Cabelas/Bass pro

Went to the Sun Prairie store today. Less than 3 weeks from bow season opening and there hunting selection is a notch above Walmart. Camo clothing section might be a 20x20 area, your choices would be a few rain suede products and then jump up to the $300 plus sitka products. Decided to look at some rain bibs for an upcoming fishing trip, 2 choices. Amazon is looking better and better.

Went to the Richfield one yesterday. Had $100 gift card to use.  Was going to get some boots… daughter came along and picked out some neoprene waders instead.  

Hopefully the Sun Prairie store has more than one checkout going. Yesterday was a joke. Felt bad for the lady.

Basspro purchased Cabela's 

Cabela's went to crap

For sure, both stores would be a destination.  You'd take a day and go. Not anymore. If cabelas  wasn't less than a mile I most likely would pass on both.

I loved Bass Pro pre Cabela's. Now it's just the same crap.

Actually filled out one of the surveys they send you. I dealt with a twit associate, while searching for a firearm. Reflected it in the survey. First question was how do I feel cabelas handled covid I said I wondered  why they even bothered with a sign lol. Then mentioned the twit.  Anyway manager contacted me via email.  What a waste of time.

Gone down hill and over priced.

Can't remember the last time I purchased anything from either of them. Dumped the Cabelas Black card, burned the points, and never went back.

Really really sad how far downhill they have gone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Don't even carry the waders I wanted to order. Was told to try Bass Pro website they don't either. But everyone else under the sun does. Oh well got a good price from someone else

Found out today that cabelas changed their return policy. Been having problems with my lowrance hook2 that I wanted to exchange rather than sending it back to the manufacturer and wait till hell freezes over for its return. Was shocked to hear that BPS implemented a 90 day window for returns. WTF ?? No notice to customers of this change? Been a cabelas card holder forever but think I will tear that one up and spend my money at fleet farm. They have a nice selection at usually better prices and closer to home

I buy wherever the best deal is normally and it's normally online with free shipping.  Doesn't matter what store it is, but comparing the different Cabelas stores I've been to is easy.  The one in Portage, Indiana by my house is much better than the one Hoffman Estates, IL and 10x better than the one in Sun Prairie.  Not sure why they'd make their stores that much different, but it's obvious they are nothing alike in selections.

One more thought. Gander also went public and started to look like every other big box retailer and hiring 18 year old dopes who didn't know the difference between a jig and crankbait.  I gave up on Gander years ago. I wasn't surprised to see them go under. It was only a matter of time. Cabelas is headed down the same road. Hopefully BPS saves them.

Here some random thoughts on this topic.

Brick and Mortar retail is in a bad spot and changing dramatically. A lot of stores are going to die.

Cabelas sold and went public. This was the beginning of the end for them. It was then run by bean counters who worry more about getting max inventory turns than a disappointed customer who drove all the way to the store to find out they are out of size 10 Predator Pack boots 2 weeks before XMAS! This happened to me. Hopefully with Cabelas being owned by Bass Pro and one dude Johnny Morris this trend will reverse. Johnny doesn't have to worry about short term results and has no one to answer to. He can do what's best for the long term health of the company and customers.

Fleet Farm was just sold to private equity which is essentially the same as going public. They also will be more worried about max inventory turns the making books look profitable in the short term to justify the purchase. I already see that Fleet is rapidly changing and carrying less inventory and routinely runs out of simple items. Its really kind of sad. I'm afraid they will never be the same.

Demographics are changing. Baby boomers are getting too old and already have everything they need.

Parents are more worried about signing their kid up for another baseball team or tournament than taking them hunting or fishing. When the kid turns 18 and doesn't get a baseball scholarship and his baseball career is done the parent wonders why the kid doesn't want to go hunting or fishing with them. Because he didn't do it or was shown the love of the outdoors when he was young.

Well, I think I posted, what I am about to write a while back but, here goes.  I got a letter from Gander Mountain, when it was still GM, telling they were cancelling my credit card. When I questioned them I received a letter stating two different reasons. 1. They were cancelling "some" cards due to THEIR bankruptcy. 2. They were cancelling mine due to not used in a year. With an answer like that...I confirmed my choice to never shop there or, their "new" named store.