No Way To Do Business...

...or at least that is my opinion of how Gander Mountain has been doing business relative to my recent dealings there.

I called Gander Mountain in Middletown, NY today. I called twice and was on the phone, waiting for someone to pick up, for over two minutes on each call. No one answered the phone. I called again and was surprised that someone answered on the third ring in the firearms department. He did not know if they had the new Ruger Mark IV pistol in stock and seemed surprised there was such a pistol.

I also have been to Gander Mountain in Palm Gardens, FL, twice this week, while on vacation. The displays in the firearms section leave much to be desired with many slots on the shelves being left bare. Some items that were in stock in that store, as per their website, were not on the shelves. When I looked for a certain set of shooting mufffs they were not to be found. I tried getting some help but as I approached some of the sales clerks, they walked away when they saw me coming. Others were ready to help but did not seem to know what was in stock or the prices of what they had and too many things did not display a price. 

Anyway, I had limited time to spend there and had to leave but ordered the ear muffs online before departing. I received an email about 2 hours later saying that my order was ready to be picked up in the same store where they had not been on the shelves, but had been bare, where they belonged.

In addition, ammo was often found to be piled up haphadzardly with diferent calibers mixed together in the same display in boxes that looked like one another. For instance a display of Remington Core-Lokt ammo had three or four different calibers all piled together without regard to stacking them by caliber. I have seen similar haphazard shelving of ammo in other GM stores. Gander Mountain ammo prices are also pretty high in my opinion.

There also was a good side but it did not outweigh the bad as far as I an concerned. I will say that those of the staff who were helpful were indeed very professional and helpful. One sales floor ckerk was very helpful and so were the ckeckout clerks. The barmaid was very nice too. Yes, I stopped in the bar for one quick drink hoping they would fill my online order before I had to leave. And yes the GM in Palm Gardens is the only GM with a bar and restaurant, at least as per Beth the barmaid.

I have to wonder though, how does Gander Mountain stay in business!

All the best,

Glenn B