Bait and Switch at Cabela's?

[usmcr(ret)81]

Cabela's advertised a Bushmaster AR with a Bushnell TRS-25 optical sight. However, the store did not have the advertised optical sight, but instead had a cheaper one mounted on the rifle. The salesman stated that was what they had, and the other sight was not available. Is Cabela's engaging in bait and switch advertising?

 

[briansmithwins]

Sounds like they are just ripping you off.

How much of a discount if you don't get their crappy optic?

BSW

 

[beefyz]

I will NEVER buy from cabellas again because of that crap. They did the same exact thing to me a year ago. Advertised a black powder revolver "kit" which included all the incidentals. The powder flask pictured was not the one sent; instead some cheap piece of crap came. I compalined to customer service and got some snooty gal telling me I should be happy with it because thats the one she uses etc etc. I asked for her supervisor who agreed with me and said they would work something out. Never heard from them again. Got on their site and left one hell of a review of the whole matter. It was never printed. Even wonder why anything they sell never gets a lousy review? Thats becasue they don't print the lousy reviews or poor customer service reviews they get.
You can't stop it here cabellas . Buyers beware!

 

[Ditch-Tiger]

Look at Bushmasters website. The "cheep" optic is the one they now show on their website. If it comes this way from the factory then they can't be switching it. My understanding is that Bushnell couldn't keep up with supply of the TR model and had to deliver the other type to Bushy. My guess is that the picture was of one of the earlyier models that shipped with the TR sight.

 

[kinkinhood]

I've never had problems with them and they've always delivered whatever I ordered quickly. Then again the only thing I've ordered from them is ammo.

 

[KosmicKrunch]

That happened to me as well when I lived in Minnesota. They advertised a Ruger 10/22 with a grey laminated stock and a 3x9 Bushnell scope. When I looked at it on the shelf, it was what was advertised. When I paid for it and they brought the gun from their warehouse it was the carbine model with a low powered 4x scope, although it did have the laminated stock. Since I already paid for it and went through the 4473 paperwork. They stated it is a return when I tried to make them give me what I paid for and the STORE Manager pointed to their sign that said "NO Returns on Firearms or Ammunition." The gun department manager said they can give me the wholesale costs to upgrade my purchase to what I think it should be OR they would buy the gun back as a used gun (still new in the box never fired sitting on the counter). Never a gun buyer at Cabelas or Bass Pro ever again.

 

[Zombiphobia]

several years ago I ordered .38 special semi-wad cutter.

Instead they sent me re-manufactured jacketed hollow-points for 10 dollars more charged to my CC. Of course, they refused to give me a gift certificate or refund my money, or a return/exchange. I couldn't dispute it because the invoice they sent with the package was for the hollow points... and I KNOW that's not what I ordered.

I did it by snail mail and was very careful when writing in my order to ad the proper description and item number.

 

[dc.fireman]

That happened to me as well when I lived in Minnesota. They advertised a Ruger 10/22 with a grey laminated stock and a 3x9 Bushnell scope. When I looked at it on the shelf, it was what was advertised. When I paid for it and they brought the gun from their warehouse it was the carbine model with a low powered 4x scope, although it did have the laminated stock. Since I already paid for it and went through the 4473 paperwork. They stated it is a return when I tried to make them give me what I paid for and the STORE Manager pointed to their sign that said "NO Returns on Firearms or Ammunition." The gun department manager said they can give me the wholesale costs to upgrade my purchase to what I think it should be OR they would buy the gun back as a used gun (still new in the box never fired sitting on the counter). Never a gun buyer at Cabelas or Bass Pro ever again.

Kosmic - not that it's of any help now, but - if it were to happen to another high roader in the near future, I'd simply advise them that I'll be contacting the ATF regarding their record keeping accuracy regarding the type and model of firearms they're listing, vs. what they're actually delivering.

Even Cabelas wouldn't want Uncle Sam snooping around their logbooks - the cost of having to shut down their operation even for a few hours, would be fairly expensive...

 

[M-Cameron]

Never a gun buyer at Cabelas or Bass Pro ever again.

i really cant say about cabellas.....

but i haven't had a problem with Bass Pro......the sales staff seem to know their stuff for the most part and were actually really helpful.......

 

[WYcoyote]

The Billings MT Cabelas store advertised Marlin XS-XL 7 rifles for $259.99 in their flier and didn't have any. Same thing on some cots a little later.
They just try to get you in the store.
Shame on you Cabelas.

