5 Warnings to Shoppers From Ex-Dick's Sporting Goods Employees

1 | Back stockrooms may be chaotic.

If a sales associate wasn't able to find you a certain item or a different size in the back, it could be because they simply couldn't look for it. In a recent Reddit thread, several current and former Dick's Sporting Goods employees discussed how overstocked their stores were.

"It’s a mess. We have apparel everywhere. The store is over stuffed. Even customers are complaining that it’s almost unstoppable," wrote one Redditor. Another said, "our back stock is overflowing, some fitting rooms are now stock rooms for nike hoodies. my bopis room has now become cabin sock central."

2 | You'll probably be pressured to sign up for a credit card.

Like many large retail chains, Dick's keeps track of employees' credit card signups, so it's very likely you might feel pressured to get one. In fact, there are entire Reddit threads where current and former employees share tips on how to get more customers to apply for the credit card.

"Cashiers are expected to sell credit cards and protection plans to every customer which is a bit annoying," wrote an employee on Indeed. "They push metrics heavily and will call you out if not performing (scorecards, warranties and credit cards)," wrote another former employee.

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3 | Know why you're giving your phone number.

Much like they are with credit cards, employees are taught to get people to sign up for Scorecard, Dick's rewards program where shoppers earn points for their purchases. "At my store our manager expects us to have 75% of customers who get rung up to have a scorecard account," shared an employee on Reddit.

One's Scorecard account is linked to their phone number, so be sure you know why you're giving out your digits. "Just ask what’s a good number. If it’s not in the system automatically enroll and put ur numbers in. Then ask for their number again and fill in the email as their number@gmail.com (ex: 2065572782@gmail.com). I just say “your’re not in our system, but all I need is that number one more time and a name)," commented one Redditor.

As for the mailing address, another commenter said, "if they seem impatient or if there’s a line i just type in random numbers + ST and then do our store city/zip."

4 | The return policy might be more lenient than you think.

Even without a receipt, it's still possible to return things to Dick's. "If you don’t have a scorecard to look up the receipt you will get the lowest ticketed priced paid for that product and it will be placed on a gift card. Just know that items that could have been $100 when you purchased could now be worth $10," explains a former employee on Reddit." You'll also need your ID to do a no-receipt return.

However, as the Krazy Koupon Lady explains, a bike can only be returned within 24 hours provided you didn't ride it, and certain items (such as baseball bats and football helmets) can't be returned once the factory seal is broken.

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5 | Watch out for spam emails.

In Nov. 2022, a major email scam went around advertising that recipients had won a free Yeti cooler. Many of these emails were made to look like they came from Dick's Sporting Goods. "It’s fake don’t put any info! Had a couple of customers ask me about this and it’s a scam," wrote an employee on Reddit. If in doubt, don't click the email and contact Dick's customer service.

NOTE: Best Life only includes information from social media and job boards when there is corroboration from multiple sources. These comments have not been independently verified, however, and are the opinions of the people who posted them.