Gander Mountain

[JJ]

What is your impression of Gander Mountain?

[TK_551]

I think Gander Mountain is OK for the most part. I think that it depends on the location of the store. I live near Rockford, Illinois and they just opened a store there. The selection is way better than any of the other sports stores in town and their prices are better as well. However, I find certain things that the Rockford store doesn't carry at the Janesville, Madison, and Wasaua Wisconsin stores such as certain cranks, jigs, and whatnot. I feel that they base what they carry on the demand of the area. I shouldn't complain--it is way better than what we had in town.

Tom
#551

[Mckoz]

I have been waiting for this post to come back to life. While no store is going to satisfy everyone, Gander is still the best show in our area (SE WI). I do my fair share of complaining when I can't find something but who else has the variety of hunting/fishing related items at least around here.

There are better places to buy guns, there are better places to buy Lake Michigan gear, there are bait shops with good people and good info - but GM has most everything most all the time.

Since the last discussion, when I complained about the lack of Salmo's at the stores, they are now packed with them. Somebody's listening to us!

I still manage at least a trip a week. It is much easier to smuggle several small packages into the house! I will continue to go to GM and am sure they will continue to get a lot of my $$$s

Mike

[Pitts]

I frequent the Burnsville MN store and those guys will bend over backward for ya to make it right. Even if the problem was with the manufacturer they try to make you happy.
Good store and good people.


Pitts

[Marble Eyes]

I visited the Store in Grand Rapids, MI this past weekend, and while the fellas that were employees were very friendly in the fishing area, their stock left you wanting... They seemed to be in the middle of a chang over or something, Some Empty shelves, and it took a while to find staff to help you, but when they did, they were decent.

[sib]

I think they are changing over. 40 percent off Ice fishing, as the season ends on 3/15 for eyes. Stuff gets pretty picked through at those prices. Looks like they've got most of their turkey stuff up. I usually see a pretty good selection of tackle just before the open water season and they run some pretty good specials around then.

I've been cherry picking them since Nov. on open water stuff. Old Hot n Tots for $2.97(went quick), jigs, etc. It may not be the best, but I think a may be the best in GR. I'm not much for the giant sporting goods stores that sell workout machines and skis, like Galyan's. Don't get me wrong, they have their place, just not attractive to me.

[waterfowler]

As a part timer here, I'm biased. I do wish we would dump about half the clothing in the store so the fishing department could expand even larger. Then again, if we just got rid of fly fishing, bass stuff, ect.. we would have plenty of room for "eye" gear. Just kidding!!

I'd like to share my viewpoint from the sales associate side with you. I often get questions for a specific lure, rod, whatever and we either don't carry them or don't have them in stock. I've been snarled at, chewed out, you name it. I bite my tongue and say I'm sorry I couldn't help more. Believe me, the $7.00/hour I make there isn't worth it when I have to put up with jerks like this. I'm sure customers are disappointed. I don't blame them. Let me tell you though, it only takes one customer to come in and ask me "I've never fished before and I want to take my son/daughter fishing." I love showing kids how to cast with the dummy weight in the store. In the sales world, I don't think anything is better than selling a kid his/her first rod. One thing the retail industry has taught me, not all people are nice, but 99% are. That's why I keep working there. Plus it's cool working in one of the world's largest tackle boxes..:)

One thing about it, you can always find a better price somewhere else, I don't care what store you are in. For me, I obviously buy 99% of my stuff at Gander, employee discount, but I still shop at the competitors. Reef Runners, a perfect example. We don't carry them in our store. I personally would change a lot of things in the fishing department, but I'm not running the show. Case and point, stores can only carry so much product.

All in all, compared to our competitors, Gander is a good store in my opinion. That being said, I'm sure many people have had less than desireable experiences with the store at one time or another. All I can say is hopefully you don't get treated that way twice. If you do, ask for the store manager.

