Gander Mountain's financial woes ....
- Thread starter 41magfan
- Start date
Making room, ,,,,,,
With their complete lack of any customer service, I'm not surprised sales are down.
Maybe if they priced their products competitively ....
Cootmeurer
Eight Pointer
Can't say I am sad. They worked hard to put the SUCK in unsuccessful.
Zombie
Old Mossy Horns
Sadly, field and stream is worse than GM. I'll still shop GM, I won't field and stream.
Sent from.......wait....where am I?!
justwin24
Six Pointer
I stopped shopping there when they put the rifles out of reach. Just never had a reason to go in after that.
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Zombie
Old Mossy Horns
Yeah, I miss the rifles being out where you could look at them easily without having to draw a freaking number.
Sent from.......wait....where am I?!
Jlewis74
Old Mossy Horns
I will only go there if its something easy I need. The prices are high and they don't really stock what sells in the local area.
hikestofish
Spike
Tried to buy a new shotgun from Gander Mountain in Woodbridge, VA earlier this weekend and I will say it was not a pleasant experience. Much the same as any time I've attempted to purchase a firearm from them. Their staff is no knowledgeable and will constantly try to upswell you on something you don't want. I knew what I wanted and I didn't want to spend the extra $400.00 to get what they thought I needed...that's after waiting two hours. Mind you, that whole time I had the number that was on the display but they were busy helping another customer who came up behind me and didn't have a number. When they finally had the time to approach me I left them with an earful and walked out the store without a shotgun. Luckily I found a steal online and my new (to me) shotgun should be at my house this week. I will never buy another firearm from gander mountain and I know others that feel the same way. They have a complete lack of customer service and I'm surprised it has taken this long.
redbow
Ten Pointer
Zombie, do you still work at Dicks? I've never had problems with F&S. I will never shop at Gander again. As for all three (Dicks, GM, and F&S), if you go there looking for "experts", advice or good customer service, you are setting yourself up for disappointment.
The Dude
Eight Pointer
Does this mean they will be discounting the prices on their items in the near future?
That's what I was wondering. I've actually had a good gun-buying experience there. Picked up a Beretta semi-auto 12 gauge for under $500, which was the result of the store manager honoring an advertised price after he ran out of inventory. Got a few gaps in the gun safe that I'd like to fill if the price is right.
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Jake NFC
Twelve Pointer
Exactly the reason I am looking forward to Academy Sports opening in Greensboro.
Zombie
Old Mossy Horns
I do. The first issue I had was with one firearms associates. Saw a customer of mine that had been looking for a firearm. The particular gun he wanted, we couldn't get, but he saw me and said they actually had one. I was happy for him finding his gun. The salesman walks back over with the gun and the customer tells him who I am, and that he had been working with me trying to find this gun, but we couldn't get it....the salesman looks at me, laughs and says "sucks for you". The customer kinda gives him a pissed off look and the guy turns and starts finishing up the paper work.
Next, and last time, I was looking at a hundred dollar holster, and had my glock on my side. Associate walked by and I stopped him to ask about feedback on the holster. He talked about what customers have said, then looks at my gun and back at me and says "plus this is an IWB holster. It takes an idiot to open carry" turns and walks off.
Sent from.......wait....where am I?!
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redbow
Ten Pointer
Wow. That is crazy. Total understand your position now.
chevync20
Twelve Pointer
They rarely have good deals. In one instance I had asked about purchasing a shotgun and they told me if they price matched, they would void my guns warranty. Said they cant even buy them for the price I gave them. have not really been back since.
turkeyfoot
Old Mossy Horns
Only good buying I've doen at GM is if something on clearance have found couple things like that last was pair Rocky snae boots for less than half price of course for my purchases didn't need customer service sounds like its not the place to go for gun. Hunting is fairly competitive market you would think they would at least treat people wth some respect
apexhunter
Ten Pointer
Everybody can come up with a horror, an idiot or simply a bad experience story about most any retailer but GM's issues have been around since the first time I stepped into one of their stores some 10 odd years ago. Terrible pricing, horrific customer service, totally inept salespeople within their particular "area" and did I mention their prices were insane? I've mentioned this before but 2 Decembers ago I was driving home from BPS and decided to kill some time and stopped at GM to bargain hunt for Christmas presents. BPS had an over-full parking lot and every aisle was completely crammed with shoppers- to the extent you could barely get to merchandise if you wanted to buy it. Pulling into GM's lot there were 10 cars max and inside the store the help outnumbered shoppers 3 to 1...It was total crickets.
