lawrence store: one of the floor men was nasty and transphobic and one manager was even more rude and transphobic. Horrible experience. They need to be thought how to think about gender and not to assume gender. Ask what a customer is looking for, don't send them where you think they need to go.
The second manager was better but not good enough after the previous two.
I will never shop there again and the other reviews sound very familiar to my experience. I went to Jerome's and bought a gorgeous plaid shirt. More expensive but what a change: Italian family where the son took over the business and it is flourishing.
Before Sporting Life was sold to a superstore 1. it was a great progressive, customer focussed store, many more women working there 2. they had good stock of good brands (Gant, Barbour, PRL etc). They had beautiful and elegant clothes next to serious hiking and skiing clothes. Not anymore. Drab and boring clothes, bulk buys.

I wish there is a negative star option but no such button

Do u like to spend money to buy humiliation?

I bought a pair of snow boot (Bogs) for my son 5 days ago. He was in school that day. So he could only able to try it at home but the Size was too small. So, I took it back to return.

It was a very humiliating, stressful and insulting experience which I have never encountered before

The customer service lady - Casillda, said there is dirt on the side .. (there isn’t .. I wish there is a photo attachment option here)
Her voice was quite loud. I was basically scolding by her in the beginning .

I said the shoes bottom has no dirt, new …the corner side might have dust .. then those must from your store as it was on Display .. she insisted those little dust are dirt and accused me the pair was wore and she meant I lie…

I was so disappointed that being a customer simply take an item to return can result in such humiliation.

It is winter snow boot for zéro degrees and now it is 14 degrees ..

she Insist those were wore and won’t take back.
After The manager was called in, he returned it for me.

The customer service lady’s attitude was very bad. She ordered me “tab your card to get your money back” loudly. I really felt I was treated like a person in a lower class.

I am not confortable to shop there anymore.: too much stress .. not worth it

I have been a great supporter for Sportinglife .. our winter jackets.. winter gears we buy from them.. just for this month, I bought 4 pair of shoes there for my family .. it is really disappointing that I am such a loyal customer is treated as such

My package was delivered, however, when I checked my property, it had appeared to have been missing.

SportingLife took the "too bad" stance and now I'm out $190 on runners...

I've never had a package stolen, but I can see online that most companies will provide a refund / replacement as they have shipping insurances with their delivery companies.

0/10 - I will never shop here again / should have never ordered online...

Worst customer service ever I have seen they didn't even bother about their customers concern I have issue product quality and they asked me ship the item with my own expenses what's this no other customer service will do like this please don't buy products in the sporting life

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Terrible customer service !!!
They canceled my online purchase and when I called they didn't know the reason. I checked with my bank twice and I know that the funds were there and there was no issue with my account . They told me go to the store and once I got there, my card was declined because they put my money on HOLD . I'm still waiting for my refund to be able to go and get my kayaks . They couldn't just accept the purchase or explain me before I'd waste my time and gas to go there, just to leave empty handed . Didn't even offer a discount or anything in exchange for the inconvenience. Ugh.

Store staff (2665 Yonge Street) on the other hand, was great .

NEVER BUYING ONLINE FROM THEM AGAIN. AVOID IT AT ALL COST !!

wow, haven't had such poor customer service in such a long time... since the last time I shopped here and swore I wouldn't come back. Do yourself a favour - just don't bother. Shopping should be an enjoyable experience. I'd rather have a tooth pulled.

I ordered a pair of snow pants (40% off)from the Sporting Life website using a Gift Card. I waited 3 days before throwing out my gift card because you’d think after 3 days, if they were going to cancel my order for whatever reason they’d have done so by now. Long and behold they cancel my order after 4 DAYS and I’ve thrown out my Gift Card. I contacted Customer Service immediately and they sent back a generic message (they didn’t even read my concerns). After calling them out they said “sorry for the miscommunication and misunderstanding” here’s a 10% discount that expires in 30 days. What a joke. Now am in a cat mouse game with the gift card company and sporting life where they are deflecting blame saying the other company has to deal with my gift card issue. Quite possible the worst changer service I’ve ever had with a company in a long time. Don’t buy here.

I UNDERSTAND THEY HAVE A BUSINESS TO RUN BUT THEY GO A TAD TOO FAR WHEN IT COMES TO NICKLE AND DIMMING THEIR CUSTOMERS. BOUGHT A PRODUCT ONLINE AND PICKED UP IN STORE. FEW DAYS LATER THEY HAVE ONLINE "FLASH" SALE. ATTEMPTED A PRICE MATCH OVER EMAIL WITH CUSTOMER SERVICE. THEY REFUSED TO PRICE MATCH BECAUSE IT GOES AGAINST THEIR POLICY ON FLASH SALES. SO NOW I HAVE TO GO TO THE STORE..RETURN THE PRODUCT... AND ORDER IT AGAIN TO GET THE DISCOUNT. THAT IS ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS!

The customer service is very bad. I have never experienced anything like this. They do not keep you updated on your inquiries, you have to make the follow up yourself every few days or else they will ignore your request.
If you are trying to claim the warranty on a product, they will make the process as slow and difficult as possible for you.

This retailer has terrible customer service, don’t order anything online they don’t provide any protection/refunds against lost or stolen products and their shipper just leaves orders on the street on first try without signature. No phone number to call either, all online.