Cabelas...really?

[redmongoose]

Is it me or is it just my Cabelas store? I had been looking for a specific red dot sight for my carbine. After reading all the reviews & researching for months I finally decided to purchase the one I wanted from Cabelas since they are listed by the manufacturer as being an authorized dealer.

I drove 45 minutes to get there, waited in line to take a number at the firearms/scope counter and then waited some more until they finally called on me… Yes! It was finally my turn.
I told the clerk what I was after and he had no clue as to what I was talking about. I told him I wanted XYZ Red Dot sight Model No. 1234 & he brings me a laser sight & tells me that's all they have. After I explained what I wanted in detail he tells me he doesn't think they carry those. I tell him that there is a spot in their display case that mentions the item that I'm seeking. He then tells me that if I don't see it in the case then they don't have any. I ask when they may be getting more in & he tells me quickly that he has no idea, and then he shouts NEXT to the guy behind me. I guess he was done with me at this point. This whole conversation lasted about four minutes! I left feeling frustrated. I know they were busy but he could have looked to see if there were any on the shelf behind him at least I would have felt like he tried.

I waited three days & called to see if they had any of the red dots sights come in & they told me yes, they had several. So I drove all the way back down there, got my number ticket @ the firearms/scope counter and waited… again. They finally called my number and I explained what I was after. This clerk didn't know what I was talking about either. He brought out an eotech magnifier & asked if that was what I was looking for. I said, "no… this is a magnifier. I need the red dot sight." Again I was presented with a laser sight for a pistol. What the…? He went to ask another clerk for help & while they were getting things figured out I was eves dropping on the customer being waited on next to me by yet another clerk who didn't know what a Viridian laser sight was. After about two minutes that customer said , "NEVER MIND!:" & walked away from the counter. I could clearly see several Viridian boxes behind the counter on the shelf.

I did finally get what I was after but what a frustrating experience. Are these guys just holiday help or are the firearms clerks clueless about what they sell? Sorry this is long but I had to vent.

 

[RussellD]

you need to go online at cabelas web site and explain your lack of satisfaction with the customer service you received while trying to purchase their advertised product twice. They should take care of your and offer a gift card. Just curious if you were at the store in Rapid City?

 

[logictox]

The Cabelas near me is a typical chain store. The staff seems to know very little about the product or what they have in stock. It's hard to get good help these days.

 

[nossew]

Order online and use the "Pick up at store" option.

 

[johnsonl]

Chain stores hire sales staff, not "gun guys".

 

[leftnose]

Order online and use the "Pick up at store" option.

Order online, ship to home, save 90 minutes driving, time wasted while waiting in the store, and gas.

 

[novalty]

Order online and use the "Pick up at store" option.

Good on almost anything at Cabelas...except for powder & primers. They charge the hazmat fee to ship to their own @$#% store.

Wanted to ad:*BUYER BEWARE* Have had this happen to me twice while shopping at Cabelas, the price of items rang up for more than what was advertised on the shelf. The last time was on a box of Berry's bullets that rang up $4.00 more than advertise, didn't realize until I got home. Fortunately, I used my Cabelas card, and the Clerk double checked the price advertised on the shelf, and they credited back the difference.

 

[Goathead75]

you need to go online at cabelas web site and explain your lack of satisfaction with the customer service you received while trying to purchase their advertised product twice. They should take care of your and offer a gift card. Just curious if you were at the store in Rapid City?

This ^. Unfortunately a lot of clerks now a days can't think if you get them off the beaten path. I ran into this at a chain auto store. I pulled out my Droid, looked the part number up on THEIR site, gave it to him and then got my part. It's unfortunate that a lot of these clerks don't seem to go the extra mile for the customer anymore. That's why brick and mortar stores are going under.

 

[insomniac]

That's why brick and mortar stores are going under.

