Go Outdoors can go take a running jump!

[diplodowcus]

I picked up a couple of small things for DC's Duke of Edinburgh expedition in Go Outdoors today. One was 6.50 and the other was 5.50, so I expected to pay £12 minus a 10% DoE discount, so £10.80 total.
However, when I showed the DoE card, the sales assistant said "You can only use that if you're a discount club member"
Me: "How do I become one of those?"
Sales Asst: "Just give me a few details"
[Gave name, address, email etc]
Sales Asst: "That will be £15.80 please!"
Me: "How come? Surely it should be £10.80?"
Sales Asst: "It's £5 to join the discount club!"

Since when did retailers start charging to join their loyalty card scheme? And why didn't the assistant mention it before I signed up? And how mean of them to make the DoE discount dependent on joining the scheme!

Feeling better for the rant, and will be shopping elsewhere in future. But buyers beware!

This has always been their scheme. I don't like it and strongly suspect that the products they sell are not quite what they seem - the quality doesn't seem the same to me as the same brands sold elsewhere, but outside of hiking areas, it's really hard to buy outdoor gear.

Makes me laugh when people say they'll never shop there. This scheme has been running for years. Once you've paid £5, the discounts are significant. You can make it worth it with one purchase.

We have saved hundreds through having a discount card. They also deliver for no extra cost to BFPO addresses instead of charging extra like a lot of other places.

(Anyone with kids in Scouts... thats a 10% discount too.)

Go outdoors have charged for the last 20years at least.

We use them regularly and they're usually the cheapest.

Perhaps so, but they only took over my local store recently. It used to Blacks, then Go Outdoors, neither of which had a "club", and seems to have only beome "Ultimate Outdoors" since I last visited. I didn't even notice it had changed, as the name is so similar. There were lots of very confused customers at the tills, so I wasn't the only one!

Black's and go outdoors are owned by the same parent company. Never heard of ultimate outdoors.

Sales assistant should probably have mentioned it but go outdoors have always charged to be a member. If you shop there regularly it's a decent one to be part of b

Why were all the other customers confused? Were they signing up too?

Another sub brand of JD sports

Who’s ultimate outdoors? Anyway they are mostly owned by one company.

Just looked. Ultimate outdoors is blacks and millets so bugger all to do with go outdoors.

unless it’s under the overall JD brand.

Yes they are all under the JD Sports brand

Go Outdoors, Millets and Blacks are all same parent company so same as Ultimate outdoors I guess.

It’s been £5 since god were a lad.

Do they still do the piece match +10%? I got some bargain trousers there once because they price matched an online offer knocked off another 10%, but that was probably 5 yrs ago.

I agree they should have let you know about the charge. Have you let them know you were unhappy about this? It might be better than posting on here. It may just be that the assistant didn't think to tell you. As pps mention, it is a commonly known membership scheme and I have always presumed the £5 cost keeps the general prices down.

I had the same thing happen to me yesterday, there seems to be a problem with the Go Outdoors in store systems. A Go Outdoors discount card should not be required to get the DofE discount. The DofE card is accepted instead of a Go Outdoors discount card online and the Go Outdoors website has a page describing the terms and conditions which say this should apply in store as well. The text below is copied from their website (my highlighting), but the store staff knew nothing about this or how to make it work:

'TERMS & CONDITIONS: DISCOUNT FOR DofE PARTICIPANTS AND LEADERS
Go Outdoors Retail Ltd
Company Number: 12659342
This offer entitles DofE Participants and Leaders with a valid DofE Members Card to receive an extra discount on eligible products when they use their DofE code online, or show their members card in store. Limitations apply see below for full details.

1. This offer cannot be used in conjunction with any other multibuy offers, codes, promotions or a price match. Promotion not available in stores with clearance or closing down sales.
2. A valid DofE Card is required, and can be used instead of a GO Outdoors Discount Card.
3. This offer excludes purchases of WOW deals, Sale/Clearance items, multibuys, Bikes and Garmin products, Gift Cards, Discount Cards or Gas Hire.
4. To redeem the offer online enter your DofE discount code at the checkout screen of the website.
5. To redeem the offer in store show a valid DofE Leaders or Participants Card at the till.
6. The offer must be applied at the point of sale, and cannot be applied retrospectively.
7. The offer and discount is not exchangeable for cash or credit, and is non-transferable. Returned items will be refunded at the discounted price paid. This does not affect your statutory rights.
8. GO Outdoors reserves the right to (i) cancel this offer at any time; (ii) cancel or refuse any individual's benefit from it; (iii) amend these terms and conditions, including the end date.
9. This offer is available to DofE Leaders and Participants only, and only for the duration of their DofE membership.'