Cabelas Service

[Nulle]

We have a big store in Sioux Falls that is much cheaper but nothing on-line so you have to visit the store.
On Cabelas I watch the sales and do pretty good on price but if it is not on sale I don't buy.
I get the sales on email from them and if you just waite you can do good.
Ebay is another area of buying but there again be careful and don't get caught up in the bidding frenzy.

[fabsroman]

Thanks Nulle.

Since I do not live in South Dakota, even though I wish I did at times, and since I do not deal with E-Bay that much, I guess I will have to stick with Cabelas and Outdoor World since there aren't really any retailers around me that cater to hunting and fishing.

[Andy L]

Unless you go at 7am, when they open, I have NEVER been to Bass Pro in Springfield when they werent swamped.

But, I have been to some of their other stores when they were slow. I guess since its the headquarters, has the museums and everything, it makes a difference. And, Branson being 45minutes away, it probably gets some extra tourist traffic.

If you have never been to the Springfield Bass Pro, it literally takes up over a city block. The catalog return store is bigger than most stores.

Andy

[Purebred Redneck]

The problem with Bass Pro is they are more expensive than Cabelas on most of their items. Both stores have real cheep promotional items like hats, coolies, etc.
I was looking at several muzzleloaders last year to buy for my dad. The Bass Pro sales prices were more expensive than the Cabelas regular prices.

When I was younger, I used to view the Springfield Bass Pro and the Sidney Cabelas as heaven here on earth. Now I just realize they are just this huge retail busy retail store

[Andy L]

I havent noticed that at all. Maybe on a few items, but overall, their prices are just about exact. I look in both catalogs before ordering and it usually comes down to a coin flip. I think they do that on purpose so one doesnt lose market share.

I know I was lookin for new 3D camo last year and Bass Pro won.

One thing though, they each carry alot of the same brands and they will be the same price. But, some brands, one will carry and the other will carry another major brand of the same thing. There may be a slight price discrepincy there. That was the case of my camos. But it goes both ways.

And there house brands, I think, are made by the same company in alot of cases. When I was fishing tournaments heavy, a good rainsuit was a must. I bought Cabelas Guidewear. It was the top of the line back then. A few years later, I wanted a new set and was going to order the guidewear and happened to be in Springfield and checked out the Bass Pro brand. They were identical with identical features as far as seems, material, ect... Couldnt tell them apart. And the same price. Basically $400 for the parka and bibs.

Andy

[fabsroman]

Trust me, there is a difference in prices between Outdoor World and Cabelas. When I was in law school, I used to create spreadsheets of items I wanted, scour the catalogs, and post who had the cheapest price and what it was. Outdoor World/Bass Pro/Redhead rarely made it on the spreadsheet. A couple of places beat out Cabelas on certain items like Lock, Stock & Barrel and MidWay, but for the most part Cabelas had the cheapest prices I could find.

As far as them making their prices the same, they do not do it because they don't want the other to lose market share, they do it because if they didn't they themselves would lose market share. Retailers can approach the price issue a couple of ways. They can undercut the competition to gain market share and then merely match the competition once they have a good market share.

Purdue used to drive start up chicken producers out of the market by lowering his chicken price to the extent where the startup could not afford to compete. Even if Perdue suffered a loss for a couple of months, he had enough reserves to withstand it and he could then make it back up once the competition was gone and he could raise prices again. The retail world is cruel. Heck, the service industry is cruel too. Oh yeah, don't get me started with manufacturing.

[Andy L]

Whatever. I guess I cant read. Its not worth arguing over. Buy what you like where you like and believe what you like.

Good Day

Andy

[Purebred Redneck]

Ok, I may have an answer to the price question.

This goes for both Bass Pro and Cabelas.
The website, catalog, and store price may be different prices. in the catalog that coems out in June, the price for an item may be 200.00 and the price is good through December. Well then in September you get a diffrent catalog and the same item is 175.00 good through december. So if you don't get the new catalog, you end up paying more.

