Rifle prices at Cabela's

[Brightwhite]

I normally stay away from the packed gun counters and ammo isles at Cabela's, but today I intentionally went to my local store right when they opened to check out some rifles. I wanted to look at the Kimber Montana, Mountain ascent, and Adirondack.

They did not have any adirondacks, but the two montanas they had were severely over priced! They had a prior gen .308 (without the threaded barrel) for $1499! Those were closed out at about $1,000...the new gen models can be had for $1100-$1200 just about everywhere.

I also looked at the browning hells canyons speed and I have been seeing those at around $1000, but they wanted $1200'ish.

20% over priced is hard to swallow. Who the hell buys rifles at Cabela's at these prices? I told the guy helping me they werent even close to competitive, but he didn't seem to care.

 

[Rckymtnshooter]

They are higher priced for sure at times. We have a local store where I live and I've learned I have to watch for sale prices. I bought a savage 22-250 heavy barrel a month ago and paid $287.00 for it. Reloading components the same not the cheapest regular price in town but shop their sales and they beat everyone.

 

[Mister Shush]

Cabelas is in trouble financially and has been for some time. In the western U.S., they are the only major chain store to offer such a wide variety of products while remaining hunting centric. Their problem is that the marketplace has changed faster than they can adapt and they're making up their losses with MSRP and the fact that they offer a lot of variety under one roof. They're losing revenue to online giants like Amazon and they're banking on people coming to their stores to see their wide selection and buy things that other brick and mortar stores don't carry locally. Their convenience can prevent a shopper from traveling to multiple stores to purchase different items. They're trading on their convenience, image and prominence in the hunting community. Unfortunately, younger hunters are adept at price shopping online. I'm one of them. I go to Cabelas to look at the things I'm going to buy somewhere else much cheaper. Why would I buy binoculars from them at $750 when I can get the same ones on Amazon for $650 or $675 with a hassle free return policy and service? Their sale prices are often the everyday price at other retailers. Worse, I've seen them increase pricing by 15% on an item in October and then take that 15% off at Christmas and call it a "sale".

It looks like their merger with Bass Pro is likely hosed now as well. The FTC has all but ground it to a halt while they conduct a more in depth investigation and more often than not, that spells the end of a merger.

 

[topher89]

Cabelas is in trouble financially and has been for some time. In the western U.S., they are the only major chain store to offer such a wide variety of products while remaining hunting centric. Their problem is that the marketplace has changed faster than they can adapt and they're making up their losses with MSRP and the fact that they offer a lot of variety under one roof. They're losing revenue to online giants like Amazon and they're banking on people coming to their stores to see their wide selection and buy things that other brick and mortar stores don't carry locally. Their convenience can prevent a shopper from traveling to multiple stores to purchase different items. They're trading on their convenience, image and prominence in the hunting community. Unfortunately, younger hunters are adept at price shopping online. I'm one of them. I go to Cabelas to look at the things I'm going to buy somewhere else much cheaper. Why would I buy binoculars from them at $750 when I can get the same ones on Amazon for $650 or $675 with a hassle free return policy and service? Their sale prices are often the everyday price at other retailers. Worse, I've seen them increase pricing by 15% on an item in October and then take that 15% off at Christmas and call it a "sale".

It looks like their merger with Bass Pro is likely hosed now as well. The FTC has all but ground it to a halt while they conduct a more in depth investigation and more often than not, that spells the end of a merger.

Great points. I think they should focus on the stuff that people can't/don't want to buy online. Guns, bows, boots, tents, etc. The stuff that people want to try on or get their hands on before they buy. They need to get rid of the crappy t-shirts, hoodies and knick knacks that you can buy anywhere else

 

[IdahoBeav]

Great points. I think they should focus on the stuff that people can't/don't want to buy online. Guns, bows, boots, tents, etc. The stuff that people want to try on or get their hands on before they buy. They need to get rid of the crappy t-shirts, hoodies and knick knacks that you can buy anywhere else

I could be wrong, but I think that bows are a dead end for big retail. The way they have to run an archery department (cheap bows, limited accessories, and low skill employees) just doesn't draw in the serious archery hunter.

The only thing that gets me to Cabela's is their sales and bargain cave. I mostly buy camping gear from them, but I'd never pay their regular prices.

