Cabelas

Steve67

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B2601-fel, 60"mmm, 5' rear blade, balast box
Jan 20, 2017
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St. Louis, mo.
My opinion of Cabelas has been going down hill ever since they were taken over by Bass pro. Now I get an email from them pushing Toyota’s vehicles. WTF. Since I rarely buy anything from them anymore their Card is going in the drawer.
 
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Lil Foot

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May 19, 2011
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I have to agree.
Poor service in general, ammo shelves always empty, because they let 4 or 5 guys come in every morning that they have ammo delivered and buy up ALL the newly received ammo every week, week in, week out.
I no longer shop there.
 

dirtydeed

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I'd have to agree with you. I've had a Cabelas "Black" card for many years as most of my purchases were always put on that card. I used the "points" for many firearms/accessories in the past. The last time I used my points for a new Sig P365. Even though it was completely "free" with my points, I would never purchase another firearm from them. My last one was a 4 hour ordeal, despite the fact that I had ordered it on line, paid for in points, and simply had to pick it up at the store. I walked out of the store with it, 4 hours later, and swore it still wasn't worth it despite it being "free".

Now, I'm sitting on roughly $1,000 in Cabelas points and I'm waiting to cash it all in on as many primers as I can...whenever (if ever) they become available.
 
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Trapper Bob

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I disagree! We have a very well managed Cabelas here in Wichita. The old geezers who come in to buy ammo are limited to 5 boxes, mix or match. Bass Pro brought some changes. The retail environment is constantly changing. Most people don’t like change.
 
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notaz3

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Mar 16, 2021
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Used to enjoy shopping at Cabela's and had their credit card. Once the merger was done and they switched to Capital One, I used my awards points, canceled the credit card, and have only been in their store twice since. I do my shopping with a local merchant (Black Sheep Sporting Good).
 

skeets

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BX 2360 /B2601
Oct 2, 2009
14,553
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SW Pa
I havent been to the one in Dallas Pike WVa for years. I was window shopping at all the shiny stuff and the man behind the counter told me to buy something or get out.
I left and on the way out I asked to see the store manager told him and havent been back since
 
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Magicman

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I have never had a bad Cabela's experience. All of my CC transactions are charged to my Cabela's Business CC.
 

Lil Foot

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Sure you weren'
I was window shopping at all the shiny stuff and the man behind the counter told me to buy something or get out.
Sure you weren't in Phoenix? ;)
 
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hagrid

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Four years ago they stopped carrying camo outerwear in big and tall sizes. I had to go with their "GuideGear" line which is solid colors with reflective piping.

Not since then and no longer do they get my business. Before that the three of us were dropping $5K/year in there.
 

DaveFromMi

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L3901 RCR1260
Apr 14, 2021
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Indiana
It was always nice to look at their stuff and buy it cheaper elsewhere.
 
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NCL4701

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Apr 27, 2020
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Never had a Cabela’s nearby. I do remember looking through their catalog a couple of times when I was a kid. Not sure why they mailed us a catalog. Might as well put out a bunch of flyers for a Bugatti dealership in a trailer park.

Back then we were catching rabbits in homemade gums, hunting squirrels, setting a trot line once in a while, and frog gigging; all for meat because we needed meat and if we ate a steer that was one less steer available to sell. Of course we didn’t have high dollar equipment or hunting clothes with special pockets and padded shoulders for shooting.

Looking at the Cabela’s catalog I imagined the only people that could afford that swanky stuff were guys like in the movies, hanging out at “the club” smoking cigars and drinking brandy in a fancy room festooned with the heads of elephants and lions and Cape buffalo. The kind of guys that hunted with a porter to carry their massive breech loading mini-cannon of a rifle and a couple more porters to retrieve their kill. Remember thinking at the time, how many guys like that can there be? I guessed enough to have a club where they smoked cigars and drank brandy and enough to keep Cabela’s in business. Also figured someday I might shop at Cabela’s if I was ever rich enough to drive my Rolls-Royce to the airport to board my jet and have my pilot fly me to wherever the heck a Cabela’s existed. Kind of had the same impression of Orvis. So I’ve never shopped there and probably have a very unrealistic view of both Cabela’s and Orvis (if they still exist).

By the way, the issue of fishing came up recently with my son, my father, and me. The 250’ trot line baited with chicken gizzards was mentioned as routinely pulling in well over 100 lb dressed weight of blue, bullhead, and channel cats. My son (who is 26) found that interesting so I mentioned that’s no longer legal. My father laughed and said he wasn’t sure it was legal 40 years ago either but we needed meat and 150lb of fish for the cost of a small bucket of gizzards was a deal he could afford back then. I wonder if Cabela’s sells trot lines?
 
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NorthwoodsLife

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Oct 15, 2021
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It was always nice to look at their stuff and buy it cheaper elsewhere.
Ya know, I've been shopping for some button-up-the-front shirts. Something nice but rugged. I'm getting past 60 y/o and slowing it down. I'm almost done with t-shirts with my latest Jeep Club Run I did. I shopped the main retailer's, Macy's, et al. Expensive stuff.

