Cabelas has slowly lost me as a customer

[2A2Dend]

I have the Cabelas CC, and have never used it in their stores. IMO, their store in Lacey (all) has been a major waste of time when I DO want to buy something. The guns in the gun dept won't get sold if they don't have the man-power to sell things in a timely manner. Every time I've been wanting to look at a firearm, waiting (mainly weekends) half a dozen potential customers leave out of frustration.

Surely they're not blind.

Strike that.

@Cabelas, get more fingers to plug the holes in your sinking ship.

 

[amusicman2]

I have stopped shopping there as well and have not visited Cabelas in a few years. For several reasons, but I have changed my shopping behavior to buying mostly online anyway. Seems like whenever I go to retail shops like Cabelas, many of the employees are tatted-up, pierced-up freaks who are rude and have little to no interest in providing anything resembling customer service.

Online sellers like Bud's Discount Guns and Brownells make it too easy to buy new guns and have them shipped directly to my FFL. Bud's consistently has better prices than most.

I've found Cabelas/Bass Pro Shops prices to be full-boat retail and not attractive.

I'm also finding myself attending fewer gun shows, as the prices there for new guns are higher than many places online, even factoring in shipping/transfer costs.

Agreed that prices at the gun shows have been the same as online including the ship and transfer fees lately but occasionally I like to support local dealers. If it's the same to buy online and a local price, I'll buy local. If it's $10 more I don't really care. If I worry about $10 I had better find something else to do.

 

[hatchj]

I like to look, but I dont often purchase. Bought an rcbs rockchucker kit for a good price, and I'll usually walk put with a few boxes of ammo on "sale" (read: regular price everywhere else)

 

[MannyGlocks]

Maybe this is negative depends on the state.

My nearest one has good sales, the counter guys know their stuff and are attentive.

I've bought 2 guns from them and it was an easy process.

Oh, both guns were on sale and quite reduced.

 

[amusicman2]

Maybe this is negative depends on the state.

My nearest one has good sales, the counter guys know their stuff and are attentive.

I've bought 2 guns from them and it was an easy process.

Oh, both guns were on sale and quite reduced.

Your state is much more friendly. Lucky.

 

[Caveman Jim]

Never bought guns at Cabelas,generally bough private party befor the SS came to Wa.
I would go to get my hunting stuff from Sportsmans warehouse then the built the abomination in Lacey & they closed the Lacey store!!!

 

[crossbow5]

I purchased a "Pine Ridge" (Cabelas brand) scope 8 or 9 years ago from Cabelas online store. The scope was mounted on Ruger 10/22 and only sighted in. I had not used the rifle for several years and took it out last summer to shoot. The internals on the scope came apart completely and rattle around inside the scope body after only a few shots were fired. This was supposed to be a scope to use on a center fire rifle. I know it was a cheap scope, but expected it to last a little longer and it had hardly been used. Sent Cabelas an e-mail and was informed by a Cabelas employee that I had used the scope all these years and it had been completely worn out. Thus, I was out of luck as far as any warranty. I have not been in the store or purchased anything from Cabelas since. I have purchased firearms, camping equipment clothing and other items online and at the stores in Tualatin and Springfield prior to this incident. I also have no intention to purchase anything from Cabelas in the future. They have lost me as a customer over not honoring their warranty.

 

[Spitpatch]

Despite reserving judgement, all my recent history with Cabelas indicates a measurable decline since the Bass Pro takeover. The Tualatin store used to have 4 double-racks of used guns, always something interesting, and some bargains. Now two. And one is full of WWI Mosins or somethingorother.

The Gun Library is visibly on a down-turn (they had a beat-up M700 .25-06 in there!)

Last month I decided to cash in my Card points and buy something I might not have otherwise: a CZ American in .17 Hornet. It took me quite some effort to convince the gun counter guy that I was serious about the purchase (they had to order the gun), and it was like pulling teeth to get him to submit an "inquiry" and request for quote.

4 weeks later (after the quote that was of course top-level retail), the gun arrived. I set aside some time to go get it, but never imagined a 3 and a half-hour process.

Good news is that little gun is funner than pokin' a 'coon out of a log. (No credit to Cabass Prola's)

 

[Heyjoe]

Never really liked them. Always feels super walmart-ey

 

[DirectDrive]

There hasn't been a buyout yet where the bought company was able to maintain the same level of service.
Another good example is when LaCrosse bought out Danner.
Now you're treated like a thief if you want to return something.

 

[gmerkt]

Somebody above said the veteran discount is back. Bass Pro took it away, that's a fact. If it's back, they aren't talking about it in Tulalip. Cabelas used to have a sign up announcing the discount. Moot point for me, since I'm not going into the store often enough to be around for many screaming deals. One thing I forgot, remember the signs they would occasionally put out on the counter in the gun library that said, "$25 off any used gun" or something like that? Those went away with Bass Pro. There were a couple of times I was allowed to combine multiple discounts and use my CC points, those were good buys.

Yes, Cabelas was and is kind of a place for neophytes and Fudds but smart shooters of all kinds will look into different places to do business. It wasn't all that long ago that I found a bargain at Cabelas, two 50 count boxes of .38-40 ammo for $20 apiece on a (rare) mark-down shelf. Even a blind squirrel finds the occasional acorn.

The wait time to buy a gun at Cabelas. In my experience, it has never been a speedy experience. Even if you're there the first hour the store is open. You can go to just about any other retailer and the time spent doing the same thing is a fraction of what it takes at Cabelas. They have many of their own internal rigmarole steps they do. Heck, at the WAC shows FFL facilitators (if the NICS system is up and working) can knock out transfers quickly as a matter of routine. They've got their laptops set up, bada bing, bada boom. Cabelas uses the same tools.