 

[Brightwhite]

I understand the pitfalls of retail, but Cabela's is a "big box" in this space, so I just could not believe that they were not even close to having competitive pricing on guns. Maybe they did on other more entry/mid level varieties, but wayyyy off on Kimber.

 

[Iltasyuko]

Bricks and mortar stores are havering a tuff time, Cabelas has gone beyond basic bricks and mortar to include taxidermy and such to try and make a shopping experience - all of it adds up to huge overhead at a time when lean online retailers offer lower prices. Doesn't look like a sound model.

 

[topher89]

I could be wrong, but I think that bows are a dead end for big retail. The way they have to run an archery department (cheap bows, limited accessories, and low skill employees) just doesn't draw in the serious archery hunter.

The only thing that gets me to Cabela's is their sales and bargain cave. I mostly buy camping gear from them, but I'd never pay their regular prices.

That is what I mean, they need to step up their game in a lot of areas. Why offer the same crap everyone else does?

 

[IdahoBeav]

That is what I mean, they need to step up their game in a lot of areas. Why offer the same crap everyone else does?

I agree with that for most products but not archery. In order for them to sell $1000-$1500 bows, $200-$300 sights, etc., they'd have to bring in personnel and equipment that wouldn't be cheap, and they most likely still wouldn't get good ROA. They'd have to get people to stop going to archery shops and instead buy at their stores.

I think better sale prices and more rewards for their club members would be more productive.

 

[missjordan]

Two ears ago I bought a Sako A7 rifle from them that was damaged during shipping at a good discount and you can barely see the blemish. I was pretty happy with that purchase. The store in my area is an outpost and I wish they had a bargain cave, they don't seem to offer much of a selection of camo besides their own branded stuff either.


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[WestNE]

Pricing is always tough when overhead and publicly traded commitments come into play. The gun library seems to be catching up with their offerings, Nosler, Fierce, Noveske, Lantac, and GA Precision posted a few guns coming to the library soon. Pricing doesn't seem bad with everything below or at MSRP but it's hard to get an idea of market price with some of these lines.

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[Jacob_Outdoors]

The two Cabelas we have are terrible. They're merchandising just doesn't make sense for our area (Willamette valley in Oregon). They have two (or more) aisles dedicated to bass fishing, crappie, pike, etc. when people primarily target salmon and similar species. I can't count the times I've been in there to grab something during duck, deer, fishing, or some other season only to find their selection is terrible.

Last year I went in while passing by to get a new set of decoy gloves, they didn't even have one pair, and their selection of waterfowl items was embarrassing. Sportsmans gets my business, or I shop used and online a lot.


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[GKPrice]

the word on the street that I've been hearing is that the Bass Pro take over of Cabela's has been done for a few months, nothing but the fine print and it will be finalized this spring -

 

[hodgeman]

The thing to remember with the big box retailers is that they make more money loaning you money than they make selling the actual item.

The model has been around for years...sell a product at MSRP, including stuff made to your spec at YOUR MSRP and have the cashless customer swipe YOUR plastic- the company makes money on all aspects of the transaction with the actual retail profit possibility among the smallest.

Sears and JCPenney pioneered the concept to the fullest extent....heck, Sears has been called a bank with some junk out front.

The much discussed Bass Pro/Cabelas merger has a lot to do with the fact the Cabela's people own a bank...an entity Bass Pro is eager to own to finance it's customer's purchases.

Like it or not, the Cabela's model is not particularly interested in the shrewd buyer with a pocket full of Benjamins walking in a getting a good deal. They want to sell you a rifle at MSRP when you're broke, on their card, at 21% APR, Those amazing habitats weren't cheap and aren't there by accident.

 

[541hunter]

My cabelas card is only 9.9% apr. With my limited experience with credit cards this seems to be a good rate.


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[rileybassman]

the word on the street that I've been hearing is that the Bass Pro take over of Cabela's has been done for a few months, nothing but the fine print and it will be finalized this spring -

My sister is in management at our Cabelas... and what I am hearing is that at least in the near future, bass pro is going to keep the cabelas brand... it is too valuable for them to not... so likely cabelas will be a dual brand now (Cabelas, brought to you by Bass Pro... etc).

As to their prices, they are high on a lot of things, but do have quite a few sales as well... and their ammo prices are usually pretty good as well.

