I am a big fan of Good Sams and Camping World. I shop their often, and it is not close to me.... Lately I have been having issues with the quality of the products they are selling. Has anyone noticed the same? It would seem that the quality of some of the products they sell are going down hill. For example, I purchased a clothes hanger, it broke almost within a week, I had it replaced at a camping world, same issue. Cheap plastic and poor design.Purchased a water regulator with a gauge, the gauge is no longer working after only 3 months. No it is not clogged.Purchased a outdoor patio mat, which in the past I could get a full season out of, now the mat is separating at the stitching.Only had this item for 2 months.This is not a complaint thread, I only wish to see if anyone else is having similar issues and hopefully call Camping World management to take action.I would rather pay more for higher quality, you?Thanks..

we'll buy some things at CW that are, let's say, unique, to camping and RVing. but things like hangers...good, sturdy wooden hangers...can be found anywhere. a lot of the junk being sold today is from china. most shoppers care about price instead of value and until that changes we'll continue to be a dumping ground for the chinese reds.

exactly....most of the rv stuff is from china and low quality no matter if its from CW or any other supplier

90%+ of the stuff we buy for our RV comes from the same place we buy stuff for our stick and brick. Home Depot, Bed Bath and Beyond, Amazon, eBay, Walmart., etc.

rk911 wrote:we'll buy some things at CW that are, let's say, unique, to camping and RVing. but things like hangers...good, sturdy wooden hangers...can be found anywhere. a lot of the junk being sold today is from china. most shoppers care about price instead of value and until that changes we'll continue to be a dumping ground for the chinese reds.I really wanted to ignore your comment but this thoughtless China Bashing is off target. Assuming you are an intelligent person I decided to give a try to increasing your understanding of Chinese manufacturing.China makes many of the highest quality products you use in your home and office everyday. Almost all Hi-Def flat screens for TV's and computers are made in China Including Sony's(about 95%) Many of the computer chips that run your Laptop or computer are made in China. All Apple I pods, I pads and much of their computers are made in China and these are recognized as some of the highest quality products built anywhere.The Chinese workforce is well educated, literate and motivated.Does China make a lot of really cheap stuff...of course...but it's what has been ordered from the SELLER. They set the specs. They decide what they want to pay...and they get the product they pay for.Blaming the Chinese is like shooting the messenger, they are making what companies are ordering. The "Reds" as you call them are without a doubt at this point THE BIGGEST CAPITALIST country on the planet.And I know this because I have worked in China, traveled from one end to the other of that country and bought many of these products and been in many Chinese factories on behalf of my own business and others. I have imported (to SE ASIA) many really high quality products from there)And in the end we dont know where the products came from in the post above. It is just as likely that the Mat came from the Philippines, the gauge from Indonesia or Singapore etc. The bad quality is coming from the BUYER not the Manufacturer.

4X4Dodger wrote:rk911 wrote:we'll buy some things at CW that are, let's say, unique, to camping and RVing. but things like hangers...good, sturdy wooden hangers...can be found anywhere. a lot of the junk being sold today is from china. most shoppers care about price instead of value and until that changes we'll continue to be a dumping ground for the chinese reds.I really wanted to ignore your comment but this thoughtless China Bashing is off target. Assuming you are an intelligent person I decided to give a try to increasing your understanding of Chinese manufacturing.China makes many of the highest quality products you use in your home and office everyday. Almost all Hi-Def flat screens for TV's and computers are made in China Including Sony's(about 95%) Many of the computer chips that run your Laptop or computer are made in China. All Apple I pods, I pads and much of their computers are made in China and these are recognized as some of the highest quality products built anywhere.The Chinese workforce is well educated, literate and motivated.Does China make a lot of really cheap stuff...of course...but it's what has been ordered from the SELLER. They set the specs. They decide what they want to pay...and they get the product they pay for.Blaming the Chinese is like shooting the messenger, they are making what companies are ordering. The "Reds" as you call them are without a doubt at this point THE BIGGEST CAPITALIST country on the planet.And I know this because I have worked in China, traveled from one end to the other of that country and bought many of these products and been in many Chinese factories on behalf of my own business and others. I have imported (to SE ASIA) many really high quality products from there)And in the end we dont know where the products came from in the post above. It is just as likely that the Mat came from the Philippines, the gauge from Indonesia or Singapore etc. The bad quality is coming from the BUYER not the Manufacturer.This is also true of American made products. The "quality" is in the specs from the vendor, NOT the factory. I have bought JUNK that had the label "Made in the USA" affixed and believe me, it was pure junk. So country of origin has NOTHING to do with the product quality.

