Cabelas imploding
Contributors to this thread:Equipment
From: petedrummond
11-Oct-18
Since bass pro bought cabelas stopped at the Buda store in Texas in February. It was a disaster. Tonight went to my local Cabelas in St. Louis about six thirty. Wife remarked not many cars and she was right. Maybe 15 or so. Wanted to get stuff for my moose hunt and some decoys. Very few decoys almost all mallard. No pigtail or other species to speak of. Did buy 8 canadians on sale. I bought 2 of 3 boxes. Went to guns to buy 300 nosler short magnums. They had 4 boxes. I bought three. Needed that locks and when I asked only guy in gun department said he didn't know where they were but thought they were in the luggage department. Went to luggage and the guy there didn't but he did find one and gave it to me. Asked to see rest of selection and he gave me a second cheap looking lock. I bought both. Now they have none. Went to clothing and it's almost all the nasty Bass Pro redhead trash. Only a few small racks of name brand with little size selection particularly larger sizes. I think sitka had one or two small rotating racks. Almost no Cabela brand and a little scentlock. Tons of Redhead. Only one girl checking out and only one customer ahead of me. Wheels it will be for me and I am a black card cabela shopper historically. Really sad.
From: petedrummond
11-Oct-18
Sorry about the autocorrect in the post.
From: bentshaft
11-Oct-18
Haha.
From: Dale06
11-Oct-18
Yes it is sad. I’ve been a black card cabelas guy for years. Used to shop there often. Last few trips there were waste of time, didn’t have what I needed an prices were high. I’m dropping the credit card and won’t be going back soon if at all.
From: Glunt@work
11-Oct-18
They stay pretty well stocked on bass jigs and bait casting setups. No luck finding a camo T shirt or a diaphragm call. Who would need those in Colorado in September anyway?
From: spike buck
11-Oct-18
Went to the Cabela's in Winnipeg. Place was busy and had no problem at all finding what I needed. While in the states for shows, I checked out the area Cabela's ( St. Charles Mo, Hoffman Estates Ill) for something to do. They had nothing I was looking for. They had what I wanted on display but nothing in stock. I will keep checking them out for something to keep me busy, but wont have to worry about spending my money. I'll just keep spending my money in Cabela's Winnipeg.
From: Destroyer350
11-Oct-18
I went to Cabelas in Lone Tree Colorado yesterday and there was only a few racks of camo and the majority of it was Cabelas camo. It has become more of a workwear store than anything. Ill continue to buy things from Amazon and (maybe) get last minute things from Cabelas if they have them.
From: Grunt-N-Gobble
11-Oct-18
I was at the Cabelas in Denver early Sept and the place was practically dead. They had a lot in stock, didnt really look at the clothing but the archery section had a decent amount. However, they didnt have the type of lighted nocks i was looking for.
Overall, id say the selection was good.
From: thedude
11-Oct-18
more Incentive to buy from smaller shops . I try to buy from the smaller local shops now as long as the price isn’t unreasonable.
From: LBshooter
11-Oct-18
Well it sounds like an opportunity for another player to come into the market. It is amazing how bad most of bass pro stuff is. It's all about profits, the true sign of cabelas going in the crapper will be the gun shop, when they start to get low on inventory you'll know for sure it's over.
From: LBshooter
11-Oct-18
Well it sounds like an opportunity for another player to come into the market. It is amazing how bad most of bass pro stuff is. It's all about profits, the true sign of cabelas going in the crapper will be the gun shop, when they start to get low on inventory you'll know for sure it's over.
From: JL
12-Oct-18
I went to the Rapid City Cabelas last week with no problem. Picked up some BH209. Of course I think they are a little pricey IMO.
From: Surfbow
12-Oct-18
Newsflash, Cabelas has been going downhill for YEARS...
From: t-roy
12-Oct-18
I swapped out my Cabelas Black card for a Scheels card a few years ago. No Cabelas stores near me, but I travel for work so I am usually close to one probably every month. Scheels is within an hour of me, as is a Bass Pro and a Sportsmans Warehouse. I rarely, if ever go to Bass Pro. Scheels and SW has way better and more stuff that I would be interested in vs BPS.
From: LUNG$HOT
12-Oct-18
Yeah Cabelas falls in the category of emergency only for me these days. Same is true with BPS. I was in the Scheels in northern CO a week ago and was pleasantly surprised. I was really impressed with the sportsman’s warehouse in Salt Lake City as well.
From: Kevin Dill
12-Oct-18
I knew this was coming when Dick Idol showed up.....
