I've heard a few folks on here mention the Cableas in Wheeling, WV and thought I'd vent with some questions.
First, I was happy when they decided to open near where I live, because they usually have a good selection of guns. BUT, when I went to look at their used guns, some are priced higher than NEW guns? What's up with that? Then when I asked about the situation, they guy just replied that the fellow who did the trading on that gun, "must have put too much money in it". WOW, what a revelation! I gotta a clue for both of them, It won't sell for more than a new one on a shelf, not 15 feet away!!!
I looked at a Kimber 308 that they've had nearly since the store opened. I was there three days after they opened, and I think it was there then, and looked new, price? $825 for a used Hunter. After being open all this time, the gun looks like it was dragged behind a car, long deep scratches in the stock, yatta, yatta, yatta. When I asked about it being there so long and if they would discount it because of the scratches in the metal and wood, they knocked off $25! Gee, that would only make me paying about $125 more than a NEW ONE!!!
While standing there, I saw a guy come in with a Remington 504, and they offered him $200 trade value on a nearly new gun, which they had new and were selling for $579, I believe. Now there's a way to win customers.
Anyone else, had the same sour experience at Cableas. Are they all that way?

Most times you won't even find a deal on guns in the Bargain Cave.

They never claimed to be the Wally-world of outfitters.

I live a half hour away from their second newest store in Hamburg, PA. Haven't been back for months. I guess the new store smell wore off already. They do lots of business from travelers who stop in while driving the interstate.

BassPro in Dallas is much the same.

I stopped in to look at Winchesters the F*%ing moron behind the counter tried to tell me they did not make a Sporter any more and offered to sell me an overpriced Featherweight.

Yeah, I forgot to mention that I just bought a couple of stainless T3's off my favorite local dealer in the last couple of weeks. I just happen to see some Tikkas at Cabelas and asked if they had any 6.5X55's, and the idiot replied. "The stainless ones were pulled off the market because of a recall". Yeah, but the 6.5 isn't made in stainless that I've ever seen and I didn't have the heart to tell him my dealer's had several stainless T3's in the last few months. He then proceeded to impress me with his knowledge of rifles, at which point I walked away.

Everyone,
I've tried many times to ask questions about various rifles in the Wheeling W.V store. I've been told that the local "rep" travels alot. However, he just never seems to "get back" with me. Guess they don't REALLY want to sell guns. I've now taken my business and money elsewhere.

I first experienced the "Mega Store" at B.P. S. in Columbia, MD. Just a bunch of stuff scattered here and there. Ranks and Ranks of only a few different kinds of the same bow. It made me think that it was more like a warehouse with the stuff out of the box. If I wanted a bow, I wouldn't need to see 25 of exactly the same kind! The Gander Mountain in Erie has an *under*-whelming stock of fishing stuff. Seems like they had a pat list of things every store gets (10 packages of each of 5 colors of whatever soft plastic lures) It' MARCH fer cryin' out loud! Stock the store! I've got cabin fever!
And advice? Help? WHAAAA??? You might as well go to Wally World to get what you can there. My dad may be getting a BLR in .358 Win from Wally World for just that reason. Cabela's was OK, but not great. The best thing about it was that you could try on or try out their proprietary products (fishing rods and reels) and their hunting clothes. But they're a 3 hour drive from me. That's $22 bucks in gas alone round trip. I can pay shipping and try out clothes at home.
Wall Street Journal said that the "Hook and Bullet Club" (my quotes) was under-served in the market. Even with all these stores, it looks like we still are! No wonder internet commerce and mail order took off. There is little benefit from going to the store. Just gimmie the junk I want and get the h@!! away from me. At least nobody has tried to show how much they knew.
JB

There is a gun shop near me that started real small in a tiny store. He had alot of old and some custom rifles and maybe some colletable, alot of cowboy stuff. Now he has a bigger store ,more guns. He is one of those stores that every gun in their is like his personal collection and way high priced . He wont even take a gun off the rake and show you it unless you practically beg him, and from the counter you cant even realy see what he has or the tags. You need to take a pair of binoculars into the store so you can veiw his guns. He has a half baked grumby gunsmith buddy in there too, and out on the floor are some sporterized military rifles he made that you can handle but gunsmith has basicaly butchered and vandelized every rifle he has touched.

