Cabelas vs. Scheels

Being that this gets discussed a lot as a byproduct of other threads on here I thought I’d start a head-to-head thread. Not necessarily intending to bash a company either way, just finding out what others think is better.

My background and reasoning is that to me, Scheels was always this decent-sounding store that Jason Mitchell talked about a lot on his show, but Cabelas was more local at about an hour’s drive. Now they’ve got a large store in Rochester and elsewhere in MN and it’s closer than Cabelas for me. I’m still not blown away by the variety and volume of small fishing item purchases Scheels carries (jigs, hooks, line, ice plastics, etc.) but as we’ve all seen Cabelas has been keeping less and less in stock too.

Also, firearms and ammo have been much better for me at Scheels too. When I found out they finally had Savage 220’s in they were awesome, cool to talk too, and had me on my way expeditiously.

So, breaking it down, which do people prefer? Lots of things to compare. Again, I’m a lifeling Cabela’s guy and Club card holder, so my familiarity is with them, and wondering if I can be convinced to change.

How do their store brands stack up against each other? I’ve always been fine with Guidewear or other Cabela’s branded products, how about Scheels?

Customer service? I’ve had mostly good experiences with both so no strong opinions from me separating one from the other.

Credit card? Most have stated the reality that the Club card just doesn’t provide a lot of value at 1% cashback. As I’ve stated on here before though, every once and awhile Cabelas will hook up a Club member for random things just for being a Club member. I’ve been reading about an introductory offer for Scheels credit card, but once you’re beyond that, how good is it to have that card?

In-store comparisons-what’s the selection, brand offerings, typical in-stock availability, etc. like comparatively?

Also, just because I can’t remember, do most Scheels have an indoor archery range?

Hopefully a lot of us can learn something here.

I generally order most items rather than go to a Scheels always good service if sold out they notify right away. Always have been able to talk to a human. Can always return a product if defective didn’t work etc.

Cabela’s complete opposite of above

Scheels may not have as big of a selection of fishing gear but usually what you really need.

Scheels and it’s not even close. They are better in every aspect. I signed up for the credit card a few years ago and got like 60 bucks off the first purchase by signing up. Every 2500 dollars spent using card gets u a 25 dollar gift card. I pay the total off every month so cant speak of the interest but I can say I have accumulated and spent alot with the gift cards on new gear.

Scheels is way closer for me and like the store. Getting to still be a more mom and pop store shopper. I just don’t need much more hunting or fishing gear at the moment. I Know that ain’t right!!

Jason Mitchell would be my reason for not going to Scheels. Not a fan.

As a former Scheels employee in my college days… Scheels is the clear winner. Top reason for me is their customer service. As they get bigger, I am not sure if that culture and customer service excellence will change, but when I was there, just about everyone walked out of the store happy.

Sometimes the prices seem steep, but that’s at every store.

I’m kind of in the middle of Rogers and Eden Prairie and don’t forsee myself ever going back to Cabela’s. The Rogers store is just sad now.

I was never a Cabela’s guy, it was always a long ways away and seemed overpriced. Growing up in St. Cloud area Scheel’s was always the go-to, great service, warranties on their products and now price matching. So I am excited they are growing their locations. Also, Scheels employs people who know what they are talking about, usually have a passion for the stuff their department sells, and almost unanimously the employees at Scheels seem happy to be there and help you.

I shop at both of them.

Cabelas simply has a better selection. The one exception might be with ammo, especially lately. Something that really chaps me with Scheels is that they physically remove almost all of their open water fishing tackle for several months. I still buy that stuff in the off-season and they lost my business when I was last there because of it. Cabelas has 15 aisles of tackle all year round.

I will fully admit that Cabelas customer service has gone down hill since BPS bought them. There’s no denying that.

I don’t use the rewards or credit card with either one.

Scheels mail order is top notch too. Fast free shipping if over $100. 5 points per dollar on Scheels card. Easy no hassle returns too. I live in the Brainerd area and get most orders in 1-2 days.I used to live in St. Cloud, employees in the Scheels store knew me well and always provided good customer service. I feel the same way with online purchases.

Cabelas used to be great. Literally GREAT. I still have scads of their branded outwear still in service. Scheels.