^this is sad, but true. it used to be that you could get an education in a store, then buy right there.

now, it's very easy to research and purchase exactly what you want online.......delivered to your doorstep in 3 days.

i really feel for the brick store owners, but i think that there is a fundamental change happening in how goods are marketed and sold. a very successful busines around here is a hybrid brick/internet type operation called Florida Gun Exchange. they are all over the internet firearms sales sites like Gunbroker and GunsAmerica. due to their high volume internet sales, they can afford to have a huge in-store inventory that a customer can actually lay hands on........very smart business model IMO.

.....and i am in no way connected to FGE, just using them as an example. Buds Gun Shop is another example of this successful business tactic.

 

[Bluelou]

Don't go there any more.simple

 

[clockworkjon]

The Cabelas near me is a typical chain store. The staff seems to know very little about the product or what they have in stock. It's hard to get good help these days.

Still better than Gander Mountain any day! But that's not saying much.

 

[madmikeb]

My last 2 visits to the Maine Cabelas have been quite negative, terrible customer service and rude salespeople in the gun library. Couple that with their ridiculous prices on used guns and I probably won't ever buy another gun there.

 

[Dave from Pa]

http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com
http://www.midwayusa.com

 

[1fly2ty]

When they built the Cabelas here in Boise ,I was extatic! Now for all of the reasons cited in the above post's I shop at any other store before I will even set foot in Cabelas! When they put the take a ticket number at the gun counter and you have to stand there for an hour and get a person that is basically clueless about firearms it pissed me off so bad I closed my credit card account and told the guy they could shove all those guns in a place where the sun don't shine! I watched a gun sales guy sell an In-line blackpowder rifle for use during the Black powder season here in Idaho, and the real kicker is they aren't allowed to be used here! Enough said! If I can't find what I want at our local gunshops I order it on line from several different suppliers.

 

[Leonard]

I never bother stopping in Cabella's and pitch their catalogs there are many better options including supporting the local small gun shops.

 

[427mach1]

I recently ordered a Leupold VX-I 2-7x28 rimfire scope from Cabelas, advertised with a sales price of $169 and an instant $20 coupon. They were out of stock but it was marked as "backorderable" so I went ahead and ordered it. I checked the status occasionally and it continually showed "backordered". I initiated an online chat and was told that I WOULD receive the scope; they were just at the end of the season run and would be getting more once the next season production began. Two days later I checked the status again and it showed "CANCELLED". I started another online chat and was told that the first person was misinformed, should not have told me that I would eventually receive the scope, and that they will NOT backorder products once the season production has been exhausted. She could not explain to me why the website indicated "backorderable". I expressed my disappointment and informed her that this was my first and last purchase from Cabelas. She understood my position and asked if there was anything else she could do for me. I said, "No, I have to buy a scope from someone else".

The bright side to the story is that I received a free optics cleaning brush (included with every Leupold scope purchase) and a set of scope rings, to which the $20 coupon had been applied. I think shipping was free so the whole package cost me less than $10. I ended up ordering the scope from Graf & Sons and had it in a few days.

 

[Silver77]

The last time I went to Cabelas was for a Saturday car show. I, my son and his son really enjoyed the show. There was no reason to go in the store.

 

[silvertip43]

Cabelas

My experience with the new Springfield Oregon Cabelas has been very good. I especially like the gun library, there are few chain stores that offer used collectable firearms. The guys working in the library are knowledgable and a pleasure to talk to. I have added three collectable S&W's in the last few months from the library, thank you Dave.
All the store employees have been helpfull and polite, I like the store.

 

[nedlate]

Cabelas at Post Falls ID seems rather stiff on used gun prices, but I still stop and look every couple of months when I am visiting there. It is always fun looking at used guns hoping to find a gem! Same thing I do at regular gun stores, and they are high priced also.
Ed

 

[45Wheelgun]

The gun room at the Cabelas in Wheeling WV is a pretty fun place to kill some time. They always seem to have interesting guns, sometimes priced high, sometimes low. The folks there seem to know their stuff.

At the modern gun counter my experience has been similar to those above.