Hes got alot of nice stuff but I hate going in his store.

Their after sales customer service at the PA store leaves much to be desired.

I bought a new shotgun from them. Took it out for a test drive by shooting two rounds of skeet and one of the ejectors did not work. I called them and they said bring it back no problem they have a 30 day no questions return policy. Drove the three hours back and I got a real horses rear end at the counter. Guy really did not believe me that there was an ejector problem. Gave me all sorts of attitude. Actually accused me of essentially lying because "the gun was too clean to have been shot". I guess he doesn't clean his guns too throughly... Well he said that they did not have any more of the type I bought and that my only recourse would be to leave it with them and they would "see if they could find a local gunsmith to take a look at it in a coming months." Well I took the gun back and said I'd ship it to the manufacturer. After I drive the three hours back, a few days later the Gun Library mangager of that store emails me and said the counter worker was wrong and they have plenty of that model that I could have exchanged it for. By that time I've sent the gun in for service.

Having said my rant the manager of the Gun Library was real gentleman about it. Also the workers in the Gun Library seemed nice and knowledgable. But the guys they have working the new gun counter were abismal. I'll never buy a gun from the PA store again.

Last month I ordered a pair of rubber bottomed/leather uppered boots from cabelas to replace a similar two year old pair from cabelas that had worn slick. My third pair. I like those kind of boots for mild climate, upland hunting. They came in and were medium width. WTF!!! These kinds of boots from cabelas, and from others were ALWAYS wides, whole sizes only. After spending ten to get them, it cost me ten more bucks to send the damm things back. Twenty bucks for nothing, no notice in the catalog that the sizing had changed. That is what they think of customers. Before cabelas, I had been buying a similar boot from lacrosse for near thirty years and having them resoled back at lacrosse but they stopped doing that. The next lacross I got had those inflexible, heavy korean plastic soles that cracked. We are talkin $80 boots seven or so years ago. Thats what they think of us customers. I won't buy any wisconsin boots anymore either. Bean gets the next order and I'll see how THEY do a customer. Hold on to your hats boys, its coming that we get the same mao suits as chineese coolies. P. O.'d ned in N.C.

quote:

Originally posted by N. S. Sherlock:
Last month I ordered a pair of rubber bottomed/leather uppered boots from cabelas to replace a similar two year old pair from cabelas that had worn slick....They came in and were medium width. WTF!!! These kinds of boots from cabelas, and from others were ALWAYS wides, whole sizes only. After spending ten to get them, it cost me ten more bucks to send the damm things back. Twenty bucks for nothing, no notice in the catalog that the sizing had changed. That is what they think of customers.

Did you call them and explain the problem? Cabelas gets a lot of business from me and has always been helpful with problems, offering return shipping on items that were not as I expected. I'm sorry that you did not have the same experience.

quote:

Originally posted by N. S. Sherlock:
After spending ten to get them, it cost me ten more bucks to send the damm things back. Twenty bucks for nothing, no notice in the catalog that the sizing had changed. That P. O.'d ned in N.C.

Anything that I have ever received from Cabella's has had a (free) return shipping coupon included.

Know what the funny thing about Cabela's is? The farther you get from the corporate headquarters, the farther the quality goes to hell. My home is 14 miles from the headquarters in Sidney Neb and that store is great, especially the gun area. Of course when Dick and Mary Cabela owned it, they were there almost all the time. I've been to the stores in Kearney Neb, Kansas City Mo, Hamburg Pa and Wheeling WV. These stores to the east seem to have lost something.

I especially dislike the store in WV. That was the first one built after the company sold and it looked a lot mor like a Bass Pro Shop, which as far as I'm concerned in not much of a compliment.

Mac

I find a Cabelas a fun place to vist and look at items I might like to buy. I hardly ever buy anything there unless it is on Sale of at least 40 percent.

I find their gun prices high but it is a good place to look somthing over it one is thinking about buying. I do get a lot of pleasure of going in and handleing very high price doubles ect.

As with any store one has to be aware of pricing and market value.