I like them both and sometimes both tick me off.
Scheels big thing is price matching BUUUT they won’t always do it. Twice now they will price match OR give you the free shipping.
Reeds had hub houses $20 bucks cheaper and free shipping. Sheels would not honor that item.
Cabelas have improved lately. Right after BPS bought Cabelas fishing stock was terrible. Standard items like hooks, line, sinkers, etc would be out of stock for months at the PDC store. I’m not talking 2020 Covid time either.
I have both CC and have had a billing issue with both. Liked the Cabelas Visa better than the Capital 1 Mastercard that BPS switched to.

Scheels is employee owned,Cabelas is Bass Pro owned. I also think Cabelas has gone down hill.

I was a Holiday Sports guy until they turned into Gander. By that time Cabelas opened and that became my go to with occasional trips to Gander. Back then Cabelas had really good in house items like Guide Wear, their hunting clothing, fishing rods and terminal tackle. Since Bass Pro took over…well. I haven’t been in a Scheels in many many moons. Just not close enough to me.

Scheel’s is better in every aspect and it is not even a competition. With that said, there are many smaller mom and pop shops that have great selections with awesome customer service. When traveling I try to hit those or call ahead to check their inventory prior to going to scheel’s.

Am I the only one here not completely enamored by Scheels fishing department?

Its nice don’t get me wrong but I feel the selection isn’t any better, and tbh it feels smaller than Cabelas, on almost all aspects. Rods, reels, electronics, boat gear, etc.

If I have any disappointment it’s gander by a mile. Thought in their turnaround the fishing would come back but never did. Terrible selection, tiny, half of the rods reels are the house brand, started strong but faded fast. With them sponsoring IDO summer episodes maybe couple years back now I was eager to jump on the bandwagon but yikes.

Deuces wrote:

Am I the only one here not completely enamored by Scheels fishing department?

Its nice don’t get me wrong but I feel the selection isn’t any better, and tbh it feels smaller than Cabelas, on almost all aspects. Rods, reels, electronics, boat gear, etc.

It’s not any better. It’s worse. And it’s way worse right now because there isn’t any out there on the floor other than the rapala aisle.

I think Scheel’s is better by a good margin if you shop online. In person, they are quite similar, though I think some of the Cabela’s branded items were excellent quality and pretty fairly priced – I love my breathable Gore-Tex waders, and my breathable Gore-Tex rain gear, and they also had some terminal tackle that was an outstanding value, like bulk ball bearing swivels that I’ve never seen elsewhere.
Bass Pro became complacent in being the big dog of mail/online ordering before they obtained Cabela’s, so they’ve never upped their game. Scheel’s took advantage of that opportunity to improve their online game, and will likely continue to be better for some time to come. Though I don’t see either chain wanting to invest too heavily in additional brick and mortar stores – online is more profitable.

I’m in every local store here in the Des Moines area of central Iowa. Bass Pro Shops, Scheels, Fleet Farm, Sportsman’s Warehouse. Ok, any other of the others, here.

In days gone by my local Mom “N” Pop shops received all my original purchase dollars as do the places where I land to fish when on a trip.

Today my appetite generates less saliva! Meaning I don’t need to spend near, near , near as much! But I still will allow a bit of weight loss at the store.

To cap my thinking on this thread, I’m much less of a kid at the candy store. I’m more of a nickel and dime, Ooh and aAh type of a guy. One of those and two of those, Do you understand me?

SO “My Tackle” vault is rather saturated, “My Want” items and interest is never satisfied. I sometimes in past have jumped in feet first,,,,,
Not so much any more.

To get to my point,
I have a BPS card that nets me minnumaly a $25./month to over a $well amount of dollars/month payback each and every month. I’m in search of a card that will give me at least 2% OR better return now. I still use the card to purchase my larger ticket items for fishing. But I’m still Frigel when I barter on the item to purchaser!

Scheels is my online destination. Fleet Farm is my in-person destination every few weeks or so for miscellaneous stuff, and Cabelas was my former everything destination prior to 2011 or so when I first noticed things eroding.

Don’t forget your local mom and pop places. Tackle selection is tough for them to inventory and stock everything…but they’re great for bait, ammunition, firearms, basic terminal tackle, and local knowledge.

