Latest visit to Cabela's.

[Texas10mm]

I visited Cabelas last night to look at a several items I intended to buy elsewhere for waaay less! Upon entering the store I was greeted with credit card papers which pisses me off to no end so that's one reason I stay away. I wanted to look at some cold weather camo and everything I had looked at last year was definitely a different material this year. I found it odd right at the BP takeover all the camo was removed in the whole store and only recently replaced last month and we are now in month 3 of Ohio's hunting seasons. I went over to the bino counter and the gentlemen was very helpful and knew his stuff. It came time to walk out with an item they agreed to price match and I was asked about the credit card. I now reply I have the card and its great even though I don't. The man replied "great! Thank you very much, we appreciate that and that's pretty much the only think keeping us in a job". I have no clue what that meant other than several years ago I was told by an employee Cabelas finances their own credit card. Ammo is very high compared to other places, guns are very high even with the black Friday sales and I don't think I've ever seen so much novelty crap in my life!!! I swear 60% of the store is now hoodies, t shirts, hats and gift crap! 10yrs ago if you said Cabelas to me I thought taxidermy mountain, camo, guns and bows. Archery used to have a ton of Bear bows and various crossbows and now its all redhead crap! Archery tech said they made him take them all down and put in the back room.

P.S. I purchased a Savage Mark II FV today on sale for $150. Cabelas sale price is $199. About 3 local shops had the Mark II in all variations for $150 this week so cabelas having more $ and pull could sell them at that price but they must want to be greedy. I drove 40min to purchase one for $150.

Cabela's USED to finance their own card. As part of the deal when being acquired by Bass Pro they had to give that up.

 

[KansasSasquatch]

In Kansas City the powder and primer selection has been better recently. Surprisingly primers are now out on the shelves when for a long time they were kept behind the counter. Powder is STILL out on the shelves. And the prices, while still higher than some places, aren't really terrible. Used gun prices seem to have become worse. And their certainly seems to be more street clothing and less camo clothing than there used to be. The selection of AR and other "tactical" gun parts/accessories actually looks improved. The biggest disappointment gun-wise is that they no longer have display optics mounted on stock blanks (or whatever they used). That used to be a good way to see how clear a scope really was and if the eye relief would be acceptable. And although they've changed the layout in the firearms/ammo/reloading area, and nothing is ahere I expect it to be, it does seem to be better organized. I'm still not happy about BP buying them but it hasn't gone to complete crap yet.

I haven't really checked out the fishing side of the store yet but I'm not getting my hopes up on that.

 

[redneck2]

I used to go out of my way to go to the Bargain Cave. I’d go there at least once every week or two. Now it’s a waste of time. I’ve been there maybe once in the past six months

 

[Reloadron]

Cabela's USED to finance their own card. As part of the deal when being acquired by Bass Pro they had to give that up.

Yeah, now the card member services are handled by Master Card through Capital One. They sent my wife and I new cards and a PITA is I had a few things regularly automatically billed to my old Cabela's Visa and had to change things over to the new cards and account numbers. Took several calls but fixed things. Generally use the Cabela's Visa for the first half of the year or till we meet the black status limit and then I use my Harley Davidson Visa and earn my Harley Bucks. With the exception of the automatic billing stuff.

Recently they opened a store (a few years ago) in Avon Lake, Ohio which is about a 40 min drive but it's a smaller store than most. I have also used the Cabela's in Columbus, Ohio which I pass on I-71 when going to see my sister or the kids and grand kids. While not great deals in the Gun Library I have managed a few OK deals and a 5% veteran's discount. I do like the fact that if I am planning a trip down to Columbus or my local store I can browse any of the gun libraries online. Matter of fact I saw a gun in a PA Cabela's and they moved it to my local store just so I could look at it. That went well.

I have also found that, as mentioned, working with some of the sales floor people is difficult. For example if I ask where the on sale, in store only, Federal Black Packs are I may get a blank stare but if I ask for #2645002 they enter it and take me to it. Helps, if you do not have a current flyer to grab one at the door. They relate well to pictures as well as numbers. Verbal descriptions not so much.