From: Missouribreaks
12-Oct-18
I went to two Cabelas in early April looking for 10 gauge turkey ammo, was told by both stores that nobody shoots 10 gauges anymore. They had no 3.5 inch 12 gauge either. MidwayUSA had great selections of both. Unfortunately Amazon is much better for general hunting items , with cheaper and faster shipping. With Amazon and MidWayUSA I have little reason to shop Cabelas these days.
From: pointingdogs
12-Oct-18
Stopped in Rapid City 3 weeks ago. Archery stuff is really limited in selection.
From: Missouribreaks
12-Oct-18
Where crossbows are legal for all, real bowhunting equipment selections are minimal when compared to 10 years ago. This trend will not change.
From: bigswivle
12-Oct-18
If you’ve ever been to the Scheels in Springfield, Illinois you’ll never go into a basspro again. God I love that store. Sucks about Cabelas, used to be a great business
From: steelhead
12-Oct-18
I'm done with cabelas, redhead is garbage IMO.
From: rallison
12-Oct-18
Driving to a Cabelas used to be an event! Kid at Christmas sort of thing.
Now it's a waste of time and gas. That's too bad...stopping at the mother ship in Sidney, Nebraska on my way west was part of the travel plan. Make sure to time it so we'd get there during business hours, or even nap in their parking lot for a couple hours until they opened.
From: wildarea26
12-Oct-18
Cabelas was crap even before Bass Pro bought them. Every time I went to the store in Hamburg Pa they never had anything in stock that I went for. Once I went there to buy 7 different items and they were out of 6 of them. What a waste of a drive.
From: kadbow
12-Oct-18
Our local store closed the bargain cave, is this happening in all stores? Definitely going down hill.
From: 12yards
12-Oct-18
Ditto on the Scheels. Great store and has a lot of quality stuff.
From: Franzen
12-Oct-18
I've never been big on Bass Pro gear, but I did order a set of the Silent Stalker Elite bibs the other day and was surprised at the quality (seemingly) when they arrived. I have been trying to spend some Cabelas gift cards for probably a couple years now, and they finally actually sent me something that was ordered on a decent sale. Usually they cancel any item that has been heavily discounted. They were still $75, so not an amazing sale or anything. Of course I haven't used them yet, so time will tell if they are warm or the quality is there. I agree that the downward slide probably started when they went public, but Johnny sure seemed to accelerate it.
From: Southern draw
12-Oct-18
I found some field duck decoys at the Richfield bargain cave on Tuesday it’s still running but the supply is way down.
From: wild1
12-Oct-18
I think some of you guys are missing the boat......online they have everything at your fingertips (like Amazon). For some items (boots), it's nice to try them on, but for almost everything else, and a full inventory, just purchase online. I agree with the Redhead brand - yuk.
From: Timbrhuntr
12-Oct-18
I have found like some said Cabelas has been going down hill for well before Bass Pro took over. Also thought the comment about the ones having crossbows now have less real archery equipment selections was pretty funny as they don't seem to have much of either where I go unless its a rage broadhead!
From: Kodiak
12-Oct-18
I don't think most of the Cabelas stores will even be open in a decade. They're terrible, and not worth the drive for most people already.
It is too bad, I used to love going.
From: EmbryOklahoma
12-Oct-18
I went to our Bass pro/Cabelas about two weeks ago. I was looking for some new boots. After 10 minutes of standing there looking, a young kid comes by and looks right at me. I yelled at him and he reluctantly came over to see what I wanted. I tried on a couple pairs of boots and was needing a size bigger. After standing there another 10 minutes, waiting for help, again, I said F it and left. I'll only go there for fishing stuff in the future. The customer service sucks!
From: Ben
12-Oct-18
I have had a Cabelas black card for years, but since BPS took over I can really see the move to clothing. It started before the takeover but is rapidly becoming a clothing store. The archery here in KC is being taken over by cross bows, the whole corner of archery section is crossbows. We quit using our Cabelas black card this summer and will discontinue it very soon. Terrible thing to happen to a once great store, thankfully we have a Sheel's here and they will get my future business.
From: Buffalo1
12-Oct-18
When the Cabelas bros died, so did the quality and customer service of Cabelas. The Cabelas kids cared nothing about carrying the business forward. They undoubtedly smiled the day of the closure of the deal with BPS.
Still have not figured out why Morris purchased Cabelas other than for a tax loss. He certainly already had the competition beat for what competition there was there.
From: jdee
12-Oct-18
The fun of shopping at Cabela’s wore off years ago. Now days it’s......sit down with a cold beer and the iPad at the house and look until I find what I’m looking for at a good price and hopefully free shipping.
