Gander Mountain $ GHG decoys

[websdown]

Stopped up at Forest Lake MN store today to see what was coming in so far Lots of Final Approach Decoys Mallards Honker Fullbodys & shells & Higdons. Only 2 boxs of GHG shells & a couple boxs each of Teal & Bluebills asked the backroom guy if they are going to get more in he said they were going to switch over to other manufactures due to shipments not being on time and most people wanting to buy there decoys before OCT. If this is the case this year its to bad i bought all my GHG decoys from Gander the last couple of years. Just wondering if you guys at Avery had any input on this subject if this is a single store opinion or storewide or if there is no truth to it at all.But if it is true don,t worry Sportsmans Warehouse & Cabelas sell,s your products up here also its just better for us guys the more stores that carry your gear the better because differant stores carry differant items. Looking forward to the Fullbody Mallards,Cans & Goldeneyes Keepem Coming.

[DeWayne Knight]

Websdown, thanks for your use of and loyalty to Avery and Greenhead Gear products. Check with your local Cabelas and Sportsman's Warehouse, and if they don't stock a particular decoy or item, ask them if they can get it from their corporate warehouse. At a corporate level they may have them, just not stocked in your particular store. Good luck and thanks!

[wifowler]

I'm with WEBSDOWN. I was out doing some shopping over the weekend. Stopped at one of the Gander's that I don't normally frequent. Found the same scenario there as I had at 3 metro Milwaukee stores - FAs galore, and a few 'left-overs' from Avery - no GHG geese of any sort. Spoke with the store manager and was told pretty much the same thing that WEBSDOWN was told.
The fact is many people want to buy decoys (goose anyway) before Sep. In case anyone has forgotten, that's when a good deal of every goose seasons start.
As for Cabela's there is not one close, add that to the fact that I have to pay $10-12 per box for shipping & tax (there is a store 5 hrs away in the state), and the price of GHG has just gone up measureably. Sportsman's Warehouse - yea right - I might as well pay the shipping from Cabela's. SW prices are $10/doz more than anyone else, there stock is low, and getting them to order something from corporate and getting it in a reasonable time frame is out of the question. The benefit that I saw in purchasing from Gander was 1) proximity, 2) price, and 3) they often had sales on them.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again. Vendors need to really take a look at how long it takes to get a product to market, and adjust manufacturing. The 'just in time' theory doesn't appear to have faired well.

Sorry for the rant, but I'm tired of hearing the same song and dance.

[Berger]

that sux,, no more 40% off in Oct at Gander?

[Rick Frisch]

Gander Mountain decided not to buy our decoys for whatever reason. That reason was never communicated to us. We can't sell something to a store that doesn't want to buy it.

Yes, we did deliver late on some decoys last year. We never anticipated that sales would be so strong. We sold about double what we thought we were going to. Now that we have that history, we are full geared up to produce what we need to be on time this year. So far, we are hitting all the ship dates and events that dealers want and need decoys for.

If you want to see the decoys in Minneapolis, Joe's Sport Shop received a container load last week. It had the Pro-Grade full body geese, FFD Elite Series full body geese, and the full body mallards on it.

I am sure Gander will have decoys on sale in October. They just won't be GHG.

Thanks,

[Mark Brendemuehl]

Guys- I worked an event this past weekend in Minnesota, and he had his entire container there already. Its still a month to go before the season, plenty of time to make choices etc. But also keep in mind that some stores don't want their product BEFORE a certain date either. The guy I worked for is in that boat. He doesnt want to store the decoys all summer before they start moving. Thanks for choosing the GHG.
Mark

[Cory Johnson]

Same thing at the Paducha Kentucky Gander Mountain. The store is not selling as many greenhead gear products. If its not Avery or GHG there is no point in buying. Sorry Gander Mountain you lost a customer !!

[websdown]

Thanks Rick for reminding me i forgot all about Joe,s

[goosehuntinman]

Rick,

Are you saying I wont be able to buy GHG at any Gander mountain stores this year???? Or was that just for the above mention stores.

If so, my choices here in Pa.are really getting narrowed down.

They were to be opening a new store in Johnstown Pa. this month. Which would have been my closest Avery dealer.

[Eric Larsgaard]

Robert,

I do not believe so. Unless they have carry over from last year.

