Gander Mountain lawsuit accuses Cabela's of 'cybersquatting'
December 15, 2013
Curated by William Wilcoxen< BMTN
Link to artile which has several supporting links http://www.bringmethenews.com/2013/12/1 ... squatting/
Gander Mountain is honking over the online tactics of its top competitor.
The Pioneer Press reports the St. Paul-based company has filed a lawsuit accusing Cabela’s of cybersquatting. Typing GanderMountainCatalog.com or GanderCatalog.com into a web browser will lead you to Cabela’s home page, the Pioneer Press says. That prompted the lawsuit, in which Gander Mountain claims its rival in the retailing of outdoors gear is deliberately trying to confuse the public and divert Web traffic from Gander.
Cabela’s did not immediately comment to the Pioneer Press. The newspaper reports the companies have a complex history and at one time Cabela’s did own Gander Mountain’s catalog business.
The Wall Street Journal reported last week that both companies have plans to open additional stores in the next couple of years. The Journal says Nebraska-based Cabela’s plans to add 19 more stores to its 50 existing ones over the next two years, while Gander Mountain stood at 116 stores three years ago and plans to reach 140 by next summer.
Like the Journal, Investor Place notes the expansion plans come even as a surge in gun sales seems to have leveled off.
Bad blood between Gander Mountain and Cabela’s is nothing new. In February of this year Cabela’s filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Gander Mountain in U.S. court in St. Paul. Cabela’s claims Gander copied its design of a fold-up cot.