Went to Cabela's/Bass Pro and found what I wanted at 1/4 the cost of the mainline retailers.

Bass Pro and Cabela's has it's place. They aren't everything for everyone, but dad-gammit, they're still bringing on the Outdoors. To even the city slickers.

I don't have any such credit cards mentioned, but I do appreciate a good deal from time to time.

Ya gotta take the good with the bad.

Am I glad Cab/Bass exists? Darn straight I do.
 
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lugbolt

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ZG127S-54
Oct 15, 2015
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BPS and Cabela's are one in the same

Remember that

GF and I went into the local BPS about 5 years ago, right when we met actually. Second or third date as I recall. Just shopping and looking at the decorations, had no intention on buying anything.

Walk in the door and take it all in. Nice place. Within 20 seconds some dude walks up and says "how'd you like to save $20 on your purchase?". She says sure, not knowing 'any better'. While later, some other guy walks up and says basically same thing. She says yeah, and mind you we're looking at SHOES. Ladies shoes. A THIRD person walks up and says "are you interested in a discount today?"...by now she's like well where's my discount, you're the third person whose asked. Saleslady says follow me. 2 hours of timeshare sales pitch. I was not having it. But they basically force you to sit there & listen. It was horrible!! HIGH pressure. High pressure car sales? Ain't got nothing on timeshare salespeople. After all that, we hurriedly left BPS. Then, almost a year later she gave me a BPS gift card and since shipping is expensive, we decided to go to Springfield and pick up a few things, also to visit her niece who performs in Branson and also in Springfield. Same deal we walk in the BPS store and within seconds "you interested in a discount today". NO GET OUT OF MY FACE! GF looked at me as if I was a deranged mad man. She's partly right. And after that, I told her to not buy me any more BPS/Cabela's gift cards, and I have not set foot in any of their stores since.

Disney was same. We went to Orlando and at the motel they asked if we were going to any of the parks. Yep that's the plan. Lady says "you want a $50 discount?" Not knowing any better, my friend says yes please. Clerk says show up at 0700 tomorrow morning at the office. So we did. 5 HOURS later (timeshare sales pitches) we got to go to a disney park for $100 less than the ticket's cost. It wasn't worth it. Next time (and there probably won't be one) I'll pay full price so I can enjoy the whole day instead of wasting that time on high pressure sales pitches.
 

jyoutz

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MX6000 HST open station, FEL, 6’ cutter, forks, 8’ rear blade, 7’ cultivator
Jan 14, 2019
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Edgewood, New Mexico
BPS and Cabela's are one in the same

Remember that

GF and I went into the local BPS about 5 years ago, right when we met actually. Second or third date as I recall. Just shopping and looking at the decorations, had no intention on buying anything.

Walk in the door and take it all in. Nice place. Within 20 seconds some dude walks up and says "how'd you like to save $20 on your purchase?". She says sure, not knowing 'any better'. While later, some other guy walks up and says basically same thing. She says yeah, and mind you we're looking at SHOES. Ladies shoes. A THIRD person walks up and says "are you interested in a discount today?"...by now she's like well where's my discount, you're the third person whose asked. Saleslady says follow me. 2 hours of timeshare sales pitch. I was not having it. But they basically force you to sit there & listen. It was horrible!! HIGH pressure. High pressure car sales? Ain't got nothing on timeshare salespeople. After all that, we hurriedly left BPS. Then, almost a year later she gave me a BPS gift card and since shipping is expensive, we decided to go to Springfield and pick up a few things, also to visit her niece who performs in Branson and also in Springfield. Same deal we walk in the BPS store and within seconds "you interested in a discount today". NO GET OUT OF MY FACE! GF looked at me as if I was a deranged mad man. She's partly right. And after that, I told her to not buy me any more BPS/Cabela's gift cards, and I have not set foot in any of their stores since.

Disney was same. We went to Orlando and at the motel they asked if we were going to any of the parks. Yep that's the plan. Lady says "you want a $50 discount?" Not knowing any better, my friend says yes please. Clerk says show up at 0700 tomorrow morning at the office. So we did. 5 HOURS later (timeshare sales pitches) we got to go to a disney park for $100 less than the ticket's cost. It wasn't worth it. Next time (and there probably won't be one) I'll pay full price so I can enjoy the whole day instead of wasting that time on high pressure sales pitches.
I’ve never experienced a sales pitch for anything in Cabelas.
 

NorthwoodsLife

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I’ve never experienced a sales pitch for anything in Cabelas.
Neither have I.

To compare Disney to Cabela's/ Bass Pro Shop is a serious stretch. Cabela's may be "big retail". But they are outdoors.

Disney is "big woke". The only thing Outdoors from Disney is possibly outdoor sexual innuendos aimed at children.

Disney is evil incarnate.