Camping World Quality | Good Sam Community

CavemanCharlie
Explorer III
Feb 26, 2015
Sport45 wrote:
I'm another that makes every effort to repair something before replacing it. But repair parts are getting harder and harder to find. Even Sears often shows repair parts as unavailable. But in their defense, I'll have to say the part I have in mind was for a finish nailer that I bought about 15 years ago. And that would be a long time to expect a company to stock parts.

Along these lines (so not really completely off topic), who was the repair guy in Mayberry?

I think it was Emmett's fix it shop.
pnichols
Explorer II
Feb 26, 2015
Highway 4X4 wrote:
Don't look at a purchase as "buying" something. You are just renting it till it breaks.

An outstanding observation and comment!

I gotta remember that one. ;)
Highway_4x4
Explorer
Feb 26, 2015
Don't look at a purchase as "buying" something. You are just renting it till it breaks. Time for us all to "drink the cool-aid" and join the disposable society. If you fix it, you're slowing down the economy.
Sport45
Explorer II
Feb 26, 2015
I'm another that makes every effort to repair something before replacing it. But repair parts are getting harder and harder to find. Even Sears often shows repair parts as unavailable. But in their defense, I'll have to say the part I have in mind was for a finish nailer that I bought about 15 years ago. And that would be a long time to expect a company to stock parts.

Along these lines (so not really completely off topic), who was the repair guy in Mayberry?
CavemanCharlie
Explorer III
Feb 25, 2015
I live by the motto that if you have something that works you better take care of it because anything you buy that is newer is going to be made cheaper and not last as long. With that in mind I often repair things rather then replace them.

A month ago I took apart my 1970's can opener to fix a loose wire and oil the motor. I know I will never get a can opener this good again so I fixed the old one to keep it going for a little while longer.
john_bet
Explorer II
Feb 25, 2015
My dad made a living and feed 3 boys fixing and building things for others. RIP--DAD.
Bumpyroad
Explorer
Feb 25, 2015
pnichols wrote:

3) A few days ago I bought a new $2.99 socket and switch assembly to replace the assembly that the bulb screws into on my common and cheap 20 year old desktop lamp because it's stupid to throw away an "otherwise perfectly good lamp".

Does anyone in the U.S. do these kinds of things anymore to repair or replace the gizmos in their lives? I guess if too many of us did these kinds of things the U.S. economy would tank.

guilty as charged. I've paid about as much for a replacement bulb as buying a new LED light at wally world.
bumpy
pnichols
Explorer II
Feb 25, 2015
Cloud Dancer wrote:
I try to learn how to fix everything ...

That reminds me of three things:

1) About 3 years ago we replaced my wife's flip cell phone with another one we bought at a garage sale for exactly $1 because we thought is would be a waste to pay for a supposedly "free upgrade" that our cell phone provider kept trying to goad us into.

2) A few days ago I drilled through the corner of the lid (the part with the display in it) of the laptop I'm typing this on and put a little tiny screw, with a little tiny lock washer and nut on it to hold the lid together so as to try and get a few more years out of the laptop instead of buying a whole new laptop because my 7-8 year old one is "falling apart".

3) A few days ago I bought a new $2.99 socket and switch assembly to replace the assembly that the bulb screws into on my common and cheap 20 year old desktop lamp because it's stupid to throw away an "otherwise perfectly good lamp".

Does anyone in the U.S. do these kinds of things anymore to repair or replace the gizmos in their lives? I guess if too many of us did these kinds of things the U.S. economy would tank.
The_Texan
Explorer
Feb 24, 2015
You and me both Willie. Just bought a new shed for our place here in AZ and the 1st thing that went into it was a workbench, so I had someplace to work on my stuff.
Cloud_Dancer
Explorer II
Feb 24, 2015
I'm a dying breed. I try to learn how to fix everything, and my garage looks like a hoarder lives there. Is the world going to deal with me? Apparently not. They're going to get what THEY want,......they know I only have a few years left....:B

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