Bass Pro Shops buys Cabelas

Cabela's may have high quality stuff but their prices on everything in the store except used guns and ammo are ridiculous. They seem to cater to what I call the "field and stream" outdoorsman, Someone with more money than common sense that doesn't bat an eye when told they need 5000 dollars worth of junk to go deer hunting. More often than not you can get the brand-name of whatever the cabela's version is for much much cheaper from a different store or the internet. I pop in whenever I'm at market basket to check their long gun racks and have come across a few gems, but I've never bought anything else there except old timey candy and honey-roasted pecans.
 
I rarely darken the doors of BPS or Cabelas...better prices, service and selection at my LGS and for fishing, I hit up local fishing supply stores...again better in almost every department than the big box sporting goods stores. I always find what I'm looking for at the LGS's. When I can't find the fishing stuff I need, which is rarely, I will order online. These big box stores could disappear and it wouldn't change one iota the way I buy stuff I need.
 
I see made in China on everything in BP. I try to avoid going there. Sometimes I get gift certs and the family want to go there. I might get a magazine while my boy finds some more junk toys and the wife gets some clothing.
 
Bando_Red said:
Cabela's may have high quality stuff but their prices on everything in the store except used guns and ammo are ridiculous. They seem to cater to what I call the "field and stream" outdoorsman, Someone with more money than common sense that doesn't bat an eye when told they need 5000 dollars worth of junk to go deer hunting. More often than not you can get the brand-name of whatever the cabela's version is for much much cheaper from a different store or the internet. I pop in whenever I'm at market basket to check their long gun racks and have come across a few gems, but I've never bought anything else there except old timey candy and honey-roasted pecans.
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The one time I was in the Berlin store, I looked on Amazon for the accessories I was looking at and learned that Cabela's was selling for list price. A Cabela's $30 item of interest was $20 on Azn, so I put it back and haven't darkened that door since then. When in Scarborough, I noticed some deals in the "Cave", but nothing I needed or wanted at the time.
 
timbo said:
................. I always find what I'm looking for at the LGS's. When I can't find the fishing stuff I need, which is rarely, I will order online. These big box stores could disappear and it wouldn't change one iota the way I buy stuff I need.
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Big box stores and Malls are going away as we speak. Internet sales make up most of the sales these days, including those of the big box stores.

I do commercial construction and I go to a department store and build them rooms to ship out internet orders. I have been told that as of now almost 70% of their sales are online.
 
radioman said:
I found Cabela's to have some high to very high quality items. Bass pro on the other hand I found them to be the Harbor Freight of the outdoor world.

Anyone else find this to be true?
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I feel like Bass Pro has some OK products but at overly inflated prices. I remember making a purchase of an item there with a gift card that I had and then checking the price elsewhere and the same item was something like $50 elsewhere and BP had it for $80 or so. Should have just bought ammo.
 
Len-2A Training said:
The one time I was in the Berlin store, I looked on Amazon for the accessories I was looking at and learned that Cabela's was selling for list price. A Cabela's $30 item of interest was $20 on Azn, so I put it back and haven't darkened that door since then. When in Scarborough, I noticed some deals in the "Cave", but nothing I needed or wanted at the time.
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I like Cabela's as a place to look over what I want to buy and maybe get to do the touchy-feely thing before I buy the item on-line. IMHO both stores cater to those who are willing to pay for the "experience". I find, both to sell mostly entry-level gear. Case in point, if I want to re-fletch some arrows and I prefer actual feathers (5" shield-cut) to vanes, or if I prefer heavy Zwickey broadheads, I have to go on-line to a specialty shop. The same with camping gear. BP and Cabela's are OK if you need something quick and don't mind paying convenience store markup.

IMHO Kittery TP has a much better selection, in general, and cater to both the novice and the expert.
 
They all suck. No one goes there. No one shops there. All of the stuff you buy at both stores falls apart within seconds of walking out the door. Then this huge barrier comes down so you can't return it. It's a total scam. And people keep falling for it. I think it's the weed chemicals they pump into the HVAC system.