Overall considering what is around me Cabela's isn't a bad place, not great but not bad either. Gander Mountain was close but we know how that went and in the greater Cleveland, Ohio suburbs the pickins are slim. I do support a local gun shop I like when he has something I want and he is always good with me on deals.

Ron

 

[Legionnaire]

Remember when Banana Republic was a catalog outfit with hand drawn pictures of their products in their catalog? They had great outdoor clothing. Then they were bought by the GAP and the rest, as they say, is history. Seems like Cabela's is on the same journey. Shame, really. For years almost all my hunting clothing was from Cabela's.

 

[kmw1954]

Wow I was hoping the shopping experience at the stores was getting better. Guess not.

I'm not a cloths shopper and certainly wouldn't be buying my cloths at a Cabela's or BPS store. Being retired with nowhere to go Wallyworld works just fine.

 

[redneck2]

Bass Pro seems to have good clothing at good prices. My deer gear is Red Head and works well.i bought it before the merger and it was considerably less than Cabela’s

 

[LoneGoose]

I only can go to Cabela's when I go on my annual pheasant hunt near Mitchell, SD. Early in the pheasant season, that Cabela's would be stocked to overflowing, be full of customers, and have an abundance of staff on hand. The atmosphere was almost festive.

This year, there were empty places on a lot of shelves, few employees, and an air of depression. I guess we're in a painful transition.

 

[kheeka]

There is grest capitalist quote "you get what you pay for." It aslo holds true for personnel at a place of business.

Actually I believe the quote is "You get what you pay for... or less."

 

[Bartojc]

I guess we are spoiled here in southern MI. The Cabelas in Dundee is still pretty awesome as far as Hunting, Shooting, Archery, Ammo, and Reloading. Although they were out of primers for a few months they were fully stocked when I went last week. They had all sizes of Winchester, CCI , Federal, and Remington. The powder shelves were also well stocked. The reloading section is excellent overall with RCBS, Hornady, Lee, Lyman, Frankford Arsenal equipment and a huge selection of bullets, dies, brass and a dedicated shotshell section. Also a small section of casting equipment. I do agree that the employees aren't knowledgeable (I expect that) but the prices are really not that bad. I regularly buy Berrys and Xtreme bullets for a competitive price and I even find something in the Bargain Cave now and then.

At least one of the guys in the SE MI store reloads. If you can get him he is very helpful. Sometimes they weem like they have decent selection, sometimes not so much. I did buy a few thousand CCI primers a couple weeks ago just because I was there and had some free money. Clothing and outdoor wear seems to be what I find myself purchasing from them lately.

-Jeff

 

[Reloadron]

I did buy a few thousand CCI primers a couple weeks ago just because I was there and had some free money.

This goes right back to other threads on how to avoid shortages. I'm here, I have some extra bucks, the price is right so let me grab a few pounds of powder, a few thousand primers or maybe a couple of boxes of bullets. Building a reserve one component at a time.

Ron

 

[kmw1954]

I have not actually been back to the store since July but every time I go to the website to check on primers it list every one as Out of Stock and has since March.
Anyone else seeing this? Website stating Out when they actually do have them in the store?

 

[tark]

Every year I drive from Illinois to California to visit my son. I always spent the first night in Sidney, Nebraska so I could visit the Cabela's World Headquarters store. It used to be wonderland. Earlier this year it looked like they were having a fire sale, or something. Not cheap prices, just nothing on the shelves. The reloading aisles were almost empty. I couldn't even find any 357 125gr JHP ammo!

