Bass Pro Quality Took a Downturn?

[Trout&Buck]

Probably because they're cursed!

This came across my Youtube feed and I figured some of you guys might think its interesting. I got a laugh out of it at least. Its basically an overview of how Bass Pro started and expanded. It also touches on the history of the pyramid in Memphis. Not super detailed on any of it, but I learned some new trivia.

Enjoy! (and there is a good deal of cussing so don't say that you weren't warned)

 

[hs194565]

I honestly loved Cabela's as a kid but since the merger it's just not the same

 

[Trout&Buck]

That's exactly how I feel about it too. Plus I've now had a handful of terrible CS experiences at the local Cabela's in the past few years.

 

[Thess87]

Yeah it seems cabelas has changed. But I live within driving distance of the Springfield bass pro and I don’t feel it has changed like the cabelas has if that makes sense.

 

[elkbowhuntr]

I agree Cabela's was destroyed by the Bass Pro takeover.

 

[Rotnguns]

I don't notice a difference in our Cabelas in the Treasure Valley in Idaho after the Bass Pro takeover, but there's so much competition here (Scheels, two Sportsman's Warehouses) that a downturn in product quality or service would have immediate consequences.

 

[flathead#2]

Our local BP CONSISTENTLY has 1/2 registers open with 12-15 people in ea. line.
Super frustrating.

 

[Jaker_cc]

Bass pro is the Walmart of outdoors gear. Sportsman’s or Scheel’s is way better

 

[hs194565]

Bass pro is the Walmart of outdoors gear. Sportsman’s or Scheel’s is way better

I feel the Walmart sentiment to my core haha

 

[IdahoElk]

Seems like when corporate America absorbs multiple businesses of the same niche they lose their uniqueness.

 

[rtkbowhunter]

Cabelas went down hill long before BP acquired them. It started when they went public in 2004. Investors became #1 priority instead of the customer.

 

[Choupique]

Bass pro sucks now.

 

[rileybassman]

Bass pro is the Walmart of outdoors gear. Sportsman’s or Scheel’s is way better

Tho I have seen Sportsman's deteriorating in recent years too unfortunately... stock in house, options, brands etc.

I used to love Cabelas... man as a kid, their hard-bound magazines were amazing... called it my "Cabelas Bible" and we would drive several hours to a store after Christmas every year to use the gift cards we all gave eachother. Cabelas branded gear was always pretty good quality, reliable, and had insane warranties.

The BP takeover sucked. I know Cabelas was on a downward spiral, but to agree with above, BP very much has a walmart feel/vibe/quality to it now.

I shop local and small shops as much as I can now. Scheels is probably my current favorite chain.

Something I have been pondering is that in our super heavy consumer-based society, not only does online shopping heavily impact sales, but we are hyper focused on very specific items and it's impossible for brick-and-mortar stores to have everything on hand. Used to be that if you want a rifle, binos, pack, tent, sleeping bag, boots, etc. etc... you picked from what a store had in stock. Now, most of the time (myself included) the research takes place and we have that "one grail" and it's hard for companies to flourish with that model.

Not saying it's wrong... it's cool we have options and I'm pro capitalism... but the simplicity of "back in the day" is missing sometimes.

 

[dusky]

They've become more and more obsessed with just pushing their store brands instead of selling quality stuff, and my local stores never seem to have in stock what I'm looking for. Isn't annoying when you know the product lines and technical features of the products better than the reps on the floor? I'd much rather shop my local Jax or Scheels, but honestly online is about the only place that has what I want these days. But when they have what I am looking for, I can't complain about stacking my Active Junky discount with the Cabela's/Bass Pro member Monday discount atop whatever sale they got going on plus with store points to boot.

 

[Rich M]

LoL! BPS sold out years ago. Cabelas stuff used to roughly be a last forever kind of purchase. Not anymore. Chinesium special!

 

[2531usmc]

They've become more and more obsessed with just pushing their store brands instead of selling quality stuff, and my local stores never seem to have in stock what I'm looking for. Isn't annoying when you know the product lines and technical features of the products better than the reps on the floor? I'd much rather shop my local Jax or Scheels, but honestly online is about the only place that has what I want these days. But when they have what I am looking for, I can't complain about stacking my Active Junky discount with the Cabela's/Bass Pro member Monday discount atop whatever sale they got going on plus with store points to boot.

From my perspective, the BP branded clothing is some of the cheapest clothing you can buy. It’s embarrassing low quality.

 

[Denimdan]

I agree, just not the same quality it used to be to be.

 

[juju]

Bass pro = Kmart
I've got og Cabela's gear I've used hard and it's still going.

 

[JackJackula]

Yeah it seems cabelas has changed. But I live within driving distance of the Springfield bass pro and I don’t feel it has changed like the cabelas has if that makes sense.

The Springfield Bass Pro is the only one I feel is worth spending a decent amount of time in but they've done a good job at making the whole thing a bit of a museum which I find is worth it.

 

[Muskykris]

Went to Cabela’s yesterday, they took down the Cabela’s sign, replaced it with bass pro and there’s a smaller Cabela’s sign off to the side, it’s mostly overpriced and disappointing. Ever since bass pro took over it’s been a decline.