 

[Jonny V]

I haven't had the same bad luck with Cabelas as you guys have, but it does seem that they're prices are getting higher and higher all the time. Lately, I've been ordering from Midway and Cheaper than dirt, and been very happy with both of them, Midway especially.

 

[Zombiphobia]

oh, check their website. Certain items are ALWAYS on "sale"... which is not legal.

 

[hemiram]

Funny how the .22LR deal that was on the Black Friday websites and on the flyer posted on the Gander Mountain website disappeared sometime before the doors opened Friday morning.

They originally had the 525 round box of Federal Champion 36gr HP for 14.99.

http://bfads.net/Gander-Mountain-Black-Friday-Champion-22LR-Copper-Plated-HP-Bulk-Pack


When I got there at 9AM, it's gone. The flyer on the site doesn't have it. The same thing happened with 9mm a couple years ago. I did have to laugh at the S&W M&P 15-22 P in the case with a $499.95 price tag on it though. I got mine for under $350, shipped.

 

[hoohaa310]

None of you have ever worked in retail obviously.

I work at a Gander Mountain, I was there at 5AM yesterday to work and let me tell you, Black Friday sucks!


Anyways, the problem with big companies and ads like that is consistency across the stores. What "they" advertise is not always what we get from them as far as inventory. We've had huge ads drop and have maybe 1/2 to 1/3 of the things in the ad even in the store in the past month. Its how it goes we really have no control over what they send us unless we special request items which is such a complicated process our inventory is all automated. When you scan an item out at the cash register, the computer knows we need more, and it tracks what sells and what doesn't. Pretty amazing.





As far as that ruger 10/22 goes we would have immediately taken it back and probably given you a leopold scope to make up for it. We accidently sold a guy a new pistol with a 15 round mag (can't do that in NY haha). totally our fault we should have caught that a couple different times once it got to our store, but we ended up sending someone an hour and a half to this guys house to switch out the gun and do all the paperwork so he wouldn't have to drive. And thats not because he at the boss we offered to do that as soon as we realized what happened.

 

[Creature]

Cabelas had a HUGE run on the firearms when the deal first went out and they were out of stock. Bushmaster is just now catching up to demand but Bushnell is a little behind. Its still an GREAT deal.

 

[Tirod]

Obviously some stores do better than others. The point being that corporate puts out the ad and controls what the store gets. If they oversell and understock, the local brick and mortar storefront can do very little other than apologize. The better stores will KNOW what is going to happen and forewarn the buyer what is up. Those stores usually have decent management and knowledgeable salespeople.

It's the stores that don't warn you, don't let you back out, and insist that you are stuck with it that need strong reinforcement of your opinion. Don't stop short, go all the way to the manager's level and let him know in polite but firm tones that HE is the one responsible for the mess.

What I have experienced and discovered over 30 years in retail is that the store managers handling of employees is the #1 influence on how customers are treated. They can squirm and point fingers all they want, employees on the sales floor treat customers exactly the way management treats them.

If you are getting poor service, the manager is at fault: hiring the wrong kind of people, perpetuating a poor customer service attitude, and being a poor example in their leadership style. It's why the bullying manager is always caught out eventually. Too much turnover and bad attitude feed back to the public.

If Cabela's is having a problem with customer service and honest compliance with their own ads, then Corporate is at fault, and it's a big indicator of what must be going on there. Let the buyer beware.

 

[Hedgemeister]

I have bought 4 guns from Cabelas and never had a problem. My wife bought me a 870 camo for duck hunting and they mistakenly gave her the turkey camo model, instead of the duckblind camo. We returned it 2 days later and they gave me a new duck blind camo model and threw in a free choke tube for our trouble.

 

[jpwilly]

I've not had any trouble with Cabelas. They often do have lower stock than demand for certain items but if you get there first, witch I often do, you'll be happy. Since they don't reserve items either you'll need to call a couple of times a week with the sku and see if any came in that day. I've picked up a couple of great deals this way as well.

 

[HOOfan_1]

None of you have ever worked in retail obviously.

I work at a Gander Mountain, I was there at 5AM yesterday to work and let me tell you, Black Friday sucks!

Unfortunately I have. I know all too often that items that are put on sale by corporate are often NEVER shipped to the store. I know some companies make up their ads 10 or more weeks in advance and then the distribution centers never get the items to distribute to stores. The people making the ads don't have to care, because it is the poor saps in the stores making less than a quarter of what they are making who have to take the brunt of the customer complaints, and if those poor store associates can't please the customer, it is their butt that is on the line, not the idiots upstairs who screwed the pooch to begin with.

