Cabela's Survey

Hey Everyone, I am in need of a little help. I am working on a marketing research project and need some help from new or existing Cabela’s customers. I need to know why you shop there as compared to similar stores. Are you able to get everything you need at this store? Is there something they could improve on? Is there anything that needs to be added to their stores or merchandise that needs to be brought in? Any and all comments would be welcome. Thanks for you help! Kelli

I was very happy when the first Cabela’s super store came to Minnesota. That quickly turned to disappointment as more and more of their inventory came from China and other over sea’s countries. Now I seldom shop there or BPS as well. They are just another profit driven organization that cares about nothing but profit in my opinion. I often pay a few cents or dollars more to help support a small mom & pop vs the super stores.

Just a old guy with a old fashion opinion I guess.

I understand where you’re coming from. Thanks for the reply!

I love Cabela’s. I would prefer to shop there over any other store. I think what I like about it the most is that the Cabela’s branded items are of very high quality. My one beef, is that they don’t typically restock there inventory very well.

Dan

Thanks for the feedback Dan!

Cabela’s could improve by stocking more specialty and local fishing tackle. Think flathead catfish tackle and locally made musky baits — things you wouldn’t expect the find at a big box store.

Kelli,
Cabela’s is going the way of Gander Mountain. I suspect they will be talked about with disdain from the core group on this site much the way they speak unvarnished about Gander. For many years Cabela’s was ‘my store’. That has changed. It started with a change in customer service attitude (problem with Guide-wear (unresolved and ignored with some sort of weird attitude I had not found here before) and continued with experiences not being able to find common items. Specifically, I needed to replace a Shimano C14, (The Woodbury, MN store had just opened and as a Woodbury resident, I was excited). I made a trip to buy one as was met by a clerk who explained they did not have one and the reason they don’t carry it. ‘People can’t’ afford that model’ or something very close to that. So, I went to Mills Fleet Farm and bought it. I was at Cabela’s many times over the last 12 months and seem to leave disappointed at least 1/2 of the time. I tried to buy a jaw spreader the other day and was told they were sold out. Hey, it’s June, and it doesn’t make sense. So, Back to Fleet Farm, where I also got the rest of the things I need for my Canadian fishing trip. Cabelas is falling asleep as far as I’m concerned. I’m no longer the world’s foremost customer. I feel kinda bad about that.

Thanks for the feedback John and Gary! I really appreciate it!

Who would you say is Cabela’s biggest competition? Would it be Bass Pro Shops or the more local places?

Cabela’s rarely has the stuff I want in stock.

During ice fishing season I stopped in there 4 times and they were out of wax worms each time.

I drive an extra 35 minutes to go to Bass Pro if I need something right away and go to Scheels if I can’t find it at BPS.

The staff at mine is also lacking; they have 4 people handing out credit card pamphlets when you walk in the front door and 1 guy in the fishing department that came from Lowe’s and doesn’t know where anything is.

Not sure if your looking for feedback on the brick and mortar or Cabela’s in general, but I have visited the stores in Owatonna and Rogers a couple times each because I don’t make the trip from Duluth that often. Those experiences have been great compared to our local G M. I do most of my Cabela’s shopping on-line and I can say I’ve never had a bad experience. I try to shop mostly local, but if I cannot find it local-Cabela’s. I love how returns are accepted unquestioned. They have helped me through a couple of fraudulent credit card transactions with no hassle. Some prices are a bit higher, but wait for sales. I would like to see more made in the US items. I always buy made in the us first.

What sucks about Cabelas is their stock on small seasonal items. They get sold out early, especially on ice fishing lures, muzzleloading supplies, and hunting ammunition etc. and never re-stock. I suppose so they don’t have to carry anything over. I really miss Sportsmans Warehouse in St. Cloud. They had their departments and kept their stock all year. So I could buy my equipment as I could afford it throughout the year not just during the beginning of each season. I still buy a lot of my big ticket items at Cabellas though. Tough to beat the price if you watch their sales and incentives.

