Cabelas RIP

[Stein]

I had an hour to burn yesterday, so I swung into the promised land for a little browsing.  I will admit it is much easier working through the store with half the merchandise they used to have, but I couldn't believe the transformation.  The bargain cave was a shell of it's former glory with the majority of stuff being jeans and shoes.  The rest of the store seemed more of a clothing store with some fishing and hunting stuff thrown in.  No Koke rods in my price range, no 10 mm pistols, no large shrimp bait tubes, so I left with a copy of the Reel News.

I used to love that place and bought a pile of stuff from them, but I don't see a reason to go back.  I still get a catalog from them often, but they seem to forget how to send out sale flyers or coupons and the stuff in the store is way overpriced.  On the way out, I glanced at a shrimp pot that was 20% higher than John's in Everett.

[Karl Blanchard]

They've taken on bass pro pricing and are on a different planet now.  I was a bit desperate for some h4831sc a while back and went into our cabelas.  $38 a pound   or I can go to bimart and get it for $26.  Rest of the stuff is about the same.  I like shopping brick and mortar but when I can get it online, pay shipping, and tax and still get it for less than what the tag on your shelf reads 

[ellensburgpo]

I've basically given up on cabelas unless it's in the online bargain cave or I'm in an absolute bind.  Nothing remotely like the company it used to be unfortunately.

[jeffitz]

I recently had a Cabelas gift card so i went browsing - was tough to find something to buy and eventually ended up getting a box of overpriced .338 Win ammo only because i needed the brass Lol

[boneaddict]

Nothing remotely like the company it used to be unfortunately.

[Cab]

I wonder if they are struggling now after talking on Bass Pro. If they are pushing clothing thats not a good sign generally as that means they are pushing more high margin product to make up for past loses. Thats pretty much how I knew Dicks was in trouble, when they switched to pretty much spandex sports only and stopped selling hard goods as much. As someone that is in that product world and knows their business pretty well I do understand sku reduction because honestly Cabelas has too much crap in it but if they are loosing key items thats not good.

[Mfowl]

I've always preferred Sportco and Sportsmen's Warehouse over Cabelas or Pass Pro. I have seen many of the same items for much less on the shelves of Sportco than the Tacoma Bass Pro. I see no reason to make the extra drive to visit Cabelas any more. Been disappointing for quite some time now.

[Blacktail Sniper]

I recently had a Cabelas gift card so i went browsing - was tough to find something to buy and eventually ended up getting a box of overpriced .338 Win ammo only because i needed the brass Lol

I got a gift card for Christmas, went into the Lacey store several times, very disappointed.  Then I got a letter saying my bonus points would be expiring next month if I didn't use them.

Went in over the weekend and bought a metal detector.  Not something I was really planning on getting, but when all was said & done it was $16.00 & change out of pocket.

I do think it will be fun to play with though, and my card & points are done, so if never go back, won't feel like I am missing or loosing anything.  But I do hope they realize what they had and turn things around...

[Iveexcaped3]

So the story is Mr. Cabelas died Mrs. Cabelas didn’t want to deal with the company so they sold it to the highest bidder being bass pro. If anyone else would have bought them I would probably still shop there because it would probably still be a hunting store. Bass pros model is selling clothing and useless material goods(bedding lamps, etc.). At this point I shop sportsman’s warehouse or online. I hope ours closes and a sportsman’s moves in.

[full choke]

I wonder if they are struggling now after talking on Bass Pro. If they are pushing clothing thats not a good sign generally as that means they are pushing more high margin product to make up for past loses. Thats pretty much how I knew Dicks was in trouble, when they switched to pretty much spandex sports only and stopped selling hard goods as much. As someone that is in that product world and knows their business pretty well I do understand sku reduction because honestly Cabelas has too much crap in it but if they are loosing key items thats not good.