They are out to make money not give you a great deal no one is forcing you to spend any money there. I take them for want they are and spend my money accordingly.

I have to agree with Charles Helm, I have always gotten good service from them thru the catalog and if something was wrong a phone call corrected it.


Sean

I guess I have to stick up for them. I had a 2 year old set of waders that developed a problem in the boot. I returned them, and 2 weeks later a brand new pair showed up. Pretty good.

3 days after that, a check showed up reimbursing me for the shipping cost to send the original pair back.

I like the store in Pa. I think it has a lot to offer. You get to try on the things you want and to see first hand what it is.
Ammo, clothes, goodies and gadgets all good.
Buy your guns at your local gunsmith, disguss the price and know he will be there when you need him for repair.

So who bought Cabelas? I have been a loyal customer
for years, mainly due to their customer service, and
fast shipping. Once they opened a store in Wisconsin,
and started charging sales tax on mail orders, I started
shopping around more, but I still do a fair amount
of business there. I guess I'd like to know who purchased
Dick's business, so I can keep an eye out for any drop
in service.

Squeeze

You'll not find many bargains at Cabelas, but so what? Go somewhere else.

I give credit to Cabelas for hanging in there when most every other "outdoor" outfit threw in the towel 30 or 40 years ago. If it wasn't for Cabelas you couldn't find half the hunting/shooting gear that is now on the market.

Spend $20 million on a new store and see what you have to sell gear for.

Never had a bad experience with them. Have a Cabelas Visa and get lotsa free stuff for paying bills with the visa. Always the best customer service I have ever found,,,,and I'm a picky sob.

Last year I was in the middle of Nebraska. Driving down the road bored as hell. Out in the middle of nowhere there is a big Cabela's. I pulled in, went inside and spent a couple of hours just poking around. They had a John Rigby original in the fine gun room that really cought my eye. Unfortunatlly I was only about $19000.00 short of what it would take to wrap up the deal, but I enjoyed looking at it. I settled for two boxes of bullets and a coffee mug instead.

We have a BassPro Shop in Memphis. After going in the Cabela's I wish we had one those instead.

Terry

Squeeze-

Cabelas went public through an initial public offering (IPO) within the last year. They are on the New York Stock Exchange. Their ticker symbol is CAB. If you view their public documents, the Cabela's family are still significant shareholders in the company.

Right now Cabela's and Bass Pro Shops are locked into a head to head battle of who can outpace the other in building "mega" stores. Unless either of these companies installs some training program or corporate culture of "customer service" we all stand to loose.

As a licensed dealer (not FFL), I don't care much for BP or Cabela's. As a consumer, how can you avoid them? They sell Nosler Partitions for instance, $1.75-$2.05 over my cost. I'm not trying to rip anyones lips off when I sell a box of bullets, but I can't make it on that margin because I don't sell as many of them.

I won't jump on you if you buy from them either. I shop for the best price myself...we have too unless you have a contract with the NBA or something. Bottom line...service is usually better with the small gunshop, but that service has a premium.

I gave up my FFL a number of years ago because there are so many licensed kitchen table dealers who sell guns at $10.00 over cost or for a small percentage. A guy trying to make a legitimate living cannot pay rent or lease or payments on a nice facility making $10.00 on a $600-$1,200 investment.

We caused it guys. We search high and low for the best deal. I'm the same way. I'm so tight I screak when I walk, but we've done this to ourselves. I don't know what the answer is. For a while it was ebay. That seemed to help some of the dealers at least increse their volume. Now, ebay is dominated by "kitchen table dealers" too. They get a tax # and an account with a wharehouse, list items on ebay at our cost plus shipping. One bid and they make something. They come home from their day job and ship the items in some cases from the distributor straight to your door...they've never touched the item.

Maybe that is the solution...everyone gets to buy from the distributor. At any rate, I can tell you that if you search long enough, you can buy anything you want on ebay at my cost plus shipping. Of course, there is no service. If you're buying RCBS dies for example, who cares about service? RCBS will take care of that directly. If you're buying a compound bow for example, I will set it up for you and help you tune it at no extra charge. I can only afford the free service however, if my customers continue to pick up the occasional die set or game call or item that I do not have to provide any service for.