[rofl]

BPS makes a ton of $ selling hunting and shooting stuff. And I guess NES is graced with the smartest of shooting buyers b/c none of us buy anything there. LOL (I actually don't buy anything there, but only b/c I developed my supply chains long long ago. Before BPS was even considering a Northeast store.)

But where BPS makes a lot of dough that I don't think people consider is boating. I'd be curious what % of their bottom line comes from boats. Cabela's doesn't have boats. Not of their own, anyhow. Think of the floorspace that BPS dedicates to boats. And then think of what a 2-yr-old boat goes for used. The margins must be INCREDIBLE!

I go to BPS for what I went to, via catalog, almost 40 years ago - fishin'lurrz and tackle. I've purchased some items for my (albeit tiny) boat as well. And some clothing. And it's a fun place to go to with kids.

Good for BPS and Cabellerz. Seems they are keeping the separate brands for now. I don't think that'll last TOO long. No sense merging them if you are just going to maintain the same costs as 2 separate companies. The only thing you gain is control over territories and Executive salaries. I'm not sure that's enough to buy the other guy out.
 
dhuze said:
Big box stores and Malls are going away as we speak. Internet sales make up most of the sales these days, including those of the big box stores.

I do commercial construction and I go to a department store and build them rooms to ship out internet orders. I have been told that as of now almost 70% of their sales are online.
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No. Online is still only about 9% or so.
 
timbo said:
I rarely darken the doors of BPS or Cabelas...better prices, service and selection at my LGS and for fishing, I hit up local fishing supply stores...again better in almost every department than the big box sporting goods stores. I always find what I'm looking for at the LGS's. When I can't find the fishing stuff I need, which is rarely, I will order online. These big box stores could disappear and it wouldn't change one iota the way I buy stuff I need.
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I thought I'd do most-all of my business at an Indie Gun Store like everyone else - until they ran-into logistical problems with 3rd-party suppliers. Turns-out, Indie Gun Stores don't 'special-order' anything in small quantities like they used to. Vendors want to negotiate large-dollar contracts with big-box retailers to get serious inventory/volume flowing, not supply nickel-and-dime Indie retailers.

Let's say you want to try a 'unique' box of ammo, guess what - mom-n-pop Indie gun store can't get it, and aren't really interested in trying. They want you to buy what THEY have on the shelf. You want that special new bullet that Hornady has advertised in the Tacti-Cool magazines or a special +P load that Sig Sauer is now offering? If it ain't on the Indie Shelf already, you're not getting it. I've actually been referred to Cabelas/BPS by these stores - "they might have it"....now, if I requested a CASE of this 'new' ammo, mom-n-pop Indie Gun Store might try to inquire....but you have to front cash and wait for them to negotiate your 'special order', which might be denied anyway.

I've seen this before with guitars, and the rise of Guitar Center. Big Brand Names want to negotiate big-dollar product distribution deals with a big-box retailer instead of servicing hundreds/thousands of Indie Retailers, which is a labor-intensive effort. Suddenly, product distribution in the Indie pipelines gets very 'scarce', with Big-Box retailers getting all they want.

The MAIN ISSUE is, the consumer has very LITTLE flexibility in this arrangement - "someone else" is still deciding for you what is available for purchase. The traditional avenues of getting something 'special' or 'custom' from a product vendor are drying-up.
 
MichaelJames1971 said:
I thought I'd do most-all of my business at an Indie Gun Store like everyone else - until they ran-into logistical problems with 3rd-party suppliers. Turns-out, Indie Gun Stores don't 'special-order' anything in small quantities like they used to. Vendors want to negotiate large-dollar contracts with big-box retailers to get serious inventory/volume flowing, not supply nickel-and-dime Indie retailers.

Let's say you want to try a 'unique' box of ammo, guess what - mom-n-pop Indie gun store can't get it, and aren't really interested in trying. They want you to buy what THEY have on the shelf. You want that special new bullet that Hornady has advertised in the Tacti-Cool magazines or a special +P load that Sig Sauer is now offering? If it ain't on the Indie Shelf already, you're not getting it. I've actually been referred to Cabelas/BPS by these stores - "they might have it"....now, if I requested a CASE of this 'new' ammo, mom-n-pop Indie Gun Store might try to inquire....but you have to front cash and wait for them to negotiate your 'special order', which might be denied anyway.