Eric

[Christian Curtis]

I don't think that any Gander store will have GHG decoys this year unless it is as Eric said, carryover from '04.

[wifowler]

What about Scheel's and Sportsman Warehouse ? Are they under contract for the Avery and GHG product line for this fall? Or did their corporate offices adopt a position similar to Gander?

Hope this gets ironed out somewhere along the line. Gander lost this customer, and so may have Avery and GHG.

[Brett Beinke]

Sportsmens should have the new stuff but I do not think Scheels will.

[Brett Beinke]

Come to think of it there are quite a few other retailers in MN that will have our new product. We may have lossed a few larger accoutns but some of the smaller ones stepped up plus a few new ones to boot. Check your Aver Dealer Locator for a store nearest you and thank them for carrying the best decoys in the world!

[Mallards-N-Muskies]

Are there any new retailers in Southern Wisconsin that will be carrying your decoys besides Cabela's?

[wifowler]

"Check your Avery Dealer Locator for a store nearest you and . . . . . . . "

/rant on

FWIW, those that use the above phrase in response to a question of availability, etc, need to take a closer look at reality.

1) As of 5 min ago, the Dealer loactor list for Wisc is almost entirely "Gander Mountain". We know now that that will not be the case.

2) Take away Scheels and the remainder of those listed in Wisc are 'Mom & Pop shops', that for all intents and purposes, the only reason that they appear as a dealer is because they MAY stock the odd Avery item - shell belt, game strap, whatever. It is certainly not because they have GHG decoys on the floor or a semi-trailer out back wall to wall with dekes.

That said, "Check your Avery Dealer Locator for a store nearest you and . . . . . . . " doesn't hold water - that dog won't hunt, whatever. It's a put-off.

/rant off

[Brett Beinke]

Check the dealer locator is not a put off. We tried hard to be as fair as possible to large and small retailers alike. If we kept sending everyone to the big retailers we would loose the small retailers and many of these "mom and pop" retailers you speek of are very loyal to Avery. Right now the best tool, although not pefect, for us to use is the dealer locator tool and let you then consumer choose who you would like to shop with. TM's will have a better grip as to which of these mom and pops have what. If you have a favorite store that is close and does not carry GHG/Avery products ask them to. It is that simple. The more cusomters of those smaller shops ask for us, they will be begging to order from us as they do not like losing money to the larger retailers either. In MN in know of two mom and pops that bought full containers this year. I know of another "smaller" retailer that has been buying containers the last several years. Again, if you have a store nearby that doesn't carry our products why not ask them to carry them or ask them why they are not. In the mean time I know there will be a good selection of our products at Game Fair in Anoka and at DU Fest in Oshkosh.

[Jeremy Abbas]

On that note Brett, I am going to be heading up to GameFair, do you guys know where you will be at?

[Brett Beinke]

We will be scattered all over at different retailers. I will be working at the Red Bear booth on Waterfowlers hill. Dalton Sports will be another spot to check out as will Sportsmens Warehouse. Macks Prairie Wings will be there as well.

[Alan Sisson]

Check the dealer locator is not a put off If it isn't a put off then how do you suggest finding a dealer in this area when your information is incorrect?? Most of the listing is Gander or Scheels which are not carrying the product. Herter is listed and has been closed for over a year!!! Is there or is there not a dealer in SE WI that is carrying the product??

In MN in know of two mom and pops that bought full containers this year. I know of another "smaller" retailer that has been buying containers the last several years Thanks but we are looking for dealers here in SE WI.

[Dux r me]

Hey Alan chill he was just tryen to help, but I do have to say its getting harder and harder to get avery products. I just wish shipping wasnt so expensive.

[Travis Mueller]

Alan if you will go into Scheels and let them know what you are looking for, they will be more than happy to order them for you. We cannot make any dealer order our product, and you people from Wisconsin know that other than Scheels and Gander Mountain, there isn't a whole heck of a lot up there. Believe me I have tried every year to get a legit dealer in that area to order some quantity and the only one that ever did still owes us roughly 10,000 and has disappeared. I understand your frustration, but I don't know what to do about it. The only dealer semi in your area will be Sportsman's Warehouse in Greenbay. Talk to Mike Williams.