Cabelas used to be my favorite destination , now they are just another big box store , I seldom go there . Gander , dicks , bp , cabelas are the same in my mind. You have to wade through the isles of clothes to get actual fishing and hunting items . No thanks. If I want clothes , I’ll go to Jci penny’s , I’ll pay more to buy local and not patronize the big box stores

Kelli

I used to make the 45 min drive from Rochester to the Owatonna store. I would leave Cabela’s happy, with lots of items and a empty wallet. I have watched over the last 10-12 years as the store changed, from a store that seemed to have everything to the store that has what sells making the highest profit. IE the same things that gander, sheels, etc have, mostly clothing. Its very frustrating to go to cabalas ready to drop big bucks in preparation for a elk hunt out west only to come home empty handed because the gear selection was so poor.

also, lets talk about your guideware rain suits! what the heck happened to that line? they where the best in the business until about 10 years ago. the first suit I bought lasted over 7 years then I out grew it i didn’t wear out.
the next suit I bought in 2009 lasted a year and a half then leaked like a sieve… ok no problem they cut me a deal on a new set and I left feeling only a little screwed that set lasted 2 years before the coat leaked and the new policy is guideware it only covered for one year after purchase…. $600 suit lasts one year…… I use the suit allot but I maintain it properly, I expect more out of the gear I buy, if not I expect the warranty to make things right. that was the last time I drove to cabalas.

the website makes buying super easy. the layout is exceptional and they do a great job of making marked down items easily found. Try finding anything you want for sale easily on gander mountain or dicks sporting or fleet farm.

The return policy is great.

They do stock more of the cabelas brand gear than other items, and i understand that some people dont like that, but IMO their gear is quality and priced well so i dont mind that.

I think thier stuff is priced very high BUT, as previously mentioned, its easy to find items on sale and quality items are often going on sale so i can find what i like for 50%+ off throughout the year and thats how i shop at cabelas. in fact, i cant remember the last time i paid full price for something there. Its kind of the chicken and the egg argument i think; did the sale come first or my desire to get that item? I wouldnt pay full price for much of the items they have in stock.

As a regular customer i am concerned about the BPS takeover talk and how that will affect my shopping experience. Not as much of a fan of BPS in my limited exposure to it.

Their inventory has been shrinking over time. Fewer choices, fewer specialty items. As a Fly Fisherman I find less and less reason to go to Cabela’s. On several occasions I’ve had employees express disgust in how the company is being run, in that it is making it hard for them to satisfy their customers.

Personally I think they’re cutting corners and reducing inventory in anticipation of a sale to BPS or some other group. In the meantime they’ve just another big box store, nothing special anymore.

SR

What I like:

– Selection – Where else could I go to look at 10 different styles of camo rain jackets? When it comes to hunting and fishing clothing, they have the most variety of anywhere.

– Website – again this is linked to selection, but even if I need something like winter boots, but in March when everyone else is picked over or has cleared out inventory, Cabelas still has what I need.

What I don’t like:

– The new Woodbury store. What a disappointment! I thought we in the metro area were finally getting a temple of outdoor retail, turns out we got an outhouse. VASTLY undersized, no selection, no expertise. What a waste of space.

– Prices. With a few exceptions, Cabelas is the high bidder on everything. I only look at guns in Cabelas, for example, to have a good laugh. I have no idea who pays those prices, with the exception of sales occasionally, all Cabelas gun prices can be beaten any day of the week. An even better laugh is the “Gun Library”.

Grouse

Fleet Farm
Scheels
Joe’s Sporting Goods

If not a mom & pop these are the guys getting my money these days.

I am pretty much the same distance between three cabelas, I haven’t purchased anything there in over 10 years. I still stop in occasionally if I’m driving by and have time just to look around. NOT ONE THING interests me there anymore. Prices are insane, quality poor, selection sucks. I go to an outdoor store for the OUTDOOR GEAR. Instead it feels like I’m walking into a clothing and gift store with some random fishing and hunting stuff along the walls.

Go back to what built you. Dedicate the stores to quality outdoor gear you can’t get at every tackle shop in town. I can get a silver husky jerk rapala anywhere even a few gas stations, it’s the other lesser known stuff that is huge you guys are overlooking. (Check out Tacklewarehouse for instance)

BTW this isn’t just a Cabelas thing this is ALL corporate sporting goods. I can’t walk into Gander Mountain anymore either, and I used to drop a minimum of $100-300 a week there! I was given a $100 gift card to Gander a few years ago, I walked around for an hour and couldn’t find anything I didn’t already have or they had a horrible selection of what I wanted. Finally I walked out and gave the card to a kid I knew could use it.

PS – Expand you bass selection! Minnesota may be known as the land of walleye, but we also have an amazing bass fishery as well. And there are a LOT of us bassers out there. And a majority of our shopping is done online like Tacklewarehouse, but many times it’s nice to get your hands on something before the purchase.