I've seen this before with guitars, and the rise of Guitar Center. Big Brand Names want to negotiate big-dollar product distribution deals with a big-box retailer instead of servicing hundreds/thousands of Indie Retailers, which is a labor-intensive effort. Suddenly, product distribution in the Indie pipelines gets very 'scarce', with Big-Box retailers getting all they want.

The MAIN ISSUE is, the consumer has very LITTLE flexibility in this arrangement - "someone else" is still deciding for you what is available for purchase. The traditional avenues of getting something 'special' or 'custom' from a product vendor are drying-up.
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I've only had to special order one firearm and my LGS did it for me and charged me a fair price for it...no hassles at all. I've special ordered dies for my reloading press that another LGS didn't have in stock...three days later I was holding them in my hand. I could've ordered from somewhere else but I like to keep local places in business. I fly fish a lot and tie a lot of my own flies. There's a place in Bedford NH and one in North Conway that has everything I'd ever need...if per chance they don't, I pay for it at their store and they drop ship it right to my house. I usually have it within just a few days.
 
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timbo said:
I've only had to special order one firearm and my LGS did it for me and charged me a fair price for it...no hassles at all. I've special ordered dies for my reloading press that another LGS didn't have in stock...three days later I was holding them in my hand. I could've ordered from somewhere else but I like to keep local places in business. I fly fish a lot and tie a lot of my own flies. There's a place in Bedford NH and one in North Conway that has everything I'd ever need...if per chance they don't, I pay for it at their store and they drop ship it right to my house. I usually have it within just a few days.
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Must be your pretty smile, and the State you live-in....
 
I like cabelas more than bass pro. I went to the Hudson one pretty soon after it opened. Stop in at Scarborough each summer when I'm up that way. I like browsing and usually buy something, usually just a box or two of ammo or tshirt or something. The taxidermied animals are pretty cool. Bps is cool and I've been to foxboro twice I think, but it's not quite my cup of tea for some reason. I like ktp better than both.
 
I live near the Hudson store and go there regularly just because it's so convenient and I agree, Cabela's has great stuff. But it's funny regarding the taxidermied animals... I'm sure I'm in the minority on this, but personally I find them distasteful. Never minded hunting and using the animal, but just killing an animal to stuff it and stick it in a store makes me scratch my head. To each their own.
 
I just watched the Tucker piece seems Mitt Romney and Paul Singer are the same people ruining companies and lives.
 
sadly, this happens all too often with publicly owned companies... it becomes more about the bottom line and less about the people who make the company.
 
"Big company merger causes jobs consolidation and loss"

Wow some headline - rich big wig prioritizes money over people. Happens all the time right?

Sucks but it's nothing new.
 
Ah jeez. We all want free markets and companies who are allowed to make profits and not go out of business - until it huwtz ouwwah widdle feewings.

This thread was beat to death 2 years ago. You can't have BPS and Cabelas exist separate. They will close stores like the multitude of "sporting goods" retailers that put each other out of business over the last decade.

But they suck because (fill in your feeling here)!


It's like the anti-Walmart and anti-McDonald's mafia that runs around this country.



sadly, this happens all too often with publicly owned companies... it becomes more about the bottom line and less about the people who make the company.
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[rofl]
I know you mean well, but WTF???? You're starting to sound like Lizzie Warren. "They should have to give up X to the little guy because FEELINGS!" No. No they shouldn't. That's not how capitalism works. And if they crap on employees and another company can do just as well and NOT crap on employees, then the no-crapping company will succeed and they will fail. (See: Market Basket)

Am I sad that we have one company? In a way, I guess, yes. Although in 2019, with so many choices out there, was I going to go out of my way to drive to Berlin to get something from Cabela's ever? No. I'll get it online. If they have a better X or a longer lasting Y is becoming more and more moot.

Is this just business and is it necessary to attempt to survive another day. . . . AND fulfill the mission of making profits for the company? Uh, yeah. That's how business works. Adam Smith and all that.
 