From: Vonfoust
12-Oct-18
Been going downhill for a long time. They got it right for awhile during their mail order catalog days, but were building big stores when the internet was making them obsolete. It worked for awhile as the stores were a destination, but one trip every so often for most people was enough. The prices started going the wrong way to compete with Amazon etc. and the kids obviously didn't care. My thoughts.
From: woodguy65
12-Oct-18
Present day Cabela's/Bass Pro is essentially Walmart with taxidermy on the wall.
Scheels is the old Cabelas (actually better).
From: Heat
12-Oct-18
Cabelas had a proven winner with Microtex in Outfitter camo. All it needed was a slight modification to the pants fit and they would have continued to have a winner. They changed pretty much everything about it. Glad I got enough of what I need 10 years ago! For the most part I have no use for Cabelas anymore. I'll just go to Sportsman's Warehouse for gear.
From: Will
12-Oct-18
The one here in MA is ok for clothes and general fishing stuff. But beyond that, it feels like a super sized Dicks. There are guns and ammo, the archery stuff is about 60% taken over by xbow stuff (it feels like, I may be off)... And a lot of the folks I see are buying food processing, furnishings, camping, kayaking stuff. IE, it feels like a lot of customers are not hunters...And they are catering to that more now - at least in the stores.
From: Straight —» Arrow
12-Oct-18
almost all big stores are doomed.....you want something order it off the internet. It will be at your house tomorrow.
From: Mt. man
12-Oct-18
Mt. man's Link
Cabela's has treated our kids hunting camp very well over the years. They do a lot for the kids and for that I will continue to support them. The Boise, Id. selection has been limited lately but check out this link and tell me they are not GOOD PEOPLE!
From: Surfbow
12-Oct-18
Mt. Man, that's a good story, and great for the little girl! However, unless Cabela's changes for the better, and soon, they won't be around long enough to continue supporting activities for those kids.
From: Boreal
12-Oct-18
Think of all the big outdoor equipment retailers that have come and gone before Cabelas. Abercrombie and Fitch, Sears and Roebuck. Now Cabelas focusing more on selling BBQ grills and casual clothes. It's just a matter of time.
From: Don K
12-Oct-18
"I think some of you guys are missing the boat......online they have everything at your fingertips "
Yep, you can order it. I bought some trail cameras and it took them a month to get them to me. The old Cabelas I would have it on my doorstep in a days.
Agree with everyone, they cant keep going in the direction they are.................
From: Trial153
12-Oct-18
Cabelas did a drain circle as soon as they went public. This is all old news. With all the great online stores we can order from why is this even an issue. Who needs them..
From: Bowfinatic
12-Oct-18
Bargain cave closed at our local cabelas was bummed to see Inventory and business still good by us
From: BK
12-Oct-18
The good old days
From: wifishkiller
13-Oct-18
Getting close to ditching my black card and going with something else.
From: ELKMAN
13-Oct-18
Cabelas had been dead for a long time...
From: Ermine
13-Oct-18
Never really was much impressed with cabelas. I do most of my archery shopping online
From: Altizer
13-Oct-18
My son and I went by Cabela’s yesterday to look at Sitka,s Fanatic series. They had a couple of women’s sizes. When I asked a girl working there she said she had no idea if they would get men’s in. She directed me to a Stratus jacket. A ask her about Nomad and she directed me to the “She” Camo. She said they were clearing out other lines to bring in The Bass Pro Camo gear. Truth is she was clueless and really didn’t care. My little boy even noticed she was worried about having a job. It was sad to see what is happening.
From: carcus
13-Oct-18
I have a older Alaskan guide -40 sleeping bag, its awesome, so I've recommended it to others, turns out the newer ones are not the same bag at all, figured something was off when rattlingjunkie got cold bear hunting, then compared our sleeping bags in moose camp and there was a obvious difference. I also have a cabelas geodesic tent, awesome tent, wonder what the newer one are like?
From: LUNG$HOT
13-Oct-18
I was in there last week asking a guy about some First Lite Camo (Yes I was in the “hunting” section) and the guy looked at me like I was stupid. Asked if he’d ever heard of it and of course said “no”. I asked why then was he working in the hunt clothes section of Cabelas. He was totally clueless and rude. Horrible customer service. I’m 34 but have been shopping there since my early 20’s. I’m sure I missed the glory days of Cabelas but I definitely notice how much worse it’s gotten since the switch to BPS. Almost feels like PETA bought the place and is driving away the hunting crowd.
From: SB
13-Oct-18
I ordered a Cabela's fishing catalog and received a Bass Pro catalog! Never shopped with them and never will. We DID have a Cabela's 60 mi. from here. Not even sure if it's still open ...and most likely not worth the drive if it is! I knew Bass Pro would ruin them.
