Gander Mountain going out of business...

[Mac Attack]

Never thought I'd become an online shopper, but slowly over time ..... No driving to the store to find out they're out of stock, forced to return home empty handed and frustrated. No Christmas mad rush, traffic, gas, crowded isles, just punch some keys, and here comes the delivery truck. Time is one thing I'm lacking, online is fast and easy.
 Sears is next on the hit list. Those big stores are expensive to own and operate. Plus the man power needed to run one. As said above it is nice to try on clothing, and handle items before purchasing.
 The ones who are really making out are the shipping companies.

X2

[Flukeman]

Definitely watch the pricing. I got a great deal on some boots and sneakers that were on sale, plus the 20% off. My buddy went and bought same sneakers and a pair of sandals and did not get the 20% off because they were on sale. Argued with the cashier to no avail.

[Old Timer]

In Utica it was 25% off the fishing stuff , as it was marked, ice fishing stuff 40% off, most boating stuff 40%. I asked the cashier, after each item, what the cost was.  They had most everything up to date.  Probably Ollies will buy all that is left..?

[drowndin dots]

Never thought I'd become an online shopper, but slowly over time ..... No driving to the store to find out they're out of stock, forced to return home empty handed and frustrated. No Christmas mad rush, traffic, gas, crowded isles, just punch some keys, and here comes the delivery truck. Time is one thing I'm lacking, online is fast and easy.
 Sears is next on the hit list. Those big stores are expensive to own and operate. Plus the man power needed to run one. As said above it is nice to try on clothing, and handle items before purchasing.
 The ones who are really making out are the shipping companies.

My wife does a lot of her shopping online, and she gets annoyed that I dont. I like to go out and see things with my own eyes, and don't really trust online shopping. She has been hacked twice and had to jump through hoops to get her money back, not this guy  I'll spend 5 extra bucks and support a store and all they employ, the online thing is another way we are becoming lazy.

[kc]

One of the big reasons they went bellies up is the way they treated their stock holders. A few years back they decided that they wanted to be basically a private company again. They did a reverse stock split and if you didn't have x amount of shares they bought you out at a discounted price. Only a few of the big shots had the amount of shares needed to remain.
 This was fought in court, but of course the little guy lost.

[esox_xtm]

My opinion? I know, nobody asked but here you get it anyway....

Brick and mortar retail is pretty much done with rare exceptions. Just about anything you can imagine is available online for less and as fast as you can get it over the counter. Retail? Done!

That said, if you find a way to cater to the online crowd and make that happen, you will succeed. It's a changing game and those that either use the existing rules to their advantage or make up their own will succeed.

Gander has had its issues over the years. This isn't the first time. More to follow.....

This was a Wisconsin company. Do I feel remorse? Of course! Yet, time rolls and the rest of us with it. If we don't get the program, we miss the bus. Sorry to say, sad to report......

My condolences and best wishes to all those that were employed by GM. I hope you find a home that fits your needs. It does not appear that Camping World is going to perpetuate the GM business model.

/m

[rgfixit]

I can't agree that brick and mortar is dead. The way retailers service their customers is certainly changing. Last year during the Christmas shopping season, the Lowes I work part time at, did more than 50% of sales online for the first time in their history. . Still, the store is full of walk in customers every day. Just as DD said, people still like to shop, touch, feel, compare and choose. Good retailers provide both an online and instore shopping experience that customers enjoy. The successful retailer is adaptable and attentive to their customer base.

 I gave up visiting Gander Mountain years ago. The in store experience was a dismal one. Their stores looked like crap, associates were practically non existent, and shelves were mostly bare.....except for overpriced clothing.  I don't go to Bass Pro, Cabelas or Field and Stream either aftter being constantly assaulted with credit card offers by employees. They have nothing I'm interested in.

That said, I'm 67 and have been accumulating fishing stuff for longer than many of you. There's not much I need, other than terminal tackle, and I can get that at Walmart or the bait stores I visit. It's a rare occasion I walk out of my favorite bait shops without dropping at least a $20. If it's specialty stuff like fly tying materials, I can't get them in a store anyway. So, I buy online from sources I've had good luck with.

Let's face it, nobody NEEDS fishing or hunting stuff. It's a luxury business based on impulse shopping.

Gander will go the way of many, many defunct retailers. The executives with sail away on their golden parachutes......the scavengers will pick the bones clean and fill their bellies and the people who depended on it for their livelihood will be out of luck.

Unless you're a 1%'er, you're way better off working for a small business owner or being self employed. Better to be the big fish in a small pond.

Rg

[FrankM]

I agree small business is the way to go for employment.  The bigger they are the worse they treat you. If you can find a good, small privately held company and do a good job for them they will treat you with respect. The mega companies do not care at all about their employees.

[Mac Attack]

Good retailers provide both an online and instore shopping experience that customers enjoy. The successful retailer is adaptable and attentive to their customer base.

 I gave up visiting Gander Mountain years ago. The in store experience was a dismal one. Their stores looked like crap, associates were practically non existent, and shelves were mostly bare.....except for overpriced clothing. 

X2

But I do like going to Bass Pro and Cabelas.

[dukhnter8]

Gander lately for me has just been for clothes, mostly the performance type and not even camo. Fishing and hunting stuff, that I am looking for is usually high priced or they do not have it.

Also everytime I have been in there I get one of two sales people. The one who follows you around like you need their opinion on everything or worried your going to steal something. Or the other is the group of guys that just stand around bsing with each other and sort of stocking shelves.

Lately when I get bait at an actual bait shop I will buy an extra lure or two or something else, hopefully helping them out.

[taxid]

I can't agree that brick and mortar is dead.

I don't agree either. Never said it was dead but it behooves a retail business to at least look into online sales. It's really not that difficult or excessively expensive to set up an online way to purchase items on a website.

Even a mom and pop baitstore can do it and many are. I have a couple bait and tackle stores I like to do business with because they take in fish for my taxidermy business, which I give them a commission on. However, both are at least an 40 minutes away up to 90 minutes. OTOH because I have to pick up the fish and drop the finished mount back off, I usually time my purchases with those times.

I absolutely do NOT purchase anything from Chinamart unless I really really have to. That NEVER includes fishing tackle. I have ordered from Cabelas ad BPS if my local stores can't get something for me.

[oatkasut]

Gander was the only big box store that would buy my shotgun without me buying one in return. But I never did business with them  since there fly fishing and ice fishing materials were minimal.

[boondox]

Seen a fly shop and a good fishing tackle shop close up when gander came into town.. all they carry is nothing I want till they shut down and moved.. I bought 7 lead molds to sell on ebay for cheap as retail.. only paid 8.5 a piece for them.. and might make $20 each if I sit on them and wait to sell them.. ya there so called sale or liquidation is a petty to call it a good sale cause of the bad deals at the gander by me.. 10%off on most merchandise in store a few items at 15%off other then that's it all bad deals.. at the store by me..

[trapper2000]

the gander in cicero   had a lot of  people that didn't know  crap ...they treated custmers  bad and  the prices sucked ...I always drove  a few miles went to all seasons  or bass pro

to  the manager  of the gander  in cicero I'm the guy  you wouldn't help  by getting me a pound of black powder you told me  to get a number and get in line ... now you can get in a unemployment line.......

[Mac Attack]

the gander in cicero   had a lot of  people that didn't know  crap ...they treated custmers  bad and  the prices sucked ...I always drove  a few miles went to all seasons  or bass pro

to  the manager  of the gander  in cicero I'm the guy  you wouldn't help  by getting me a pound of black powder you told me  to get a number and get in line ... now you can get in a unemployment line.......

You get him Trap!!!