BPS are destroying what used to be a fine store (s)

 

[Eddietruett]

I used to shop a lot in a Cabelas just across the state line and I was there at least once a month. Never looked at the guns since I was out of my home state but they did have a fairly decent reloading section. Kept a lot of different powder in stock as well as primers. (Never any Federal Primers in stock) Inventory of reloading bullets was decent and had a lot of dies and reloading accessories in stock as well. Prices were pretty good. Not as good as buying bulk but a real good place to pick up things you needed until a bulk order was placed online. All of that stopped when Bass Pro came along. Inventory went down and prices went up. Don't even stop in any more. If I need something local, I just drive about 50 miles to Sportsmans Warehouse. Pricing is fair and a great inventory.

 

[roval]

We now have a Cabelas in town. A new one that has been open about a year now. I almost always drive by it to shop at the Sportmans Warehouse.

how's sportsman doing? i haven't stepped foot in it since the cabelas opened. i haven't been buying gun related stuff in cabelas though clothes and to look at fishing stuff. I'm still set for powder and primers which i buy online when there's a hazmat deal. guns i buy in my lgs.

 

[roval]

I guess we are spoiled here in southern MI. The Cabelas in Dundee is still pretty awesome as far as Hunting, Shooting, Archery, Ammo, and Reloading. Although they were out of primers for a few months they were fully stocked when I went last week. They had all sizes of Winchester, CCI , Federal, and Remington. The powder shelves were also well stocked. The reloading section is excellent overall with RCBS, Hornady, Lee, Lyman, Frankford Arsenal equipment and a huge selection of bullets, dies, brass and a dedicated shotshell section. Also a small section of casting equipment. I do agree that the employees aren't knowledgeable (I expect that) but the prices are really not that bad. I regularly buy Berrys and Xtreme bullets for a competitive price and I even find something in the Bargain Cave now and then.

i used to live in MI and i drove 3 hours one way just to visit the store the first year they were open. i loved that store. i wasn't into shooting then more on fishing and flyfishing. it certainly was a destination store. especially with that humongous aquarium and indoor pond. if it opened a few years before i would have been only 45 min away.

 

[DavidABQ]

how's sportsman doing? i haven't stepped foot in it since the cabelas opened. i haven't been buying gun related stuff in Cabelas though clothes and to look at fishing stuff. I'm still set for powder and primers which i buy online when there's a hazmat deal. guns i buy in my lgs.

Sportmans Warehouse seems to be doing fine but there is no doubt that the Cabelas has taken some of their customers.

 

[Axis II]

Just checked cabelas online for imr4198 and they want $40-lbs!! And they wonder why no one will shop there!!! My mom and pop store sells it for $28

 

[giggitygiggity]

Just checked cabelas online for imr4198 and they want $40-lbs!! And they wonder why no one will shop there!!! My mom and pop store sells it for $28

Yeah, at Cabela's and Bass Pro's normal prices, you can find 90% of the items substantially cheaper elsewhere. I think those stores prey on people who 1) don't have a good concept of what things cost, 2) are impulsive, 3) feel they will have wasted a trip if they leave the store without having bought something, 4) cannot be bothered to shop around, or 5) a combination of 1-4.

That said, I've gotten good deals at Cabela's. I typically buy online and wait until items are on sale/clearance. During the last quarter of the calendar year, there are often good sales on optics, at least in years past, because Cabela's seems to be liquidating their inventory to make room for new models. In addition to buying when items are on sale/clearance, I buy discounted gift cards (can be periodically found for 15-20% off) and use those gift cards to complete my purchase. I also only buy when there is free shipping.

As much as I bash Cabela's and Bass Pro for their pricing and them having gone downhill since the merger, it is also important to understand that Cabela's and Bass Pro continue to sell ARs and other rifles detested by the left. I can't say the same thing about Dick's Sporting Goods and Walmart. In fact, I will never buy another item from Dick's Sporting Goods again because they took a political stand against ARs. At least Walmart just stopped selling them and didn't make a political statement as far as I recall.

 

[paulsj]

I don't mind Cabela's because it's next to Wegman's besides couple of travel vests I bought at BassPro really held up well. I am looking forward to seeing more than camuflage selection at Cabela's.
I got excited once at the library when I found 16ga Manufrance Ideal there. That's one of the best mass-produced game guns ever made. A poor man's Scottish Round actipn of sorts. The joy left when inspection of bores revealed pitting.

