A New Reason To Hate Gander Mountain.

Status
Not open for further replies.
Mot45acp

Mot45acp

Member
Joined
Oct 28, 2005
Messages
1,751
Location
TX
We all know Gander's prices suck, customer service is nill etc. I am writing this to inform you of another greater evil of Gander Mountain.

Gander Mountain moved into my area a little over 2 years ago. Immediately the biggest gun store (Shooters Supply) closed down. Was this due to competition? No, Shooters Supply was located practically in the parking lot of Academy. It was also located across the street from the new Gander Mountain. Gander Mountain bought them out and and as part of the deal, the owner was to sign a no compete agreement that will last for 10 years.

Now another gun store not even in the same city, but somewhat close by (about 15 miles) has folded in the same manner. Ty's Gunshop is no longer. No compete agreement and all.

Gander Mountain is actively pursuing other fine firearm retail establishments within 50 miles.

I understand that the respective owners Herb and Ty were not forced into this. I am glad that they come out ahead.

If you like a competitive market and your small town gun stores you will do everything you can to prevent this from happening. Support your local gun shop. To the lil guys it is their lively hood, they will usually bend over backwards on customer service. No they may not be able to afford the selection that GM can have in stock, but they can usually have it ordered and in hand within 2 days.

Please folks support your local gun dealer.

Rant Off
 
This is interesting. The Gander Mountain (GM) in my area also has, in general, pretty high prices as compared to a couple of smaller shops I frequent. I know many people visit GM and I do occasionally however; I buy my firearms from the small shops because of their lower prices and service. Did those small shops in your area have higher prices than GM?
 
This is why government involvement in ANY business is bad.

Because people need a substantial investment and "permission" from the government to open a gun store, situations like this are RIPE for monopolistic actions like this.

In a free market, this could not happen.

Mind you, I'm not faulting Gander Mountain, they are acting intelligently given the situation, I just wish the government didn't aid such actions so that after buying up the competition people would then spend all the effort to get the government to allow them to compete.
/rant off
 
It's the exact opposite where I am. The little guys charge anywhere from 50%-100% higher than anyone else around. Now I know they got to eat too so they need to charge a little more but the little shops around here need to be more realistic in order for me to even consider buying from them.
I am welcoming GM here in WPB area in the next 2 weeks or so when they open their doors. As a matter of fact, most of the gun nuts I know both in person and in the local forums are looking forward to it because of this.
I do not feel bad for the local shops at all.
 
Never had a problem there. Just don't buy new guns or ammo there. You can find some real deals in the used gun pile though. Prices that no small gun shop would ever have on the shelf.
 
ha, that's odd. I know customer service guys in the gun department that actually tell me I'd do better taking it to this or that place as far as trade in values. I've also done side deals with guys working at GM...say I had a gun I wanted to trade in, and they only offer $300 for it...well once in a while I'll find an employee interested in the gun and we'll so a sale outside of gander mountain. It's all about finding the right connections inside of the store and being personable.

The local shops are the ones with shady practices and people...at least around here.
 
I saw used Glocks at the Richmond Gander Mountain for nearly $500 ($490something). You can get them new at Green Top a block away for about $520 and cheaper elsewhere.

Winchester White box 9mm 100 round box was $9 more at GM than at teh Walmart down the street.

I don't buy anything at GM.
 
Are you talking about the Gander Mountain in Beaumont. My in-laws live there and that store is terrible. The one in College Station however has surprised me and been quite good.
 
Our local big gun shop near GM (Green Top) stocks more guns than GM at much lower prices. I don't think I have to worry about GM buying them out.
-
 
ha, that's odd. I know customer service guys in the gun department that actually tell me I'd do better taking it to this or that place as far as trade in values.
Click to expand...

Same where I live near Williampsort, PA. G Mt. has not hurt any other stores.
 
ha, that's odd. I know customer service guys in the gun department that actually tell me I'd do better taking it to this or that place as far as trade in values. I've also done side deals with guys working at GM...say I had a gun I wanted to trade in, and they only offer $300 for it...well once in a while I'll find an employee interested in the gun and we'll so a sale outside of gander mountain. It's all about finding the right connections inside of the store and being personable.

The local shops are the ones with shady practices and people...at least around here.
Click to expand...

funny, that also describes the GM and gun shops in Kalamazoo, Michigan to a T.
 
Illinois: Glock 17/19/22/23/26/27 are $499 at G.A.T. Guns, around $599 at GM and Cabelas. GM has 3 stores here in Northern Illinois plus the Cabelas and two Bass Pros. They are not hurting the independents at all, as far as I can see.
 
I have not noticed GM's prices to be that far out of whack with the local competition (Pekin gun). I know they do a crazy markup on ammo (or walmart is taking a loss on it?), but I have actually been pretty happy with the customer service. Guys love to help you, I had a stripped scope base screw and the 'smith took care of it for me free of charge - admittedly I expected to get charged for it since I didnt buy the gun there. I was pleasantly surprised.
 
Where I live (Houston) we have Carter's Country, Academy, some Wal-Marts, Bass Pro Shops and unnumbered smaller shops to choose from. The Gander MTN in my area has scaled back their gun section dramatically. Their prices are at least $100.00 HIGHER than Carter's Country, which WAS the most expensive place around here to buy from. Academy is the cheapest I can find, but the smaller shops sometimes have good deals.
 
Thank God that the closest GM in my state is just about 300 miles away! We've only gotta Sportsmans Wharehouse here but it stays pretty well away from everything else.
 