From: NEIAbowhunter
13-Oct-18
I agree with the majority here. I used to by all my hunting and fishing stuff from Cabela's. Great Scent-Lok stuff, great boots, tons of fishing gear, and a couple treestands. Everything went downhill the last few years even before talks with BPS. I have a heck of a time finding any decent camo except cheap crap. They quit selling Summit Ladder stands. And their customer service is awful. I've switched to buying everything online from Amazon Prime or MidwayUSA. I did buy an electronic trap thrower from Cabela's a few days ago. None on the shelf and it took almost 45 minutes for them to "rush" it to the store from the attached warehouse. Safe to say I won't be buying much more unless I happen to be in town.
From: Ole Coyote
13-Oct-18
Went to Cabela's in Hookset nh last Weekend total Disaster out of stock on all six items i was looking for didn't even have the sinkers I needed also out of stoc on a sale item fishing combo with Ugly stick rod! Be a cold day in hell when I drive two hours again to get nothing, lol! Oh well back to Amazon!!
From: Knothead
14-Oct-18
I read an article a few years ago where the former president and CEO said that Cabelas would be getting away from the blood sports and focus on outdoor clothing and outdoor activities. It has been going down for a while but the BP buy out sure has made our Glendale AZ store go down even faster. Red head stuff is terrible whereas the Cabelas microtex was great out here in the SW. I prefer to shop online or sportsmans warehouse.
From: BC173
14-Oct-18
Midway, amazon and sportsman guide. Cabela s has become a total cluster. And when possible, I support any local shop.
From: BC173
14-Oct-18
Midway, amazon and sportsman guide. Cabela s has become a total cluster. And when possible, I support any local shop.
From: BC173
14-Oct-18
Midway, amazon and sportsman guide. Cabela s has become a total cluster. And when possible, I support any local shop.
From: JD
14-Oct-18
Cabelas was always my "go to store" for the cargo pants I wear for work, shorts and shirts for the weekends and Microtex camo.....then the quality started going south.
The materials in their "casual" clothing went to lighter & waaay less durable stuff. Sizes were all over the place and the overall construction of the clothes went from excellent to mediocre as QC slipped.
Then, to add to the mix, Bass Pro bought them and brought in Capital One to take over the credit card. After being a card holder forever and having ZERO problems with them I've had three major issues with them (all on their end) in the last three months. All were settled to my satisfaction but they shouldn't have happened in the first place.
Bottom line is as soon as I find something to use the existing points up on I'm done with them.
From: BC173
14-Oct-18
I wonder if Cabelas/Bass Pro pays attention to Bowsite, regarding posts about their business going down hill fast? If so, maybe they will reconsider the way they do business. And everyone is right, the quality is terrible.
From: Bou'bound
14-Oct-18
Yes it is likely they monitor these sites and it will help chang the course of their business model. Our voice matters.
From: RK
14-Oct-18
Bou
I agree that cabelas/bass pro monitor lots of outdoor sites including this one
They also do extensive marketing research and heavy demographic studies and they will point the directions of their stores where they will make the most profits. It's really that simple
If I had to guess by my experiences the direction they will go will be different than what they have been in the past and akin to what we are seeing now
From: NEBucks
14-Oct-18
Will, I know you didn't mean it that way, but I just spit all over my screen when I read this sentence in you reply: "But beyond that, it feels like a super sized Dicks." It made me and my wife laugh a lot!
From: NEBucks
14-Oct-18
Will, I know you didn't mean it this way, but I just spit all over my screen when I read this sentence in your reply: "But beyond that, it feels like a super sized Dicks." It made me and my wife laugh a lot!
From: Tonybear61
14-Oct-18
Its been raining in the Midwest (a lot), stopped in to see if they had any waterproof boots for my son ( 9 1/2 adult). You would have thought the store was closing, only a few 12-200 pairs in the store. No cheap pull overs, mid range, what they had was very limited in selection. Ask staff "gonna get any in?" No. Really? "have you looked outside lately??" So off to Fleet farm were they had 5-6 styles, $25-210 depending upon what you wanted.
From: stagetek
14-Oct-18
My Cabela's card went through the shredder about a month after my Gander Mountain card.
