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Location: Waukesha Wisconsin | Gander Mountain to Introduce Sales and Rentals of Genmar Boats in Selected Markets, Expand Marine Accessories Department
January 18, 2005: 7:55 a.m. EST
MINNEAPOLIS (PRNewswire) - MINNEAPOLIS, Jan. 18 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Gander Mountain Company and Genmar Holdings, Inc. today announced an agreement to sell and rent several Genmar boat lines at Gander Mountain stores, expanding on Gander Mountain's existing assortment of canoes, kayaks and small fishing boats. Gander Mountain also announced that it is expanding the assortment of marine accessories at its large-format stores.
Selected Gander Mountain stores will sell three lines of boats that appeal to both fishermen and the recreational boater -- Stratos(R) and Champion(R) 17-foot to 21-foot fishing boats featuring Yamaha engines, and Seaswirl(R) 17-foot to 23-foot family sport boats (runabouts, deckboats, bowriders and fish-n-skis) featuring Volvo-Penta engines. Gander Mountain will accept customer trade-ins and offer retail financing and service, leveraging the company's existing ATV service centers.
Additionally, some Gander Mountain stores will offer rental of Triumph(R) boats, The World's Toughest Boats(R), including both fishing and family runabout models in various sizes to meet customers' needs. Customers will be able to arrange rentals from the participating stores through most other Gander Mountain stores. Rental customers will be able to tow the boats up to 500 miles from the Gander Mountain rental location, a unique benefit for vacationers.
"We are excited to be partnering with Genmar, one of the world's premier manufacturers of recreational boats, to offer our customers a selection of quality boats to enhance their outdoor experiences, whether to own for many years or rent for just a day. We look forward to expanding this relationship to more markets over time," said Mark Baker, president and CEO. "In addition, our customers, as active participants in a broad range of outdoor activities, have asked us to expand our boating and marine businesses so they can purchase everything they need to enjoy their outdoor lifestyle in one convenient location."
"Gander Mountain, as a leading outdoor lifestyle retailer, is a strategic partner for us in expanding the distribution of our popular fishing and recreational boats," commented Irwin Jacobs, Chairman of Genmar Holdings. "Gander Mountain's customers are our customers, and it is ultimately the customer who will reap the rewards of this new venture."
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Location: Germantown and Land O Lakes, WI | This has been in the works since before the Lund and Crestliner sale, but kept on the hush-hush.
I can tell you this, that as of right now there will be only 7 stores that will be selling these boats. Select "Big Box" stores (over 90,000 sqr ft) will be the ones doing it, and the only store in this area selling them will be Wausau as of now.
I haven't heard anything mentioned about Geneva, IL or Kenosha,Wi.
I pray to God that they offer employees and or Pro Staffers a decent deal on these rigs, I'm very curious about the new Stratos Multi-Species being introduced at the Minnesota Boat show coming up. |
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Location: Isle MN. | It should work out great for both consumer and Gander!! |
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| I bet the Yamaha dealers are going to love doing warranty work on motors bought from Gander instead of from their store!   |
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Location: Elgin, Illinois | "I bet the Yamaha dealers are going to love doing warranty work on motors bought from Gander instead of from their store!"
Some will resent the "intrusion", others will view it as an opportunity to gain a customer... |
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Location: Germantown and Land O Lakes, WI | JD..what's the difference where they bought it from? The dealer doing the warranty work will bill Yamaha for it no matter what. Ever think that when these folks go to have service and winterization done, that dealer will gain a customer?
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Location: Waukesha Wisconsin | The article mentions that the Gander stores will offer service. Doesn't this put the established dealers out of the loop?
It would be interesting to get a perspective from those with a Cabela's close by that sells boats and motors. I wonder if they could report how it helped or hurt other businesses.
The marina that sponsors me sells Stratos boats, I can't imagine that they will be very happy. I'll be making a call today to get their reaction although I have a pretty good idea what it will be. Gander just openned one of their super stores close to marina. |
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| Gander,
It really shouldn't make any difference, but for some reason, in some instances it does.
