No customer service at Gander!

Went to Gander in Eau Claire yesterday to get some “stuff” and was surprised at the poor service. They were totally sold out of Rage 2&3 blades, The treestand I wanted to buy was sold out and the little twerp helping me was too busy on the phone with his girl to tell me when they would get more in.
They also had no experts working in archery or guns who could intelligently answer a question. Finally they just don’t have enough people working there, its like walmart where you have to go on a walkabout to find an employee to help you.
Went to scheels at Oakwood Mall and got asked half a dozen times if I needed help and the gun dept. manager was the one who sold me the gun I bought. They still had Rage broadheads and were stocking more when I left.

I think the entire Gander store had 6 employees working while Scheels had that many just in Archery.

I know a few years ago Home Depot tried to cut costs and got rid of most of their experts and started employing teenagers, it backfired on them and they have reversed that policy. Must be Gander Mountain is experimenting with the teenage/too few employee method of service.
Anybody else had a similar experience lately?

Yes. More often than not at Gander in Woodbury.

Must have been at Scheels the same time you were Darrin. I stopped at Scheels to buy the Thermacell but they were all out. Said they would get another shipment in today! But like you said, there were guys everywhere in the hunting department asking if I had found everything! Went to pick up some Thermacell and ended up walking out with $100 worth of goodies!

I used to like Gander in EC prior to the move. I think they jacked prices waaaay up as well right about that time. Used to be able to find some stuff cheaper at Gander, but not anymore. Now Gander is on my boycot list (especially since they started giving only 1%/2% reward on the CC vs 1%/5% they used to give). Now its Scheels for a local store and Cabelas for the big stuff. LOVE Cabelas deals they run (like the current buy $500 in gear, get a $150 gift card. Plus, I still get 1%/5% reward on their CC. I don’t know how much “free” stuff I have gotten using Cabelas deals and CC points, but its thousands of dollars for sure.

Can’t beat Scheels customer service, and I love the Cabelas Owatanna store. Owatanna generally has very good customer service as well…

Mike

I have had similar problem with GM. Can’t go wrong with Cabelas.

I would assume GM has taken financial hits like every other industry out there and have had to cut back on expenses. IE- employee hours etc. I have good luck at the Maple Grove GM.

I’ve really never had any luck in GM, Cabelas & Fleet Farm for me.

you never could go to gander for help. if you needed something and knew what you were going in there for, its not a bad place.

scheels is nice, i wish they would try to compete with the gander grip on the twin cities. i cant drive to mankato or st cloud every time i need something..

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you never could go to gander for help. if you needed something and knew what you were going in there for, its not a bad place.

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Well put. That is exactly my approach.

I only go to GM in Eau Claire when I know exactly what I want. Most of the time they don’t have it anyway and I either find it at Scheels or run to the GM in LaCrosse. Besides some of their guidwear, I see no point in wasting my time. I wish that Scheels would expand their hunting and fishing sections. I know they have a lot already but it would personally help cut shipping costs from Cabelas once a month…

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I’ve really never had any luck in GM, Cabelas & Fleet Farm for me.

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Fleet Farm has some great stuff, especially fish equipment, for good prices. Farm and Fleet on the other hand is lacking.

Gander at some stores has some really good, knowledgeable people… But it usually the exception, not the rule. And they are definately not price leaders….

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poor service – They were totally sold out – was sold out – They also had no experts working in archery or guns – Anybody else had a similar experience lately?

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Your kidding me.

Our local Scheels in Eau Claire is awesome. Mind you, I rarely venture out of the fishing section, but Scheels clobbers GM in every category I care about, especially service!

The fishing manager, Dwight Schussman, is an IDO member….don’t know if he’s over on the “dark side” of IDO, but he’s on the fishing side. He’s even going up on the Rainy Lake houseboat trip.

