Poor Cabelas customer service.

Alderman

Handloader
Apr 5, 2014
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I took a trip to the local Cabelas store in Lacey Washington this morning. My son-in-law, and two grandsons made the two hour trip to purchase a new rifle for his birthday.
We got there as the store opened and were second in line at the gun counter. One employee was helping another customer while a second employee ignored us for 20 minutes before finally calling our number.
We informed him what gun we were looking for and the employee handed the gun to my son-in -law for inspection. After a while I asked a question about the scope and was brusquely told by the employee he was busy helping my son in law and if I wanted help with something I was to take a number and wait.
We informed the employee we were together and thinking the problem was solve, I again asked about the scope only to be informed to take a number and wait.
After this rude treatment we promptly informed the employee we would complete the purchase elsewhere.
We went to a competitor and completed the transaction hassle free and saved over $100 in the process.
Last trip to Cabelas for me.


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Customer service assuredly colours how we look at a company. Sorry to hear of your experience, but I would have made the same decision as you under those circumstances. A letter to Cabela's with specifics might assist in assuring that the employee receives training and/or opportunity to work in another trade.
 
I hate when I am treated like that. There are lots of places that don't see my money any more. I shop online at Cabela's rarely, and in their store even less.
 
"Take a number" ????

Sorry, I don't go to places like that.

Well, except the Dept of Licensing for my driver's license... No way around that sometimes...

Guy
 
It's not like that at the Cabela's here, but I was just in Phoenix and went to the gun counter and it took over 30 minutes before my number came up so I could look at some pistols. They had about 15 people waiting at the counter to look at stuff and only ONE guy taking care of folks. It was pathetic.

Took about 40 minutes after I asked several times to get someone over to the knives so I could look at some. Not good folks.
 
I would ask for the General Manager on the way out and bring this attention to him / her. Sorry to hear they treated you that way, I was once treated similar by a rude employee at Bass Pro Shop.
 
I've had several bad experiences at the Lacey store. Walked out twice angry, stopped at Sportco in Fife. They sold me the guns we needed.


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One quick reminder folks. Cabelas is now owned by Bass Pro so what you are experiencing is the norm for Bass Pro customer service when you shop at Cabelas now or atleast it is in my area and I do very little shopping at Bass Pro where I have to have a customer service clerk wait on me and as far as take a number I only do that in at the delli or meat counter at the Butcher shop. Yeah DMV also.
 
DrMike":1h9ocaam said:
Customer service assuredly colours how we look at a company. Sorry to hear of your experience, but I would have made the same decision as you under those circumstances. A letter to Cabela's with specifics might assist in assuring that the employee receives training and/or opportunity to work in another trade.

Cabela's customer service got the whole story and sent an apology which basically said they may or may not do something about it.
My reply was it is no care of mine whether they do or don't. It's their loss, not mine. I'm done with them.


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Alderman":1ajpyeck said:
DrMike":1ajpyeck said:
Customer service assuredly colours how we look at a company. Sorry to hear of your experience, but I would have made the same decision as you under those circumstances. A letter to Cabela's with specifics might assist in assuring that the employee receives training and/or opportunity to work in another trade.

Cabela's customer service got the whole story and sent an apology which basically said they may or may not do something about it.
My reply was it is no care of mine whether they do or don't. It's their loss, not mine. I'm done with them.


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I understand fully. Given the circumstances, I likely would have made the same decision. It almost sounds as if poor customer service is endemic to the name. That is a shame as it is not the Cabela's I remember from many years ago.
 
truck driver":k1mi366g said:
One quick reminder folks. Cabelas is now owned by Bass Pro so what you are experiencing is the norm for Bass Pro customer service when you shop at Cabelas now or atleast it is in my area and I do very little shopping at Bass Pro where I have to have a customer service clerk wait on me and as far as take a number I only do that in at the delli or meat counter at the Butcher shop. Yeah DMV also.

BPS made an offer. The acquisition has not yet taken place, and due to antitrust laws likely won't. Google it if you're bored.

Unfortunately, Cabela's is just not what it used to be.
 
The only big name chain stores within reasonable driving distances for me are Bass Pro, Cabelas, and Scheels.

Cabelas has declined in product selection, pricing, and as has been noted by many, customer service. I used to love to go to Cabelas, even just to look without intention of buying anything, but there is nothing to draw me there now. I once bought a used gun from Cabelas that turned out to be stolen and that was the beginning of my wariness for doing business there.

In my experience, BP has always been higher priced than the other two and more often than not, their employees have had poor attitudes and acted like you were inconveniencing them to help you.

I have visited several Scheels stores in different states and all had excellent customer service with employees who came around and asked if they could help you and didn't have snotty attitudes. Plus, most of the time their prices were comparable or better than either of the others.

Just my .02.

