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USMC46
Explorer
Aug 27, 2013

Good Sam's Membership Records

My wife and I stopped in Albuquerque for a few days. While riding with some friends, we stopped at Camping World. We did not have our Good Sam's card with us but found a few items we needed. When my wife went to the register, she told the cashier that we did not have our card. The cashier said that was not a problem and asked for our phone number and address. When we gave that to her, she advised us our membership was expired. We informed her that it was not expired as we had just renewed it before we started on this trip, in May, 2013. She insisted it was expired and we were advised to renew it. My wife paid the membership fee again, and we left. Today, we took our Good Sam's card back to Camping World and showed them that it expired in May, 2014. They said that's no problem, that the membership fee we paid yesterday would just renew the membership which would now expire in 2015 and that we would get a new card. It all just seemed like a high pressure tactic to get membership cash well in advance. ( A nice cash flow tactic !) We observed others checking out and many seemed to be getting pressured to renew. What gives with Good Sam's / Camping World ? The strange thing is that on this same trip we encountered a few RV parks which had dropped Good Sam's even though they are in the book. When I combine this experience with the ENDLESS mail from Good Sam's trying to sell me various memberships, I have to admit I'm getting a bad taste and may just drop Good Sams totally when this membership expires. It just isn't worth it.

27 Replies

  • wbwood wrote:
    Good Sam Care Team wrote:
    USMC46 wrote:
    My wife and I stopped in Albuquerque for a few days. While riding with some friends, we stopped at Camping World. We did not have our Good Sam's card with us but found a few items we needed. When my wife went to the register, she told the cashier that we did not have our card. The cashier said that was not a problem and asked for our phone number and address. When we gave that to her, she advised us our membership was expired. We informed her that it was not expired as we had just renewed it before we started on this trip, in May, 2013. She insisted it was expired and we were advised to renew it. My wife paid the membership fee again, and we left. Today, we took our Good Sam's card back to Camping World and showed them that it expired in May, 2014. They said that's no problem, that the membership fee we paid yesterday would just renew the membership which would now expire in 2015 and that we would get a new card. It all just seemed like a high pressure tactic to get membership cash well in advance. ( A nice cash flow tactic !) We observed others checking out and many seemed to be getting pressured to renew. What gives with Good Sam's / Camping World ? The strange thing is that on this same trip we encountered a few RV parks which had dropped Good Sam's even though they are in the book. When I combine this experience with the ENDLESS mail from Good Sam's trying to sell me various memberships, I have to admit I'm getting a bad taste and may just drop Good Sams totally when this membership expires. It just isn't worth it.


    USMC46,

    I sent you a private message requesting your personal information concerning your payment(s) for membership in 2013. Please reply to the PM so that I can research this for you.

    If you travel to a park marked Good Sam in our travel guides or directories, but arrive to find out they are not in the GS netwrok anymore, it could be for a couple of reasons. Most commonly, it's because the park has failed to meet the qualifications that Good Sam, Trailer Life and Wooddall's set forth for the parks to meet when it comes to facilities, overall cleanliness, etc,. For up to the minute confirmation of a park's status with Good Sam, just go onto our website at www.goodsamclub.com and use our "Plan a Trip" feature to find out. As of January 1, 2013 Good Sam had reached over 2700 total parks, highest number ever for Good Sam.

    As far as the mail I can suppress any and all mail you are not interested in once I have your information.


    Thank you,

    S. Wilmes
    Marcus' Rapid Response Team


    I don't care too much for that response. We were given a directory when we bought our MH June 1st. CW and the Good Sam Elite Club membership boasted that it's a $25-30 value (can't remember exactly). I would be pissed if I bought a directory for that much money to find that it's not current. If we are expected to have to go online and check there for the current parks, then why tarnation would people pay that much for soemthing that adequates to nothing much more than a paper weight? Especially when we can log online and get it free. You see, the reason why people buy them and use them is because they find it easier and more readily to use. Many places where RV'ers go, there is no internet connection or wifi. Many RV'ers are older and don't use the internet or prefer not to. Many people prefer to view via paper, just like many do a map.

    When the book is printed, it should contain all the up to date information. Every park listed in the 2013 directory, should be good for the entire 2013 year. What you just basically said is that the printed directory is worthless. Nice to hear.


    wbwood,

    As I stated, Good Sam, Trailer Life and Woodall's monitor the conditions of every GSC park monthly with random inspections. If that park fails the inspection, GSC will drop that park until they update their facilities, cleanliness, etc,. If you arrive at a park marked GSC in your directory, but are not when you arrive, it's because that park failed the inspection and doesn't meet the requirements for GSC sponsorship. If that is the case, you might not want to stay there for a lack of immenities, cleanliness and poor facilities.

    If you don't have access to the internet while traveling, give us a call at 1-800-234-3450 and we will gladly go online and do the research for you over the phone! Our phones are open 24/7!