Speaking of Big Boxes, I don't have a Gander Mountain near me in San Antonio, but I went over to Bass Pro the other day and found disappointing prices and selection. My friend was shotgun shopping, and they didn't have a 12ga Mossberg 500. :what: I'm not terribly familiar with hunting calibers, so I didn't see much I knew in the rifle racks, tons of muzzle loaders, and otherwise expensive ammo. I'll have to check out Academy, though they don't stock 7.62X54R, so until I get my AR, they're pretty much useless to me too.
 
yeesh. Wake me up when these crappy big box stores will do a transfer for a silencer.

Sometimes customers just are not interested in something with a wooden stock, no pistol grip, and inability to take a good size box mag.

-T
 
The little guys charge anywhere from 50%-100% higher than anyone else around
Click to expand...

Please define anyone else?

If anyone else is selling a gun for 400, then what your saying is the small guys are selling the same gun for 600 to 800. I'd like an example of a small guy. Gator, Delray and PB shooting centers don't count as small guys.
 
I was in one in North Carolina last week, the prices on shooting supplies and guns were way over the top.

I figured is was an extension of the local practice of screwing soldiers out of every last penny since Ft. Bragg was up the road.

We have a Cabela's here and nothing else so far. Prices are nose bleed high and customer service is dismal on a good day.

One of my buddies tried to buy a Ruger 10/22. The loser at the counter had a criminal record and was not allowed to handle guns (NO KIDDING according to another simpleton working there). It took the fat cow at the register an hour to ring him out. She stood there chewing her cud for 10 minutes, walked off for 10 more and then wandered back and with a groan,,,asked if "We still needed help?"

It was the most miserable gun buying experience of my life and won't happen again.

We have a couple of decent little guys in town and they get my money whenever possible.
 
Gander Mtn. here in Central Mn. is beyond funny on thier prices, stay away!!!!!!!!!
Sportsmans Warehouse is 10 times better.
Floydster
 
Are you talking about the Gander Mountain in Beaumont. My in-laws live there and that store is terrible. The one in College Station however has surprised me and been quite good.
Click to expand...

Yes this is in Beaumont. It is common knowledge of the lousy prices and CS. I am mainly referring to them trying to buy out all competition.

Initially their price match guarantee interested me. I then realized that if the other guy was cheaper to begin with, why do the legwork when I could give my hard earned $$$ to the guy who was lower to begin with.

But if you want a $400+ Taurus Mil Pro thats the place to go.

Also, I tried to get the price match before I became "enlightened" and they tried to talk me out of it as follows:

"This Glock 26 is $100 cheaper across the street."

"Well, you get a free cleaning and 1 year warranty."

"But, you say you will match any price, is this correct?"

"But you dont get any warranty or the cleaning."

"Doesnt Glock provide a lifetime warranty?"


If you dont want to sell me something just say so. But at least let me go buy elsewhere. They wont even transfer guns bought off the internet. They wouldnt sell black rifles until Academy started to.

Good deal on used guns? Take your pick of all 12 of them. I even pointed out that the price on a used model was higher than the new one they had.

I guess the biggest frustration is that there is nothing I can do but not go, b!tch about it on the net and support my local dealer.
Anyone in the Beaumont area should check out Four Seasons Guns about a mile south of I-10 on Hwy 62.
 
My letter to them:

I would like to comment on your Beaumont store. Your prices are completely outrages. On average $100 to $300 higher than competition. They do not honor the "Price Guarantee", which if I have to do the leg work, I am going to give the "honest" dealer my hard earned cash.

While speaking of competition I have come to find out that your corporation has bought out 2 local competitors with "no compete" agreements.

I am not the only one who feels this way I will direct you to a national website that has many other people from across the nation who feel the same: http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=350616

The failure of decent prices, customer service, unwillingness to transfer a firearm legally purchased off the internet and buyout of small mom and pop shops is why Gander Mountain will not receive any revenue from me, my family, or friends.
Sincerely,
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Click to expand...


I will post a reply if I ever receive one.
 
It was also located across the street from the new Gander Mountain. Gander Mountain bought them out and and as part of the deal, the owner was to sign a no compete agreement that will last for 10 years.
Click to expand...

Wait a second - the owners sold a business and agreed as a part of the sale to a non-compete agreement, and somehow Gander Mountain is at fault?

Did someone torture the owners? Kidnap their kids?

Sounds OK to me - presumably Gander Mountain would have paid less for the business without a non-compete. The owners (and Gander Mountain) agreed with each other that the non-compete clause had a cash value.

If the owner thought Gander was offering too little for the non-compete clause, he wouldn't have signed it. If Gander Mountain thought the owner wanted too much for the non-compete clause, they wouldn't have bought it. They agreed on a price.

Isn't that what a free market is all about?

Mike
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

U
  • Locked
Will the new Cabelas in Woodbury, MN kill the Gander Mountain?
Replies
22
Views
1K
Palehorseman
P
O
  • Locked
Toy guns banned?
2
Replies
27
Views
1K
scurtis_34471
S
S
  • Locked
New Gander Mountain opening...what can I expect?
2 3
Replies
54
Views
2K
Sergeant Sabre
S
Cavalier Knight
  • Locked
Gander Mountain Identity Theft
Replies
1
Views
728
Jorg Nysgerrig
J
Hokkmike
  • Locked
Surprising news (to me ) about Gander Mountain.
2
Replies
44
Views
4K
TexasBill
TexasBill
Back
Top