From: Kevin Dill
15-Oct-18
I think it would be interesting to hear the corporate discussions about the future of Cabela's now that Bass Pro Shops owns them. My #1 question is whether the name/label survives or is headed for the retail graveyard. My guess is there'll be no Cabela's in 5-10 years, but that's only a guess. Maybe the company will re-focus the brand somehow and keep the stores open under the current name...but I'm a doubter. I used to spend a couple thousand dollars a year with Cabela's but for the past 6 years I probably don't average $400 annually. To me they've become the sporting equivalent of Gander Mountain (which I once liked) and are about as interesting to visit as Sears or K Mart. I recall the pride and energy shown by the employees when the Dundee, MI store opened in the '90s. My last visit there....they seemed so uninspired and jaded.
From: mgmicky
15-Oct-18
Kevin x2. For years I stopped at the Dundee store on my annual hunt up to the Manistee National Forest. Last year they didn’t have anything I needed, but luckily the little general store close to the cabin had the foresight to stock items for bow season. I’ve also been a black card member for 15 years but I’m closing it. It’s sad to see this happen and I wish we had a local option to support...
From: Ogoki
15-Oct-18
I thought it was just my wife and I , thinking Cabelas had went downhill. But after reading all this , I guess we are not the only ones. Like mgmicky said , the Dundee store is terrible. Every time we stopped there , we did not find what we stopped for . Have over $75 in points and on way back from cabin in northern Michigan yesterday , we just drove on by . Have a Black Card , that I use for business and now why bother. Yes I can order from them but why bother ,when they are much higher. At this point there is not much i really need anyway. The two aluminum stands we bought for our bear hunts were much cheaper thru Amazon and same brand . We do like to shop at Jays Sporting Goods at Clare , Michigan. Local owned store and very well stocked too.
From: PAbowhunter1064
15-Oct-18
Just heard on the radio this morning, that Sears filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy....again. Face it folks...big box stores are going by the wayside. The BassPro here in Harrisburg pretty much stocks NOTHING! The shelves are almost always bare bones, and you better be there first thing in the morning, on the first day of a sale, if you're looking for a specific item. Last time I was there to get some lighted nocks for my wife, they only had 3 packs on the shelf. She wanted red, they had pink & orange. When I complained to the person behind the service counter, they instructed me to order them online. I was also told that the reason for the poor inventory selection, is because it costs them more money to keep stuff in store, and that because the majority of folks doing all their shopping online and Amazon these days. I thanked him for his honesty, and order the red nocks online, using some of my accumulated points. Eight days later I got an email from BassPro stating my red nocks had arrived. I drove there, obtained an unopened box from the customer service representative, who didn't bother to check that I received the right item. I opened the box in front of her, just to find a package of ORANGE nocks, which I could've bought in store eight days ago. She just shrugged her shoulders and said someone in the warehouse probably pulled the wrong item, and asked if I would like to reorder. I asked for a refund, which could only be returned in the form of a gift card, because I used my points. I guess I'll order a bunch of ammo, and hope someone in the warehouse pulls the right caliber.....unreal!
From: petedrummond
15-Oct-18
Cabelas whole concept was built on being a "destination" store. The Cabelas in St. Charles Missouri is on 370 at the south end of a defunct mall. The surrounding businesses are all closed including stand alones like Steak and Shake and Sonic. There is no way that Cabelas will be there in two years. On a secondary road very little pass by traffic. A lot of Cabelas are like that and are not near a major metropolitan area. I'll never make a special trip there again. Bass pro sold the credit card division which was profitable to help finance this cow. Good news is the huge Scheels in Springfield an hour north of me.
From: APauls
15-Oct-18
Love supporting my local bow shop and besides that it's amazon for most things. Trail camera to my door in two days for less than big box store and 5 min's of my time? Yes please. I honestly believe as more of these "big guys" die it's just opportunity for the smaller shops. People will still want somewhere to shop for guns, bows, high end clothing and items etc.
From: Z Barebow
15-Oct-18
I used to live 15 miles from the Owatonna store. (When it opened) I was like a kid at Christmas. All of the catalog items that I drooled over for years were now at my finger tips. Like Pete said, it was a destination. I knew the store as well as the staff! Customer service ruled the day. I had a black Cabelas card.
Fast forward to today. I no longer live in the same town. But I have one ~ 70 miles away and the Rogers, MN store is on my travels. But I have not been in a store in over 2 years. Total waste of time. I bought a couple of items on clearance (on-line) a couple of winters back. Those may be my last purchases. Black card has been downgraded to std version because I no longer use it. (I have a Scheels card and live in the same town as corporate headquarters.) Why accumulate points to buy overpriced items on-line? (Because you are running your stores with a skeleton of staff and merchandise)
No corporate support for employees. Poor store environment. Poor customer service. It is far easier to retain customers than acquire new ones. (Although customer retention still takes effort and a commitment!) I see a niche for brick and mortar, but you cannot retain the same business model you had in the 90's. I hear the hedge fund mgr and former CEO of Sears is looking for a job. Maybe he can take over and oversee the demise of Cabelas also.