Heck, they even stock a full line of B-Fish-N tackle and the IDO instructional DVDs. My kids love it that they can walk through a store and see Dad’s picture on something that’s on the shelves.

I too used to love Eau Claire GM. The new store is gorgeous to be sure but, as mentioned, there are draw backs. When they first opened I was surprised at how horrible their CS was. In my experiences it has gotten better but they do staff lighter than Scheel’s. GM always has ammo though and at the prices they think it is worth always will. I refuse to pay TWICE the cost of everyone else locally.

Scheel’s is another store in a back slide, sadly. They have awesome CS, I want to make that clear. But corporate policy is screwing them. For starters they no longer offer in store lay away, GM and other locals still do. I have no use for a store credit card and will NOT get one. So far that policy has cost Scheel’s a “few” gun purchases from me alone. Next up they changed their hand gun cases from the nice glass panel units to the expanded steel BS that you can’t see in. Sure they will take guns out but most don’t go in on a B line to a single gun, they window shop.

I spoke to managers a few times about both issues and they seem to agree (one doesn’t, just says “that’s the way it is”) that customers are not happy. About the caged in guns they said corporate was trying to keep them more secure. Well when they start locking up the baseball bats and all the other merchandise I’ll be happy. Until then my gun money found a new shop to visit. Heck GM was one of them just a few weeks ago, and I HATE their tethered long gun policy.

Ahhh I could go on, and on, and on about this. and Everytime it makes me sad we lost sportsmans!

I’m pretty sure a billboard of GM earlier this summer summed it up.

“Gander Mountain Better Locations”

Really? This is your sales pitch? Better Locations? Why not come out and just say it. “Well our service can’t stack up, our selection is pathetic, if in stock at all, but HEY at least you don’t have to drive To Rodgers or Owatonna.”

Closer or not I’m done with them. I’ve spent too much time in retail myself to get the service I’ve recieved there, and not beable to walk out with what I want. I mean one time it was so bad I walked in to grab two duffel bag. Well I grabbed the wrong ones from what I thought I was. ( their miss places signage) So I told the check out girl I would be back and go grab the other one. I also had a Mt. Dew that I just left at the counter. Well after 20 minutes of searching, and not finding. (also not having anyone ask if I needed help but they did not have a problem walking by multiple times) I walked back up to the counter grabbed the Mt. Dew away and started to walk out. She looked at me and said “couldn’t find it?” I responded with “nope” Which got me a “have a nice night” REALLY?? I was set to make a purchase. just $300 on 2 duffels wasn’t what I was going for $100 was in my ball park, ready to make the purchase, and they just let you leave.

I’ll drive to the fewer locations from now on. it’s worth the gas.

or save the gas and order online… cabelas ususally has some shipping deal around hunting season. my order last month had free shipping when i spent over $100.

I have had pretty good luck with GM in St. Cloud. Great gun dept Quite honestly, Scheels in St. Cloud, is W A Y overpriced IMHO.

A tip for ordering on line. When you get to the “check out” portion there is usually a box to enter a promo code. Google is your friend here. I ordered new blaze orange last year from Cabela’s and saved shipping charges of nearly $20! I do this regularly and have saved oodles of dollars.

What do you google… “Cabelas Promo Code” or something like that?

Thannks for the tip!

One of my buddies is a product researcher/trainer at Cabelas. Its basically his job to know the products and make sure the other employees do too. I think they do a good job. Plus, all of their coupons and deals are great. Between my Cabelas card points and the buy $500 get $150 gift cards, I got $1300 worth of gear last weekend for about $400 out of pocket. Love their fall deals, good selection, great website, and knowledgeable people for the most part. Cabelas is my goto place for the big stuff.

Mike

http://www.promotioncode.org/Cabelas

I just used “cabelas promotion codes” and that is one of the links I got. There are several to choose from. I did this for restaurant.com in St Louis this summer and ended up with a $25.00 coupon for $2.00 plus I got 25% BACK based on the $25!