[Mark Brendemuehl]

Alan- I know it would be a drive to get there, but worth a weekend get away in that area anyway- Have you been to Cabelas in Prairie Du Chien? Great store, lots of product, scenic area, lots of places to stay, and some GREAT diver hunting on the river there. I grew up hunting there.
Mark

[wifowler]

Originally posted by Alan Sisson:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Check the dealer locator is not a put off If it isn't a put off then how do you suggest finding a dealer in this area when your information is incorrect?? Most of the listing is Gander or Scheels which are not carrying the product. Herter is listed and has been closed for over a year!!! Is there or is there not a dealer in SE WI that is carrying the product??

In MN in know of two mom and pops that bought full containers this year. I know of another "smaller" retailer that has been buying containers the last several years Thanks but we are looking for dealers here in SE WI.</font>[/QUOTE]Looks like Alan and I are 'toeing the same line'. In the words of someone famous 'information is power, inaccurate information is worthless.'

FWIW and with regrad to the response about asking the 'mom & pops' to stock or order GHG dekes - forget it. I have talked to all of the 'mom & pop' owners in SE and Central WI. Their response, almost verbatim was that they would not be ordering GHG dekes - for a multitude of reasons. 1) Avery was requiring that they order minimum quantities that they had nowhere to display or store, 2) In order to have competitive pricing, they had to order even larger quantities, and 3) the biggy, they did not care for the Avery rep(s). Those that are stocking dekes have leaned toward FA because FA gauranteed availability and delivery by 1 Aug.

As for being able to get GHGs at DU Fest or Game Fair - fair enough. I'd like to be able to buy decoys on a little more regular basis - $129 every couple of weeks is a little easier to muster up than $700-$1000 for a one-shot deal. Likewise, places like Gander and Scheels often and in-store specials, which was even more incentive to buy from them.

Bottom line - I think that while GHGs are great decoys, Avery stepped on their **** when it came to getting the product to market. In the end, it is the customer - me, the guy with the money - that is taking it in the shorts. Pro Staff guys can say all they want; so can the territory or regional managers - their 'pipeline' to the product is not the same as "Joe customer".

[Rick Frisch]

Guys,

I have been watching this thread progress and have one big question. Why are WE getting critisized for STORES not buying our products? What are we suppose to do just ship these store stuff that we think they will need and they hope that they pay for it?

We do have some guidelines for stores to be a dealer. They are pretty easy to attain. The problem these small stores have is that they want the same price per box that the big stores pay. The big store buy by the the container and get a good discount for doing so. How can we justify selling small stores that want to by a few boxes for the same price? We have to factor in storage, overhead, shipping, etc.

We also have several distributors that carry our products. They can get them via them if they want to. This is a great alternative for them to get the products if they can't meet our minimums.

Do you guys even remember what decoys looked like and how much you paid before we entered the market?

If you want to complain about a store not buying stuff, don't tell us. Go to the store and do it. We will sell to any store that meets the requirements.

Thanks,

[wifowler]

"I have been watching this thread progress and have one big question. Why are WE getting critisized for STORES not buying our products? What are we suppose to do just ship these store stuff that we think they will need and they hope that they pay for it?"

By your own admission (maybe not YOU specifically, but someone who carries an Avery sig line) you failed to meet delivery dates in the past. This set a precedent with at least Gander Mtn. Now the buyers at Gander Mtn HQ may not be the sharpest tacks in the box, but I'll bet they realize that they can't make any money if they don't have product to sell.

Someone ought to export and forward this thread to Gander and Scheels. Bet we'd see some reps doing some tiptoeing then . . . . .

[Alan Sisson]

Alan if you will go into Scheels and let them know what you are looking for, they will be more than happy to order them for you After 3 calls to them and finally speaking to the manager......Scheels will NOT be carrying GHG decoys this year, so I guess they are out. I won't go into the reason I was told they were not carrying them but I think it has been mentioned already.

Alan- I know it would be a drive to get there, but worth a weekend get away in that area anyway- Have you been to Cabelas in Prairie Du Chien? Great store, lots of product, scenic area, lots of places to stay, and some GREAT diver hunting on the river there. I grew up hunting there.