When I was growing up Cabela’ was literally a destination. My father would drive us over to Owatonna and make a day of it, do all the the little games, look at the mounts, the whole nine yards. That with Scheel’s 20 minutes away in Eau Claire, though that store admittedly doesn’t compare to the big ones elsewhere. Now, living 20 minutes away from 2 Cabela’s, I haven’t been there in years. The last time, I literally said to myself, I’d never again darken their doors, it felt that different. Even my Dad, the biggest Cabela’s junkie I know, doesn’t bother anymore. It’s just trash. Cheap, poorly made, even more poorly supported, trash. I take MY boys to Eden Prairie, we make a day of it, play all the little games, spend too much money, the whole nine yards.

I currently work at one of the stores mentioned in Woodbury. Sure y’all can guess what one. I agree the people my store hires that have zero knowledge of fishing really irritates me.
I love the store I work at for the most part. My GM and AGM are awesome. I admit I never been into a Scheels. I’m more of a mom and pops kind of guys when possible.
I have lots of regular costumers that come and will only deal with me or when they call they ask simply for me. I do send people to other stores if I know they can get a better deal or cheaper price elsewhere. I know not everyone does that. The company I work for has gone down hill a bit since they were bought that I do agree with.

buckybadger wrote:

Scheels is my online destination. Fleet Farm is my in-person destination every few weeks or so for miscellaneous stuff, and Cabelas was my former everything destination prior to 2011 or so when I first noticed things eroding.

Don’t forget your local mom and pop places. Tackle selection is tough for them to inventory and stock everything…but they’re great for bait, ammunition, firearms, basic terminal tackle, and local knowledge.

This is how I roll. Most my purchases come from the 3 different local bait shops. Or if it’s a bigger purchase or I’m trying to waste cash I ho to Thorne bros.
But most my online shopping is straight from scheels. I just ordered 10 jigs from scheels and 2 days later all 10 in 1 package. If that was cabelas I’d be waiting 2months for all but 1 jig

My last straw with cabelas was when I bought a garmin 93sv on line. And some other stuff. They charged me 750 bucks and about a week later I got a email that they had none of it in stock and the items were on back order. So I asked for a refund and it was 43 days before it went back in my bank account. Thats not acceptable

My wife still brings up. When I waterfowl, pheasant, deer hunted and fished a lot. And the brothers owned Cabelas. I came out one day. It literally too 3 kids to help me carry my purchases to the truck. Think I could carry everything since BPS bought it in one arm. My observation is the high markup/100% imported clothing in the middle of the store is swelling. Pushing the hunting and fishing departments out the emergency exits. That’s a great business move on their part. But why I refer to them now as Camo Kohls. I can buy crank baits cheaper at my local bait shop. Considering I would pay the local shop a couple bucks more. Haven’t bother darkening their door in a few years. Still love Scheels and Fleet Farm. Only complaint on F.F. is it isn’t closer.

Scheels, and it isn’t close.

Cabelas had a good operation going until they got bought out by Bass Pro. Their cabelas brand products were great value for the money and stores were always stocked with reasoanble prices.

After Bass Pro ate them up, the Cabelas brand disappeared and was replaced with the Bass Pro brand. Prices were hiked across the board and the variety of selection usually found at Cabelas disappeared. Everything in the fishing section at Cabelas costs about 10-20% more than it should.

I have never had a bad experience at Scheels. The store itself (I frequent the Eden Prairie location) is absolutely massive and has literally anything you could ever want, including the best big-box store fishing section around. Prices across the board are among the est around. Scheels brand products remind me of the old Cabelas brand products, as the quality is crazy for the price. Not to mention that customer service is A+

Since Scheels has opened, I’ve never returned to a Cabelas store, as I have had no need to. I don’t plan on it, either.

brandmoney wrote:

and has literally anything you could ever want

That is 100% false. They have had almost NO open water fishing tackle for months. Ask me how I know. I went in there looking for muskie tackle in October, literally the peak of muskie fishing season, and there was NONE. No bass plastics. God forbid they should leave some senkos out. All gone. Replaced with ice fishing tackle until late winter.

