Cabela's bait and switch

[Glenn E. Meyer]

Annoyed, I am. Cabela's on their web pages ran (even yesterday) some SW AR-15s. I had a coupon also and points, so off I go. It's a 70 ish mile drive.

Yes, I am stupid for not calling first.

Get there and there are none. Oh, can you get one? - I sez?

Here's the kicker - there are only about 4 of them in the whole Cabela's system for the country. SO WHY ADVERTISE THEM?

Oh, it's a special as SW is discontinuing them. But they may send us a whole truck load - we don't know.

So order me one - no, we don't do rain checks.

But we can get you into another platform.

So, I e-mail customer service.

We are sorry, our ads are printed out weeks before (It's on your WEB page).

I regard this as shady practice. Doing a nation wide ad for something you don't have a chance of getting is not right.

They've been crappy before. Their cargo pants fall apart very quickly - and they won't back them up.

Bah.

[Pilot]

I enjoy going to Cabelas to look at the stuffed animals, and some of the products. I rarely ever buy anything there. They are way over priced, usally too crowded, and it just bothers me that I am paying for all that huge overhead. IMHO, stores like these are going the way of the dinosaur. It is nice to see, and touch stuff, but not for their prices. I much prefer Sportman's Warehouse, but don't have one in the area where I live anymore.

[Glenn E. Meyer]

Yeah, guns are worth it only if they have a sale and you get a coupon to piggy bank on it.

[Pilot]

They do usually have a good selection, and it is fun to drool over stuff in their gun library or whatever it is called. I flew up to their HQ store in Sidney, NE a few times, and they have a van that will come and pick you up at the airport. The folks were really nice, and I do believe I did actually buy stuff up there (never guns as it was out of state for me). It's kind of a tourist attraction there. I do prefer them to Gander Mountain, but then again I prefer eating broccoli (vile weed) to Gander Mountain.

[Glenn E. Meyer]

The Cabela's gun counter is a fun watch. My best was when a guy comes in with his female companion to buy a pump shotgun.

Here's how it goes (dude, clerk):

I want a pump shotgun as if I rack it the sound will scare away the crook.

Oh, yes.

And I want some blanks for the gun, because if the rack noise doesn't scare them away - then the blanks will!

Well, you should also get some rubber 00 to shoot at them.

--- At this point, I have to intervene (mistake) and say - Gun stuff, tactics stuff, stopping power stuff, legal stuff - blah, blah.

Dude looks like he wants to kill me. Clerk also. Lesson - let fools be their own advisor. However, clerky boy should have given better advice.

Another time a TX Ranger came up to the counter, badge and 45 on his belt. Why the customers looked like they had seen Marilyn Monroe appear at her best. They flocked around him like a superstar. One old coot actually bent over and almost stuck his nose in the Ranger's gun to scope it out. Hilarious.

As far as flagship stores - I like LLBean in Maine and Whole Foods in Austin. Different genre but fun.

[[email protected]]

My wife has got me in the habit of only buying when stuff is on sale at Cabelas. Change of season sales give the best deals IMO, hard to beat their prices then. As for firearms, well good luck.

I have been a Cabela's customer for over 30 years and have never been turned down to replace an item I was dis-satisfied with for fit or function. Just lucky I guess.

[Glenn E. Meyer]

Well, they were total nasty words about the pants. Claimed they fell apart from normal wear. Yeah - like the pocket seams split and a Surefire wore a hole in the pocket in a month.

I'm burned on them. We have a Bass Pro near by and LLBean's stuff holds up. They replaced a pair of boots after several years. The sole fell off and when contacted they said that was a known defect and replaced them.

[zxcvbob]

I like Cabela's, although they've disappointed me a few times (like when I drove 40 miles to their store to buy an advertised gun only to find out it's inexplicably not legal in this state and was advertised here by accident)

Their gun prices are too high, but when they put one on sale it's usually competitive. Most of the other prices seem reasonable, especially clothes on clearance. Their return policy is good. I charge all my household expenses and purchases on a Cabela's Club VISA (paid in full every month) and rack up points and get hundreds of dollars of free stuff every year. Also just by having a CC, they send pretty good $$-off coupons starting in the fall and running until the end of the year.

[[email protected]]

Heck of a good idea!! Thanks for posting that.

[zxcvbob]

Use Cabelas Visa for Everything

The big ones nobody thinks about are insurance premiums, utility bills, and medical bills.

[Venom1956]

The Cabela's gun counter is a fun watch.

^^^
THIS!

[Logs]

Reminds me the day after Thanksgiving. Everyone heads to the stores for only 5 items. Total Joke.


They just announced a Cabelas coming to Louisville. I hope the service is better.

[Glenn E. Meyer]

So Cabelas keeps sending me e-mails that I don't understand that their catalogs are printed way in advance.

I tell them I was responding to a web page - which you can change it a second or two. Third time now.

Very slow, aren't they?

See what happens on the next round. Still haven't offered to come up with a rain check or something like that. I'll get the gun elsewhere but interested in how they respond.