It might have something to do with keeping track of records, or history on the motor, etc.. |
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Location: Germantown and Land O Lakes, WI | Seems like there's always somebody getting upset whenever new competition moves into an area, I know for sure there's a Champion dealer right down the road from the Wausau store, and there's Heckels south selling Rangers by DuBay.
I have not heard how extensive Gander will get with service centers, I guess it depends on how much property the existing store is on, so I think we'll have to wait and see before we say it's bad for other dealers.
I'll tell you this, there may be some awfully upset dealers around here if the rumors are true about where the next Big Box is going! |
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| I have been following this tread for a while now and coming from a sales industry (industrial cutting tools) is that if companys don't feel they get enough sales from local distrubution they will go national. Unfortunatley for the little guys it hurts because most people will not do research on dealer and now days service to the average person is second. It is who is cheaper. Talking with alot of people there attitude is well if it is brand X then anyone who services it has to work on it. For example I might buy a Ford truck from one dealer and the dealer down the street has to service it. Sunshine I know the dealer you work for as I have seen you on their web site and just so happens to be the dealer I bought my first Lund from I got a outstanding deal and service is great. I really don't think if it happens down there it will hurt Jim that much. Their reputation for the other brands they sell is great. |
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| Again, manufacturers just don't get it! GMG, competition is good if your the manufacturer, but multiple distribution in the same geographical area only hurts mfg, bottom line (we already had this discussion didn't we?) It forces you them to reduce their margins. The thought that you get more exposure with multiple distribution channels is not a good business plan! You just end up working harder for less money........
Good Luck
Tyee |
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Location: Waukesha Wisconsin | Eyeson,
I appreciate the compliments you gave about Main Marine & Ski. It's nice to hear things like that about someone I work closely with. Like I tell people at the shows, I was a customer at Main Marine first and I was always extremely impressed on how I was treated. That's why I pursued them for sponsorship. |
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Location: Rhinelander | Another set of marine 'super stores'. As the industry goes through the 'motor wars' and consolidates even more, it becomes increasingly interesting to work with independants. Companies like Yar Craft, Tuffy, Alumacraft, and other independant builders become more attractive to the dealer who wishes to sell the customer whatever they WANT on a rig for motors, electronics, and more. The smaller independants may also be a future source of solid protected territories for many dealers; something that these days can be one of the very few benefits provided to a dealer by the builder dealer allowing decent profit margins.
I've spoken to many folks this week about the fate of the independant builder, and in actuality, the future looks brighter than ever! Mercury has guaranteed unfettered access to their product, and of course there is also Suzuki, a company who as of this year vowed never to buy any boat company. Bombardier should be increasingly interested in the small builder soon, I would think.
Crazy business, this. |
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Location: Germantown and Land O Lakes, WI | I wish Gander would have had the chance to add AlumaCraft as a rig to sell. They make a decently priced, very well built boat. |
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Location: shawano,WI | I bet Tom Keenan will love that.Ranger Guy selling Those boats. |
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Location: Rhinelander | There's one I didn't think about. Oh well, I've sold products I don't personally endorse. It's sometimes not easy to keep the seperation between one's personal sponsors and the needs of the customer or client, but a true sales and promotions professional won't have any trouble with that at all. It's really no more than a matter of persoanl integrity. |
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Location: Germantown and Land O Lakes, WI | Don't forget that Jason Prezkurat works out of the same store at TK...both are Ranger guys. I haven't spoken with either of them, nor do I know what thier commitment is to Ranger or thier dealers, but it wouldn't shock me to see either of them jump ship. |
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Location: Colgate, WI | Gander,
I can't speak for T.K. but I can't see him out of his Ranger. You never know but I know he loves the ranger product line. |
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Location: shawano,WI | Yes if you ever saw Tommy in that ranger on the water you would know it was him.Running back and forth kind of like a chicken in a coup.He loves it when I tell him that. |
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