From: 12yards
15-Oct-18
The bad thing about the Scheels Visa is the rewards are Scheels gift cards. It seems like whenever I get one, one of my kids needs new athletic shoes so I never get to spend it on myself. LOL.
From: Z Barebow
15-Oct-18
12 yards- Why do you think my wife likes Scheels card? (All those years of accumulating Cabelas points has come back and bit me in the @ss. Not so much the kids, she is buying stuff for her. Never any money left for guns! [But I manage somehow,,,,,,,,,,])
From: lv2bohunt
15-Oct-18
Retail is changing. Online shopping is going to keep growing and brick and mortar shops will keep closing. The retail economy we have now was not built to withstand online competition. People will adapt and it will be interesting to see where retail jobs end up.
From: Wayniac
15-Oct-18
Unreal.... they has a sale on game cams 9/29.. I checked stock before I took the 45 minute drive to the Hartford store. I get there, and they're out.. customer service is no help and tells me I have to order online. So I ordered online.. just checked and they cancelled it without any email notification. Barbara on the customer service desk (phone was useless and did not give a damn).
Think I'm pretty much done with them unless I am in a jam (as well as boycotting Dicks). Local shops & online only for me from now on.
From: Hunts_with_stick
15-Oct-18
I too saw they were shutting down the bargain cave in Wheeling, wv. That was the only time you could find a deal. I drive pass it quite a bit and have no desire to stop. I will take the boys once in a great while to look at the animals but we never buy anything.
From: Hunts_with_stick
15-Oct-18
I too saw they were shutting down the bargain cave in Wheeling, wv. That was the only time you could find a deal. I drive pass it quite a bit and have no desire to stop. I will take the boys once in a great while to look at the animals but we never buy anything.
From: Blade
17-Oct-18
One improvement...they're appearing to bring back the outfitter pattern in a couple of their Cabela's camo lines, including Wooltimate. They sold their inventory last January and said it was being deleted in their clothing products much to the outcry from customers...maybe they are listening to opinions.
From: TreeWalker
17-Oct-18
Sears is the future of Cabelas. If you need a tool today, you could run to Sears in the 1970s and get a very good tool with a great warranty. Amazon could stock more items than the biggest Sears. Want a 20mm socket, deep well and in stainless steel? Amazon probably has it and you might have it in less than a week. Want a hammer? Can have it tomorrow if you live near an Amazon hub.
Cabela's can't stock as much as Amazon in a store and is very difficult to convince a person that shops at Amazon for a few thing a month that they should not go to Amazon's for a moose call or decoy.
WalMart destroyed 1000s of mom and pop stores. Amazon is destroying the box box store. Toy R Us used to have a tab at Amazon and they are gone. Sears is gone. Cabelas is on life support and better figure out how to provide ammunition and similar items Amazon is reluctant to handle. The clock is ticking. You can bet the house the market for trophy antlers and horns is about to take a dive in a couple years. Amazon is more likely to have a vertical herb planter on the wall than a 400 class elk.
From: Bowriter
17-Oct-18
Cabelas phone-in catalog is alive and well. Called Saturday and ordered a couple things. Got them yesterday, just as ordered. Quick, friendly and extremely helpful.
From: Olink
17-Oct-18
It's a damn shame what has happened to Cabelas. All in the name of corporate greed. Cabelas made a few money men richer, and now its been thrown to the wolves. All that will be left is bones. I hope that Scheels or Sportsman's Warehouse can recognize the opportunity that might be coming their way and can pick up some of the Cabelas retail locations (especially on the east coast, that would be a great way to get into the market there).
From: Hip
17-Oct-18
I guess I gotta agree with most post. I noticed a difference in the Hamburg big store, still a nice place, but it was definitely less packed with items and the gun dept is shrinking. I use them for mail order a lot at that is still top notch service at least for me. I hate to see them flounder, sign of the times I guess.
Hip
From: DanaC
17-Oct-18
I haven't been to Cabelas lately. There are two of them, each an hour away. (Hartford CT and near Worcester MA.) There's also a BassPro in Foxborough MA, about an hour and a half away. I suspect the Worcester Cabelas will be shut down, which will suck for me. (Hard to buy ammo out of state.) BassPro is 'okay' and as long as they'll honor my Cabelas points (VISA) I'll manage ;-)
From: Jethro
17-Oct-18
If you guys need or want something from Cabelas, why don't you just order it online? They've had free 2 day shipping over $50 almost all year. I placed 3 orders this year. New garmin gps on sale, GT shafts on sale, another pair of Meindl Hikers. All orders delivered on day 2 for free. Got further savings using what ever CC points I had. Business as usual with Cabelas, for me anyway.
