I have been online for two days now trying to order some fishing stuff,
Find what I want, enter it into my shopping cart and try to check out.
Won't let me take my " Club Points" , say's they are unable to do this at this time.
OK, so I'll call in my order,
Call Bass Pro, wait time is told to be 5 min, after 20 hang up.
Call Cabela's, same thing,, can't get through even after waiting longer than what they say.
I guess I'll just try and buy local, these guys are killing their clientele, no wonder their sales are down.

Give them another 18 months, and the company will be utterly worthless as well.

I stopped in the local store last week. Didn't have anything I was looking for in stock.

Huge clothing selection though, go figure.

Both gone downhill.

Cabela’s has been on a downhill slide for a while; the bass pro acquisition just quickened the descent. The last time I was in the store it became painfully obvious that the slide is now more of a free fall.

Cabelas went to heck after Bass Pro took them over. Back in the day when the Cabela brothers owned and ran the place it was great. But they lost control when it went public on the stock market and then was sold over to Bass pro by a corporate raider who leveraged the stock. I grew up in CO just below the NE border and the corporate headquarters of Cabela's was just 16 miles from me. I used to go to the big store there on I-80 and I often saw the Cabela brothers in the store talking to customers and even helping them out. Both were really nice guys but they have gone to the great hunting camp in the sky. last time I was in a Cabela's store I left without spending a dime.

No wonder they have large stocks of clothing, it's all Chinese made crap that falls apart after a few wearings. I bought a couple pairs of their Red Head brand cargo pants, they didn't even last a year.

What store isn't worthless right now? I see plenty of out of stock items at every store.

Bass Pro will let you complete an online order for in-stock items with a free-shipping total cart price, then email you the next day and tell you what they are actually sending you. They'll cancel your items that they don't have, but if they happen to come back in stock within a few months of your order, they'll reactivate that part of your order and charge you shipping as they send things out. I had a box of ammo show up at my old address about 2 months after I moved to another town. I told them I'm done with their online orders.

I even went into a Walmart to pick up some oil and antifreeze the other day... I haven't been in one much since this Covid crap scam.... but a lot of the shelves in the sporting goods dept, were empty like the day after Christmas....

Truckers are even refusing to drive during this Covid crap...

it also costs stores a lot of money to just have stuff sitting in the warehouse, or store shelves and not moving...

its everywhere, even our local supermarkets...

They've been 'worthless' for years now... I've only been to one once in the last 15+ years, and that will be the LAST time...

That's likely why the USA's GDP is down over 30% this year. That's well beyond what happened in 1929. In fact, its about 2.5 times the economic contraction that happened in the first two years of the Depression. Companies like Bass Pro/Cabelas that sell cheap China crap to an increasingly limited market at exorbitant prices are going bye-bye.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^This

On a positive note Cabelas now have great selections in women's Chinese pink Camo clothing and hats

"Positive", indeed.

Been trying to buy US-made hunting clothes when possible; failing that, stuff from places not actively trying to kill us. Have picked up some nice quality unissued military camo from Sportsmans Guide pretty cheaply. Bought a couple sets of Hungarian Woodland-pattern ripstop pants and shirts, plus a French Gore-Tex parka at half the price of an identical (except for the left-hand zipper) used GI one.

Last Cabelas I was in was the Gainesville, VA one in 2017 or 18. Good supply of loading stuff, but knowing what I'd find, I didn't even look at the clothes. Anyway, my circa 1990 US-made Cabelas Gore-Tex Thinsulate parka soldiers on, still waterproof and apparently, lucky. Lotta deer went down while I was wearing that one.

Only reason I’ll go in there anymore is if I fail to plan ahead well enough and need backpacking food at the last minute.

Chinese garbage, no In-demand ammo, and overpriced firearms Is all they got anymore.

curious on their financials. Cant believe they stay in business

Cabelas was slipping badly well before the Bass overtake - could not figure what they were trying to do and why, but the slide became more and more noticeable. Ten years ago I simply quit going to a place that once had seemed top drawer. Fortunately, still have some of the earlier Eddie Bauer and Filson wear and all of the excellent gear I ever will need.

