Posted: 2/27/2008 5:20:17 PM EDT
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I didn't want to jack the other thread, so I'll start a new one. I propose a complete purchase ban on anything from Gander Mountain. They have nothing there you cant get at another store or online if you must have it. I personally am tired of their BS! They are NOT helpful, They are educated in Safety or knowledge of firearms, Their prices are ridiculus!!!! Each person here has a t least 1 story about GM and their BS I'm not advocating to not go into the store, By all means, go in and window shop. IF they happen to have SOMETHING at a reasonable price, make note of it, take the price to DICK's, Dunhams, or Bass Pro Shop, or your local, TRUSTWORTHY Dealer and have them match it. Have you ever brought in an ad to GM to match or beat? I have gotten the BS run around from them time and time again they DO NOT have to match firearm or ammunition sale prices, even though it is NEVER been disclaimed in their price match ad. Or they will only match it for 1 item of purchase. I know, they can do as they please, but c'mon, how do they keep customers, OH Wait, I KNOW, I WON'T EVEN PUT THE ANSWER HERE... I don't really think it will make any difference at all whether some here, willl OR Won't advocate a boycott, but just MAYBE, it can get something chaanged. I'm all for taking a used gun in to them and selling it to them for more thnan retail though. I have to say if you argue long enough, they will give you your asking price. Hell, I got more than retail on a POS Para Tac-Four from them, but I wouldn't buy anything from them, EVER AGAIN Can we just refrain from impulse spending at GM and take our buisness elsewhere. It's bad enough the gov't wants to make ammo/guns so expensive we can't afford it, but do we have to start when we don't need to? |
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I'll continue to buy my powder and primers there (Hodgdon, Alliant 1#'s for $15.99). It is cheaper than Midway not even including shipping and hazmat. Sometimes even bullets are cheaper. Guns I've bought there on clearance: mint used S&W 500 - $550 new Ruger Hawkeye .338 Federal - $350 mint used Weatherby MkV Accumark .30-378 w\ Burris Black Diamond - $900 |
When I first saw this, I thought someone was going to be complaining about another piece of shit General Motors product and all the problems they have. I know mine suck.  Anyway, I don't understand the pure hatred for any retail store, especially Gander. There's no debating that their REGULAR prices absolutely SUCK. But, who pays regular price for anything anyway? I don't like the way some stores price stuff, but I'm not going to get my panties in a bunch and boycott them. I just buy stuff that they have that I know is a good price and buy other stuff elswehere where the price is better. Gander also has a pretty good price match policy that can end up getting you a pretty good deal on SOME stuff. Take a Glock 9mm for example. There's a few gun shops, like Firing Line that are reasonably priced at $489. If you work the price match and other promotions at Gander, you can save even more. Sign up for a store credit card and you will get another 5% off your firearm purchase. You will also get 5% rewards - $25 free for every $500 you charge on that card. On that Glock, you'd basically be saving an extra $50 by buying it at Gander vs. Firing Line - See if Firing Line will extend you the same $50 additional savings. (They won't - I already asked.) Further, Gander always sends me coupons for an extra $20-30 or 10% off on my next purchase. Add that into the mix and you can save a lot by simply working the system at Gander. The same goes for ammo, mags, powder, primers, or anything else Gander carries. If you know another store that sells it for less, why not price match and buy from Gander to build up rewards dollars and when you have extra % off or $ off coupons? Gander also does some okay "loss leader" sale prices on stuff every once in a while. It may not be something you or I want at the time, but that is how retail works. It takes a little more effort to take advantage of the system sometimes, but it can reap you some far better benefits than simply complaining or calling for a boycott. |
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I guess I am on both sides, well me on one side, my wife on the other. I have always gotten good service at the Saginaw store. One of the gun guys is the son of a co-worker and is very knowledgeable. I will buy there when the price is right, like a skeet thrower they had on special last weekend. My wife on the other hand will not buy a gun from them ever again. She was there with my son and daughter a few weeks ago and the guy we normally talk to was out. She stood at the counter for 15-20 min without any help. During this time the counter staff asked my SON if he needed any help twice. She decided to vote with her feet and last Saturday we were in Clare at Jay's and she picked up a Benelli Montefeltro. Just our 2 cents worth. Jeff |
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I guess it depends WHO you reguraly deal with at GM. The GM in Utica has told me several times pretty much to blow myself on ANYTHING being price matched from the internet, and I HAVE been told on LOCAL price matches on more than one occasion, to buy it elsewhere, they will not match that price. Mind you, I have spent a good amount of $$$$$$ in this store in the past. Retail here is getting out of control, they are being unreasonable and people ARE paying it. Used blued Desert Eagle for $1549? $630 Glocks? $700 Beretta PX4's, $30 20rd Hornady PD? EVERYONE is entitled to their opinion, I do not GM anymore, if they have something I want, I check the price and buy it elsewhere for cheaper, no hassles. I just dont like their particular choice of retail strategy or their employee work ethics, safety training, or professional courtesy, I found a good deal 1 day, They had a Browning Cynergy Sporting for $0.00, but they wouldn't sell it to me. Talk about retail BS I can't believe that ANYTHING including reloading components are cheaper at GM than Bass pro OR Cabels's which are both a drive from anywhere and you can stock up until you need to return. My firsthand experience is that Cabela's has the best prices for me to reload, or Jay's in Gaylord an Clare, (Which I happen to passs 1 of them every other week). |
The Utica store used to have a gun dept. manager that was a good guy. He'd price match over the phone to other places to keep your business. My dad and I bought our Kimbers that way. But he's gone now, and the guys that work there are kind of know-it-alls, and since their gun dept. is so busy, they have no reason to really be nice to people, since they know some sucker will come in and pay their bloated prices. 
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Take it for what it is. I've bought a couple of guns at GM and they guys were nice enough to me. Bass Pro is more of a joke, IMO. They have a minimum barrel requirement. WTF is that about? I'll only buy guns now from a real gun store like Double Action. Someplace that understands that gun ownership is about more than just hunting. 
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If they won't price match a local store, you need to get on the phone with their corporate office. They are supposed to price match any local store within an hour or so drive. I've had to complain to corporate a few times in the past and it has always netted me a $25-50 gift card as inconvenience for my trouble. I've always had good luck getting guns price matched to Guns Galore and a few other local places. Sometimes the employees get a little goofy, so I usually call the other store on my cell and just put it on speaker phone. It seems like some of you guys just give up too easy. They will not price match mail order prices, but then again, I don't know many, if any, local retailers that will price match online prices, so I don't consider that much of an issue. |
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I bought my son a .22 Ruger pistol and I think I did pretty well considering shipping, handling and FFL X'fer. I was in there two days ago and almost lost it when the DA behind the counter was trying to tell some dude that the Mini 14 was just as good and more accurate than the Remington AR15 they had there. I couldn't keep my mouth shut and butted in. Of course this stomped the dumb asses ego and I ended up betting him the price of any gun behind that counter that anyone of my five ARs would shoot circles around that "NEW AND IMPROVED RUGER MINI 14". |