I go to Gander Mountain today just to get a few simple things like bobber stops, tippet, fly head cement, etc. Everything but the tippet was sold out. I do not see why it can be so difficult to keep the shevles stocked with the most basic things. And why do these stores have to be in the middle of changing everything around on a busy Saturday afternoon. Maybe the door greeter should get to work organizing that area. 
They’ve been “organizing” the La Crosse GM store for several weeks now, and aren’t even close to being done… 
Definitely not impressed with the new store, other than size
It is not just GM. Last Sat. I went to Cabelas to buy a reel. (it was locked in a case) The 2 guys working behind it…felt like putting away stock and talking to each other than help customers…and the store was packed…
I always get good service at Cabelas, I just wish they were closer than 60 miles.
Bass Pro on the other hand usually gives me good service in the store, other than a few times. But the boat service at BP is very poor… First time I ordered a trolling motor and after ten days or two weeks I called them back they had a hard time finding my order and did not know when it would be in. Called back a few days later and they still didn’t know when. I called Cabelas the guy told me they had the one I wanted in stock, I bought it and Bass Pro still has not called me that it came in after almost two years.
Second time I talked to Bass Pro boat service about parts for my 93 Nitro the guy said that they didn’t have access to parts for boats that were older than five years. Really ticked me off that if I had a boat that was six years old they still could not help me.
The third time (3 days ago) I talked to Bass Pro service about parts for my 30hp 1986 Evinrude just a couple orings the guy didn’t even want talk to me when I told him it was so old. I got on the internet and had them ordered in five or ten minutes from boats.net for $0.99 each plus shipping.
Cabelas= 120 miles round trip
Bass Pro= 70 miles round trip
boats.net= 0 miles round trip
I like the guys at Cabelas best I just hate the drive. I like the diversity of Cabelas inventory they usually have what I am looking for.
I’ve pretty much stopped going to Ganer in LaCrosse, I have not been able to find what I am looking for and the store always seems to run down and a mess. I like the size of the new store in Rochester but it seems to be mostly clothing… Cabela’s is about a 3 hour round trip without shopping so I don’t get there unless it on the way somewhere else.
Sounds like those GM stores must be following the great management style of the Lakeville store.
MAYBE, one out of five times that I stop there they have something worth buying that I’m looking for. Gee, maybe the reason that something is out of stock, is that SOMEONE BOUGHT THE OTHER ONES!!!! Guess they wouldn’t want to stock something that sells and have to do all that pesky restocking…
Dan
I went to Cabelas today and for the first time left unhappy. I went to buy a winter jacket. They already pulled them all for spring inventory. Mid-February!! My wife logically thinks flannel sheets would then be on sale. NO.
I thought I would also pick up a regular sweat shirt as well. ALL OUT. And for the firt time ever I had difficulty finding help.
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I go to Gander Mountain today just to get a few simple things like bobber stops, tippet, fly head cement, etc. Everything but the tippet was sold out. I do not see why it can be so difficult to keep the shevles stocked with the most basic things. And why do these stores have to be in the middle of changing everything around on a busy Saturday afternoon. Maybe the door greeter should get to work organizing that area.
How much do you know about retail? There’s so many factors that you can’t walk into a store and tell them what their problem is….. but what you can do is ask good questions and it never hurts to let them know that their competition is kicking their tucous in “that particular” catagory. If you can get an employee to make a couple phone calls, you’ll get better answers and better understanding.
As for the stores being a mess right now, I happen to know that Cabela’s corporate has a completely new floor plan/planogram for their summer season areas. If you feel inconvenienced, understand that the only way not to trip over customers is to pay overtime, hire a seperate crew, and raise prices to cover the expense of “stocking hours”. Finding good service during these changes can be difficult because the employees are under deadlines and can’t finish their settings while walking someone around the store. They don’t mean to brush a customer off but they really hope you can just figure it out so they can keep the boss happy. Balancing duties, deadlines, and good customer service is far tougher than your average $8-$10/hr employee is going to deliver. Good help IS hard to find. Remember, the truth isn’t that the customer is always right, it’s that the customer is always in control. Use your head and be pleasant, inquisitive but not critical, and you’ll get a lot better help.
Bottomline, if you’ve got a store that’s performing poorly, be specific and objective, not emotional, and contact corporate to ask them about your concerns. If corporate thinks they’re losing market, they’ll jump all over the problem, whether it’s a marketing analyst, product purchaser, distribution issue, vendor,…….whoever is in the way of making a profit. In these tight times, this is even more important to them. Be heard but be tactful. Again, make them WANT to help you, not feel they have to. It’s just better all the way through.
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I’ve pretty much stopped going to Ganer in LaCrosse, I have not been able to find what I am looking for and the store always seems to run down and a mess. I like the size of the new store in Rochester but it seems to be mostly clothing… Cabela’s is about a 3 hour round trip without shopping so I don’t get there unless it on the way somewhere else.
Going there seems to be a crap-shoot.Sometimes good,sometimes not.Surprised how reasonable their bait prices are.But a slim selection for good line.I doubt if you can find 2lb decent line.
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