I'm not surprised they are headed for the toilet and the sad thing to me about it is they will take Overton's with them since they bought that brand from Parker Overton a while back.
I'm not surprised they are headed for the toilet and the sad thing to me about it is they will take Overton's with them since they bought that brand from Parker Overton a while back.
Mallard Cutter
Six Pointer
I cant afford to shop there, even there sale items are still high. I will not miss them AT ALL.
I have found several great deals on used guns at gm. The f&s in Cary used to have good deals never found any deals at the Greensboro store.
SM270
Ten Pointer
Spoke with a good friend of mine yesterday and he said all of this is hear say. He is store manager and said that's what he is being told. He says GM is a privately owned business that doesn't give out financial information like some of the bigger stores. Is this true or false I have no clue. I rarely buy anything from there have always thought they were way high. I personally like Academy sports and then BPS. Only thing I ever get is my license for the year from GM since they are only 10-12 minutes from home.
Homebrewale
Old Mossy Horns
Gander Mountain is a private company so they don't have to submit financial reports like public companies.
Mr.Gadget
Old Mossy Horns
Wonder if the other stores tied to them are doing the same.
Overtons is one.
Overtons is one.
g3trappernc
Twelve Pointer
I have gotten a few decent deals over the years, but few and far between. Got a Carhartt coat for $39 one time and a smoker for $99. Only really shopped there if I had a last minute need for trapping supplies, but those were always over priced....
BriarHound
Six Pointer
Personally, I'm glad there all here...Gander Mountain, Bass Pro and Cabela's. Whether someone thinks there over priced or have poor customer service I appreciate the fact that I can put my hands on most items I'm looking for verses only looking at it online or in a catalog.
well,,,I read their "official statement" in response to the Reuters reports,,,,,,,if I was betting, I'd bet they are looking at it as an option,,,,,,
http://www.kwch.com/content/news/Report-Gander-Mountain-could-be-preparing-for-bankruptcy-413786393.html
http://www.kwch.com/content/news/Report-Gander-Mountain-could-be-preparing-for-bankruptcy-413786393.html
I've been into Gander Mountain probably 6-7 times over the years and only once have I had an employee ask if they could offer assistance..... because of their higher prices, I've rarely made a purchase.
NCST8GUY
Frozen H20 Guy
Now, this is bothersome.
Rumors, even with no factual basis, can be devastating. Throughout history we can find situations where a rumor started, eventually became true.
A "rumor" that they're going to file, will NOT be a cause of them filing, at least not within a month. IF that happens, it wasn't a rumor. BUT, it could severely hamstring any future acquisitions or "shifts" where they might need investors funds.
I sat through a presentation on "Shifts" this week. And a very similar situation was the key. Sears Catalog (notice Gander started out as a Catalog), for many years, was THEE go to for anything from Bra's to Compound Bows. Eventually, it disappeared. Know what replaced it? Amazon.
Gander mtn prides themselves in this article as having 162 stores in 26 states. That is MASSIVE Overhead! Now, think about how many aisles in those stores are moving products at a snails pace. Guns, Boots, maybe clothing move year round. Camping, kayaking, etc, probably not.
The last few years have taught us that sportsmen can in fact wait a few days for certain (eventually most) items they want or need. Having 162 large stores, leases, and employees to run them is probably an unsustainable business model.
I was upset when I saw how small the Cabelas in Garner, NC was at first. Over time, I began to understand it. Especially when I hit "complete order" on their website lol.
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hawkman
Eight Pointer
I was in a sporting goods store in Adel, GA recently. I was squinting at the guns (same distance away as in GM) when he said "You're welcome to come around and look at them closely".
