Bass Cabelas Pro?
- Thread starter 02bfishn
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JohnCushman
Well-known member
SWEEET!!!!! I like Bass Pro Shop better anyway 
Gol dang it anyway Cushman, I like Cabelas better! tell me why you like BP better and maybe it will change my opinion! I like Cabelas better mostly for their Cabelas branded products which I have had very good luck with in the past.
JohnCushman
Well-known member
I like the 6 pay program BPS has on large orders. I've had nothing but outstanding customer service from BPS, both on the phone and in person. I've found BPS prices to be lower on most items. Red Head brand products are good quality for a good price. Cabela's has been rude and condescending to my wife when she has gone in and asked questions to different departments without me standing there with her. My wife went into BPS twice without me to look for gifts for me and family and was greeted at the door and basically escorted through the store by courteous associates who seemed like they actually gave a crap. She went to the archery counter and told them she was interested in getting a bow and they answered all of her questions and measured her draw length and talked about her options and spent nearly a half hour with her helping her out. She went to the optics counter and they also gave her the same service and kindness. In 3 different BPS stores, my wife has been able to wander off by herself and has been greeted and helped and had any questions answered that she had. She's been in 4 Cabela's stores in 3 states and was treated like shit in all 4 of them.
Here's my latest customer service encounter with BPS on the phone...
I made a large purchase on a 6 pay. A few minutes later I got an email that one of my items couldn't be shipped because it was on backorder, but it said in stock on the website. My order also qualified for free shipping, but I paid for quicker shipping due to needing some of the items sooner for an upcoming hunting trip. So, I call BPS customer service. The lady on the phone was very courteous and you can't beat that sweet southern accent. She said there was a camo version of the blind chair I ordered that was in stock, but it was $10 more. She said she will give me the camo chair for the price of the black one I ordered that can't be shipped. Then she said for my 'inconvenience' she will take off the shipping charge that I paid for, but still give me the quicker shipping that I paid for.
So, all in all, BPS will get my business, as well as my wife's business, from here on out. It seems to me that going to Cabela's is more like going to a museum, and in their prices, you're paying admission to it.
Here's my latest customer service encounter with BPS on the phone...
I made a large purchase on a 6 pay. A few minutes later I got an email that one of my items couldn't be shipped because it was on backorder, but it said in stock on the website. My order also qualified for free shipping, but I paid for quicker shipping due to needing some of the items sooner for an upcoming hunting trip. So, I call BPS customer service. The lady on the phone was very courteous and you can't beat that sweet southern accent. She said there was a camo version of the blind chair I ordered that was in stock, but it was $10 more. She said she will give me the camo chair for the price of the black one I ordered that can't be shipped. Then she said for my 'inconvenience' she will take off the shipping charge that I paid for, but still give me the quicker shipping that I paid for.
So, all in all, BPS will get my business, as well as my wife's business, from here on out. It seems to me that going to Cabela's is more like going to a museum, and in their prices, you're paying admission to it.
Last edited:
belly-deep
Active member
- Joined
- Oct 31, 2009
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- 3,459
Great. Less competition, prices go up.
Oh well, I'm about done with Cabelas anyway. Haven't bought from BPS in years.
Oh well, I'm about done with Cabelas anyway. Haven't bought from BPS in years.
Pinecricker
New member
They both suck as far as I am concerned.
For fishing gear, my little local shop down the street has a much more varied and relevant selection of tackle than our Cabelas does. For example, Cabelas has a giant section of Walleye fishing gear, but there isn't a Walleye to be found within 400 miles of here. Yet, you can't find something as simple as a Rapala in a "local" pattern.
For shooting gear its the same thing. Cabelas never has relevant powders, primers, etc. Then, they have Snow Geese decoys (which we also don't have here), but no Canadians. I don't get how they even stay in business. I find a lot of the their house branded gear to be pretty mediocre quality. There are a few exceptions, of course, but by and large, its not in the top tier of quality.
I'd much rather my bucks go to support a local business instead of some giant publicly traded corporation.