Dennis in MA said:
Ah jeez. We all want free markets and companies who are allowed to make profits and not go out of business - until it huwtz ouwwah widdle feewings.

This thread was beat to death 2 years ago. You can't have BPS and Cabelas exist separate. They will close stores like the multitude of "sporting goods" retailers that put each other out of business over the last decade.

But they suck because (fill in your feeling here)!


It's like the anti-Walmart and anti-McDonald's mafia that runs around this country.





[rofl]
I know you mean well, but WTF???? You're starting to sound like Lizzie Warren. "They should have to give up X to the little guy because FEELINGS!" No. No they shouldn't. That's not how capitalism works. And if they crap on employees and another company can do just as well and NOT crap on employees, then the no-crapping company will succeed and they will fail. (See: Market Basket)

Am I sad that we have one company? In a way, I guess, yes. Although in 2019, with so many choices out there, was I going to go out of my way to drive to Berlin to get something from Cabela's ever? No. I'll get it online. If they have a better X or a longer lasting Y is becoming more and more moot.

Is this just business and is it necessary to attempt to survive another day. . . . AND fulfill the mission of making profits for the company? Uh, yeah. That's how business works. Adam Smith and all that.
Click to expand...


you may have misinterpreted my comment.. I think we're on the same page given your MB example.

I'm not talking about employees feelings.. but the difference btwn a public and private company is night/day. Just how employees are treated in general. A public company is beholden to the stock price and shareholders, as well it should be, but with that, the management screws employees to appease the stockholders. A private company typically is more flexible in policies, has profit-sharing, is more connected to its employees, and isn't micromanaging against a number on the DOW, NASDAQ, etc.

Professionally, I've worked for 3 companies in my 30 yrs. One small (20 emp) private that got bought out by a large (10K emp) public, One large private (4k emp) public, and now a 50 emp private. Of all, the worst I've been treated was by the large public firm. Wage freezes, vacation freezes, serious performance pressures.. Even my current (bad) situation, is better than my days there.

and comparing me to Liz Warren.. dem's fightin words.. ;)
 
While I think Singer is a major POS, he only owned 11% of Cabelas.

Assuming he didnt have a bunch of other people supporting him, the rest of the board could have stopped him. Tucker should also be blaming the entire board. Remember, every shareholder made money.
 
EMTDAD said:
you may have misinterpreted my comment.. I think we're on the same page given your MB example.

I'm not talking about employees feelings.. but the difference btwn a public and private company is night/day. Just how employees are treated in general. A public company is beholden to the stock price and shareholders, as well it should be, but with that, the management screws employees to appease the stockholders. A private company typically is more flexible in policies, has profit-sharing, is more connected to its employees, and isn't micromanaging against a number on the DOW, NASDAQ, etc.

Professionally, I've worked for 3 companies in my 30 yrs. One small (20 emp) private that got bought out by a large (10K emp) public, One large private (4k emp) public, and now a 50 emp private. Of all, the worst I've been treated was by the large public firm. Wage freezes, vacation freezes, serious performance pressures.. Even my current (bad) situation, is better than my days there.

and comparing me to Liz Warren.. dem's fightin words.. ;)
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Public companies also leave a lot of money on the table. I worked at two companies that were private and went public. In both cases, on the sales side, they went from "fine, close the $500K deal on Monday" to "OMG, it is end of Q tomorrow, offer them a $100K discount, we need to get it in this week".

I have been lucky, and now I'm in a 50K+ people public company, that happens to be amazing with employees. I think we are the rare example where I can say we are treated better here than in a smaller 200 people private company.
 
How do you think Mitt Romney made his fortune?

Bain Capital leveraged buyouts. He made tens of millions by doing the same thing.
 
Part of the issue of "big companies" is that it's hard to make anything super efficient and successful on a large scale. It's just like a local-government policy attempting to become mainstream. You won't get that caring that the small group has. Ever.

So instead you need to "legislate" away some of hte stupidity of bad employees and managers. Which creates really stupid rules. Which pisses off the "good" managers and workers.

There are wonderful things that happen in large companies. And some drawbacks to being there as well.
 

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