[Hansam]

I like going to Cabelas to handle firearms I'm considering buying. Its 90 miles away from me though so its a bit of a hike but I will call to see if they have the gun available. If they do and I'm serious about wanting it I drive there and handle the gun. If I really like it I'll put the gun back and go buy it from my LGS or have them order it for me if they don't have it in stock or also order it and have them do the FFL transfer.

I also like to watch the Cabelas gun counter. Get lots of amusement watching idiots going to the counter to look at handguns and talking like they actually know something but its just bs they've learned off movies etc. I watched guy tell his buddy at Cabelas gun counter that a Taurus Judge is an amazingly powerful gun. It'll shoot a .45 bullet or if you load the .410 shot shell its capable of blowing a guy's arm off at 25yds! He had already bought the gun and waited the mandatory 3 day waiting period. They were picking up the gun and were off to blow someone's arm off apparently... most likely their own.

[globemaster3]

I had a similar experience at their Hazelwood store, but on a gun safe. The store-specific mailer had it, website as well, drive almost an hour the day before the sale to look, and NO SAFE!

"There are 4 in the warehouse. We can get one sent here" was their reply.

I put my info on a form, they said 1 week. 2 weeks later, I call them to find out they didn't get one from the warehouse, BUT they had located another at a different store and will have it in a week. It's been 6. I'm through!

Downside is I like their vacuum sealer...

[mitchntx]

At Cabelas, me to clerk discussing the purchase of a handgun ...

I think I'll take it.

Let me check stock ... oops, none, other than the display.

hmmm ... do I get $1 off for everytime it's been dry fired?

annoyed clerk ... no.

Thanks any way.

[PPBart]

I like Cabela's, although they've disappointed me a few times...
prices are too high, but when they put one on sale it's usually competitive...
Cabela's Club VISA (paid in full every month) and rack up points... pretty good $$-off coupons...

My Cabela's VISA also gets a lot of use, best deal (for me) of the cards I carry.

Re the OP's gripe: I've had same experience, also at Dick's and Bass Pro and Academy Sports. They all do it.

[KBP]

Many retailers have only a "few" items they advertise that are great deals. Its not technically bait and switch.(this is why they get away with this practice) It does have the same effect as bait and switch. Drives me up the wall also! As far as defective items like pants or BOOTS( I have had several pair of their high end $189.95 rubber boots that didn't last 3 months of walking the dog, let alone rugged hunting as advertised) The key is talking to the right person! If at first you don't get someone that is sympathic to your problem, hang up politely and call again! The reps have MUCH MORE leeway then they let on. If you persist in calling, sooner or later you have very good chances of finding a rep that is willing to help you out. NEVER, NEVER get ticked off and verbally abusive. It don't work! I can't tell you how many times this has worked for me over the last 40+ years! Sometimes they have actually substituted a better item for the same price as the missing "great deal"!!

[Cascade1911]

A couple of years ago I spent maybe $100 online with Cabelas. Since then I get a minimum of two catalogs a week. Some weeks maybe four or five catalogs. Then I got that huge hard bound anniversary catalog.

Was on a biz trip that took me passed the Cabelas in PA. Had been there before, wonderful place with all the animals and fish and such. Place is wonderful.

Unfortunately, it's easy enough to understand why Cabelas are not even in the same area code as affordable. I walk the store itching to take some stuff home. I pick stuff up, look at the price and drop it. I end up walking out with a couple of items out of desperation.

[dondavis3]

I like Cabella's.

Great selection.

Prices are high , but they meet other local prices.

I can usually find the gun I'm looking for - great / large selection.

[Glenn E. Meyer]

Floor models - yep. I went to a cop shop and saw a neat new LED flashlight that looks like a pen, very bright and sturdy. They only had the display - so I got 15% off.

I shall continue with Cabela's for a bit to see if I can past the first wave of insincere sorry blah, blah.

[Aguila Blanca]

Does the Cabela's ad clearly state that the advertised sale item may not be in stock, and that they do not offer rain checks? If not, they may be required to honor the price for that item or an equivalent product under state law. Check your laws. In my state, if the ad didn't include that double disclaimer they would HAVE to sell me an AR-15 at that price.

[Don P]

For big box stores and long guns I'll stick with Dick's Sporting goods

[Glenn E. Meyer]

After much e-mail conversation - their basic position is that it is legit to advertise a gun that they don't even know if they have. Of course, that isn't a ploy to get to the store.

[johnwilliamson062]

I have a Cabelas Visa. It only gives 1% normally and 2% for in store.
Unfortunately, I am currently in the unfortunate position of carrying a balance and the only charge me 9%.
When I get that under control I will be using my Amazon card with 2% everywhere and more for some things. The high cost of Cabelas more than wipes out the points anyways.

Of course, as others said, the exception being some of their sales. Since I have their CC I get some sales before thye go to the public. I also bought a discounted giftcard online(12%) for the last purchase I made. Felt pretty good about it when I added $75 of points to the mix.