    I hope this helps,

    S. Wilmes
    Marcus' Rapid Response Team
  • wbwood wrote:
    Good Sam Care Team wrote:
    USMC46 wrote:
    My wife and I stopped in Albuquerque for a few days. While riding with some friends, we stopped at Camping World. We did not have our Good Sam's card with us but found a few items we needed. When my wife went to the register, she told the cashier that we did not have our card. The cashier said that was not a problem and asked for our phone number and address. When we gave that to her, she advised us our membership was expired. We informed her that it was not expired as we had just renewed it before we started on this trip, in May, 2013. She insisted it was expired and we were advised to renew it. My wife paid the membership fee again, and we left. Today, we took our Good Sam's card back to Camping World and showed them that it expired in May, 2014. They said that's no problem, that the membership fee we paid yesterday would just renew the membership which would now expire in 2015 and that we would get a new card. It all just seemed like a high pressure tactic to get membership cash well in advance. ( A nice cash flow tactic !) We observed others checking out and many seemed to be getting pressured to renew. What gives with Good Sam's / Camping World ? The strange thing is that on this same trip we encountered a few RV parks which had dropped Good Sam's even though they are in the book. When I combine this experience with the ENDLESS mail from Good Sam's trying to sell me various memberships, I have to admit I'm getting a bad taste and may just drop Good Sams totally when this membership expires. It just isn't worth it.


    USMC46,

    I sent you a private message requesting your personal information concerning your payment(s) for membership in 2013. Please reply to the PM so that I can research this for you.

    If you travel to a park marked Good Sam in our travel guides or directories, but arrive to find out they are not in the GS netwrok anymore, it could be for a couple of reasons. Most commonly, it's because the park has failed to meet the qualifications that Good Sam, Trailer Life and Wooddall's set forth for the parks to meet when it comes to facilities, overall cleanliness, etc,. For up to the minute confirmation of a park's status with Good Sam, just go onto our website at www.goodsamclub.com and use our "Plan a Trip" feature to find out. As of January 1, 2013 Good Sam had reached over 2700 total parks, highest number ever for Good Sam.

    As far as the mail I can suppress any and all mail you are not interested in once I have your information.


    Thank you,

    S. Wilmes
    Marcus' Rapid Response Team


    I don't care too much for that response. We were given a directory when we bought our MH June 1st. CW and the Good Sam Elite Club membership boasted that it's a $25-30 value (can't remember exactly). I would be pissed if I bought a directory for that much money to find that it's not current. If we are expected to have to go online and check there for the current parks, then why tarnation would people pay that much for soemthing that adequates to nothing much more than a paper weight? Especially when we can log online and get it free. You see, the reason why people buy them and use them is because they find it easier and more readily to use. Many places where RV'ers go, there is no internet connection or wifi. Many RV'ers are older and don't use the internet or prefer not to. Many people prefer to view via paper, just like many do a map.

    When the book is printed, it should contain all the up to date information. Every park listed in the 2013 directory, should be good for the entire 2013 year. What you just basically said is that the printed directory is worthless. Nice to hear.


    So, what do you recommend, printing daily!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Telephone books are printed annually! Your position is not attainable and therefore untenable. Lighten up!
  • wbwood wrote:

    I don't care too much for that response...I would be pissed if I bought a directory for that much money to find that it's not current. If we are expected to have to go online and check there for the current parks, then why tarnation would people pay that much for soemthing that adequates to nothing much more than a paper weight? Especially when we can log online and get it free.

    When the book is printed, it should contain all the up to date information. Every park listed in the 2013 directory, should be good for the entire 2013 year. What you just basically said is that the printed directory is worthless. Nice to hear.


    This is completely out of line and unrealistic. Your statement, "When the book is printed, it should contain all the up to date information.", makes sense and if you would just think for a minute you will understand. The book is developed with final up to date information. Then sent to be printed. 4 weeks later it is ready for distribution. 4 weeks later you get it in the mail. 4 weeks later you go on your first trip after getting the book. The information in the book is now 12 weeks old. 4 weeks later you go on another trip. The information in the book is now 18 weeks old. I think even you can understand this concept.
  • A directory is a printed document. It stops being valid the day it is printed on the paper. I am not sure what else you'd expect? Good Sam has no control over whether a park is going to hold up their end of the bargain in the future, AFTER the directory is printed. Come one. You act like Good Sam owns the parks and has control over them. The idea that there is perfection in a directory that has 14,967 independent campgrounds in it seems like a huge stretch to me. If that directory is 99% accurate, that still means 150 errors. I'll gladly pay $9.95 for that as a tool.