Ron
 
Alderman":130f8dr3 said:
I took a trip to the local Cabelas store in Lacey Washington this morning. My son-in-law, and two grandsons made the two hour trip to purchase a new rifle for his birthday.
We got there as the store opened and were second in line at the gun counter. One employee was helping another customer while a second employee ignored us for 20 minutes before finally calling our number.
We informed him what gun we were looking for and the employee handed the gun to my son-in -law for inspection. After a while I asked a question about the scope and was brusquely told by the employee he was busy helping my son in law and if I wanted help with something I was to take a number and wait.
We informed the employee we were together and thinking the problem was solve, I again asked about the scope only to be informed to take a number and wait.
After this rude treatment we promptly informed the employee we would complete the purchase elsewhere.
We went to a competitor and completed the transaction hassle free and saved over $100 in the process.
Last trip to Cabelas for me.


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My read and take on your situation is that that Cabelas has a problem employee!


At the his 2nd "take a number", I would have demanded to speak to his manager right then and there even if it meant stop the line or make a scene. With the manager there, I would have confronted the employee with his actions. The manager's response would then determine weather it was a Cabelas problem or an employee problem!
 
Too many bean counters not focused on customer satisfaction and repeat business. My last experience at Cabelas turned out ok, it took some time to find a clerk to help me and then he was not very helpful. Not at all flexible on the ticket price of a used gun. "We have to maintain our 30% margin".... Returned home and found a Cabelas promotion $50 off a $500 purchase... Called the number on the back of my Cabelas card and received a $50 gift card in the mail. The clerk clearly did not make any effort to make me happy, just follow the routine.
 
I had a interesting episode at Cabelas a number of years ago as I was wondering around and stop to look at powder prices while there an employee (young lad) was talking to a customer about ammunition telling the customer that 375 Winchester ammunition is interchangeable with 375 H&H. I did not say a word but walked to the ammunition shelf and picked up a box of each and took it to the customer. I then explained to him that Winchester was a straight wall bullet and that 375 H&H was bottle necked and belted. The employee just looked at me and didn't say a word :shock:. I am not sure if they school their employees back then but that was a little concerning to me.
I now know a few of the guys here at the Regina, they are quite friendly and do know their products well.
This incident didn't happen here in Regina.
I also know when Wholesales Sports was here my buddy and I stopped in as he was taking dad's 06 as back up on our Moose hunt. He asked the clerk for a box of 180gr Partitions and the clerk told him that they really wouldn't work well on a Moose :shock: suggesting Doug should get some 165gr. Doug politely told him that he knew 165grs. would work but he wanted 180gr :lol:.

Blessings,
Dan
 
I am sorry that some of you have had trouble with the Lacey Cabelas. Just north of Sportco are two Sportsman's Warehouses with better selection than Cabelas and no membership fee like Sportco.
 
Both those Sportsman's stores had good gun counters. I shopped the one in pyuallup frequently before I moved home to Oregon.


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So, I know this post has perhaps run dry, but to add another report... Went to a Cabelas in VA to "consider" selling a Browning Safari rifle in .338 Win Mag. Greeted and went in small office adjacent to gun library, employee picks up the rifle, cycles the bolt and dry fires it, then repeats. I politely asked him not to do that, and he said "Why, you are trying to sell it to us aren't you?" I replied Yes, but until I get paid, it is still my rifle. It was an "L5" serial number, so then he asked, how old? I said 1965. He then said "Did you buy it new?" I said do I look that old. Then another employee (more senior) walked in and said "Nice rifle, what caliber?" The first employee replies "308 Magnum: I politely said to the senior guy - .338 Winchester Magnum, and the idiot says the odd caliber again. To wit I replied loudly - "If you don't know what the F&^* you are talking about, maybe you shouldn't be working here" He walked out and I never saw him again. Brought the rifle back home. I was later told the young guy departed later for other employment. I have been to about ten different Cabelas, and it is very personality dependent at each store.
 
RaySendero":1njwn44z said:
Alderman":1njwn44z said:
I took a trip to the local Cabelas store in Lacey Washington this morning. My son-in-law, and two grandsons made the two hour trip to purchase a new rifle for his birthday.
We got there as the store opened and were second in line at the gun counter. One employee was helping another customer while a second employee ignored us for 20 minutes before finally calling our number.
We informed him what gun we were looking for and the employee handed the gun to my son-in -law for inspection. After a while I asked a question about the scope and was brusquely told by the employee he was busy helping my son in law and if I wanted help with something I was to take a number and wait.
We informed the employee we were together and thinking the problem was solve, I again asked about the scope only to be informed to take a number and wait.
After this rude treatment we promptly informed the employee we would complete the purchase elsewhere.
We went to a competitor and completed the transaction hassle free and saved over $100 in the process.
Last trip to Cabelas for me.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


My read and take on your situation is that that Cabelas has a problem employee!


At the his 2nd "take a number", I would have demanded to speak to his manager right then and there even if it meant stop the line or make a scene. With the manager there, I would have confronted the employee with his actions. The manager's response would then determine weather it was a Cabelas problem or an employee problem!

I am a a point in my life where it's quite simple.
Treat me good, I'll treat you better
Treat me bad, I'll treat you worse

JD338
 
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