Doesn’t help public opinion to have a Casino be the center for a Cabelas show within a state that has large issues with tribal netting, whether it be right or wrong, or somewhere in the middle. The fact is its there.

It simply shows a huge disconnect between the owners and their customers, or shows quite frankly that they really don’t give a F.
https://www.in-depthoutdoors.com/community/forums/topic/ftlMille_1330070/

Living 2 hours from the nearest Cabelas I like the free shipping offers with no minimum purchase. And then they offer 10% off is a plus.

Thanks again to everyone that has responded and helped me out!! This feedback has really helped!

Still shop a bit on line and occasionally visit cabs in Owatonna. More of a clothing store then a outdoor store at this point. Most of the employees that new their products are gone. Heard that pedaling credit cards was more important then helping customers several times from employees. Tail wagging the dog and it shows. Use to have people that hunted and fished working at your store and they should have been consulted more on what is needed.

Use to love cabelas now casual shopper.

For got to mention. You have fliers come out with sale items and cabela’s will have hardly none if any in stock when sale starts. You have a sale( marketing) and you do not coordinate having more at the store. Talked to fishing department person when I bought last president fishing reel that day and it was suppose to go on sale the next day and he said it would be ugly because he had none to sell.

For many years Cabela’s was my go-to store for just about everything. As of late, I mostly only look there for hunting clothing. Their fishing selection is of lower quality items than they used to stock. They also have a tough time keeping certain seasonal fishing gear on hand. I get it, they don’t want a ton of carryover on jigs/lures…but really? Run out of Pink UV Tingler spoons in October and don’t stock more until the following September?

Another gripe I have, and experienced yesterday in the Owatonna store…They do not do a very good job at all with posting sales inside their stores. I generally check out their website before I make the drive to get some stuff. I noticed their Death Roll Spinners were on sale for $1.50. I drove down to get some and see no mention of a sale anywhere until I asked for a price check and they were $1.50…This has happened numerous times there. One would think Cabela’s would WANT to advertise their sales in store to entice impulse buys.

I also do not like that they don’t offer local tackle, which I understand being they are so large. They did start offering some B-fish-N tackle but in very limited quantities, styles and colors. I also understand that Cabela’s caters to the “weekend warrior” type that knows nothing other that the big name brands like Rapala, Berkley and Northland…

I’ve been a Cabelas customer for many years but the thing that get’s me the most now is the “smoke and mirrors” game they now play is their “lifetime” warranty claim.
I returned a pair of waders that ripped out at the seam and were leaking going into only the 2nd season with them.

They said the lifetime warranty stood for the life expectancy of the waders and they figured that lifetime was 1.5 -2 years max.
I expected better out of a $300 pair of waders. I still shop there from time to time but the bad taste in my mouth is still there.

I spend a lot of money at cabelas but it is mostly through bargain shopping online, or using coupons. It is only about 25 minutes from home which is another reason I go there. 9 times outta ten I order stuff that I want online then just go there to pick it up. I don’t know how many times I have went to the store thinking that I can get the same price as the online price and that has not been the case. Only time I buy small fishing stuff there is when I am in a pinch and don’t have time to go elsewhere. I think that most of there merchandise is over priced if you don’t find it on sale or online.

I love Cabelas, but then again, I love Gander Mountain, I love Fleet Farm, I love Scheels, I love choices and I love anyplace that has tackle and hunting stuff. Anybody who thinks Cabelas does not have a HUGE selection, is walking around blind. Out of all the places I listed, you could drop all of the others stuff/stores in a Cabelas and still have the upstairs open… Rogers or Owatonnas anyways, can’t speak to Woodbury. Has it changed over the years…. who here has not ???

Kelli A Edler wrote:

Who would you say is Cabela’s biggest competition? Would it be Bass Pro Shops or the more local places?

I missed this earlier. For me it would be the smaller brick and mortar stores like Reeds and Thorne Bros. as well as online like Tacklewarehouse, eBay, Amazon, and any other reputable website that will get me a good price. I typically Google a SKU or model mumber to find best pricing. If I like something I tend to buy it in bulk whenever I stock up, so the best price is a huge factor. If Cabelas had bulk pricing on items I actually used you would be a serious competitor in my book.

I don’t shop there anymore. WAY too expensive and they knock off every product they sell enough of to cheat, they turn them to cheap imported low quality crap.