Gander Mountain

[JML]

I still shop the Ganders around here in Castleton and Greenwood because occasionally they have a nice used gun that is priced right. Don't bother with new guns though. There selection of used guns lately has taken a dive though. I don't like the all guns behind the counter format either.

Thats what i used to like about their long guns selection..Handle whatever you wanted to without having to ask.

 

[mshogren]

I just bought my latest purchase there, a Sig 522 SWAT Commando. I checked and compared prices on-line and they were competitive. Many places don't have it, but they did. And within $30 of gun broker prices...

Mark

 

[Squirt239]

I have a hard time believing that Gander isn't buying firearms at a lower price point than my local fun store. They do a lot more volume comparatively speaking.

Believe it. As a former employee I can tell you it's the truth.

 

[TopDog]

I was just in the Castleton Gander Mountain, and, as usual, I walked out shaking my head at their gun prices. I did find an acceptable deal on ammo (350 rounds of Blazer Brass 9mm for $89.99). But some of their prices were just amazing. A Kahr CM9 for $599? Seriously? I can get the same gun from Indy Gun Safety for $391.59 through their distributor (Davidson's).

It was all I could do to keep myself from approaching the customers who were looking at handguns at the counter to wave them off and tell them to save, in some cases, $200 or more on a pistol.

It doesn't make sense to me. Wouldn't a huge national operation like Gander Mountain have enough of a volume discount that their prices would be BETTER than a real LGS rather than worse?

I'd rather buy from a LGS anyway, and I guess it's a good thing that GM's prices are so bad, because it makes GM less likely to drive the small shops out of business. But how is this possible?

Kind of like a chain version of Don's. But unlike Don's they have sales and closeouts that make checking them out worth it. You just have to keep an eye out for a deal.

 

[moosebag]

i refuse to ever step foot back in any Gander Mountain store! Bad taste in my mouth from Ft. Wayne store.

 

[hooky]

Believe it. As a former employee I can tell you it's the truth.

Wow. That makes no sense to me. I wonder why that is?

 

[Checkfoo]

I've been working at the Fort Wayne Gander Mountain, part time now for a few months. I've only been on the boards for a day and I've read enough anti-Gander / Gander hate / Gander bad experience posts to make me re-think my employment.......Not really, but it does make me think in general.

Prices are high compared to local shops. When things go on sale you usually save a few bucks over a the local shops, but it's only for a week. A tool that is making it easier to give good customer service is price matching. Any gun shop on the ground within 100 miles and any Cabelas, Dicks, Bass Pro add. "Don't want to pay $690 for a Gen 4 Glock, Freedom has them for $490. Okay let me mark it down." I can't imagine one store having this feature and the others not. You won't insult any employee by asking, and you'll find that most will help you investigate a better price in order to close a sale.

 

[IndyGunworks]

Both ganders by me have no such advertising about price matching.

 

[Mosinguy]

I've been working at the Fort Wayne Gander Mountain, part time now for a few months. I've only been on the boards for a day and I've read enough anti-Gander / Gander hate / Gander bad experience posts to make me re-think my employment.......Not really, but it does make me think in general.

Prices are high compared to local shops. When things go on sale you usually save a few bucks over a the local shops, but it's only for a week. A tool that is making it easier to give good customer service is price matching. Any gun shop on the ground within 100 miles and any Cabelas, Dicks, Bass Pro add. "Don't want to pay $690 for a Gen 4 Glock, Freedom has them for $490. Okay let me mark it down." I can't imagine one store having this feature and the others not. You won't insult any employee by asking, and you'll find that most will help you investigate a better price in order to close a sale.

Not the case in Greenwood. Way back when I offered to deal on their $500 5906 police trade that was beat up, grip was falling off, and dirtier than hell. The guy spent about ten minutes talking to the manager and acted like it was painful to him that the manager would go to the low price of $450

 

[FatsMcKay]

Once saw a guy about to purchase a 9mm sigma with a laser for like 5 or 600. I told him to get out. It was his first gun and he had no idea. He was robbed in broad ripple walking back to his house and decided to get a gun. I feel like gander is for people who are first time gun owners. or looking to become one

 

[Checkfoo]

Honestly, I am surprised that Gander is not more vocal about this policy. Usually the customer will bring up the topic, "Hey I saw gun XY at gun shop YX for $ZZ and you guys want $ZZ+100 for the same thing. This makes it easy to match a price. To tell the truth I feel the powers that be for Gander see this tool as a way to increase customer service ratings more so than a way to improve the overall street reputation of the gun counter. I suppose that's big business and there is a good and bad to it.

Again I'm a new employee and only representative of the Ft. Wayne location so I don't want to say it's a gander mountain wide policy, and then have to put my foot in my mouth. I would just be surprised if Ft. Wayne was the only store offering this.

I see your frustration with the 5906....yeah it's a used police trade-in, but you weren't trying to price match it, you just wanted to cut the price a little. I now it is kind of silly, but Gander is completely fine with matching a new firearm price to one that exists within a competing store, even if we loose $200 on the sale. Though, when it comes to outright price cutting on the spot....it's a no go. Just the way it is with the this company. Quirks of a large corporation.

That's pretty crazy for a sigma. They've been $429/$439? with the laser ever since I've been there. I know what you mean when you say a store for first time buyers...meaning that prices are high and we cater to the uninformed. We do get a lot of first time buyers and people with little experience who come to us just because they don't know of the smaller shops. It makes it important to give out good info and leave good impressions. It really depends on the sales person working.....and like any store some are good and some are bad.

 

[runavw]

Not to mention when we first saw the gun, the dork behind the counter tried to tell me it was a $1000 dollar gun. Man that made me mad and the reason i do not go in there...at all!

 

[the nam]

Indygun and mosin guy you are wrong both Indy stores match you just have to ask. And that 5906 was junk and we don't match on used guns. Think about it It's a one and only priced high yes but there is not another like it anywhere.

 

[Dirtebiker]

Indygun and mosin guy you are wrong both Indy stores match you just have to ask. And that 5906 was junk and we don't match on used guns. Think about it It's a one and only priced high yes but there is not another like it anywhere.

In how many different Threads Are you going to make the same statement?

 

[kiddchaos]

Gander had a Beretta on sale that matched the Bradis price, and close in price to other stores. So just do your homework.


On a side note I got the 'random shopper guy' who walks up to you and knows all about guns and tells you what to buy. Sheesh.

 

[Mgderf]

The Gander Mountain in Lafayette opened with great fan-fare a month or so ago. I went to the "Grand-Opening".

I was surprised, and disappointed. Prices on most everything seemed unreasonably high.
I'm pretty sure I saw a spam can of Tula 7.62x39 that had a price tag of $175.00! WOW!

I left with a small purchase. A doe bleat can. The only reason I purchased it was because I received the last $10 gift-card that was passed out to the first 100 people through the door.
The doe bleat can still cost me $2 and change out of pocket.

I'll stick to the LGS's.

 

[Supersport]

Im in the same boat. We just had a gander mountian open in lafayette and the prices are crazy. I have started calling it rip off mountian!Everything is over priced and i don't like the guys behind the gun counter talking to me like im an idiot.

 

[serf]

If I'm thinking about buying a gun I will stop in on a week night at gander mountain to look at it. The one by me has a huge selection so I can usually get a close look. I don't feel bad walking out not buying anything there either.

 

[super duty1]

Gander usually has a very nice selection, but I am for supporting our local gun shops. If the local shop doesn't have it, he can order it for you.

 

[PistolBob]

OMG!!

It's a Zombie Post!!