I might be wrong, and am definitely over simplifying it, but the driving force behind all of this was the stock owners. Basically some super rich hedge fund guy owned a bunch of shares in both companies and wanted to maximize his profits. Pretty much straight up Wall Street type stuff. Slash and burn and take out profit where you can- and burn down the rest. Don't be surprised if you see a Cadillac parked out in front of Cabela's at 2am with a couple of Pesci and Liotta types getting ready to torch the place...

[Cab]

I wonder if they are struggling now after talking on Bass Pro. If they are pushing clothing thats not a good sign generally as that means they are pushing more high margin product to make up for past loses. Thats pretty much how I knew Dicks was in trouble, when they switched to pretty much spandex sports only and stopped selling hard goods as much. As someone that is in that product world and knows their business pretty well I do understand sku reduction because honestly Cabelas has too much crap in it but if they are loosing key items thats not good.

I might be wrong, and am definitely over simplifying it, but the driving force behind all of this was the stock owners. Basically some super rich hedge fund guy owned a bunch of shares in both companies and wanted to maximize his profits. Pretty much straight up Wall Street type stuff. Slash and burn and take out profit where you can- and burn down the rest. Don't be surprised if you see a Cadillac parked out in front of Cabela's at 2am with a couple of Pesci and Liotta types getting ready to torch the place...

  too bad Cabelas was always a fun experience

[psr81]

Just to be clear, Bass Pro Shops was and still is a private company owned by the founders.   Cabela’s was a publicly traded company with a floundering stock price where the Board (including Jim Cabela) began pursuing a sale of the company before said hedge fund had amassed a meaningful stake or approached Cabela’s about exploring a sale. 

In the end, the Board for Cabela’s, like every board of directors, is responsible for maximizing long term value for its shareholders, and if that meant selling Cabela’s to the highest bidder, then that is the outcome they must pursue.  Many of you probably owned Cabelas stock somewhere in your 401k/IRA and are better off because of the sale. 

Unfortunately, we are in a very tough period for retail, all our own doing.  Be sure to support small brick and mortar when you can.

[HillHound]

Yeah I’m sure it helped the stock owners in the short term, just like Safeway and Albertsons, sears and kmart, the list goes on. Look at them now, not lookin quite so good. going in to the Yakima Cabelas anymore is a joke. I feel like I’m walking into a lands end or an L.L. Bean store. Seems like it’s about 85% clothing, 10% Fishing, and the other 5% is whatever you used to like buying that has now been replaced with bass pro’s brand.  And when I say clothing, not like their 10 different brands of raingear you could pick from before, more like maybe some yoga pants or a nice new sweater. Just what I’m looking for when I go to Cabela’s. Maybe they’re trying to appeal to the women but if they drive the husbands out of the store they loved it really doesn’t do them any good if they are attracting their new target audience. It is definitely obvious that they have reset the store based solely on margin, not off customer likes, satisfaction, needs. But I guess whatever they have to do in the short term to make stockholders happy for now. But I don’t think I would ride that wave for too long if I was in on it now because I think it’s going to break soon

[magnanimous_j]

Facing the change to the retail landscape, Cabelas took the exact wrong direction. But there is still time to correct course.

If I know exactly what I want, I will go online and find the lowest price and buy it. If I DON'T know what I want, I need a knowledgeable salesman to help me, and I will accept paying more money for it.

Cabelas made really nice stores that were well laid out and nice to shop in, but the prices are high and the employees know nothing. Compare that with REI. I went in there a year or so back because I had no idea how to pick a hiking pack. The guy fitted me for it, explained the different options and I walked out the door happy, knowing full well I paid more than I could have online.

That's what Cabelas needs to do. Ironically, technology and razor-thin margins makes salesmanship even more valuable on the retail level.

[BD1]

They were dead to me a long time ago. In the beginning it was amazing...they are really obsolete now.

