A fellow I know pretty well worked for Dick's for about three years, on and off, part time and full time. In fact, he worked for several "large box" sporting goods retailers. Dick's is the only one that hasn't disappeared, but that is more by accident than design. All of the companies for which he worked had one thing in common -- they really didn't give a rat's a... about the sportsman or the customer, they just wanted to take his/her money. Here are a few examples of the stupid things that he told me Dick's management -- at corporate and/or local level -- has done over the years:
1. Stop selling handguns -- which the company did many years ago -- because they admit they're not bright enough to figure out the laws regarding handguns from state to state, but then announce that it was because of the company's commitment to "public safety."
2. Force employees to stay after closing time so that all employees can be frisked for stolen merchandise. This one cost them a class action lawsuit.
3. Tell all employees that "we know you're stealing us blind and we're going to stop it." Then hire managers and assistant managers, including gay guys, who get a kick out of groping employees in the name of security.
4. Complain that theft is a major problem and then fire employees for stopping thieves, including at least one security guard caught stealing merchandise!
5. Order 2 of product "X" in in 50 different sizes or styles, but when the product arrives, check into inventory 100 of product "X" in one size or style. When the products go through the scanners at the registers, however, they are correctly counted. As a result the store inventory indicates you sold items you never received and should still have 98 of that one size/style of item "X" still on the shelf. Then conclude that because the inventory is wrong, the employees must have stolen the "missing" inventory.
6. Hire "buyers" to purchase products such as "terminal tackle" in the fishing department (anything that goes on the end of a fishing line), who have never been fishing a day in their lives! When questioned about the wisdom of such practice, defend it by saying that in the absence of any knowledge upon which to base decisions about these products, the buyer won't be swayed by "brand loyalty."
7. Hire managers from outside the company to show up at a store and "inspire the employees" rather than promote from within. And hire managers from considerable distances from the store while promising them that they will be eligible for a transfer to a store closer to their home as soon as they "prove" themselves. Then never following through on that "promise" as a way of keeping those managers who are meek, mild and dependent on the company.
8. In an attempt to control costs, refuse to turn on the lights in the store before the store opens, leaving the employees to wonder around in the dark trying to stock shelves, etc. while wearing head light bands from the camping department.
9. Force employees to follow "plan-o-grams" from home office regarding the arrangement of products on shelves even though the linear feet of shelving varies from store to store. Telling employees to pile hundreds of pound of lead shot on shelving units that simply will not support the weight and then physically attacking the employees when the shelving unit collapses.
10. Focusing on selling cheep garbage made in China and then relying on the customers being "too dumb or lazy" to return it when it breaks or doesn't function properly.
11. Not having the products offered in advertising because studies have shown that the majority of customers who arrive looking for advertised products will accept substitute products that have higher margins.
12. Telling employees that it doesn't really matter what they do as long as they are selling .98 cent tee shirts made in China for $19.99.
This is just a few. I could go on and on, but you get the picture.