Mark - Thanks for the offer, I'm sure its a nice place but by the time I drove 360 miles round-trip, stayed the night and took momma shopping, I could afford a few dozen bigfoots.

</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr /> have been watching this thread progress and have one big question. Why are WE getting critisized for STORES not buying our products? What are we suppose to do just ship these store stuff that we think they will need and they hope that they pay for it?

We do have some guidelines for stores to be a dealer. They are pretty easy to attain. The problem these small stores have is that they want the same price per box that the big stores pay. The big store buy by the the container and get a good discount for doing so. How can we justify selling small stores that want to by a few boxes for the same price? We have to factor in storage, overhead, shipping, etc.
You are the one with the message board who ask for comments from your consumers. I'm just trying to get through the sound and dance being given to buy some of your decoys and support one of my reasonably local retailers.
</font>[/QUOTE]

[grenhdkilr]

**** i guess i am glad to live in colorado i can get them just about anywhere i go :eek:

[SwampHunter]

No problem around here finding them either. And I have never ever seen the dealer locator on the site.
Of course if I wanted something and I couldn't find it locally fast enough to suit my needs I would just order it. Then I get what I want when I wanted it.
Sometimes paying shipping is cheaper than calling or driving around to try to find what you are looking for. Of course if money were really an issue I highly doubt that I would be hunting. :D

[JEDJR]

Originally posted by SwampHunter:
Of course if money were really an issue I highly doubt that I would be hunting. :D What's money???? :D

[Scott F]

Boy, I'll be glad when season is here so you can ***** about the lack of birds or the guy sky busting next to ya. So Avery is not doing business with Gander or what ever. Unless you live right next to Gander how much are you saving. By the time you drive there(yes I put a cost on my time, because I could be making money doing something else), the gas, the miles on your vehicle, tax on what you buy, and then what she spends(atleast in my case) :( it is just as cost efficient to order them. Yeah you pay shipping, but you don't pay tax(if you work for the IRS, I have never ordered anything from the internet) :D Between the gas and the tax, that more than covers the shipping. Cut Avery some slack they are a pretty **** good company that has great customer service.

[Berger]

seriously Scott,,, I was saving 40% last October when I bought 3 doz full bodies and a Finisher blind the money does kind of add up,, I had my friend pick the stuff up for me " I was in Iraq at the time"

I, and I assume others like me was looking forward to adding a bunch of more decoys this Oct. Hopefully someone else will have Avery on sale,, they are the best decoy for the money in my mind

[Rick Frisch]

wi-fowler,

I handle the Gander Mountain account. You won't see me tiptoeing anywhere. I called that buyer at Gander over 20 times from January to the end of May. He alway said he was working on orders and projections. In short, he wouldn't tell us he wasn't going to carry our decoys.

Now, we have had e-mails and calls from him in the last week wondering what he can get for Gander Mountain. I will tell you what. We don't build enough saftey stock to supply a big customer like Gander Mountain without some kind of projection.

As for Scheel's, some stores are carrying our stuff and some are not. Eric unloaded a whole container at the Omaha Scheel's today. Obviously, the manager you talked to was not aware of this. I have had several Scheel's stores in my area order some stuff for this year. To say Scheel's is not going to do GHG is obviously not true.

[websdown]

Boy never thought when i started this topic it would get so much press. Wil i took some advise and went to Joes Sporting goods today and they have just about every thing that GHG makes on the shelf Fully Flocked Geese Feeder Butts Cans Spoonbill& Fullbody mallards they all look GREAT the only thing i did,nt see was any Snows or Blues or Specks, The bases on the geese & mallards are really something what a great idea no more trying to find the little hole in the back anymore. GREAT JOB! GHG Fred& the CREW!

[Allen Hughes]

Alan and Wi-fowler - Please chill. I do not chime in very often but want to add to what my good friend Rick had to say.

First of all, the crap about the dealer locater being “a put off” is just plain wrong. You complained about it being almost entirely Gander in your area. Please understand that Avery has a very large line or products. In the case of the larger guys, like Gander, you have a multitude of buyers who cover different areas of the store. Gander is a very large dealer of ours but may not carry every single item. A great example is that we may have huge orders for certain core items like blinds, RealGrass, Bags, Gun Cases, shell belts, etc…..but the buyer for decoys may have initiallu chosen to order another brand of decoy for any number of reasons. Does that mean that Gander is no longer a dealer and the dealer locater is misleading??? Give me a break. They are a valued dealer and carry a great many products…....As a matter of fact, we shipped some decoys from our warehouse to them this week and just because they are not in your store yet you thing the locater is misleading.