    While I've read a few posts here about discounts problems at a particular campground, what I haven't read about are locations that got added during the year and the customer received a discount that they didn't expect. And you can bet money that the latter has happened as well.
  • Good Sam Care Team wrote:
    USMC46 wrote:
    My wife and I stopped in Albuquerque for a few days. While riding with some friends, we stopped at Camping World. We did not have our Good Sam's card with us but found a few items we needed. When my wife went to the register, she told the cashier that we did not have our card. The cashier said that was not a problem and asked for our phone number and address. When we gave that to her, she advised us our membership was expired. We informed her that it was not expired as we had just renewed it before we started on this trip, in May, 2013. She insisted it was expired and we were advised to renew it. My wife paid the membership fee again, and we left. Today, we took our Good Sam's card back to Camping World and showed them that it expired in May, 2014. They said that's no problem, that the membership fee we paid yesterday would just renew the membership which would now expire in 2015 and that we would get a new card. It all just seemed like a high pressure tactic to get membership cash well in advance. ( A nice cash flow tactic !) We observed others checking out and many seemed to be getting pressured to renew. What gives with Good Sam's / Camping World ? The strange thing is that on this same trip we encountered a few RV parks which had dropped Good Sam's even though they are in the book. When I combine this experience with the ENDLESS mail from Good Sam's trying to sell me various memberships, I have to admit I'm getting a bad taste and may just drop Good Sams totally when this membership expires. It just isn't worth it.


    USMC46,

    I sent you a private message requesting your personal information concerning your payment(s) for membership in 2013. Please reply to the PM so that I can research this for you.

    If you travel to a park marked Good Sam in our travel guides or directories, but arrive to find out they are not in the GS netwrok anymore, it could be for a couple of reasons. Most commonly, it's because the park has failed to meet the qualifications that Good Sam, Trailer Life and Wooddall's set forth for the parks to meet when it comes to facilities, overall cleanliness, etc,. For up to the minute confirmation of a park's status with Good Sam, just go onto our website at www.goodsamclub.com and use our "Plan a Trip" feature to find out. As of January 1, 2013 Good Sam had reached over 2700 total parks, highest number ever for Good Sam.

    As far as the mail I can suppress any and all mail you are not interested in once I have your information.


    Thank you,

    S. Wilmes
    Marcus' Rapid Response Team


    I don't care too much for that response. We were given a directory when we bought our MH June 1st. CW and the Good Sam Elite Club membership boasted that it's a $25-30 value (can't remember exactly). I would be pissed if I bought a directory for that much money to find that it's not current. If we are expected to have to go online and check there for the current parks, then why tarnation would people pay that much for soemthing that adequates to nothing much more than a paper weight? Especially when we can log online and get it free. You see, the reason why people buy them and use them is because they find it easier and more readily to use. Many places where RV'ers go, there is no internet connection or wifi. Many RV'ers are older and don't use the internet or prefer not to. Many people prefer to view via paper, just like many do a map.

    When the book is printed, it should contain all the up to date information. Every park listed in the 2013 directory, should be good for the entire 2013 year. What you just basically said is that the printed directory is worthless. Nice to hear.
  • USMC46 wrote:
    My wife and I stopped in Albuquerque for a few days. While riding with some friends, we stopped at Camping World. We did not have our Good Sam's card with us but found a few items we needed. When my wife went to the register, she told the cashier that we did not have our card. The cashier said that was not a problem and asked for our phone number and address. When we gave that to her, she advised us our membership was expired. We informed her that it was not expired as we had just renewed it before we started on this trip, in May, 2013. She insisted it was expired and we were advised to renew it. My wife paid the membership fee again, and we left. Today, we took our Good Sam's card back to Camping World and showed them that it expired in May, 2014. They said that's no problem, that the membership fee we paid yesterday would just renew the membership which would now expire in 2015 and that we would get a new card. It all just seemed like a high pressure tactic to get membership cash well in advance. ( A nice cash flow tactic !) We observed others checking out and many seemed to be getting pressured to renew. What gives with Good Sam's / Camping World ? The strange thing is that on this same trip we encountered a few RV parks which had dropped Good Sam's even though they are in the book. When I combine this experience with the ENDLESS mail from Good Sam's trying to sell me various memberships, I have to admit I'm getting a bad taste and may just drop Good Sams totally when this membership expires. It just isn't worth it.


    USMC46,

    I sent you a private message requesting your personal information concerning your payment(s) for membership in 2013. Please reply to the PM so that I can research this for you.

    If you travel to a park marked Good Sam in our travel guides or directories, but arrive to find out they are not in the GS netwrok anymore, it could be for a couple of reasons. Most commonly, it's because the park has failed to meet the qualifications that Good Sam, Trailer Life and Wooddall's set forth for the parks to meet when it comes to facilities, overall cleanliness, etc,. For up to the minute confirmation of a park's status with Good Sam, just go onto our website at www.goodsamclub.com and use our "Plan a Trip" feature to find out. As of January 1, 2013 Good Sam had reached over 2700 total parks, highest number ever for Good Sam.

    As far as the mail I can suppress any and all mail you are not interested in once I have your information.


    Thank you,

    S. Wilmes
    Marcus' Rapid Response Team

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