How is Cabela's Still in Business?

[toadmeister]

My wife & I used to take a monthly road trip to the Cabelas in Prairie du Chien (about an hour north of us). I used to buy a lot of reloading components from them. Like many others, I shifted most of my purchases to the Scheels in Coralville (about an hour south of us). The prices are much better, I get gift cards in the mail from the Scheels card purchases and they actually occasionally have some things in stock!

You must live nearby me!

I used to look forward to those Cabela's trips in PDC. Stop for a burger at Pete's and browse Starks, get some drinks and snacks...

Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk

 

[D S 319]

I try to stick to scheels when I can.

 

[Treerat-sniper]

You must live nearby me!

I used to look forward to those Cabela's trips in PDC. Stop for a burger at Pete's and browse Starks, get some drinks and snacks...

Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk

Yes sir! I've had many Pete's burgers & have bought a boat, outboard & a couple of trailers from Randy Stark.

 

[Zeke6951]

In October 2020 I was in the Mitchell, SD Cabelas. I was looking for a camo felt crusher hat. I had several over the years and they suit me well. I spent at least an hour looking for the hats and the 30 minutes looking for someone that could help me find them. Finally I found a woman that knew what I was looking for. She said they were no longer available. She was very nice and showed me the closest hat in stock. She said they don't even make orders for merchandise anymore. BP just sends them what they want them to sell. I asked how long she had worked there. I believe she said 27 years. I asked her about the lifetime warranty on the Mendle boots I had on. She said it was no longer in effect. I said I bet you have shed a tear or two since the buy out. She replied you have no idea how many, Cabelas used to be so great. SAD SAD

 

[Raggedwolf]

They are all tough to be in.

 

[Zappaman]

They are “milking“ the brand and it’s getting old. But until people stop buying, they’ll keep selling overpriced (lower quality) crap… just like Walmart. Haven’t bought from them in years. Don’t plan to any time soon either.

 

[Super tag]

Never have liked Cabelas, we used to go browse occasionally when we were bored, can’t go to the local store without getting hammered to sign up for a credit card, the greeter at the door, while shopping, and at the checkout, ridiculous and very annoying, now Sportsman’s is doing the same thing, the optics counter and at the checkout on my last trip in.

 

[Docpk]

Agree with most posters here. Cabelas used to be great where I am locally. Since BPS took over nothing but down hill. What a shame.

 

[Southeast]

I had their credit card about 5 years longer than I should have. There were so many better options, but bragging about how many Cabela's points one had was the cool thing to do in my circle of hunting friends back then. Towards the end I would use the Cabela's points to buy their gift cards and then sell them on Ebay. I obviously took a loss but at least I could use those "points" elsewhere.

I remember a couple times in their earlier days that friends and I drove 4 hours one-way (including an overnight stay) just to shop at the Sydney store! That was a different world.

 

[Rmuncey]

I only go to cabelas to look at things I want to purchase online or have a local shop order for me


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[positivepete!]

Once we got a scheels and discovered how awesome they are we have never been back to a cabellas or bass pro. Can't believe the night and day difference in quality and customer service between the two companies. Scheels blows all other stores away in my opinion and they gain a lot of my business just by treating us right.

 

[Hall17]

I agree with Scheels. I order stuff from them all the time even with BPS and Cabelas both within 40 min. of my house. No reason to go there except to take the little boy there to see the fish and mounts

 

[Brooks]

i don’t have a Scheels anywhere’s near me but after all the good things I’ve been hearing about them I’ve been ordering what I need from Scheels. .so far so good.

 

[ClayA23]

As others have said, went downhill after the BPS purchase.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[def90]

Cabelas is just Bass Pro with a different sign on it, they went downhill to the Bass Pro level when they were purchased back in 2017.

 

[awbowhunter]

I stopped shopping with Bass Pro and Cabelas right after Bass bought Cabelas. Talked to a Cabelas manager about lifetime warranties on high end insulation i sunk money into and Cabelas fishing rods....I was told they will not honor the warranty now that Bass Pro owns them.

I was in the Sidney Nebraska Cabelas store shortly after purchase and talked to a few sad long time employees that were being laid off. That just made me even more sure no more Cabelas or Bass Pro for me.

Recently got an email for Sportsmans warehouse stating something to the effect Bass pro had offered to purchase them...BUT Sportsmans wisely declined their offer...ME HAPPY!

My current go to stores are Sportsmans warehouse and Scheels. Both close by.

When I lived in the southeast I used Academy sports quite a bit.

 

[Mosby]

Scheels, Gun Dog Supply, Lion Country Supply, Macks Prairie Wing, Rogers Sporting Goods and Black Ovis for most of my hunting stuff depending on what I need.

I did buy a Lucky Duck kennel from Cabela's last year when they had a good deal on it but I never go into their stores anymore and they seldom have what I want or good prices.

 

[hunting1]

I miss when the Cabela's brand was quality stuff, now Chinese, Johnny Morris garbage. They turned it into the Kmart of sporting goods.

 

[GringoBling]

I miss when the Cabela's brand was quality stuff, now Chinese, Johnny Morris garbage. They turned it into the Kmart of sporting goods.

That's not an issue solely isolated to Cabela's. It really doesn't matter where you are are shopping or what brand you are buying, the overwhelming majority is made in China (or Cambodia, Vietnam, Philippines, Taiwan, etc.). Even when something says "Designed in the USA", it's almost never actually made in the USA. Some companies just have better quality control than others.

 

[hunting1]

That's not an issue solely isolated to Cabela's. It really doesn't matter where you are are shopping or what brand you are buying, the overwhelming majority is made in China (or Cambodia, Vietnam, Philippines, Taiwan, etc.). Even when something says "Designed in the USA", it's almost never actually made in the USA. Some companies just have better quality control than others.

I was more speaking to the low quality than the manufacturers origin.