From: loesshillsarcher
17-Oct-18
The Omaha store, to me, is terrible. It has just gone down hill since Cabelas went public. Got even worse when Bass Pro acquired it. I don't know how Bass Pro stays afloat. Its just horrible. Will go to Scheels for most of my buying needs.
From: Franzen
17-Oct-18
Most places offering 2-day shipping are not really 2-day shipping like Amazon Prime. At least that is the experience of my wife and I in our neck of the woods. Cabelas/BP no different.
From: Norseman
17-Oct-18
Great store if you want overpriced cloths with huge Cabelas name embroidered everywhere.
From: Snag
17-Oct-18
Everything will be “online” soon. Not just Cabela’s. It will be all retailers. Costs are less. People are being trained to shop online.
From: Rut Nut
17-Oct-18
I go right by the Hamburg PA store whenever I go home to visit my folks. I would say on avg I stop every other trip. I have noticed the same thing for several years. They are getting away from the hunting and fishing and catering more to the "Yuppies".
It was very apparent the last time I stopped when I went in looking for the camo clothing. It used to be right up front when you walked in. Now in it's place is Yuppie casual clothing. I had to ask someone what happened to all the camo hunting clothing and was told it was back where the bargain cave used to be. Sure enough, it was hidden back in the (old) bargain cave room and I was very disappointed to find that the selection was VERY limited! : ( I was looking for a camo cold weather facemask. I refuse to pay 50 or $60 for Sitka or Kuiu. I did find one, but it was labeled "Redhead Stretch Fleece Facemask for Youth". Strange, because it looked like an adult size. Sure enough, when I tried it on it was big enough to fit my big head and was not overly tight- just right! If I had seen this online, I would not have known it was what I was looking for. That is why I always prefer to shop IN PERSON- especially when shopping for boots and clothing!
Another thing I noticed was that the ice-fishing clothing and float suits were back in the back of the clothing section (back by the boating section)- NOT up in the front where the ice-fishing tackle, gear and accessories are located.(where it was last season) I would have never seen the clothing had I not been walking all over the store looking for the camo hunting clothing.
So I agree- the store has really gone downhill in the last several years! On average, I would say they are out of stock or just simply do not stock 2/3rds of what I am looking for when I stop. I sure wish we had a Scheels here in the East! ;-)
From: DMTJAGER
17-Oct-18
IMHO, Cabela's started to go down hill right after the brothers sold it. I had bought items and not used them for a year or more and when I finally did and the item failed the Cabela's of old took care of me without question sometimes even without a receipt and would issue a store credit. After they sold the company I brought back a Cabela's named item new in a shrink wrapped box and they said sorry past 30 days you are SOL.
What we are witnessing is the cancer that is infested the outdoor retail community of establishments like Cabela's, BP, Dick's etc, etc, in that corporate mentality (read accountants) now completely governs all aspects and all decisions that are made and have no real hunters of fishermen making any decisions. The only places that are still in touch any measurable amount with hunters are IMHO strictly on line retailors, the vast majority of brick and mortar organizations, especially the biggest ones, have long ago lost touch with hunters have shown little interest in our input or us as a whole and care not about hunters beyond our $$$.
Bass pro and Cabela's are rapidly morphing into the Walmart of sporting goods stores.
From: South Farm
17-Oct-18
Fleet Farm and Overton's both have better fishing sections IMHO, and I haven't seen anything in Cabela's hunting section that I've wanted in so many years that I guess if they "implode" it really won't affect me all that much.
From: Bou'bound
17-Oct-18
we may not like their shifting, but you can bet these two 4 billion dollar brands did not do the deal without a good plan and they are not modifying their business without the consumer insight to give them the best chance to prosper going forward. it may be less attractive to hunters, but we represent 15% of the US population.
I doubt the brand and business is imploding, they are simply changing to survive in changing times and trying to serve a more diverse customer base. Pretty smart over all though to hunters we may not be impressed.
I am sure they feel there are a lot more non-hunters to attract than there are hunters to maintain.
as consumers we are certainly not loyal. Look at where you spend you money now, and how, compared to even 10 years ago let alone 30. Do we really have a right to expect the retailers to be loyal. they will simply follow the money and we will simply follow the value.