I work part time as a retail supervisor. A customer came in on Black Friday looking for something in the sales flyer. I got an inventory gun and saw that we had none in stock, the Distribution Center had been out of stock for more than 3 weeks and told her I would give her the same dollar discount on a similar item...which was a more expensive item. So I gave her the same $42 discount that the advertised item had and she got a $120 item for $78 and was extremely happy about it. Another customer may have still been pissed off and probably would still blame it on me.

 

[Tuckerp229]

OK. I'm going to be flamed but here it goes. Have any of you out there any idea what it costs run a retail operation? We always want the mostest for the leastest. I am NO way connected to Cableas. When you shop it is ALWAYS buyer beware. There is nothing evil or immoral about asking for any given price. If some one will pay the price then it is a deal between the two parties. This is the essence of capitalism. If you disagree then you don't believe in capitalism. You don't have to buy. If many people don't buy...then the price comes down until they do buy.
If there is any misrepresentation then it is not capitalism...it is lying-take your dollars elsewhere.


I have had great experiences with Cabelas. Good Lord they bring a phenomenal number of products before me that without them would NEVER be brought to market. Because they buy, people can produce... risk money on new ideas. You the buyer can quietly walk in and vote with your dollars...no gun to your head. WHAT A COUNTRY!.

I usually buy from the Bargain Cave. Why? Because so many of us "honest people" steal from these retailers buy buying, using and returning products we had no intention of keeping. They happily accept these products back from the dregs of us never complaining of the injustice. I buy these returns because I have to buy the things I want at serious discount or not at all.

Do you think that with some 250,000 line items that it might be possible that an error could be made? Maybe something ordered one way comes in with another component and is not caught because there are 3,000 other items to check in late that evening? Or because it would cost major dollars to correct?

Take a breath. Keep your dollars in your pocket and bless Cabelas and Gander Mountain for bringing you an amazing selection of products that by their mere buying, reduces your cost even if you buy from some other company.

end rant.

 

[Skylerbone]

Tucker, I could have written that myself were it not for your eloquence. Bravo.

Thankfully after 9 years of retail sales in my teens and early 20s, I can fully appreciate the woes of counter guys everywhere. I also know how to comparison shop, when to ask for a discount or extended sale price and to check the hostile attitude at the door. That last bit (being nice) has gotten me deals and sale prices I would otherwise have missed, some without asking.

Make them like you, kill them with kindness, give them your business and they will go out of their way to help you.

My experiences with big box stores has always been great (excepting the long lines and occasional liar who doesn't know a BPS from a BAR). I do however try my best to support my local gun shops whenever possible.

 

[Mr_Pale_Horse]

I am generally disappointed with the hunting sales staff at my local BassPro. They range from lazy to misinformed.

A typical visit goes like this:

There will be 3-5 sales associates behind the counter, all but one talking up last night's ball game, and 1 giving sage advice about how effective a particular firearm is although he/she has to interrupt the ball game discussion to find out how to open the action.

Often, I will call ahead to see if Brand X, Model Y is in stock. "Nope, don't stock that" is the reply. Go into the store the same day (we buy clothing and shoes there monthly (at least their Carrhart and boots people have a clue)) and the item will be in the center display case. Du-oh!

 

[Greg Mercurio]

The nature of retail is simple: Make your customer happy. I've been in 2 Cabelas stores. Both were good experiences. I owned a retail store for years. Our staff were allowed ONE poor customer service event. They signed on with knowledge of that going in and it was no surprise to any of the staff if someone lost their job. Customers are the only reason retail exits. If you have a poor customer sevice event with a single person in a store, escalate. if you have multiple events in the escalation process, you will most likely take your trade elsewhere. I seriously doubt that Cabelas tolerates poor customer service as a corporate policy. That's suicidal.

If bait and switch is going on you have multiple avenues of recourse. But more than likely you will not get instant gratification. You might have to wait for the item you desire, in the advertised configuration, to be shipped to the store or to you. You are the customer and any retail entity that is not interested in making you a long term trade partner is not going to be there long term anyway.

Sorry for the rant.

 

[PT1911]

All of you have illustrated well why it is that I buy the gun I want, after holding it, from a small shop... Do I pay a few dollars more from time to time? Probably... But then again, I dont have a single complaint about any of the couple dozen I have purchased over the last few years... new and used.