For fishing gear, my little local shop down the street has a much more varied and relevant selection of tackle than our Cabelas does. For example, Cabelas has a giant section of Walleye fishing gear, but there isn't a Walleye to be found within 400 miles of here. Yet, you can't find something as simple as a Rapala in a "local" pattern.
For shooting gear its the same thing. Cabelas never has relevant powders, primers, etc. Then, they have Snow Geese decoys (which we also don't have here), but no Canadians. I don't get how they even stay in business. I find a lot of the their house branded gear to be pretty mediocre quality. There are a few exceptions, of course, but by and large, its not in the top tier of quality.
I'd much rather my bucks go to support a local business instead of some giant publicly traded corporation.
Flatland Crusoe
Member
- Joined
- Oct 7, 2014
- Messages
- 572
I don't really care for Bass Pro in the least, its more a hokey Ozark tourist destination than a good outdoors store. There house brand gear is horrific, but I think they hit a bigger audience in milder climates than Cabelas. I guess in theory they have more fishing stuff, but having volume and the right stuff is not the same thing. Bass Pro owns the tracker boat family and price fixes all their boats even at non-Bass Pro dealers that is 2 year old stock.
Cabelas used to be awesome, great house brand gear prior to the advent of true technical hunting clothing (Sitka, First Lite, Kuiu) and they were known for great customer service and you always heard about guys getting returns after trashing gear on a week long trip, bringing it in wet and getting it replaced for free. This is not the case anymore. Cabela's shipping speeds have also really fallen behind places like Midway, Rogers and Mack's Prairie Wings.
Neither store stocks hunting pants in a waist size between a youth large and 32" and my local Cabelas only recently started having Sitka Gear on the shelf. Bass pro stocks none, but I really only stop there occasionally if I need something small and its on my way somewhere.
I'm not sure how they would handle the store locations of Bass Pro and Cabelas often being within 10 or 20 miles of each other.
Cabelas used to be awesome, great house brand gear prior to the advent of true technical hunting clothing (Sitka, First Lite, Kuiu) and they were known for great customer service and you always heard about guys getting returns after trashing gear on a week long trip, bringing it in wet and getting it replaced for free. This is not the case anymore. Cabela's shipping speeds have also really fallen behind places like Midway, Rogers and Mack's Prairie Wings.
Neither store stocks hunting pants in a waist size between a youth large and 32" and my local Cabelas only recently started having Sitka Gear on the shelf. Bass pro stocks none, but I really only stop there occasionally if I need something small and its on my way somewhere.
I'm not sure how they would handle the store locations of Bass Pro and Cabelas often being within 10 or 20 miles of each other.
Colberjs
Member
I prefer Cabelas, myself. They just opened their first store here in OK and I was able to visit it yesterday and pick up a few items. I'm with Cush on the 6-pay program at Bass Pro though. Part of the appeal of Cabelas was that I could order online and not pay tax before they opened a store in the state. I guess that's gone now. But I've been able to find more stuff I like and that fits me at Cabelas. And what's not to like about the Bargain Cave. That's generally my first stop in-store. I really wish Bass Pro would do something similar. I also like that you can handle many of the firearms at Cabelas without having to ask an associate. The gun sales associate yesterday was really trying to get me to buy a used gun yesterday, saying he had wiggle room on the used guns.
I usually only go to 1 Cabelas (Rogers, MN) and have not had any of the problem that Cush's wife had. They arent experts by any means, but they always try and help. I have had limited experience with BPS. I was not impressed with their Redhead stuff and it seemed like they only stocked that at the expense of other brands. Very little outside of Redhead on the floor. This was in Council Bluffs IA. What is a 6 pay program? 6 installments? Oh, and I do love the Bargain Cave at Cabelas. You can really pull some good deals out of there once in awhile. Cabelas still has a good return policy on their branded merchandise.
And I really miss Sportsman's Warehouse. They pulled out of MN about 8 years ago.