From: Knothead
17-Oct-18
Amazon is not all that great anymore. Their prices are not any better than a store, you have to spend a certain dollar amount to get free shipping and returns are a hassle. There are many places where you can get better prices than what amazon has to offer. I used to buy quite a bit from amazon but now I rarely do. I mostly use it to compare prices. I have zero loyalty to an online store. They are not part of my community and they contribute nothing to it. I see a resurgence of the mom & pop stores in the future, especially if they offer exceptional service. Big boxes are going way.
From: Surfbow
17-Oct-18
"it may be less attractive to hunters, but we represent 15% of the US population."
Yeah, it would be hard to run a successful sporting goods retail business if your target market is only 45,000,000 customers, give or take a few...
From: Rupe
18-Oct-18
Funny this thread popped up because I was recently looking for an item from Cabelas and was stunned at how poor the selection is now. Rather sad really.
From: South Farm
18-Oct-18
And their roasted cashews are stale and mushy..
From: Missouribreaks
18-Oct-18
Seems like many of the hunters I know do more and more of their outdoor shopping for supplies and licenses with Walmart. Like Amazon, Walmart seems to be a major supplier of outdoor supplies.
From: wild1
18-Oct-18
Complaining about Cabelas customer service and then buying from Walmart. LOL
From: Bowbender
18-Oct-18
Pat,
"They will have little competition by then."
Exactly. Which is why Amazon is pushing to raise the federal minimum wage to $15/hour. It's not out of some altruistic notion. It's to force smaller companies to increase their labor costs that they can't absorb like Amazon can.
From: 5575
18-Oct-18
Scheels plain and simple knows how to run a sporting goods store always has. Never did get Cabelas, was like walking into the catalog, no deals. But the mounts were cool. Folks at Scheels are always friendly and helpful. They don't carry crappy products either and they always price match and have good sales depending what's in season.
From: Sam
18-Oct-18
Could not agree more about Scheels. Amazing selection with knowledgeable staff, nothing I’m aware of compares.
From: Bobm
30-Oct-18
People throw things in carts and don’t even look at what they are paying or the quality here in Springfield Missouri home of bass pro. They think it’s a good deal because they are mesmerized buy bass pros interior. It’s all crap. No quality concerns anymore. But other than people like us , the American public doesn’t care about quality and having something last and be proud to own it. The stores are catering to the pinheads of the country. JMO though
From: Scrappy
31-Oct-18
For those shopping at scheels make sure your doing an internet price comparison before you check out. Scheels has always price matched whatever I find on the internet while in the store.
From: 76aggie
31-Oct-18
I went into Cabelas in Ft. Worth last weekend. Was not looking for camo but I thought it very odd not to see ANY camo clothing in the store and it was the middle of bow season here. Usually, it would be lined to the walls with camo.
From: Bannock-pt.
31-Oct-18
Went to the hamburg pa store last weekend. As others have noted, the camo is tucked away in the very back of the store. They have absolutely nothing in stock. They had a sale on rubber boots, but only had size 13 in stock. I asked if they had ither sizes in the back. You guessed it, nope. How do you offer a sale on boots , put it in the flyer , and not have it available. Camo sizes are extremely limited. When asked, the emoloyees said that since the merger, they have no clue whats going on. Sad. I hope another store opens soon and fills the void.
From: altitude sick
31-Oct-18
Black Ovis!
From: backwoods54
31-Oct-18
Ive been a local Cabelas customer for decades;it used to be an adventure just to visit one, not so with Bass Pro. Times change, my needs are less and I'm more selective on what I purchase. Bass Pro and other outdoor retailers just don't carry what I need. I recently visited a Scheels store and was very impressed with the selection of top quality outdoor gear, much like Cabelas once was . Its just to bad corporate leaders follow the same blind path suggested by so called research. Its also a different market now days with specialty markets and Amazon. Id call Amazon or Ebay the Sear and Roebuck or Montgomery Ward mail order of the 21 century. So what has really changed;does the aging outdoor person does buy that much as compared to the younger crowds? I currently rely on regional bowyers and archery supply store for my needs. Fleet Farm although is a publicly traded business, still does a super job in supplying my other needs. My Cabelas account is closed, card destroyed and along with Walmart, I wont step a foot in either stores.
From: sake3
31-Oct-18
First time in Cabelas this month.Nice high end gun selection.Crudy archery section.Like will said looked like a high end ,extra large Dick's.The mountain of stuffed trophies was impressive.
From: Shaft2Long
31-Oct-18
Why would Basspro buy Cabelas and then run it into the ground? Is there a tax break for that?
Why would lungshot go into a cabelas and ask for firstlite and be surprised the guy doesn’t have it or know about when firstlite does not do retail?
