Big 5 Sporting Goods

Just trying to buy shoes, to replace the shoes I bought a month ago that were stolen! Good service in the department, went to pay, trouble started.
Manager not in store for a week, vacation and assistant manager was a believer in the customer is always wrong. Really ill willed and nasty rude behavior. Store is tired but convenient.
Stay away from this site, not worth the the nasty behavior, arrogant attitude.
One man’s opinion!

This place is great had an employee help me find all my girls softball gear great employees will be back!

Convenient location without having to drive to the Oceanside location and deal with their tiny parking lot. Because this Big 5 is in a larger strip mall there’s plenty of parking (not necessarily right in front of the store). But you can always find a spot in the lot.
Employees are generally helpful. Although sometimes you’ll have to work to find someone in the shoe department. It’s like a game of cat and mouse or hide and seek. But when you do find someone, they are courteous and quick to offer assistance.
The layout (as with all Big 5 stores) is a little cramped. If you’re pushing a stroller or are in a wheelchair, it’s not a place that’s easily accessible.
Returns are a bit of a hassle, sometimes you have to sign paperwork other times it’s quick and easy. I’m going to assume it’s dependent on the dollar amount of your return.
Decent sale prices so check the paper for the weekly ads.

These folks went out of their way to help my wife locate some items, and then had the store that had them hold them. Was a great job on their part. I’ve also had good dealings with this location.

Joshua the manager was very nice as were the employees. They happily accepted a return product from the Escondido store without any hassle. This store rocks!

Will never shop here again. Service has never been good. But that really doesn’t matter when your going for a specific product that you need. But customer service is horrible when you need help or have to return anything. Had to return something that I bought 2 days prior of trying and it was faulty. When I ask to exchange I was told they couldn’t. I left and called the manager, he was helpful and that’s why I gave 1 star. I have decided to go to a different store tomorrow and return. Because I have no desire to shop at this store again.

There is nothing wrong with this place. I’ve been coming here for long time and never been discussed. They have good product at fair prices. I will always return here.

I had a very bad experience at this Vista store. I have also been to the Rancho Bernardo store, which I prefer. The manager at the Vista store is neither friendly nor helpful. I waited almost half an hour for someone to answer a question about a tent. There are almost no staff members here. It is empty. The only reason I went is because they had tents on sale that were not on sale at my preferred branch. This store was also empty of customers, unlike their competitors which I visited that same day. The manager also refused to honor a coupon that was emailed to me through their loyalty club. I am not going to use big 5 anymore.

I really like the sales here and the shoes they have are fantastic. Matt was extremely helpful with our purchase. My favorite big 5 in San Diego.

I was pleasantly surprised by the number of different running shoes they have, and how reasonably priced they are. There are a number of shoes on sale for cheap cheap cheap (Saucony for $ 40!).
They also have a 90 day return policy so if the shoes don’t work out, you are free to return them.
Just picked up a new pair of running shoes for just over half the price I expect I’d have paid at my regular running store in Carlsbad.

The store itself is stocked pretty well, they usual have some pretty rocking sales.
The issue is trying to get someone to help you in the darn store, even if you are at the counter, it’s like a ghost town it seems.
I swear you could walk in there with a screaming baby and walkout with a canoe and no one would know.
If you need sports gear stop by and pick something up, but bring a cowbell so you can get some service.

This store location is very convenient. The prices are more affordable than the competition store, but their sale or clearance prices aren’t really what you expect for red or yellow tags.
Usually when we visit the store the customer service is very friendly and helpful. I would be a returning customer.

Just had a terrible customer service experience at the Big 5 Vista, CA location. I was attempting to return a defective pair of soccer shoes that have caused some recent bad blistering and pain to my toes. The toe area of the shoes have some kind of defect including some loose threading that sticks inward and fits uncomfortably against my toes. I was showing them and complaining about them to a few teammates after my last match and everyone said «take them back for exchange, that is ridiculous.» As they only cost about $ 29 and I’m not in the habit of returning items, I was reluctant to go thru the hassle (especially since the Vista location is about a 30 minute drive away) but was pursuaded by everyone that it was ludicrous to continue playing with these and that any reasonable business would happily and quickly exchange the shoes without much hassle.
I went in today, tried to explain the problem and asked for an exchange and was denied by customer service manager Steve. I tried to describe the problem and showed him some of the more obvious problems with the shoes including the loose threads but, right from the start, he seemed uninterested and patronizing. Admittedly I no longer had my receipt and I explained that up front. It was not so much the fact that he wouldn’t allow me to exchange these shoes that was disappointing but was moreso the manner in which he acted. If Big 5 has a strict no receipt/​no return policy and he’d explained that to me I think I would have been disappointed but understanding (we are, after all, only talking about a $ 29 pair of shoes here). As it turned out, I don’t even know what Big 5’s return policy is because, instead of explaining anything to me, he was simply dismissive and would only say, «I’m not doing anything without a receipt, you’ve clearly worn these shoes.» He treated the situation as though I was some young punk trying to pull something over on him as opposed to a 41 year old professional simply asking for help with a defective product.
I have never before had any kind of negative experience with the Big 5 brand so it is my hope that this was an isolated incident. Needless to say however, my days of patronizing that specific Vista location are over.

I seriously don’t know why people shop there other than some good sale prices. I REALLY don’t know I have gone back ever. I wanted to try on tennis shoes, the store MANAGER said they were out of socks to offer. I politely asked what I should do and was told I could GO HOME and get socks or buy a ($ 10) set, but those were my only options.
I tried on the shoes – they were stiff and expensive and the store socks were tight (I have skinny legs) and so, so thin. I was going to walk out of the store but the manager followed me and not wanting a confrontation, I just bought the socks. The manager said, «At least you got some good sale socks,» to which I commented, «yes, they are thin and cheaply made.»
You would think he wouldn’t want me leaving his store with such a bad impression, but he could have cared less.
That is it for me and Big Five. I will go anywhere but there.

I would have given this one a 5 star rating if the location/​store appearance were better. Driving into the shopping center where this store is located and walking into this particular Big 5 do not say very much — however — the Manager, Daniel, does his job well; the customer service at this particular store make up for the location etc. I recently needed to make a large purchase of camping gear for friends. Although Big 5’s recent sale had ended, Daniel did not hesitate to honor the sale prices. He was also very helpful in determining which other products might or might not be necessary. I have been back since and would happily recommend them to others. Two thumbs up to Daniel and Big 5 on Sycamore in Vista, CA for being so helpful!