Went to a Scheels for first time last week. I only went into hunting area. Huge store, well stocked, some very good prices, some not so good. I’ll go back.

From what I could find for free, they had a huge year in 2017, and have been going downhill since. Last fall, their credit outlook was downgraded by Moody's (that was before Covid) and they have been in the schitter this year for sales, having to "temporarily" close stores and cut pay for management with pay freezes for the rest.

Like I said, I give them 18 months. Most businesses like this are going down in the economic aftermath of coronafarce.

Cabela's and BPS sent out a sales flyer last week advertising a sale that is starting this week. I popped over to the nearby Cabela's to look at a Franchi Momentum rifle that is listed as being $100 off the regular price, but they didn't have the rifles and didn't know what the regular price is. I understand "just in time" inventory management, but this seems to be "just incompetent" inventory management. Pretty hard to sell stuff that you don't have. I also noticed that the LaVista, NE, Cabela's has almost no used firearms in either the floor racks and the Gun Library.

I understand that the Cabela's family made out very well, financially, in regards to the sale of their business to BPS, but most of the people who worked for Cabela's headquarters operation in Sidney, NE, were badly hurt, as most of those jobs went to BPS' HQ operations in Springfield, MO. Sidney was pretty much a company town and when the company was sold, real estate prices for existing homes dropped like a rock. The last couple of times that I stopped at the Cabela's flagship store in Sidney the used firearms selection was small and mostly, as is usually the case with Cabela's, over-priced. I used to like to stay in Sidney 'cause Dude's Steakhouse in downtown Sidney has the best mountain oysters that I've ever eaten in a restaurant.

I used to think Cabela's guns were way over-priced... figure out their system and it is amazing how cheap they are.

I don’t buy anything from them!

If I ever get to use up my Cabela's bucks, I'm cancelling my card and going with one from Sportsman's warehouse depending on what they offer.

If I ever get to use up my Cabela's bucks, I'm cancelling my card and going with one from Sportsman's warehouse depending on what they offer.

You can say that again.....

Called up to a Cabela's in Arizona several weeks ago and agreed to pay $25 shipping on a gun I hadn't seen to my local Cabela's so I could see it and buy it from them if it was good.

Next thing I know they've charged my credit card for the gun that I hadn't seen.

They never called me before changing the charge from $25 to the gun price (they had my cell). Never sent me a receipt. Local Cabela's didn't know I'd been charged. If I hadn't looked at my credit card activity online before I went in, I'd have paid for the gun twice.

I informed the store manager in Glendale in very unhappy terms about how I don't appreciate doing business with companies that commit credit card fraud. Never heard back from him either.

They are an absolute last resort for me to buy anything from either of them. In order to put even more distance between us I paid off and canceled my Cabelas card,BPS is soon to follow.

I've noticed people having trouble with Midway USA as well. They're not far from me. I buy almost all of my reloading stuff at Grafs.com It's family owned and small town service.

Buy at 50% value and list at 150% value?

I have occasionally found some good deals in the gun library, but they have always been on things that were unrecognized by Cabela’s - micky stocks, etc. And then the pain of actually trying to procure them has eliminated any sense of a good deal. The last time I was in, it took over two hours to simply check out. Left hand didn’t know what the right was doing; the right hand didn’t know what the left was doing; and no one, including the “manager”, gave two [bleep]. Beyond frustrating.

That's crazy that you can actually see 'em. All I could see was empty shelves.

Isn't there a quote "I see dead products"?

I think it's from a movie called "The 9th Sense"....maybe it's "The Chapter 9 Cents".....

I bought my first reloading equipment (around 1973) and several rifles in the original Cabelas store in downtown Sidney, NE . They were housed in a 3 level store. One floor below street level was a very well equipped gun shop. The street level floor and the second level floor housed their business offices and their mail order business. This was years before the first flag ship store was built on the east side of Sidney along I-80.

Cabelas gong to the big store approach was the beginning of the corporate failure snowball that gained size while steadily rolling down hill for quite a few years. The bulky snowball totally melted down when Bass Pro took over.