Waterfowler

[Schnauzer]

The Tonka GM seems to be out of stuff all the time - even common stuff. Try buying something simple like 8 lb fireline there - good luck. Obviously they get this stuff in at some point but when they are out, they are out for MONTHS. I've had the same problem with lures. The pegs for the common colors/sizes/types will be empty... for a l-o-n-g time.

I too have found the staff to be helpful and friendly. If I were to put my GM thoughts in a nutshell: Nicely trained staff, poor stock management. I do buy the majority of my gear there and I would probably consider myself somewhat of a loyal customer. I'll take good service over prices and stock pretty much every time.

[perchjerker]

Keep your head up, waterfowler. Nothing wrong with Gander. Like you said, could be better, hopefully things will change before its too late.

I have found some real good deals there. Last week, I was going to head over to Cabelas to get a mount for my new trolling motor. I was figuring to pay $70 or so for it. Since Gander isnt that far away, I decided to try there first. They didnt have to exact mount I wanted, but they did have a similar minn kota mount that sells for $85. It was marked down to $20. It was the only one they had. Needless to say, I was a happy camper! It was like they knew I was coming!

I always check there first before heading out to Cabelas, they do need to pay more attention to the inventory, though.

[outdoor fanatic]

I can only speak for the store that I shop in-Kalamazoo MI, but I think that they are doing a good job. I buy a lot of stuff from them and spend as much time in their store as my wife does in Nordstrom's, so it's as if they take a personal interest in me. Just about all the staff knows my name and the management in there does as well. If they don't have something in stock that I'm looking for, they find it for me. That may be individualized for me, however, it's hard for me to say that the store is anything but great when you get that sort of service from a big store. I am also a member of other goups (Ducks Unlimited, etc) and every time we have a dinner or other fundraising program, they are always quick to donate. I still continue to support the Mom and Pop Bait shops because I think it's important, but for my money, GM is hard to beat.

[John]

I like my local Lansing, Michigan GM store, but we don't have a lot of hard core fishing equipment stores in the area, either. Similar sentiments to other posts, sometimes out of stock, but the staff is well trained and helpful. I'm still trying to learn how to do this walleye stuff, and the Lansing GM store (along with Saginaw, Flint and Pontiac stores) sponsored PWT pro Lance Valentine (from Flint area) to come and give a FREE 6 week seminar(they did it last year, too--I'm a repeat) Last night was the first class, and there was probably about 60-70 guys (and a couple ladies too)in attendance. I think it is great, because Lance is full of good info, but it works out well for GM, because I know they got plenty of my money over the last year. Overall, I rate 'em pretty good.

[JWilson]

I shop at the La Crosse, WI store and have nothing but great things to say especially the employees. Granted all of my time is spent in the fishing department, and yes there are some things I wish they had but overall I am a very pleased customer.

[Leo Kam]

Their store in Wilmot, which was also their cooperative Hdqs before they were bought out by the present owners, was the best. Especially the warehouse with prices marked down by 75% or more at times. Boy, did I hate to see that close up.

[AquaMan]

WF, It is nice to see a salesman that has such good loyalty and GM is lucky to have you. I have been in sale for over 15 years and you are right on the mark...kinda. It is more like 80% are great and 20% can take a long walk off a short dock.

That said, I have shopped at the Burger Brothers in Bloomington since 1997 and when news came of it's sale to Gander a few years ago I was bummed...unitl the new staff proved it's goals. I have never had a problem with that store since it became Gander and they have always maintaind the best service and information for the equipment and products they sell. Sure, they may not have everything you want, but what they have, they know how to use. Most are avid sportsman/women that know what their products are and how they work. Gander serves a vital purpose to a specific niche. I am happy with that niche.

Sell on Waterfowler! I know quite a few of your compadres and they are great as well.

AquaMan~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It all begins and ends at the water's edge...

[waterfowler]

I hear ya, nothing makes me madder than to run out of snap swivels, weights, ect..... I think there is a certain amount of tackle that should be on the shelves year round. Unfortunately the stores don't have much of a say for inventory. The buyer buy and disperse to the stores. Oh well, if I ever figure out how to make everyone happy, you'll never hear from me again because I'll be rich and sitting on a lake somewhere.