And I really miss Sportsman's Warehouse. They pulled out of MN about 8 years ago.
dcopas78
Well-known member
Colberjs
Member
6-pay is where they let you pay it out in monthly installments with no interest. You pay 1/6 of the total cost when you order and they hit your credit card each of the next 5 months for 1/6 of the price each time. The only thing is, there is an extra $1.00 service/convenience/whatever charge on each the remaining 5 payments. I assume for the extra credit card billing charges they get. I'm not too sure. It's a good way to get things you wouldn't normally want to spend a chunk of money on. I used it to buy a kayak, my InReach device, my Vortex binos, and some other stuff. Your total bill has to be over $125 I think. I always use it in conjunction with a free shipping offer and the extra service charges don't bother me
mtmander
Active member
Choices , I don't want to see them become the same, I prefer to look at several when I am looking for stuff
sbhooper
Well-known member
My wife worked at Cabela's Customer Service for eight years. It was nice having the large discount. I use a Cabela's credit card, pay it off every month, and receive lots of dollars worth of freebees with the points.
That being said, Cabela's started going down hill on lots of stuff, when they went public. That has allowed the idiot activist to buy so much of it. Bigger is not always better.
I rarely buy anything from them, but get good prices when I do, because of all of my credit card points. For bullets, optics etc, etc., there are better options.
I agree with the Sportsman's Warehouse. I really like the one that I stop at in Casper, Wyoming, on my way to Cody.
That being said, Cabela's started going down hill on lots of stuff, when they went public. That has allowed the idiot activist to buy so much of it. Bigger is not always better.
I rarely buy anything from them, but get good prices when I do, because of all of my credit card points. For bullets, optics etc, etc., there are better options.
I agree with the Sportsman's Warehouse. I really like the one that I stop at in Casper, Wyoming, on my way to Cody.
I'm with dcopas78 on this: Sportsman's Warehouse. Cabela's is OK, Bass Pro sucks.
I've got 2 Bass Pros within 2 hours and can't remember last time I was in one. Always go to Sportsman's (1-1/2 hr) or Cabela's (3-1/2 hrs).
Always fun to hit different Cabela's while traveling West.
I've got 2 Bass Pros within 2 hours and can't remember last time I was in one. Always go to Sportsman's (1-1/2 hr) or Cabela's (3-1/2 hrs).
Always fun to hit different Cabela's while traveling West.
MThuntr
Well-known member
I tend to shop Cabelas but not religiously and I haven't shopped at BPS in probably 10 years (they only seem to have deerstand camo).
The sad truth is that internet has made most stores merely a place to try stuff out so I can buy it cheaper online.
My theory is that if BPS buys Cabelas they will likely keep the Cabelas brand and stores but add Redhead stuff.
The sad truth is that internet has made most stores merely a place to try stuff out so I can buy it cheaper online.
My theory is that if BPS buys Cabelas they will likely keep the Cabelas brand and stores but add Redhead stuff.
exponentialpi
Active member
I have been buying quite a bit at Cabela's lately. My wife got a huge stack of Cabela's bucks and combined with some sales I got decent prices on ammo for some toys.
They have been sending me emails multiple times a week about various sales. I think their revenue is taking a hit and they are trying to get anyone to buy stuff. The Q3 earnings indicated this. I think there will be some nice fire sales for the holidays, if you have some cash laying around.
They have been sending me emails multiple times a week about various sales. I think their revenue is taking a hit and they are trying to get anyone to buy stuff. The Q3 earnings indicated this. I think there will be some nice fire sales for the holidays, if you have some cash laying around.
JohnCushman
Well-known member
Cabela's has to pay for all of these stores they keep building all over the place.... I was all excited to find out they built one in Missoula, only to find out it's an outlet store that sells discontinued stuff and bargain crap. It seems like Cabela's is more concerned about expansion and putting up as many stores as possible than building on their brand and on what they have and making it better. Why do we need TWO Cabela's stores in Denver? The stores are getting smaller and selection is getting smaller as well.
MThuntr
Well-known member
This is very true. That store in Missoula is a joke. They could have easily built a proper full sized store...maybe competition with Bob Wards and Sportsmans Warehouse was too much of a risk.