 

[captmoto]

I worked at a BP for a year. The people they hire for the hunting department is mostly pathetic. While I was there they hired an 18 year old kid to work the gun counter. They hired people that really had NO basic knowledge of firearms and put them behind the counter. I would often be brought customers with reloading questions. They wouldn't pay anyone for special and applicable skills or knowledge and generally didn't use them in a proper capacity. The definitely wanted kids they could intimidate and keep in line. I went to work there after a 32 year career as a fireman. I couldn't take being talked to like I was 16 and at my first job. Management didn't seem to really appreciate the employees as people. Turnover in the hunting department was so high that BP corporate investigated but nothing changed. The turkey at Christmas, appreciation breakfast and store Christmas party all went away too, all in the same year.My time was all before the merger.

 

[Deanimator]

How can you tell you were at Cabela's and not Dick's?

Somebody talked to you.

 

[Reloadron]

Years ago my wife and I began sending food at Christmas and we settled on The Bacon Sampler which was 1 lb. of applewood smoked bacon, 1 lb. of peppered smoked bacon, 1 lb. of smoked beef bacon and 1 lb. of smoked buffalo bacon. The bacon was sliced and arrives in convenient 1-lb. packages. It was also drop shipped from the supplier and in their defense the bacon and other foods we would get really were good stuff. We would just use Cabela's Bucks we earned on the credit card during the year.

This year there is a new twist we noticed. The bacon is still in one Lb packages but everything is doubled so now there is a total of 8 Lbs with a little over twice the old cost and free shipping. Trying to decide if I still like everyone I liked for about $60 at $140.

I will say that overall our holiday experiences with the food products were all good but the bacon offering this year did sort of catch my attention.

Ron

 

[Pat Riot]

I used to shop at Bass Pro in Concord, NC. I bought mostly fishing supplies and I loved going to Bass Pro. Then I moved to the West Coast and the Bass Pro in Manteca, CA was a joke compared to the one in Concord. Then I discovered the Cabela’s in Reno and I loved that store but couldn’t go often as I lived in Sacramento.

Then a few years ago I moved to Oregon near Portland. They opened a Cabela’s in Tualatin and I loved going there. I really liked the Gun Library and the store truly was nicely stocked.

Then came Bass Pro and pretty much ruined it. The change over was gradual but now it’s just another small Bass Pro with less of everything except junk for decorating ones cabin, snuggles for the ladies and pop-guns for the kiddies.

The Gun Library is s joke now. Gun prices are too high even when on sale. Ammo selection and pricing isn’t as good either.

I am a Cabela’s Club member but the incentives to buy there to earn points is greatly diminished for me.

I am now moving to SoCal so I won’t be frequenting Cabela’s any longer.

 

[TomJ]

I was in the area of our Cabelas and needed boots for my youngest son, so I stopped in there. Any waterproof boots they had were in the $150 range, which I'd never spend on an 11 year old as he's going to outgrow them before next year, so we'd only get one winter out of them. While I was there I figured I pick up primers and Hoppes #9. They were both priced 25% higer than a LGS in the area, so I left having purchased nothing. They replaced a few aisles of their gun section with clothes, and when you walk in that's what you predominantly see. At least 50% of the floor space is now devoted to clothes. The other 50% is split between camping, hunting, hiking, fishing, boating and shooting. I had a talk with the store manager and let him know that prior to the buyout they were an outdoor store that happened to sell outdoor related clothes. They are now a clothes store that sells some outdoor items. He said that with the Cook County (IL) tax of $.05 per bullet, they've lost millions in annual revenue due to lost sales. They had to increase their clothes section to make up the margins. He had no answer to why their reloading section was poorly stocked and mentioned the low margins new guns bring. Pointing out that the store was pretty empty and pricing themselves out of consideration meant no profit fell on deaf ears. As others have pointed out, BPS has ruined them.