Why i'll never give gander mntn another dime ever... a rant

[yuppiejr]

I guess I'm just an evil capitalist but I don't really care what name is over the door, if I can go in and buy what I want for a good price I'll do it... sometimes I'll pay more for the convenience of shopping close... sometimes I just feel like making an impulse purchase and pay more than I would online or by spending time (a rare comodity these days with 3 kids) shopping around like my recent Marlin 336y purchase at Capras... I rarely return things since I usually know what I want before I buy it and will take the responsibility for selling it later to someone else if it works but just didn't meet my needs (working for a retail company gives me a jaded perspective on how much consumer "rental" of product costs companies...).

Gander is what it is, their normal prices suck but their lack of familiarity pricing guns can net some gem deals if you know who to ask or what to look for. I've recently picked up some nice knives, a varmint call and ghille suit on clearance well below internet prices recently, missed a pair of mint S&W 642's for $250 each (!!!) a couple months back but pretty much avoid the normal priced stuff. I've got an ammo can full of Federal TruBall slugs purchased from Gander over the past few years since I always max out the quantity you can get for $0.99 after rebate every hunting season and their in store rebates often double up with mfgr. rebates if UPC copies are acceptable for one of the rebates...

Bottom line - the more of you hate Gander and refuse to shop there, the more likely I'm going to pick up a good gun deal in my little deal shopping trips so keep up the hate... down with Gander.. down with Gander.

[Eric Marleau]

Like I stated before, Gander has great clothing.
Just received by FedEx my Tactical 5.11 pants ordered from Gander.
Best manufactured pants ever, and great customer service by Gander's shipping Dept.
Just ordered another pair after receiving these.

Sometimes they surprise me.

Eric

[Fluidpower]

I've experienced every thing described in this post at the Lakeville GM and it does suck. Especially after the remodel. That said, I've bought from them and have gotten deals. You just have to shop for it and ignore the rest. I like Fleetfarm better.
Good post.
Frosty

[Spartan]

I always seem to get gift cards to Gander and Dicks... instead of Cabelas and Fleet farm.....
I have gone to Dicks 3 times the past 2 weeks and stil have the gift card.....
GM somehow makes me feel like I missed out on the reach around after purchases......

[FJ540]

Stopped by the closing one in MG today. They had nikon bino's labeled with a placard for 99.99, but rang up at 109.99 - 30%: "sir, the price it rings up at is the right price." No longer a "buy" at retail of numerous online vendors... You can't even get a discount at 30% off. I didn't buy them.

[QuercusMax]

I always seem to get gift cards to Gander and Dicks... instead of Cabelas and Fleet farm.....
I have gone to Dicks 3 times the past 2 weeks and stil have the gift card.....

I think the only purpose that Dick's exists is to make GM look really good in comparison.

[MattC]

I always seem to get gift cards to Gander and Dicks... instead of Cabelas and Fleet farm.

Same here!

I got a $100 gift card for GM. Ended up using it to get a GPS I've wanted for a while.
Regular price was $360
On line only sale price of $300
$100 mail in rebate
$100 gift card
End up paying $100 for it when its all said and done. Not bad.

I keep an eye on their sales, which usually brings the price down to what everyone else is selling it for, and will sometimes buy something then. Even if its a little more its still cheaper than driving up to Cabellas and back.

[chudrockz]

If I'm in the market for something gun-related from a brick-and-mortar store, I vastly prefer going to Owatonna and Fleet Farm rather than GM in Mankato. And I live in West Mankato.

Fleet Farm has the Mossberg Maverick 88 12 or 20 gauge security pump shotguns for $184, which isn't too bad I don't think. Couldn't talk the wife into one, though. Sigh.

[Sherry]

I don't think I would buy a gun at Gander Mountain, but I hit them at just the right time last year and scored a really nice North Face jacket for cheap, so that was worth it. I got a nice pair of shorts on sale there too one summer. I have walked through the guns and looked at a couple, but I prefer to stick to the clothing sale racks. If I wanted to shop for a gun I would tell Tim what I wanted and send him out to get it.

[grousemaster]

Just print off an advertised price from anywhere else, bring it into Gm and they match the price. I do it all the time. Even for ammunition. They will even match streichers pricing. Problem solved without having to drive farther than Eden Prairie

[gyrfalcon]

Just print off an advertised price from anywhere else, bring it into Gm and they match the price. I do it all the time. Even for ammunition. They will even match streichers pricing. Problem solved without having to drive farther than Eden Prairie

Have you ever tried this on a firearm? Why would I want to shop somewhere when I have to bring in advertisements from elsewhere to get a good deal on anything... If you're so adverse to driving you can order stuff online far cheaper and have it delivered to your doorstep. It doesn't make sense to patronize a store that has high prices on everything just because they'll supposedly price match.

[grousemaster]

Just print off an advertised price from anywhere else, bring it into Gm and they match the price. I do it all the time. Even for ammunition. They will even match streichers pricing. Problem solved without having to drive farther than Eden Prairie

Have you ever tried this on a firearm? Why would I want to shop somewhere when I have to bring in advertisements from elsewhere to get a good deal on anything... If you're so adverse to driving you can order stuff online far cheaper and have it delivered to your doorstep. It doesn't make sense to patronize a store that has high prices on everything just because they'll supposedly price match.

When the one store is 5 mins from your house and carries the exact same product as the store that sells it cheaper 40 miles away, it's a no brainier when you drive a V8 like I do.