Cabela's is outdoors types that may push a little too hard. But I've never had a problem with saying "No Thank you".
 
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NCL4701

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Apr 27, 2020
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Well, I have learned something new here yet again. I seriously thought Bass Pro was the outdoor equivalent of Target and Cabela’s was the outdoor equivalent of Saks Fifth Avenue. Been to Bass Pro in Concord and Myrtle Beach a bunch of times.

Don’t recall being accosted by time share salespeople but I don’t pay them enough mind for it to be memorable. Wife and I spent a day with a guy in Hilton Head several years ago looking at a time share. Considered it. Not for us. Haven’t carried on a conversation with a time share salesperson since. Just no and keep moving. Very easy. My work days are plentiful. My days off are precious few. A couple hundred bucks worth of coupons might buy one of my work days but it ain’t buying one of my days off.
 
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WDF

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Kubota L2501 HST/FEL
Jan 4, 2021
89
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Central Florida
BPS and Cabelas are both owned by BPS.

They have their place and usage. Kids love going to look at the "fishing store".
Most of the RedHead brand clothing/shoes I've bought over the years at BPS is garbage, unfortunately.
Just bought a new compound bow for hunting, "Blackout" house brand, made by Bear. Great price and a great piece of equipment should serve me well the next 10 years.

We recently had a Sportsmans Warehouse open nearby, they're good as well.
 

lugbolt

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ZG127S-54
Oct 15, 2015
5,205
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Mid, South, USA
I'll buy from a local small business before I buy from BPS or cabela's.

Bluegreen can stuff it. Google it; VERY well-known.

Oh and once you get sucked into one of these scams (what I call them) they're next to impossible (and can be expensive) to get out of! Should be illegal, IMO. My friend owns a bunch of them, or more specifically the company he owns has them. They were all inherited. I want to say he's got 146 of them but I may be off by a couple, not that it matters.

and I ain't got no problem saying no either but when they follow you around you question what their motives are. I don't take well to people following me around like that.

I compare the two because they do the same exact thing. "You interested in a discount?" Now that I know, NO I WILL PAY FULL PRICE LEAVE ME ALONE. Or better yet, I won't grace their building with my presence. Problem solved. There's other (and much better) places to shop.

With that, I have respect for Johnny Morris and how he's built the BPS empire. I just lost all respect for the current business model in that they allow salespeople to pressure you like they do.

and I won't go to disney either. Period. I went in 2009 I think it was, last time I'll go. It was the day before the train derailed and hurt some people. I had "fun" but I wouldn't go back, too much $$$ and now they are too politically motivated/biased which no big business has any business doing unless they enjoy running customers off. That's something I learned a long time ago. When I had my own shop it wasn't uncommon for campaign people to stop and ask if I would let em put signage in the yard. NO go away. Reason being, if I put up so-and-so's sign, in my yard, it says "I support that party"...and with that, there are some people who are so politically stubborn that they won't even do business with anyone who supports their opposition. I fly an American and state flag out front but that's IT, and even then some people will crack a 'joke' about them being racist or whatever.
 

jyoutz

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Equipment
MX6000 HST open station, FEL, 6’ cutter, forks, 8’ rear blade, 7’ cultivator
Jan 14, 2019
2,972
2,015
113
Edgewood, New Mexico
I'll buy from a local small business before I buy from BPS or cabela's.

Bluegreen can stuff it. Google it; VERY well-known.

Oh and once you get sucked into one of these scams (what I call them) they're next to impossible (and can be expensive) to get out of! Should be illegal, IMO. My friend owns a bunch of them, or more specifically the company he owns has them. They were all inherited. I want to say he's got 146 of them but I may be off by a couple, not that it matters.

and I ain't got no problem saying no either but when they follow you around you question what their motives are. I don't take well to people following me around like that.

I compare the two because they do the same exact thing. "You interested in a discount?" Now that I know, NO I WILL PAY FULL PRICE LEAVE ME ALONE. Or better yet, I won't grace their building with my presence. Problem solved. There's other (and much better) places to shop.

With that, I have respect for Johnny Morris and how he's built the BPS empire. I just lost all respect for the current business model in that they allow salespeople to pressure you like they do.

and I won't go to disney either. Period. I went in 2009 I think it was, last time I'll go. It was the day before the train derailed and hurt some people. I had "fun" but I wouldn't go back, too much $$$ and now they are too politically motivated/biased which no big business has any business doing unless they enjoy running customers off. That's something I learned a long time ago. When I had my own shop it wasn't uncommon for campaign people to stop and ask if I would let em put signage in the yard. NO go away. Reason being, if I put up so-and-so's sign, in my yard, it says "I support that party"...and with that, there are some people who are so politically stubborn that they won't even do business with anyone who supports their opposition. I fly an American and state flag out front but that's IT, and even then some people will crack a 'joke' about them being racist or whatever.
I have never had any sales pressure at Cabelas. No BPS nearby, so have no clue about that business.