Next topic….Information you receive at the “store level”………this is a big one. Last night I had a HUGE discussion about this very topic with a member of the Hunting Department at my local Memphis Sportsman’s Warehouse. We agreed that this is a tough one because the guys at the local level are doing the best that they possibly can but sometimes the transfer of information is not what it should be - on BOTH sides. Both sides work on that every day. The guys at the store may not know what is coming, what is ordered or even when it will get there. Please allow me to use an example of information I received last year from another Memphis location of a very large sporting goods catalog dealer…..I wanted to buy a 45 caliber Thompson Center Omega and needed it fast, so I went to our local big store……they only stocked the 50 caliber…I asked if they carried the 45 caliber. The guy I talked to had no **** clue and got the head guy at the gun counter…the HEAD guy…..he told me TC QUIT making the 45 and all they made was a 50….do you get my point??? There was probably no malicious intent but he wanted to sell me a 50…he had no clue. Did I get ****ed at Thompson Center for a moronic answer I received from a store????? No. The point is there is an entire universe of decisions and information that gets transferred more incorrectly the farther down the chain it gets. We fight it every single year at EVERY single large account…just last week some guy called our CS department and said that “Cabela’s told him they weren’t carrying our new OS Black Ducks”….he was all ****ed off about it until we reassured him that they were, in fact, carrying them and they would be in the new waterfowl catalog…the poor retail guy he talked to had no clue and it ended up with someone ****ed at us…go figure. Do you get my point?????

The point is that that someone at a store level may tell you that Avery delivered their decoys late last year so they did not order them this year. Fine – the dealer can say what he wants. I challenge any of you to understand that there are 2 sides to every story…. ….the truth is likely that the initial order was 20% of what they sold, that they dumped the price on the initial order and ran out, that their projections were simply too low….this happens to ALL large accounts. A buyer at a very large account told me last month that he was in a tough job because his forecast and his initial orders were ALWAYS wrong….I asked what the hell he meant because I did not agree…he said his orders to us were ALWAYS wrong because there was no way he could be 100% accurate on his “guestimate” of what his 40 stores would sell…he would end up low and **** of the customers or end up high and **** off his bosses…do you get the point?

I am very proud of the fact that we have shipped literally hundreds of containers of decoys so far this year and it is running smoother than ever. Do any of you realize what we have accomplished in the way of sheer volume in the last 3 years? Not very long ago there was no such thing as GHG decoys……think about it!!!!!!!!!!......we have adapted to the demand as best as we possibly could have to become, arguably, a leader in the industry. We have managed the volume and demand while, at the same time, continuing to offer new decoys and improve others………Sure, there have been bumps along the way but we do not look back….only forward.


Now, if any of you want to stop complaining and honestly want to find a specific decoy, please give me or our customer service department a call. Deal?

Allen Hughes
Avery
800-333-5119 ext. # 1546
901-454-2546 - direct

[grenhdkilr]

well there you go whiners the man has stepped up to the plate and gave you his number i bet half of you wont even call you just wanna ***** way to step up Allen I think you guys have done a 100% better this year than last year and i am sure it will only get better smile.gif

[Travis Mueller]

[Travis Mueller]

I also would like to chime in. I have been the factory sales rep now for almost five years, and for almost five years, I have been driving to Wisconsin to call on every ma and pa shop available. Every year I give them a chance to order our product and give them the best discount available for them. Obviously I tell them that the more they order, the better the discount and freight will be, but they certainly can order whatever they would like.
Wisconsin waterfowlwer, you must have a lot of time on your hands to be calling around to every dealer in Wisconsin asking about certain decoys, and I can tell you that they have had every chance in the last five years to order whatever they would like. I just talked with Scheels in Appleton today about ordering a bunch of decoys, and that they would work on the order today, and let me know. Now if you would like to tell me who these dealers in Wisconsin are that don't like me that would be great. I would love to discuss this with them. No tiptoeing here either, just telling you like it is.