Somebody mentioned the Tualatin store. I'd forgotten I've been in that one. I was driving back from a trip to Calif., decided to stop there. They had a used but like new M1A for sale, an older one, cost $1,000 which wasn't a gift but it was okay, no sales tax in Ore. I was in and out of that store in less than an hour.

I've told my kids, nothing lasts forever. Good or bad. Bargains and broken hearts alike come and go. No good deal, angle, scam, whatever you want to call it, stays good forever. Other people come along and try to figure out how to get in on it, how to beat the system, or how to replicate the action. So you just have to be flexible and when a good things craps out, move on to something else. Otherwise you are expending valuable energy in a wasteful way.

 

[Flymph]

The gun cleaning supplies at the Tualatin location is surpassed even by BiMart... granted BiMart has a pretty good selection and prices, but it's just a general mercantile.

 

[PNWguy]

I've been in two Cabela's my entire life. The one in Mitchell, SD in the 90's and one in Kansas City while driving through in 2006.

My dad sold a bunch of his mounts to them a few years ago, so I suspect his name is one of their stores, somewhere.

There's one 70 miles from me in Post Falls, ID, but I've never been and see no reason to go.

 

[parallax]

A couple of years ago , some crackhead walked out of Springfield Oregon Cabela's with 4 "assault rifles", under his coat...... Probably the only good deal anyone has ever gotten at Cabela's.

Police: 4 high-powered rifles stolen from Cabela's in Springfield

 

[arakboss]

I miss the 10% coupons for card members. Oh well,, my wallet is happier.

They use to have a lot of those 10% discount offers for online purchases with Cabela's club visa card. Much more often than the mailers. As long as you put some portion of the purchase on the club visa (even a $1) you could pay the rest with gift cards and still get 10% off the total amount. I always used discount gift cards which were usually around a 15% discount. I haven't seen one of those offers in some time. Sucks!

 

[G8rHunter]

Bass Pro has been giving me a 5% military discount.

I can buy many items elsewhere for a fraction of the cost at Cabelas. I considered buying an outdoor firepit at Cabelas for nearly $300. I found the exact same thing at another store for 2/3 less. It has a Nordstroms atmosphere that wows me all the way to the cash register, but their customer service is greatly inferior to Nordstroms.

 

[HighlandLofts]

I bought a lot of stuff from the Tulalip store. I would always have a used gun on lay away.
They also use to have a decent selection on their 500 packs of 38/357 projectiles. Rainer, Berry and a couple of others. Now they only carry lead LazerCast.
I have been buying used reloading dies to set up from when friends want to reload occasionally. I havetwo of the Hornady Lock n Load single stage presses. When I go to the store they generally only have one pack of the LnL bushings hanging on the rack.

They use to have twice the amount of used guns. Now they have half of what they had. It is never full and almost half are Mosins or some other old crap they bought a lot of.

They quit the used gun lay away. It taked three hours to do the transfer and four people to go over the paper work.

Bargin cave gone.

Staff that belongs at a used thrift store.

Prices that belong at 5th Avenue New York City.

Last year I kept track of all of my gun money spent. It was over $6,500.
Not much was spent at Cabelas.
So far this year I am up to $1,125 with a lot more to follow and Cabelas will se very little of it.

I have been going to Walmart.com for reloading stuff and order things and pick it up at the store.
Even other stuff that they carry in the store is cheaper this way.

It's a shame they got sucked up transformed into a cesspool.

 

[cigars]

Well, I won't shop at Dick's so that's that. Cabela's near me in Tualatin does nothing to impress me. Their parking lot sucks and they took away the bargain cave. Yeah, yeah, as stated above, they moved all the mark downs to the shelves but why would I want to walk all over that place to find one good deal when they used to be all in one place? Who's got that kind of time?
Also not impressed with their check outs in front. God forbid if something like a price check is needed and then they have to get on their headsets and consult several levels of management before being allowed to make a decision. Rant over.
However is is a very pretty store and I like the fish tank and taxidermy.

 

[HighlandLofts]

Another BS thing with the Tulalip store, 5 cents per bag. I refuse to pay 5 cents when I an spending upwards of a $100 or more. Their markup on used firearms is 40%. So a $600 used gun they are making $240.

Over at Sound Loan & Pawn in Evetett they will sell guns on consignment for $50.
I would never sell a gun to Cabelas.

If you need to sell a gun and can wait for the cash take it to Sound Loan & Pawn on Hewit Ave in Everett. Tell Jeff, Pat told you about his shop.

I have sold a bunch of gins there and that is where I have guns sent for transfers.

As stated above, Anti-Gun Dicks is totally off my shopping list as well as Big5 and Field & Stream. Both owned by Dicks.
Dick's started out on Court Street in Binhhmton NY whereI was born & raised. While growing and got out on my own Dick's was a great sporting goods store.
When they expanded amd started specializing in golf, baseball, sneeker amd drifted away from guns they SUCK. EXTREMILY SUCK.

i went to school with Stack, what a waste of semen. A very anti-gun person. He can shove Dick's, Big5 and Field & Stream up where the sun doesn't shine.

 

[NWGlockgal]

I've never done a lot of shopping at Cabela's because of their prices. I have friends who don't go there anymore because they have changed their clothing line. They can't find certain items they used to buy before Bass Pro bought them out.