[FJH1]

I've had two issues with Gander Mountain recently that really irked me. First, I received a Gander Mountain Gift Card for Christmas ($30). I used it the other day for a purchase that totaled $29.51. They said they could not give me the $.49 in change. I now have a Gander Gift card with a $.49 balance. Talk about a joke. I understand why they do this. They dont want someone coming in with a $100 card, buying a pack of gum and taking the change. Gander would be out the cash. But give me a break if it's under $1.00 give me the change.

Issue #2. This winter I set myself up for ice fishing. I dropped $568.38 at Gander Mountain. This included the purchase of a couple of Beaver Dam Arctic Tip-Ups. Gander Mtn. had a $5.00 rebate offer on the Tip-Ups. The tip-ups were not boxed, they were hanging on an aisle end cap display. Little plastic hang thingies were stuck to the tip-ups. The rebate form said that the UPC tag had to be included. Well, I tried to peel the sticker off the tip-up but it was hopeless. I sent in the form with my dated receipt and a note saying these were not boxed...UPC was impossible to remove. Yesterday I get the rebate form returned to me as rejected - no UPC. People in these departments are robots, the company gives them no latitude to use their brain. I'm sure that Gander Mountain has informed the rebate company to reject any claim not meeting the criteria exactly. I understand this, why give away cash? I realize it's only $10, but I am pi$$ed. A letter is going off to Gander Mountain, and Beaver Dam (I'm sure they're involved in the rebate as well).

PS: Bass Pro Shops is closer to me than Gander but I always try to support the "long time" business. That has changed since these fiascos.

Thanks for letting me vent!

Best Regards,

FJH

[Sunshine]

I also live in SE Wisconsin and I'm not very happy with the Brookfield Store. I only go there when I have to. There are other GM stores around Wisconsin that I am happy with but not that one. There are two main reasons for this.

First, I've been there too many times when I have overheard conversations between customers and salespeople when the salesperson was giving misinformation about products. Twice, I've bit my lip and then waited for the customer to be away from the salesperson to give them my honest point of view. It saddens me when I hear people giving opinions and/or testimonials on products that they nothing about. People go to these stores quite often for the advice. If you don't know what you're selling, learn or get someone else to help that particular customer. Don't BS! There's nothing wrong with saying "I don't know".

Secondly, It is my understanding that since GM sold the catalog business portion of their company, corporate headquarters have changed some important policies. When they place their orders to national distributor, they guess on the quantity that they will need. When this quota for a particular store is gone, They do not reorder. They do not replenish the shelves with those items. I've seen it happen all too often at the Brookfield store, if you're not there right when they get an item in you're out of luck. They won't restock it. What sense does this make? You have a popular item and you won't get more. They seem to be afraid that too many items will end up in the discount table. I'd say that the real problem is that they have national buyers who don't know what they are doing.

Don't even get me started about when the salespeople buy up the items before we can get in and get them. I know that this is a perk for a $7.00 an hour job, but I'm done spending $15.00 on gas to travel for an item that was advertised in a flyer to find out that all of the items were bought by the time I got there by salespeople.

Thanks for letting me vent. I feel better now.

[Husky]

Its nice to see the perspective from the other side of the counter. Perhaps people might think first before going off on a sales associate.

To answer your one wuation regarding why the store carries do much clothing, if you get a chance to speak with your manager(s) ask them about the profit margins in fishing, electronics, guns, and camping. then ask what the margin is in clothing. the markup in clothing is what carries the store, so to speak. If they got rid of that, they could not afford to keep the doors open. thats why all the big sporting goods stores, Dicks, gaylans, etc have so much clothing. the cold fact is that while fishing is important to us, our purchases really don't keep the stores open.

[Dave in Mpls]

I hear ya, FJH1. Not getting change back from gift certificates is one of my biggest pet peeves, short of the MN DNR Accelerated Walleye Stocking Program (don't get me started). The store isn't out the money if they give you change - THEY HAVE ALREADY COLLECTED THE MONEY!! If you buy me a $100 reel and I don't want it, I can return it. If you buy me a $100 gift certificate and I don't want it, I'm hosed! Idiotic, I tell ya!

