Gander Mountain

I would give 0 stars if I could but the lowest rating Unilocal will allow me to give is a one star. My problem with this company is their absolute misunderstanding of what customer service entails. I purchased a jacket around Christmas time for $ 150 and paid cash. They were running a promotion and I was given a $ 20 gift card because I spent over $ 100. After leaving the store I was tracked down by an employee and told he had to repeat the transaction because the gift card didn’t authorize. He then said «ok if you could just just re-​swipe your card, I can get this gift card authorized», at which point I had to argue with him to remind him I had paid cash less than 2 minutes prior. After about 30 minutes the issue was finally resolved and I was off with my gift card. At no point was I informed of an option of whether to decline or accept the gift card. The coat I bought was a present for my mother. It did not fit. The next day I return to the store to get a refund of the jacket and buy one of her correct size. I had just paid $ 150 cash! They stuck to their guns and said because I have the gift card I only now get $ 125 back. I explain to the manager (a very unhelpful woman) that I just want my money back that I paid for the jacket less than 24 hours earlier and that I didn’t care about the gift card, she could just go ahead and un-​authorize it. Long story short, she refused to give me my hard earned money back for the store item which I returned in perfect condition. The employees were too incompetent to understand that: If I go to a storefront and pay hard earned cash for a product and then return the product in perfect condition with receipt and all, I should receive my hard earned cash back. Regardless if they are running a promotion giving me a $ 20 gift card or a fishing rod, or a brand new canoe for that matter. The manager simply kept saying «I understand but unfortunately the computer won’t allow me to refund it». BS!!! I worked retail for years and that is the biggest cop out ever! I was so frustrated not only because I lost out $ 25 of my money, but because I was visiting Ohio from California for the first time in 14 months and I didn’t want to waste my precious family time arguing over $ 25 around the holidays. In one word, incompetence and neglect of true customer service. I don’t see myself ever going back here again.

I’ve had a few occasions to go into Gander Mountain. I’ve bought hiking shoes, mittens, a sweater, and hand/​foot warmers. The store is mostly geared to the outdoorsman and the dude who likes hunting/​shooting gear, but for the average chick like me, I find some cool things in there. Their employees aren’t that great. When I was in the shoe department I asked a young guy if they have socks that I can use to try on a pair of hiking shoes. His instant response was, «Today’s my first day.» I said, «Ssssssss so?» He looked at me with a puzzled look on his face. Like somehow being day 1 on the job entitles you to have a dumbass attack. After I decided I wasn’t going to get an answer out of him and I didn’t want to wait for him to track someone down, I opened a brand new pair of socks and made them into a pair of trial socks. oh well.