Wild Birds Unlimited

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CLOSED NOW - Opens at 12:30pm

WBU is a nationwide chain that manufactures high quality (and high-priced) outdoor bird feeding equipment. After going through several cheap feeders purchased at Lowes I bit the bullet and decided to upgrade to the first class section in feeders.



Apparently WBU sells franchises, and someone ("Becky Brown") opened a franchise here. It's a great way to see what products look like in real life, and also a great way to support local businesses and their owners. In this case however, the advantages of doing so are outweighed by some big disadvantages.



I've been to the store now 2 times; the first time to see (and purchase) a so-called "ABS" setup (complex system of anchors, poles and attachments), the second time to follow up a query about availability of a part.



The products are terrific--thoughtfully engineered, carefully manufactured, and attractive! But the customer service is downright unfriendly. The first time I visited, the guy "helping" me offered no help other than to say that he was closing in 20 min and that I better make up my mind soon. Feeling rushed, I ended up spending more than I should have (~$500 in components), but was reasonably happy with the outcome. The second time I visited (a couple weeks later), there was a big sign advertising 20% off on the same exact parts, and the same guy said he had no idea when the offer started and that "it was my problem" if I had purchased the parts earlier for full price.



Obviously, it's a business, and it's up to them to offer discounts when and where they want, but this guy seemed better suited for a job as a prison guard than customer service.



Save your goodwill and your time; buy online.