If you're driving force is how much an item sets you back, Cabela's or better yet, ebay is the way to go.

Born to Hunt brings up a valid point. I see the outdoor market moving the way of the "mass merchants". We have Lowe's, Home Depot, Walmart and several other large retailers serving the home market. They have effectively run the local hardware and retail store out of business. When this happens, they increase profits and you get poor service and poor pricing. One might want to evaluate if it is not a better policy to support the local vendor in your hometown even if he has to special order some items and you have to pay a reasonable bit more.

I get about $400 a year worth of stuff "free" by using my Cabela's card for darned near every routine thing I buy, including groceries. (Of course I pay off the balance every month so I pay no interest to them...)

Generally, though the "free" stuff is the only goods I get from them other than a few odds and ends such as a camp water filter or some such. Their prices on firearms in the Gun Library are simply ridiculous. I've been buying/trading firearms for about 60 years all told, and I've never seen any place so out of touch with reality on used gun prices, even at the Sidney store.

Optics are not as badly overpriced, but they are still asking far over what a careful shopper will pay elsewhere.

On the other hand, Only L.L. Bean beats them sometimes on quality in most outdoors clothing (except for real specialty places like Filson's & White's Boots), and nobody beats them on guarantee and mail-order service.

I have all my fishing rods custom made locally on Sage and similar or better quality blanks, so don't know about their fishing gear.

I do know that in their mega-stores most of the employees are just that, employees. They are not dedicated hobbyists, just good honest workers trying to earn a living. They can't be expected to know all the esoteric facts/history of everyone's pet specialty in firearms.

So, in the end they are just like all other stores. They have some things they are really good at, and some they aren't...and which is which varies by store depending on who is available to work, in the area in which THAT STORE is located.

Alberta Canuck

I enjoyed shopping Cabela's catalog in the early days (back when their Herter's lineage still showed) and they were price leaders. They have a new store coming on line just a few miles from me, but as far as I'm concerned, they won't likely be competitive with Sportsmans Warehouse (now in several dozen locations from mid-Contenent westward). Sportsmans Warehouse carries an extensive line of reloading components at catalog prices. Now that's a rarity these days!

Here in the paradise that is California, we have no Cabelas, no BPS, no Sportsmen's Warehouse,... you get the picture. In fact, the very few sporting goods stores here in Norcal that carry fishing, much less hunting gear, exclusively, are going the way of the dodo bird. There is no real option here other than mail-order. I must say I've ordered thousands of $$$ worth of primarily Cabelas gear, and have been satisfied with both the quality and customer service provided. As others have said, mail order items come with stickers for free return shipping, and returns have been taken back with no questions asked on every occasion. As to pricing, I couldn't speculate on the Gun Vault pricing, but I have yet to see any optics listed in their catalogs that can be readily found for much cheaper elsewhere, not across the board anyway.

JMHO,
Craig Nolan

Hi Guys:

I spend ALOT of money at Cabelas on the hunting needs that I can't find anywhere else at the Hamburg Store in PA.

But their service at the gun counter and gun prices at the store SUCK. I don't know how many times I stood at the gun counter and tried to get someone to wait on me, then when I looked at the price they were out to lunch.

Their prices on the used guns are a joke, one for instance Remington Model 673 Guide Gun used, $659.00... saw them new for $629.00.. I have never bought a firearm since they opened, looks like I never will, I will support my local gun dealer.... try Boyers Hardware in Slatington PA for some good service and pricing.

Regards... Jim P.

quote:

Originally posted by N. S. Sherlock:
After spending ten to get them, it cost me ten more bucks to send the damm things back. Twenty bucks for nothing, no notice in the catalog that the sizing had changed. That P. O.'d ned in N.C.


Anything that I have ever received from Cabella's has had a (free) return shipping coupon included

Same here, I have had to return items ordered from Cabela's many times. I call the 800 number on the order invoice, inform them that I wish to return item for whatever reason. All I have to do is put it back in a box place the prepaid label on box and set it by my front door. When I come home from work the box is gone and within a few days the new item is at my door.