Many of you all’s complaints are the same complaints of 10,15 years ago.


As long you only go there with the expectation of buying some golf shorts, some peanut oil and some chocolate covered doodles, you’ll never be disappointed.

As for being on hold for 20 minutes.....doing something else while the on-hold music/message plays. You dont have tobe glued to a hand piece. Sharpen a knife, flash to the campfire on your smartphone, or even talk to your loved ones about human papilloma virus.

Bass Pro should have let Cabelas die on the vine and just kept doing what they were dong. It sure didn't help them.

I ordered from Midway a few months ago because I saw what was coming and wanted to get ahead of the rush. They had one bullet , which is hard to find, listed as "in Stock" and I went through the process of checkout and everything and it said that item was out of stock after I'd gone through all the crap. They did get me the other items just fine, but now I don't know whether to trust their website availability, because they kept listing that same bullet as "in stock".

Cancelled my Cabelas card a few weeks ago. I told them I found a card with better rewards, which is true. Switched to the Chase Freedom card. Only 1.5% back on everything, but a $200 bonus after 3 months for signing up.
Cabelas has integrated their customer service and website into bAsshole shops in the last month or so. Their website sucks, and the customer service is non-existant. In the good old days, you could call the customer service, and if it was a brand they carried, but an item they didn't stock, they could get it for you. Now, I wouldn't even waste my breath.

I did place an order to use up my Cabelas bucks. They do have good prices on powder. Placed the order, got free shipping and no hazmat on a store pickup. Went to the store, did a curbside pickup and never went in. They paid shipping and hazmat for one $25 bottle of powder. It was still in the shipping box when they brought it out to me. Surprised they didn't at least combine it with a store restock order.

I despise the current Cabelas and BP as much as anyone, BUT you guys bytchin about the shelves being empty make me laugh! You know the average casual gun owner/outdoor person isnt as "in the know" as many of us on here regarding where to purchase their guns, ammo, gear, etc. They need guns, ammo or other outdoor gear, Cabelas, BP, Dicks etc is where they think to go look first. With the current run on guns/ammo, gear etc, how is anyone surprised that major stores like these are picked clean??

Both are dead to me.

I just ordered a closeout hunting coat from BPS. That went very well. I almost bought it last year at full price. Paying half that made me happy.

Went to local Bass pro yesterday, looking for a 6 gal feeder. There were 2 on display, none in stock. Employee said they cannot sell the display units, and not sure when they will get more, Apparently the manufacturers cannot get materials.
Cruised the ammo area, lots of empty shelves.

Leanord Brownell wrote in one of the Gunsmith Kinks books they sell about starting the business known as Brownells. There is an excellent book about how Roy Weatherby started his business. In reading these I have often thought that these men and others were in the golden age of firearms and hunting. Cabelas was started by 2 brothers from a small start.

I say that to ask a question of you guys. Is it possible in our day and age for a new person to come along and do what they did? I sure hate seeing so much of our industry wither away.

Its not just Cabelas, Bass Pro or sporting goods.

This is the case with all the big box/internet sporting goods type stores during the COVID BS. They claim it's because they are operating with a skeleton staff.

You may well be right, but how do you know how good a store is if you ain't been there in 15+ years?

Credit care fraud is exactly what that was.

I've dealt with Grafs. No complaints.

Here's a classic Cabela's / BPS puck-up
Received an email from Cabela's @ 5:52 this AM (Aug. 4) offering a 10% discount on any order over $50.
Tried to us it and they said it was no good, Offer was for one day only (Aug. 3 )
What a bunch of dumb ars's.

Clothing is the focus in the Dania Beach BassPro by me.

Thankfully, can still find some shooting and fishing stuff there.

Guns.. Pfft.

I jumped on Cabela's website yesterday and bought a Sig Romeo 5 no problem. They're on sale for $149.99 with "free" two day shipping, on Mondays you get another 10% off if you use your Club Visa (I'll pay it off before next billing cycle), plus I had $28.00 in points. Took me longer to type this than it did to make the purchase. Should be delivered tomorrow.

Let us know if it shows up.

Absolutely correct and part of the reason for the need to understand their "system." Hint, even their hang tags are wrong...