[JakeLand]

Brick and mortar so sportsman warehouse for me

[PolarBear]

It's probably been over a year since I've been in Cabela's and they are only 20 minutes away.  I buy all my stuff online at various places or at Sunbirds in Yelm or Chehalis.  I remember being able to order custom built fishing rods through the Cabela's catalog 38 or so years ago.  I still have a couple.  That was back when they were great.

[Skyvalhunter]

Then what happened?

[mtnwkr]

They've gone the way of REI. They went from selling outdoor gear to selling the outdoor lifestyle for the city folk who want to claim they are "outdoorsy".

[Russ McDonald]

I guess kniw ine gets it.  Cabelas is owned by Bass Pro.  Cabelas does what Bass Pro tells them.  As simple as that.  I shop around Cabelas has a good price on a Anderson Arms stripped lower and I have gift cards.  I shop mostly Sportco or Sportmans. 

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[stlusn30-06]

Cabelas died sometime in the early 00s. I remember when I was a kid getting a Cabelas catalog was like Christmas come early. Filled with lots of decent gear. As soon as it became the Walmart/Home Depot/Best Buy for outdoors men it was over. All the sudden every person driving a truck north and south of King county rocked a mossy oak Cabelas hoodie, and they sold what mostly was a bunch of imported crap. I'd much rather order quality gear online from smaller retail operations like Schnee's out of Bozeman, or even better, shop local.

[Angry Perch]

They've gone the way of REI. They went from selling outdoor gear to selling the outdoor lifestyle for the city folk who want to claim they are "outdoorsy".

There are certainly a lot of folks that walk around town rocking their $500 Arcteryx jackets, but REI sells a lot of high quality gear to some serious outdoors folk.

[lokidog]

I got a new landing net for $16.50 out the door, $10 coupon, some Cabelas $$ on my card, but yeah, not what it used to be. I used to stop by just to peruse the Bargain Cave, that won't happen anymore.... I just wish Sportco or Sportsmans would have a store on the north end of the crap hole called King County......

[pianoman9701]

Cabelas died sometime in the early 00s. I remember when I was a kid getting a Cabelas catalog was like Christmas come early. Filled with lots of decent gear. As soon as it became the Walmart/Home Depot/Best Buy for outdoors men it was over. All the sudden every person driving a truck north and south of King county rocked a mossy oak Cabelas hoodie, and they sold what mostly was a bunch of imported crap. I'd much rather order quality gear online from smaller retail operations like Schnee's out of Bozeman, or even better, shop local.

I bought everything from Cabelas in the 90s. Good quality, durable clothing, waders, etc. I agree that they started slipping after the turn of the century. They're not competitive and a lot of the stuff they sell under their own label now is junk.

[goldenhtr]

I got a new landing net for $16.50 out the door, $10 coupon, some Cabelas $$ on my card, but yeah, not what it used to be. I used to stop by just to peruse the Bargain Cave, that won't happen anymore.... I just wish Sportco or Sportsmans would have a store on the north end of the crap hole called King County......

There's a Sportsmans on Everett Mall Way.

[stlusn30-06]

They've gone the way of REI. They went from selling outdoor gear to selling the outdoor lifestyle for the city folk who want to claim they are "outdoorsy".

There are certainly a lot of folks that walk around town rocking their $500 Arcteryx jackets, but REI sells a lot of high quality gear to some serious outdoors folk.

I'd take it one step further and say that the current Cabelas sells the outdoor lifestyle to the "country" folk who want to claim they are "outdoorsy".

[Stein]

As a business, it may make more sense to focus on higher margin house brand stuff like clothes and glamping gear than stuff that guys like us are looking for.  There are way more urban dudes than hunting dudes.

I would expect they phase out even more hunting/shooting stuff and expand the bass fishing section and clothing.  I would be surprised if they keep any local stuff like clamming/shrimping/crabbing and go with more of a standardized selection decided far away from the store.

I know several people that left after the acquisition and a few that stayed and aren't very happy with the way things are going on the HR front.  I know their return policy is now fairly hostile, I wouldn't buy anything unless I was sure I wanted it and it would last.