If you had to pay return shipping for an item from Cabela's, that is a first.

quote:

Originally posted by buckeyeshooter:
Born to Hunt brings up a valid point. I see the outdoor market moving the way of the "mass merchants". We have Lowe's, Home Depot, Walmart and several other large retailers serving the home market. They have effectively run the local hardware and retail store out of business. When this happens, they increase profits and you get poor service and poor pricing. One might want to evaluate if it is not a better policy to support the local vendor in your hometown even if he has to special order some items and you have to pay a reasonable bit more.

Well Walmart hasn't put my local Sporting Goods and Hardware out of business even thought he is one parking lot away and will be one lot away from the new197000sq ft Super center. He just carries lot of things they don't have. Like pipe, septic tanks 50 pound boxes of nails, lots of guns and plenty of variety of Ammo; like 458 Win{ for the missouri big 5}; 375 H@H, 284 Win, all short mags. I finally bought a376 Steyr and he doesn't have any ammo for it. Yet.

quote:

While standing there, I saw a guy come in with a Remington 504, and they offered him $200 trade value on a nearly new gun, which they had new and were selling for $579, I believe. Now there's a way to win customers

All of the big guys do this regardless of who it is. The standard policy on buying used guns from customers is 50% of blue book. I dont like it so I dont deal with any of the "chain" stores in this regards. They are all good in other areas.

BTH-

I disagree with you.

Although it is a shame that many hardware stores have gone out of business, I doubt Home Depot and others do much mail order business.

Had Home Depot come along after the internet, then I think maybe we would se more specialty hardware stores that carry all the weird stuff they don't.

As far as the Gun Industry is concerned, we retailers got it sort of lucky in the sense that we are able to use the internet to our advantage, especiall on weird stuff.

For example I sell a ton of 500 S&W reloading supplies like brass, bullets, dies, and ammo.
I never sell 30-06.

Furthermore, by supporting Midway, Cabelas, Grafs etc., you are supporting sleazy crooks plain and simple.
They buy directly from the manufacturer thereby circumventing both the wholesaler and the retailer.
They also lie to the manufacturer in the process, calling themselves wholesalers when in fact they sell directly to the public.

I believe that this is a real problem which wont go away unless they go away.
Where do you who shop at these places expect to go to when you need that $5 item or expert service when you have that all important question on your mind?
Down to the local gun shop?
Sorry, he went out of business last month, said something about no customer base or lack of support I think.

It is very frustrating when I get phone calls everyday, and I mean 7-10 per, for guys looking for parts or service, or mainly want answers to problems which they have no intent on having you look at or fix.

Gun Stores are not charities, maybe if someday UNICEF got into the gun business they would be, but until then there are consequences when you don't support the 'good guy', most times its the fact that the next time you call him to waste his time answering a question about an item you will buy at Midway, he won't be there to answer it.

-Spencer

ShopCartRacing

I don't belive its the bigs guys forceing the little guys out. Its the BATF I know of several FFL holders who were doing a fair part time job.

But when the hassel factor became to high they let the FFLs exprire and went out of bussness. Before 1968 every hardware store and a lot of other small stores had some guns and ammo for sale. After GCA of 68 a lot of them never kept it up. Then when The Clintons pushed the BATF to get tougher on the FFL holders saw a further decline from over 200000 to around 80000 now.

A lot of full time shops thought this was great and were all for it. A lot of whole salers would not sell to the small dealer. This being wrong headed thinking on the gun industies part. The larger the customer base the more chances that they well buy something. You get a guy to buy one old mauser or sks most likely they well buy more and up grade. If you do not get them started they are lost to golf or someother none shooting sport.

There are a lot of shooters out there who would love to do a part time bussness then maybe work up to a full time. But the hassel factor keeps them out.


You can piss and carry on about the other guys or you can work on making yourself better so they come an buy from you.

The only thing Cabelas' opening a store in your state does for you, is make you have to pay state sales tax on everything you order from their CATALOG!!

quote:

Originally posted by PAHunter:
Hi Guys: I spend ALOT of money at Cabelas on the hunting needs that I can't find anywhere else at the Hamburg Store in PA. But their service at the gun counter and gun prices at the store SUCK. I don't know how many times I stood at the gun counter and tried to get someone to wait on me, then when I looked at the price they were out to lunch. Their prices on the used guns are a joke, one for instance Remington Model 673 Guide Gun used, $659.00... saw them new for $629.00.. I have never bought a firearm since they opened, looks like I never will, I will support my local gun dealer.... try Boyers Hardware in Slatington PA for some good service and pricing.