IMO that is not a good way to operate. People still buy open water fishing tackle during “ice fishing” season, especially in the 4th quarter when they’re looking to spend money for gifts.

Ya, I get it. Its ice fishing season, so the ice fishing stuff is out. But leave everything else out too (like Cabelas). If you don’t have room for it, you designed your store incorrectly and you are missing out on business, including mine.

gimruis wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>brandmoney wrote:</div>
and has literally anything you could ever want

That is 100% false. They have had almost NO open water fishing tackle for months. Ask me how I know. I went in there looking for muskie tackle in October, literally the peak of <strong class=”ido-tag-strong”>muskie fishing season, and there was NONE. No bass plastics. God forbid they should leave some senkos out. All gone. Replaced with ice fishing tackle until late winter.

IMO that is not a good way to operate. People still buy open water fishing tackle during “ice fishing” season, especially in the 4th quarter when they’re looking to spend money for gifts.

Ya, I get it. Its <strong class=”ido-tag-strong”>ice fishing season, so the <em class=”ido-tag-em”>ice fishing stuff is out. But leave everything else out too (like Cabelas). If you don’t have room for it, you designed your store incorrectly and you are missing out on business, including mine.

They design the store to make a profit.
If an in-stock product is not in the store, the average shopper checks online.
Cabela’s only displays seasonal items, just like all the rest. I never see goose decoys in the spring or ice fishing in the summer. Walmart usually has a better selection of bobbers and catfishing equipment than Cabela’s – even in season.

Bass Pro enjoyed too many years of being everybody’s go-to store. Now they and Cabela’s have left customers behind. If customers accept that, they’ll keep it up, but if customers go elsewhere, they’ll be forced to change. I’m spending my money at the place that wants me to be satisfied.

mojo wrote:

They design the store to make a profit.
If an in-stock product is not in the store, the average shopper checks online.
Cabela’s only displays seasonal items, just like all the rest

So are you saying that I’m the only person looking to buy open water muskie, walleye, and bass tackle from October – February? That certainly can’t be true.

Cabelas keeps ALL of their open water tackle out year round at the Rogers store. Its not removed, ever. And quite honestly, the winter is when I stock up on all my odd and ends for open water season because that is when its in stock.

I should mention that I rarely shop online. I prefer to buy my items in person, in store. I don’t like waiting a week for something I need in 2 days and I don’t like paying for shipping either.

I’m not saying that Scheels sucks because I do shop there and I admitted to it earlier in this thread. But I shop where I can find the item I am looking for and for several months out of the year, Scheels does not have it.

Slightly off topic but as many have said they like to shop the local ma and pa stores. I do as well My favorite is 30 miles away but worth every trip it’s Little Jim’s in Annandale. Has the best bait ever scoop of minnows lives for days if well taken care of great worms etc. Many of his prices are always lower than the big stores and has a great selection. I suggest anyone in the area check them out. I only use Scheels for some odd items if you will. I just counted over the last year bought 7 items all year at Scheels. I literally have spent over a thousand at Little Jim’s in a year Not bragging but to show I truly like his service. For a smaller store he carries a lot Clam, Otter houses. He does not carry Eskimo and guess what that’s OK you cant have everything I felt guilty when I bought my 2 man Eskimo and it was not from him. I don’t work for him or on his staff just mentioning a great store. Stop in some time tell him Mr. Pike sent ya

Deuces wrote:

Am I the only one here not completely enamored by Scheels fishing department?

Its nice don’t get me wrong but I feel the selection isn’t any better, and tbh it feels smaller than Cabelas, on almost all aspects. Rods, reels, electronics, boat gear, etc.

If I have any disappointment it’s gander by a mile. Thought in their turnaround the fishing would come back but never did. Terrible selection, tiny, half of the rods reels are the house brand, started strong but faded fast. With them sponsoring IDO summer episodes maybe couple years back now I was eager to jump on the bandwagon but yikes.

Totally agree with you and I go to “both” now. Gander is all about RV’s now – cut up my card about a month ago.
IMHO Cabelas has more and better fishing selection, Scheels has more ammo. I go where I need to for what I want. Customer service has been for me at both places as well as mail order so…..