For the most part, I quit getting the hard copies of the catalogs because I'm on the high speed internet now for the last 1 1/2 years- so I don't know if the companies still do this.

[multibeard]

If you get poor service in a store and walk out without saying something to management, the employee will continue to give poor service.

I used to take it an walk out but no more. There are a number of times that I have gone to the manager of the large lumber yards around here and complained. I have at least gotten the satisfaction knowing that someone might get a butt chewing.

I owed one $130 on a special order and got it taken off my bill. I simply asked for the place to send my bill for lost wages due to two of there screw ups that cost me a days work.

I do all my dealing with Cabelas on the phone. I have found customer service to be great and willing to go beyond the call of duty to help me out.

[Hawkeye6]

Fabs:

"Heck, the service industry is cruel too"

So does this mean that you cut your hourly billing rate to drive the competion out?

BTW, you have it precisely right on with company's buying market share. They will try to undercut each other on price to do that. Manufacturer's may try to do it on quality or "cutting edge" technology, but about all retailers have to work with is price.

For another mail-order house with good service and fairly good prices, try Natchez Shooting Supply. I think their website is www.natchezss.com I've been pretty happy with their prices on many items. Watch shipping though. It can be a killer.

H.

[fabsroman]

Andy,

What I meant to say is that I know there was a difference between Cabelas and Outdoor World's prices about 8 years ago. I don't know what it is right now because I usually do not price items unless they are pretty large. Most of the large items are about the same between the two (e.g., finisher layout blinds).


Hawkeye6,

I don't necessarily reduce my fee, but I have seen some CPA's that have prepared some illegal tax returns for their clients just so that their clients will use them because they can get a larger refund. I had to decline to do one client's tax return because I couldn't do for her what her previous CPA did the two years prior. She is a legal client of mine that wanted me to prepare her tax returns.

Then there are the attorneys that will lie for their clients just so they can get paid. That isn't me either.

[Steverino]

One thing that you can always expect on this forum is good, thought-provoking feedback! Great posts Denton and Lil-Red (and others)

I have found both Cabelas and Bass Pro Shops to be somewhat comparable on most major label brands of fishing and hunting products. Where I have really seen a marked differnce, however, is on the personal brand products (RedHead-Guide Series) Cabeleas wins hands down in my book.

Cabelas has claimed more than their fair share of my cash through the years on a bevy of different items-especially clothing ans there is a marked difference. The quality of the fabric on shirts, jackets, and chore coats are superior to RedHead along with better quality stiching, seams, and hems. When I'm not wearing Filson, I'm usually afield in something from Cabelas. Personally, I have always received top-notch service from Cabelas as well. I can't always say that I have from BPS.

With respect to the above post from Lil Red, Amen!!! I've spent alot of time down South and still do as I have family there and I can say with pride that it will certainly be "From My Cold Dead Hands" in the South should any BS legislation ever pass denying us our 2nd Ammendment rights. I will be South of the Mason Dixon line quicker than a jackrabbit being run down by a pack of dogs.

I personally believe that our forefathers, knowing human nature, constructed with the help of God, the most perfect documents that were humanly possible. The anology they used was that this would only serve to be an experiment if the people were vigilant in protecting these rights. Look to Canada and England and ask yourself if they are better off now. I can go on and on but I will stop. There are certainly some things that are worth fighting for and in my book, this rates right on up there!

[Steverino]

To those of you that are scratching your heads right now and wondering what in the heck my last two paragraphs have to do with Cabelas service...I apologize. This was meant to be posted on the "Ronnie Barret" thread in "Anything Goes"

This is what happens when you eat lunch at your desk at work, are trying to keep a couple of screen sessions open on HC and are fielding phone calls from co-workers all at the same time.

Sorry for any confusion.

[fabsroman]

Well, you started out in the right direction with the Cabelas stuff and then I figured that you got somewhat confused at the end with the other thread.

You might just want to cut and paste the last portion on the Barrett thread.

[Steverino]

I did copy and paste over to the other thread so at least the folks reading that might have some clue as to what I am talking about.