Regards... Jim P.

There is certainly danger, as well as opportunity, in growing very large. One of the main challenges is finding a knowledgeable staff for all your stores, and people with the correct outlook as well ("the customer is always right). If you do not accomplish this, then try to market at full MSR prices and use a bunch of ignorant assholes to staff your stores, you will soon be out of business!

Instead of complaining here about it, either write to the company or at least complain directly to the store manager. Cabelas is very serious about customer service-just talk to my wife who takes orders for them over the phone. They will do some rediculous things to pacify bellyachers. Some of it is completely ludicrous. My wife runs into problems with the eastern stores also, but don't let it reflect on the company. Cabelas is a great company for a big company. And yes, the Cabelas are still involved. They were just at the phone center here a couple weeks ago. If the guns are too high, THEN DON'T BUY FROM THEM! Somebody does or they couldn't keep the prices that high. I don't even look at their guns. I can get a better deal from a local guy here and I prefer to support him.

To the local guys going out of business notion, I
do business at two local shops, but I am not above
buying from Gander Mountain, or Scheels, when
the deal, or availability is right. But the local guys
are doing just fine, according to my conversations
with them. Both have a hard time keeping guns
on the rack. Their prices are competative, the
buyer can handle them, and these shops provide
excellent customer service. I don't hear them
complaining about Wal-Mart, or any other big box
store, and they are in the same markets. They
have learned to differentiate themselves, by providing
stuff the big box stores don't carry, or service the
big box stores don't provide. Smart business folks
can survive in competition.

Squeeze

P.S. I am glad to hear that Dick is still involved with
the now public Cabelas Corp. I will still rack up those
Cabela's points on my Cabela's Visa card. I am
building a new home this year, and a bunch of
building material cash flow is going through this
card A bunch of new gear is in my future!

squeeze-

Glad to hear that business is good at your local shops. However, even if business was bad, I sort of doubt if you asked them they would say "Business? What business? I'm losing my ass to the mail order guys!" Good for you though supporting the little guys.

p dog-
Believe me, I know about the BATF and all of their bullshit.
I am the only dealer to have beaten them in court over the crap they tried to get me on.
Crap like planting an illegal gun in my store which still had the government tags on it showing it had been logged into the BATF system days before.
Yes, the BATF is a problem, but they aren't the ones who give you business or take it away. The customers are.

-Spencer

Squeeze,,,

yep I built my own home with the cabelas Visa, charged over 75,000 worth of materials....had a good Xmas that year.

Here in Nebraska, I have always had great luck with Cabelas. I do agree that you can usually get gun purchases for less and my experience with the gun sales reps is less than stellar, but most of the gun libraries are well staffed by knowledgeable folks. I have never had a problem with a return or exchange on merchandise. I think there is a real risk, however of them getting too large and losing their customer service as they continue to expand.

As far as the local shops, I would dearly love to buy everything that I need here in town, but between the significantly higher prices, poor selection (unless it is for a black, plastic, military type rifle) and unknowledgeable help it is tough. I do buy targets, cleaning supplies etc, but try to get .257 Roberts or .35 Whelen ammo, ha! Oh, they will order it, but at more than I can order it for even after paying shipping. It is frustrating.

I've been to the Sydney store. Really awsome, the first Cabela's store I ever went to on a trip out west.

Now I live about an hour from the Hamburg PA store and love it. Its worth the drive for quantities of components, powder, clothes, etc. Never had a problem with customer service. I've exchanged and returned things with never a question asked.

The Cabela's Visa is a HUGE benefit to shopping there. The points really add up if you do like others and pay bills with it and then pay off the balance without incurring interest.

That said, their gun prices are quite high and I won't buy a gun there. I have heard, but cannot confirm, that they do have an unadvertised price match policy on guns. If you can find the identical item cheaper elsewhere and show proof, they will match it.

Anyone know if this is true? I'll ask next time I'm there.