I have bought 4 guns and my wife has bought 1 from cabelas... and with either sales, used rack, or discounts, all have been quite a bit cheaper then retail. Her savage was insane... it was on the used rack, but barely even touched, it was a left handed savage 116 weather warrior... she got it for 300 bucks.

They can have deals, just have to shop around a bit.

 

[Mister Shush]

the word on the street that I've been hearing is that the Bass Pro take over of Cabela's has been done for a few months, nothing but the fine print and it will be finalized this spring -

This is incorrect and all mergers are the sum total of nothing but fine print. The FTC has halted the merger and it likely will not give the go ahead unless significant divestitures happen. That's a time consuming process and not in Cabelas' best interest. This kind of regulatory scrutiny is typically a death sentence for large scale business mergers, but not always. Anheuser-Bush survived a second request for information on a merger and had to significantly restructure the deal in a way that soured it for them. AB has the chops for something like that, but Cabelas doesn't. It also spells trouble for Capital One's take over of their bank. Cabelas optimism is purely for their share holders sesnse of ease. The truth is that they've got until October 2017 and then this deal is dead in the water. I'd be shocked if they pull it off. Should they fail, their days are numbered.

 

[GKPrice]

This is incorrect and all mergers are the sum total of nothing but fine print. The FTC has halted the merger and it likely will not give the go ahead unless significant divestitures happen. That's a time consuming process and not in Cabelas' best interest. This kind of regulatory scrutiny is typically a death sentence for large scale business mergers, but not always. Anheuser-Bush survived a second request for information on a merger and had to significantly restructure the deal in a way that soured it for them. AB has the chops for something like that, but Cabelas doesn't. It also spells trouble for Capital One's take over of their bank. Cabelas optimism is purely for their share holders sesnse of ease. The truth is that they've got until October 2017 and then this deal is dead in the water. I'd be shocked if they pull it off. Should they fail, their days are numbered.

that may very well be the case - I got my info from a Portland attorney, I think he said something like "it's all over but the fine print and will complete sometime this spring" which aligns with your assessment - In any case, Cabela's will follow the "normal" lifespan of most big box stores ....or not - I have one 25 mi to the North and another 35 mi to the South, I'll spend my money at SW instead, Cabela's is BORING

 

[paleraider]

Cabelas is in trouble financially and has been for some time. In the western U.S., they are the only major chain store to offer such a wide variety of products while remaining hunting centric. Their problem is that the marketplace has changed faster than they can adapt and they're making up their losses with MSRP and the fact that they offer a lot of variety under one roof. They're losing revenue to online giants like Amazon and they're banking on people coming to their stores to see their wide selection and buy things that other brick and mortar stores don't carry locally. Their convenience can prevent a shopper from traveling to multiple stores to purchase different items. They're trading on their convenience, image and prominence in the hunting community. Unfortunately, younger hunters are adept at price shopping online. I'm one of them. I go to Cabelas to look at the things I'm going to buy somewhere else much cheaper. Why would I buy binoculars from them at $750 when I can get the same ones on Amazon for $650 or $675 with a hassle free return policy and service? Their sale prices are often the everyday price at other retailers. Worse, I've seen them increase pricing by 15% on an item in October and then take that 15% off at Christmas and call it a "sale".

It looks like their merger with Bass Pro is likely hosed now as well. The FTC has all but ground it to a halt while they conduct a more in depth investigation and more often than not, that spells the end of a merger.

They are not the only game out West. Sportmans Warehouse is much better than Cabelas imho. They have greater variety of quality brands, run good deals, and are overall much better to deal with. I have a Cabela's and Sportsman Warehouse where I live and I never even bother going to Cabelas, even their sales aren't very good when you factor in how high their retail prices are.

 

[IdahoBeav]

I have only seen good deals at Sportsmans on small items, which can usually be found on Amazon for the same price.

Cabela's will slash 50% or more on an item and throw it in the bargain cave, even Sitka gear can wind up in there. The ad sales are better too. I bought an XL pivot arm cot for $80 (reg $130), and then a month later the deluxe pad went on sale for the same price. Cabela's also sends out the $20 off coupons. Rhino GPS and Leopold rangefinders go on sale multiple times throughout the year.

You don't get any of this at Sportsmans.