Cabelas-SMH

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Axis II

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I don't want this to be a Cabelas/BP bashing thread but I am curious if others have saw a complete destruction of the guns/ammo and hunting of Cabelas? I have been to several different stores in several different states. Michigan, WV, Kentucky, Ohio. Michigan used to have a lot of shooting and hunting clothing and gear and the last time I was in there all I saw was clothes, sunglasses, and toys. All the Ohio stores are bare minimum when it comes to shooting supplies and not a stich of camo clothing. I recently visited Kentucky and stopped at the Bowling Green store and what a huge disappointment. I think the local Walmart had more guns/shooting supplies. I walked in there and I thought I was at Sunglass Hut when I hit the door. They had more sunglasses than firearms! Used S&W M&P 1.0 for $450. :eek::confused:

Now here is the question that my girlfriend asked. Why the lack of firearms and shooting supplies such as ammo, targets, etc.? I really don't know to be honest. Is the firearm market really in that much of a dump that they are not carrying firearms, etc. I have only visited one BP in Toledo Ohio and they had a ton of shooting gear, hunting and camo. What's the deal? Share if your local Cabelas has eliminated a lot of stuff or stayed the same and what type of area its in?

My local one had a lot of ammo, camo, hunting supplies were slim but if you wanted a used gun they had a ton. If you wanted ammo they had a ton. Now shelves are catered to shotgun shooters, defense ammo and lots and lots of 9mm, 223/5.56 and 22LR. I guess stock what sells the most huh? Not a stich or camo or a tree stand in sight. They have done away with a lot of the cheaper firearms and scopes and now stock high dollar stuff. I am thinking this is because it's in a city where the average income is $80k-$200k year.
 
We don't have a Cabelas around here, but we do have a Bass Pro. It still has a very robust firearm selection. Ammo section is smallish but not terrible. Shooting supplies and accessories are decent. All the prices are pretty high, but that shouldn't come as a surprise.

Maybe they're trying the shift most of their firearm-related stuff to Bass Pro over Cabelas so they don't have the two competing?
 
I don’t do basspro because no used guns cabelas has a nice selection of used guns sometimes good prices other times not so much the had a couple revolvers I probably would have picked up last night when I was there had I been able to get someone to help me. In all fairness all my favorite shops have seemed to just not appeal in the last year overpriced limited selection bad customer service etc.
 
We have both a BP and Cabelas in our area; inventory of firearms, ammo, scopes, etc is about the same or more than prior to the Cabelas purchase - plenty of choices.
 
The local BPS is ok, they still have ammo on the shelves you can’t find at most other gun stores... and with the hassle of ordering ammo online here in Ca sometimes BPS is the only option (until you’re set up for reloading.)

I wish a Sportsman’s Warehouse would open up... the nearest one is a four hour drive North (Fresno).

Stay safe.
 
Local cabelas still has a big gun section, most of time prices are high. Usually shop at sportsman's warehouse or north 40.
 
Many local stores that have been around for a while stock what sells. You say yours used to have lots of what you liked, but now only has lots of other stuff. Guess which makes them the most monies? They don't carry cheapo scopes anymore? Again, if they aren't making any monies while having to contend with a lot of disappointed customers, why even sell them? No camo or tree stands? Again, is the the customer base or is it just not in season? I just received my new Cabelas hunting catalog today. Even the niggest of stores still have only so much shelf space and thus, they discount hunting stuff at the end of the season to make room for fishing and summer stuff til the next fall. Old new stock don't sell, especially in a market where folks always want the newest ad the best. My youngest just bought a new rest for his bow last week from the local archery store. They sold it to him for cost, even tho it was top of the line last year, just to make room for the new and improved rests they had coming in.....next week.

Again, for a large store to stay in business, they need to know their customer base and stock accordingly. While guns are fun to look and play with when you are in the store, they probably have the smallest profit margin of anything else.....this includes sunglasses. Got high maintenance women that want pricey outdoor clothing and rustic looking furniture and willing to pay MSRP for it? What would you stock? What you do have going for you is the free two day shipping that Cabela's offers. Same price as what you would get at the store and shipped to your door for free. Selection is so much better online than in most stores. Still, it's nice to play with the guns.
 
My localish Cabela's is just as well stocked as always, but their prices are pretty poor.

The biggest change I have experienced is Cabelas is no longer sending me flyers advertising sale prices and discounts for Club members. We have spent some serious money in Cabelas over the years so this is a big disappointment.

Back on July 12th they had a good sale on S&W M&P 9mm Shield that I could not pass up. Everything else I order off of their website and pick it up at store when it comes in. I don’t particularly like to shop and even worse dealing with sales people that don’t what the item I want is and where it is at.
 