[JEDJR]

Trying to get those post numbers up huh Travis??? tongue.gif ;) :D

[JEDJR]

Guys, I will say this, It's is a Bad deal for everyone concerned, Avery, the dealers and the consumer.
Just give it some time, and I'm sure things will work out for the best.

[WisWoody]

I too live in Wisconsin and kinda ****es me off that scheels and Gander wont be caring the new full bodys,I will surely speak my mind to them,but...but Please tell me you guys will have some at DU fest in Oshgosh?? by the sounds of it you could sell a boat load,I know of alot of guys who wanted the new full bodys and there isnt one of us buying them new FA decoys,in fact we hope they sell alot, because we know our Avery's are alot better than the FA and them things will flare geese :D Any insight on DU would be great!! BTW I think Christian should come up here,would do him good to come to gods country for awhile ;)besides he has never had a cheese curd :cool:

[Brad Hanson]

I will throw my two cents in and then go back into the shadows on this subject. IT REALLY MEANS ALOT when one of the originators of the company cares enough about what his customers think to leave his phone number! I have worked in the Memphis office and have seen in person Allens work load and his due dilegence to getting product to his dealers in an accurate and timely matter!Hats off Allen!

I am in sales for another industry and one thing I know is that NOTHING speaks lounder than a customer looking to spend money! As Allen mentioned, the local guy is just that the local guy, don't unload on the messenger but make sure they understand and tell the folks making the buying decsions they are missing sales and you are demanding a particular product.

One of the worst things you can do is to purchase what they HAVE not what you WANT or NEED. If you do that you have taught that retailer that you are a lemming and not an empowered consumer.Stand up for your rights as an american consumer....raw..raw..raw....yadda..yadda ... yadda. You get the point.

[bigguns]

Wow, just registered on the forum and have been reading thru all of the posts.

Can anyone tell me if this issue has been resolved? I mean is there any chance that Wisconsin Gander Mtns will be getting the GHG shells or full bodies this year?

BTW, I see that wifowler is unregistered. Does that mean banned? While maybe a bit untactful, I think he used the forum to bring a point to light. (Hope I don't get baned for saying that!!)

Great forums guys.

Russ

[MNboy]

GANDER ISNT GOINNA CARRY GHG!!!!!!!!!!!!!! No way!! The forest lake gander provided me with all of your ghg and avery stuff last year!! Now i have to drive a significant ways to go to joes!! Thats too far for gas these day! :mad: You should smack some sense into these guys. I was wondering why they only had some blueblill deeks. Guess im goinna haveta work somethin out with my parents to let me go down to them dang cities. Korey

[JEDJR]

I dont understand why alot of guys just dont order from Mack's or Cabelas catalogs. Not paying sales tax offsets the shipping charges.

We just ordered almost 2000.00 dollars worth of GHG Snow and Blue decoys from Mack's and the shipping was around 120.00 dollars.

It will also keep you from having to drive any far distances to another dealer that will have them in stock. You can have them delivered to your door which will save you time and money. JMO.

[chrispbrown27]

I went down to the Paducah Kentucky Gander Mountain on Friday and I will never again go. I was very disappointed in everything. Wal-Mart has a better stock of duck and goose decoys and calls! And on top of that no one was willing to answer questions. The one guy I could flag down answered my question with a quick no and walked away without giving me a chance to ask any more. So, Gander Mountain has lost my business and I WILL be telling everyone I know about my experience.

[adventurergv]

As I glance through this topic. You guys complaining about not being able to get the
decoys you want more than a mile from your house make me want to cry.
We have one store within 350 miles that sells decoys and all they have is mallards and we never get a mallard here. So stop complaining that Gander Mountain isn't selling your decoys
Welcome to my world.

[chrispbrown27]

I just got through reading some of the other posts and would like to say that I am in no way complaining about Avery/Greenhead Gear. My problem is with Gander Mountain itself. The product I went down there in search of was not an Avery/Greenhead Gear product but it was not there when I got there even though I was told by the manufacturer that it would be. I have since talked to him and he has bent over backwards to get his product to me since then and apologized for sending me down there. I have not had a single problem with any of the Avery/Greenhead Gear products I have bought and have no plans to stop buying their product.