Cabela's...is this the beginning of the end?

[Daubs]

I've been a Cabela's fan since I can remember. Growing up in Nebraska it was pretty easy to love the homegrown company that started in Chappel, NE, selling hand tied flies.

As a kid in the 70's-80's I loved getting the mail order catalogs, making wish-lists, checking out coats, boots, gear, etc. I remember filling out the old paper order form, putting a check in the mail, and waiting for the box to arrive.

In college I got a lottery pick room-mate who just happened to work for Cabela's(!). He had worked on phone taking orders for years and never hunted. Friend and I got him in to duck hunting, and he was hooked. We remained best friends, were in each others weddings, and have stayed close for the past 30+ years. (note, he's a WAAAAY better hunter and fisher now than I ever was...)

He stayed with the company, moved up, and was very successful. I got to meet and shake hands with Jim Cabela once, and got to know bunches of employees through the years. Such a great company with fantastic products.

I loved visiting the headquarters in Sidney, hitting the bargain cave, and the sidewalk sales. Wow, got some smoking deals through the years. I still have the Cabela's Gore-Tex, Thinsulate old school brown camo waterfowl parka I picked up in the bargain cave for $70. My brother still hunts with his Columbia Quad parka we found in the cave for $80. Both were returns, and we were broke college kids...and cherished these coats!

Things started to change when Cabela's went public. They brought in new blood and some of the old school "lifers" started leaving. They changed the product line up a bit, and it felt to me like the quality started to suffer. I love a good deal, but I will gladly pay premium price for a well design and constructed product that lasts. I still wear my Outfitter gore-tex, thinsulate leather hunting boots...they are probably 25 years old and still rock!

BassPro buying Cabela's changed things even more...My buddy left the company recently...he really loved Cabela's, but it was just time to move on.

I visit the store here in eastern Nebraska, but keep getting more and more frustrated. They shut down the bargain caves, are often out of stock, knowledgeable sales staff are few and far between, and the quality of Cabela's branded products continues to decline. And then I hear stories of Cabela's no longer honoring the lifetime warranty...makes me sad.

I still know a few who still work there, and sincerely wish them the best. I am never getting rid of my Cabela's stuff, especially the old school, rock-solid items that never seem to wear out.

I'll keep going to Cabela's and trying...but we have a Scheels that is closer to my house, and the staff are very knowledgeable. They get most of my business these days...

I hope this isn't the beginning of the end for Cabela's...

 

[Colorado Cowboy]

I agree with everything you posted. Over the years Cabela's was my go to place for lots of stuff, especially when I retired and moved to SW Colorado. I am pretty rural, closest big store is Sportsman's Warehouse , 80 miles away. There is a smaller Cabella's in Grand junction that is 175 miles afar. My gut tells me that in the next few years, Cabella's will disappear and be replaced by all BassPro stores. Another Herters....sad.

 

[JimP]

The end of Cabela's was a few years ago for me.

The quality of their merchandise was going down with the prices going up and I found that I could get what I wanted elsewhere. Since Bass Pro took over they have fallen even further down on my list of where to purchase things. I'll go into a store and wander around without finding anything that I want and usually what I want isn't in stock.

Even back before Bass Pro purchased them I wondered about their marketing plans when they opened up two stores 30 miles apart in Denver, I still can't figure that one out.

 

[Daubs]

Even back before Bass Pro purchased them I wondered about their marketing plans when they opened up two stores 30 miles apart in Denver, I still can't figure that one out.

Agreed! I think they got in a pissing match with BassPro to see who could build the most retail stores...in an age where brick-and-mortar stores were closing...

 

[mallardsx2]

I slowed down buying stuff from them when they stopped sending me the discount coupons in the mail.

The ones they send now are a joke and they always seem to arrive right after I need them and they are only good for 1-10 days...

Bargain cave is gone in the two stores I go to. I did buy a bunch of stuff when they were trying to clear it out only because they were all but giving it away.

On another note, I stopped using the cabelas card completely for out of store purchases because I get better deals through capitol 1. Now my capitol 1 doesn't offer cabelas gift cards as redemption so I rarely buy anything from them. I did get my binos from them this year only because I could buy the gift cards on ebay and save the 20% and because that brand never goes on sale anywhere.

Its sad because I have always hated BASSPRO.

I'll just shop more online now I guess. Or I'll shop at Academy (The k-mart of sporting goods)...

 

[Daubs]

On another note, I stopped using the cabelas card completely for out of store purchases because I get better deals through capitol 1. Now my capitol 1 doesn't offer cabelas gift cards as redemption so I rarely buy anything from them. I did get my binos from them this year only because I could buy the gift cards on ebay and save the 20% and because that brand never goes on sale anywhere.

Its sad because I have always hated BASSPRO.

I'll just shop more online now I guess. Or I'll shop at Academy (The k-mart of sporting goods)...

Buddy used his Cabela's visa for business...and got a Benelli SBE2 with his rewards points. His boss found out, and stopped that the next year : (

I quit using my Cabela's visa and switched to Capital one as well.

I lived in Missouri for 15+ years...only thing BassPro is good for is bass fishing gear.

 

[JimP]

Also if you notice Cabela's is going the way of a retail clothing store and doing away with a lot of their hunting gear and areas in the stores that used to be hunting related.