Might just be the ones in your neck of the woods; they may not sell a lot of guns and bullets for whatever reason. And just stock less.
 
The biggest change I have experienced is Cabelas is no longer sending me flyers advertising sale prices and discounts for Club members. We have spent some serious money in Cabelas over the years so this is a big disappointment.

Back on July 12th they had a good sale on S&W M&P 9mm Shield that I could not pass up. Everything else I order off of their website and pick it up at store when it comes in. I don’t particularly like to shop and even worse dealing with sales people that don’t what the item I want is and where it is at.
Hmm. That's odd, because I still get a lot of that kind of stuff. Maybe check your mailing address for your Cabela's card. Mine was screwed up for a long time with the transition.

In fact I've been trying for several weeks to unsubscribe from their email list for promotions. I keep getting these marketing emails I just delete.
 
Still, it's nice to play with the guns.
You do this to get the guys to bring their wife into the store on the weekend. Cabela's does this well in the stores that still have guns.


Got high maintenance women that want pricey outdoor clothing and rustic looking furniture and willing to pay MSRP for it?
Then the women buy 'rusitc looking furniture' and pricey outdoor clothes, even if they are built like a beach ball. It works on my wife.......
 
The BP in San Antone is pretty well stocked. I am actually a CC member with Bass Pro they carry brands that others don't sometimes. Yeah the price can be a lil more but lately they're running the same on ammo and even cheaper than Walmart and academy the fact that since I'm a CC member also doesn't help the other companies since I have redeemed over 300 dollars in points already
 
Only thing I've noticed is a plethora of BassPro branded crap clothing, and they changed their loyalty program such that you are no longer allowed to accumulate more than $10 and it expires 30 days after you reach that $10 limit.
 
My Cabelas is still well stocked as best I can tell. As 460 pointed out, they are overpriced. One day I saw a Ruger Mk III pistol in the used case that was $30 more than the exact some pistol new just a few cases over.
 
My Cabelas is only a few years old. When they first opened up their selection was better and prices were better, but not great. I went in on Saturday and their selection has decreased and what their website shows as in stock locally, they either did not have or they did not want to go look for it. I have purchased cases of shotgun shells from them in person in the past but could not locate any this last time I visited them. I don't know if it is economy related or if it is because of the Bass Pro buy out that occurred but it has not been for the better.
 
Many local stores that have been around for a while stock what sells. You say yours used to have lots of what you liked, but now only has lots of other stuff. Guess which makes them the most monies? They don't carry cheapo scopes anymore? Again, if they aren't making any monies while having to contend with a lot of disappointed customers, why even sell them? No camo or tree stands? Again, is the the customer base or is it just not in season? I just received my new Cabelas hunting catalog today. Even the niggest of stores still have only so much shelf space and thus, they discount hunting stuff at the end of the season to make room for fishing and summer stuff til the next fall. Old new stock don't sell, especially in a market where folks always want the newest ad the best. My youngest just bought a new rest for his bow last week from the local archery store. They sold it to him for cost, even tho it was top of the line last year, just to make room for the new and improved rests they had coming in.....next week.

Again, for a large store to stay in business, they need to know their customer base and stock accordingly. While guns are fun to look and play with when you are in the store, they probably have the smallest profit margin of anything else.....this includes sunglasses. Got high maintenance women that want pricey outdoor clothing and rustic looking furniture and willing to pay MSRP for it? What would you stock? What you do have going for you is the free two day shipping that Cabela's offers. Same price as what you would get at the store and shipped to your door for free. Selection is so much better online than in most stores. Still, it's nice to play with the guns.
I agree with what your saying, but even during hunting season they don't have anything. As far as the scopes, go they ditched anything vortex, prostaff and cheaper bushnells and now the cheapest scope is $300. Now its all Nightforce, cabelas and BP brands, etc. The reason I brought this up was a buddy looking for a prostaff and a 22lr scope. He couldn't find either.
 
I haven't been to a Cabelas since I moved out of PA and I think that was before the buy out.

The Bass Pro I frequent (about a 30 min drive) has a decent selection of everything but ammo is a little high. Gun prices aren't too bad, but my LGS normally don't have the best prices either.

There is an Academy close to that Bass Pro, and they seem to have significantly better ammo and gun prices
 
I was a longtime (30+ years) fan of Cabelas, switched over to BassPro about 15 years ago and now I'm pretty much Brownells and Midway exclusively.

Unless there's a good sale ...

If you ever happen to be going through Iowa on I-80, stop at Brownells's physical location. Its AWESOME. Free soda and coffee to keep the wife and kids happy too, haha. We stop on the way back every time I go visit family out in Omaha.
 
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