In regard to Gander Mountain in general, I think they do an OK job. If I'm near one and I need something, I'll stop. Chances are they'll be out of what I need, however. Doesn't really matter, though - if they keep closing stores at the rate they are, it won't be an issue. When did they close the Roseville store????

Regards

[Jim Ordway]

How do you get out of the store without spending $50.00??? :)

[Gilligan]

Not sure I should post to this one.. I vented a bit on Gander Mountains poor stock hear back around Christmas, lots of negative posts followed causing the thread getting deleted.

I visited a Penna. store looking for items such as Offshore boards, OR 16 releases, snapper releases, lead core line and harness blades. I wouldn't have been suprised not seeing the snapper releases, being new to the market but not one board or release? And not 1 blade in the whole store! The salesman was very helpful, digging through stock rooms trying to find items. He told me that these items sold better in their Erie Pa store so the Pa. sales manager ordered all their stock shipped there. I emailed a complaint to GM from their website, (AND IF YOU ARE LURKING OUT THERE READING GM)they promised to look into the matter and get back to me .. it never happened. They seem to have well informed, hard working employees, to bad they don't have much to sell.

[SWeed]

I live in eastern Iowa and we got a Gm about two years ago. It is what it is. I have been quite satisfied with what they have and understand it takes awhile for a store to learn what its customers want. Also they have 3 or 4 levels of stores for the different markets. For many years we had one locally owned big sports store and they were real proud when it came to pricing... In the last three years we got a Scheels and a GM. GM beats the other two hands down.

As for the gift card issue, I have no problem with the no change deal. Guess I spent to much time on the other side of the counter, so I understand this policy. Use it next time. my two cents.....

[jj]

back to top

[michman]

JJ-why are you bringing this back up to the top?

arent 22 responses enough?

I dont get it...

[Dinky]

Dave,
In regards to your second issue,I work part time at Gander in a Ohio store. You are way off base blaming Gander for placing of UPC stickers. The manufacter is the one who packages the item and puts the UPC on the product. Gander Mountain is no way responsible for the re-bate. They dont get anything from that,its only the company who makes the product.They offer the re-bate,pay the rebate in order for you to try thier product.Those tip ups came loose in a big box and it is up to the store to find a way to dispay it. Gander Mountain is not perfect but they sure as ##### try.
Individual stores have really no say as far as store content.Its the corporate buyers. You complain and complain and sometimes it sinks in.
As far as not having things advertised in flyers, these ads are made up months in advance and they get a promise from the manufacter that they will deliver on time for ad. Sometimes it doesn't happen. Employees dont suck up the bargains,they just dont get there on time.

[iamwalleye1]

Well! In rockford we just got one! I was very happy to have a fishing store in our town! I paid it a visit and they had a very disapointing selection of fishing supplies! The manager said they would be getting more in the winter and spring. Now winter is here and still nothing! THey said due to cut backs they had no one to put the iyems on the shelfs. I will just still have to mail order and get all my fishing supplies online!

[Fishnwiz]

While Sunshine does raise some valid points regarding Gander in Brookfield......I find the fishing sales staff, both female and male, to be knowledgable about most of the stock and very helpful! I used to sell sporting goods and it is impossible to know everything about all of your stock, even when you fish 120+ days a year like I do! A point should be made and has been, that the trick to shopping Gander IS to go in to the store as often as possible, to get the instock items BEFORE they sell out! While there are other stores that do a much better job at this then Gander.....there are some KILLER deals on the clearence table and racks and if you happen to get there at the right time! I guess the bottom line is this store works for me because I have the ability to shop it 3-4 days a week. Otherwise, for people who fish and live in S.E. Wisconsin......the people in the know shop at Fleet Farm (Not farm fleet) in Germantown for ALL of their fishing needs! Wiz