What do you expect? How can they hire staff when the .gov pays everybody $600 per week to not work. Wait until you see the huge tax increases that will be necessary to pay off all the money the fed is printing.

They aren't going to increase taxes. They are going to collapse the Dollar and the economy (crisis), blame it on Covid and white racism (reaction), and then implement a new currency under a new "electronic economy" (solution).

Cabela's used to be a great store. When I was a kid I sent all my lawn mowing money for fishing lures, it was the go to place before Bass Pro existed.

Bass Pro Shop has always sucked, it's a shame they brought Cabela's down to their level, even though Cabela's was already on it's way there.

I liked the in store Bargain caves at Cabela’s.

I’ve found a few deals on returned stuff. Even more of a discount on Cabela’s branded stuff.



Last Cabela’s i went in, a curtain covered up the entrance to the BC.

I don't think there are any left. Closed them all down. I bought a lot of stuff from bargain caves as well.

Always hated Bass Pro. Cabela’s was starting to wear thin with me before Bass Pro took over. The spiral down after Bass Pro bought them surprised even me. Don’t ever see myself shopping there again.

I'm pretty sure BP shut down the bargain caves as soon as they took over (or shortly thereafter). I used to make a yearly pilgrimage to at least one Cabela's a year (nearest one is around 2 hours away) but I haven't made one in the last few years. Fugg them and BP.

I've got a Bass Pro about 5 minutes from me, but unless I need something absolutely right now, the internet is just easier, better, and cheaper. I think the business model for their brick and mortar stores is pretty much doomed whether they run their stores well or crappy.

They got the attraction / destination thing going.

Kids love aquariums.

Springfield has the gun museum.

Go see Santa.

Told y’all, they are preparing to close and or restructure

went to a Cabela's store twice.........

the first & last time........

Ain't never been to a Bass Pro........

Prob just another over priced/over rated store

Never cared for Bass Pro, and I've been watching Cabelas slide downhill for years now.

I have 50 dollars in Cabelas points and can't even find anything I want, they literally have nothing in stock.

When I manage to spend my fifty dollars in Cabelas points I'll be done with them !!!!!

Ordered item Friday from AssPro at manufacturer's fixed price, arrived today UPS, cost free shipping. Otherwise they suck.

I bought a gun in a WA state Cabelas, I think a Luger.

I have stopped on the Idaho state line a few times to buy jugs of powder while driving 900 miles to deer hunt.

I owned commercial property with apartment tenants and business tenants on the main floor in through the 1990s.
I learned how much commercial property costs per month per square foot. It was $1/sq ft/month in 1990 for what I had, but $10 for medical space.
Everything should be 4X that now, from looking at
https://gismaps.kingcounty.gov/parcelviewer2/
The building is appraised at 4X what I paid.

I have never been able to understand how Cabellas can cash flow.
Not enough customers buying enough stuff for enough profit to pay for the overhead.

But they still exist, ....so either I don't know anything, or someone is subsidising the losers I visit.

That's a conundrum for me too. Just doesn't make sense they are able to stay viable after the buy out

Went to Scheels for the first time last week while I was in DFW. It kicks the piss out of BPS/Cabelas. I used to run through Cabelas almost weekly to see if I needed anything. I haven’t been in one in well over a year now. I did need some parts for my boat and stopped at BPS because I was close. I refused to pay the prices they wanted so I drove to Academy Sports and not them from between 30%-60% cheaper at their everyday prices.

Cabela's had Gen 3 G26 listed on GunsInternational for $399. It did not last long. Quite recently they sold 100 round boxes of 9x19 FMJ for $18.99. It does not appear this company is useless.

Yes, they did. And for the simple reason they no longer accept returns like Cabelas did. They went to the Bass Pro policy. 30 days with receipt, and it can't be used. No Cabela's name warranty. So, if you buy it you had better like it, or decide to return it the next day before you take it out of the bag. If not, they will find a reason not to accept the return.

Showed up this afternoon just like they said it would.

I have been in several BPS through the years. They never had in stock what I was looking for. Easier to just order things online.