Cabela's Purchase

[jms]

uh, what did I miss here?

You have to have an ad for the pricematch. It just so happened I was buying something from an ad but I can do better at my local shop on just about anything I saw there.*

*on new firearms

[jms]

Did you stop in the restaurant for a buffalo burger?

No but I've had buffalo before when I worked in Telford, PA.

Yet this is the store that sells the most guns in all of the state?

I can imagine that to be true but I can't imagine why.

I was paying careful attention to the process. I believe Cabela's introduces the majority of that wait time into the system to keep a captive shopper.

I know that PICS isn't that slow and I've renewed my LTCF and purchased another pistol since then but within a couple weeks so PICS is working. I don't know if there is some sort of delay due to volume or whatever. It's hard to tell since I don't interface directly with PICS. I doubt that it is actually 2 hours though that's what Cabela's claims.

The time to counter is 100% within Cabela's control. I thought it could be the new executive orders but according to the sales staff it's like this normally so I'm sure there is increased volume but not enough to be noteworthy to staff.

The time to wait to do paperwork is within Cabela's control. They have the whole iPad application then they have the real paperwork. I don't knock them for their process here since they are under strict regulations so I get that they need to check and recheck their paperwork. It could be faster but if this was the only delay I wouldn't be concerned.

The time to checkout is absolutely within Cabela's control. That could be staffing. I had to wait in this line twice. Once when I was forced to put it on layaway and again when I picked it up. Both times were painful.

TL;DR I think Cabela's is screwing with their customers to increase sales of other accessories.

[Krichardson]

There would have to be a very long sought after piece at a ridiculously low price in order for me to be willing to put up with all of that foolishness....but I will take a drive and check the place out sometime soon.

[jms]

It's definitely a cool place and I like it just not the process.

[STBear]

I have bought two handguns there. Actually I got them free with Cabela's points. I use the Cabela's credit card for everything I buy. Pay it off at the end of the month. It adds up. Sure they are a little higher but with sales, price matches, discount coupons and veteran discount it comes out to be reasonably close for a free gun. I check before I go to make sure they have what I want in stock. Actually I look at the guns in the Delaware store and they check for me, ask them to have one set aside for me. Yes you take a number and go through the paperwork maze but I have not found it to be too cumbersome and I hate waiting and lines. I enjoy looking around the store and would be spending the same amount of time there anywhere. I do go during the day during the week so that might explain why the wait isn't too bad. Have enough for another gun and once I decide what I want I'll be making the trip again.

[Krichardson]

Free guns...you can't beat that.Kudos to you sir.

[eagleclaw]

I bought a gun there some time ago. It was about an hour wait until my number came up and I was able to speak with someone behind the counter. I decided to buy the gun. So I was referred to an area where there were numerous PC (s) in booths. I was instructed to fill out the forms online using one of the PCs. I did and it was about another 15 minutes before someone printed the forms out and called me over to sign them. Then I was told to wait and they would text me when the PIC was complete. The customer service people behind the counter where the sales were finalized were moving like turtles. It was taking about 20 minutes per customer. They would show the customer the gun and answer any questions they had (most did have questions that they should have asked before they made their decision to buy. Then they filled out something on their PC that took forever. Finally they put firearm in the box, sealed it up and rang it up. About two hours expired and I never got any text. I asked the next person behind the counter that got freed up if my PIC was ready. He checked and it was ready. I finally was going the final process and was able to leave. I can’t help but think that they drag out this process so waiting customers shop around and buy addition stuff during their wait. I’m not buying there again. It also should be noted that there were about ten other customers waiting about the same length of time that I was that were also visibly frustrated with the wait time.

[Carson]

... Actually I look at the guns in the Delaware store and they check for me, ask them to have one set aside for me....

I wanted a certain Leupold Scope and since Christianna is slightly closer to me and tax free I called the Cabela's there. They had one left and I was there in about 45 minutes. Get there and no one at the counter knows what I am talking about and can only find a display model. After a lot of complaining they offer a very good discount on the display and I buy it.

I continue to walk around (the Christianna store is tiny compared to Hamburg) and the guy I was dealing with sees me and tells me they found the new scope. The guy I talked to on the phone was out to lunch or something. For my troubles they just exchanged the display model with the NIB one for the same discounted price.

So in the end I got the NIB scope I wanted for an extremely low price. Not the transaction I had planned on, but in the end it worked out. I never bought a gun at any of their stores, but we do like to "visit" Hamburg a few times a year.

[Gunsnwater]

Yes OP, that is the typical wait time. I met a forum member there a year ago for a transfer and it took 5 hours. I gave the gun counter manager so much crap about the stupidity of it that they waived the transfer and PIC fees. They have reworked their process a number of times over the past few years but it has not made an improvement.

My 2 cents on their inefficiency.... Cabelas Hamburg breaks up each stage of the purchase and this removes the customer/employee interaction. If you buy a gun the guy behind the counter passes you off to someone else for the paperwork. Then the paperwork goes to a crew in the back room where it accumulates in a pile. The phone jockeys calling PICS have no interaction with customers so they have no sense of urgency and no pressure to please anyone. They need to go back to what works and that is one employee working with the buyer from beginning to end.

Or what I think, they plan to have you wait 2 hrs for pics hoping you fill a shopping cart.

[TerryK]

Or what I think, they plan to have you wait 2 hrs for pics hoping you fill a shopping cart.

I quit going there. I also think that is their game. It is simply too stressful to shop there.