 

[Colorado Cowboy]

A few years ago I also stopped using my Cabella's card. I had enough points to cash in on a T/C Pro Hunter BP rifle. I don't use any credit cards, only a debit card. Don't miss them a bit! I do still have a Cabella's card and did use it recently. My son gave me a Cabella's gift card for my birthday. What I picked out was slightly higher than the gift card, so I used my card to put the balance on. Paid for it next statement...no interest. They had a nice hunting jacket on sale, so I ordered it.....out of stock so it was backordered. Oh well!

 

[mallardsx2]

Pretty standard. Or they dont have my size.

 

[sneakypete]

These box stores is the reason I switched my clothing to KUIU.

 

[go_deep]

Everything at some point will change, they've defiantly changed.
Now, who will be the "new" Cabelas with the great products, and awesome warranties??

 

[Bonecollector]

I agree with all comments above. I'll use them only as a last resort, but doubt they'll have what I need at that point anyway.
It's tough to beat shopping on-line.

 

[88man]

We have a Cabelas in Hamburg Pa and when the store first opened the staff and buying experience was Excellent. My experience was that in the various departments the key staff members were true experts in the departments they worked and had first hand knowledge on various spec and product details. The past few years it seems the opposite that many really don't even have any first hand knowledge or know the basics.

 

[Timr245]

I also agree with everything above, especially about the retail store degradation, that said, I’ve used their card for business expenses for years. They always did a 10% off any purchase once a month and it was a great time to get a ton of points and a nice chunk off large purchases, seems that has gone away since the merger, big downfall! I recently cashed in almost $400 in points on a Montana Canvas wall tent and got $350 back for the purchase. I suppose as long as I can keep getting these types of deals on QUALITY brands like that I’ll be a return customer, but I’ve nearly acquired all of the hunting gear I’ll need for a long time so I may look for an airline card to make family vacations easier. It’s just really unfortunate local Mom & Pops stores can not survive in todays instant-gratification, cheaper is better economy!

 

[Daubs]

We have a Cabelas in Hamburg Pa and when the store first opened the staff and buying experience was Excellent. My experience was that in the various departments the key staff members were true experts in the departments they worked and had first hand knowledge on various spec and product details. The past few years it seems the opposite that many really don't even have any first hand knowledge or know the basics.

Yes! Back in the day, when Cabela's had only the Sidney, NE store, they had "Product Specialists" or PS's working the floor.

Cabela's would recruit nation wide for the very best and knowledgeable staff. Hit specific areas for certain needs...the south for bass fishing, Dakotas / Minnesota for walleye fishing, snag guy who worked in gun manufacturing, etc. In order to be a Product Specialist you would have to pass the PS test.

They would search nation-wide, pay them well, and bring them and families to Sidney to work in the one and only store. They were truly experts in their fields. Best of the best.

Buddy remembered the old scheduling...Product Specialists would work five days, then have three days off. Schedule rotated like that...and the best part, they were expected to hunt and fish on their long weekends off. Try out new gear (he was always getting demo products), and learn new techniques. Being a Product Specialist was an honor.

Once Cabela's started building retail stores the PS's were farmed out to new locations. And their numbers dwindled. They eventually had PS's on phones at the headquarters only. Customer service started sliding at that point.

 

[Hilltop]

I find myself going more and more to Scheel's. They have employees that would remind you old school Cabela's- people who actually know and use the products they are selling. Cabela's today is nothing more than a spotsman's Walmart.

 

[Gr8bawana]

I agree with Daubs in that lots of the Cabelas label products were very good quality items. I still have a Cabelas label parka and a Cabelas label Chamois woodland camo shirt that are some of the first things I ever ordered.
Granted I only wear them for hunting but they are over 30 years old, I'd say I've gotten my money's worth out of them.
That was way back before home computors when you called and a very helpful and knowlwdgeable person answered the phone and took your order.
Bass Pro is not my favorite but I don't have a lot of other choices when I want to actually see and touch a product before I buy it. I also never buy boots without trying them on first.

 

[HighPlainsHunter]

It's gone from quality hunting gear to selling you a $20 scope with a lifetime warranty for $100. Even if you return 3 they still win. Much of the stuff with their name is chinese junk.

The Nebraska style will get replaced with the Missouri Bass Pro style store. More corn feeders and cheap hunting clothes as opposed to serious mountain gear with the Cabelas name. More cheap optics, boots, t shirts, etc.. with the cabelas name.

Probably the strangest thing Cabelas ever did IMO was the whole tractor debacle. They got in and quickly got out of that mess they had no business being in.

There is really no reason to keep the Sidney store open so I expect it to close at some point as well.

Now the only reason I need to go to Sidney is for Runza.

 

[Colorado Cowboy]

I have a Cabelas down jacket that is camo and reverses to blaze orange. I have had it for about 30 years and it is the warmest coat I oqn. A little bulky, but real quality, paid 40.00 for it back then. Probably outlive me!

 

[bdan68]

I have quite a bit of Cabelas brand clothing from 25 to 30 years ago. Stuff that I still use during hunting season every year. A hat, long underwear, a sweater, a fleece jacket, and other stuff I can't recall right now. But the labels all say "Made in the USA." Probably never see that again. And yes, the store isn't what it once was, but I still have to say I'm glad I have a Cabelas store only a half hour away. It's the only store in my area that sells hunting and fishing supplies. They have great sales at times. Often I order online and have the order shipped to the store since it's free, and I pick it up at my convenience.