Cabela's Purchase

[jms]

I recently (12/31-1/3) purchased a new pistol from Cabela's. I normally wouldn't have because the nearest in-state location is Hamburg and is a good haul from Pittsburgh, but we were passing through and I had a rather large gift card for them. So I stopped in. I will never shop there again. I don't like 6 hours of waiting for a firearm.
The good:

• They price matched a competitor's ad without issue.
• The staff were very knowledgeable and friendly.
• Selection was good.

The bad:

• It took nearly 3 hours to get to the point where I could talk to a salesman. When I finally got to the case and said. I want to buy that one the manager said that there will be no more sales today since they close in two hours everything would be layaway. That meant a return trip. Fortunately I was already planning on coming back but it took another 45 minutes to put it on layaway.
• It took nearly 3 hours to pick up the gun. 1/2 hour for the paperwork to start, 2 hours for background check, 45 minutes to pay for it. I asked if this is normal and apparently it is. I can't say since I will never shop there again.
• The prices are higher than competitors.

[Emptymag]

Holy shit.

That is all.

[Swamp Fox]

Did you stop in the restaurant for a buffalo burger? I stop there frequently on my trips to Allentown from Chambersburg and also on the return trip sometimes. I have heard some negatives but I can't say that I have ever had a bad experience there and I have spent quite a lot of money at Cabela's. I have usually found the associates to be friendly and helpful. The only experience that I had with purchasing a firearm was about five years ago when they were having a big sale and I had to take a number and from the time I started until the transaction was completed was about 2 1/2 hours. But because of the sale the counters were jammed with people. Sometimes I guess it depends on how many are working behind the gun counter. It was worth the wait for me because at the time the Henry Golden Boy .22 was selling for $380 and I got it for $340. Sorry that you had such a bad experience.

[rckeystone]

The last time I purchased a gun at Cabela's was around 3 years ago. At that time it took about 2 hours (I got there when they opened) and swore never again. I now buy all my guns from my LGS or online. I'd rather pay an extra $20 on a gun than go through the wait at Cabela's. I swear they sell all guns at list price anyways so I don't think I'm missing anything



.

[762xIan]

Bought 2 guns there....when they first opened up I bought a rifle....this was before the change to the "system" they use. Relatively painless wait.

Last year when my daughter turned 21, got her carry gun there. OMFG!!!!! I checked the night before, they had what she/I wanted, got there first thing in the morning next day, we were the 2nd or 3rd customer for a gun purchase, it took almost 4 hours!!

They suck, I only go now when I have a coupon and buy accessories or reloading stuff.

They are my LAST stop. Go to Shakeys up in Orwigsburg.

[57springer]

No deals at cabelas, that's for sure . They are the highest place around.

[RockIsland]

+1 on Shakey's.

For as small as it is, they always seem to have something I'd buy if I had money at the time. Thier prices are pretty decent and they're always very friendly. It's at the other end of the gun store spectrum as Cabela's. They are Skooks afterall.

[Orlov556]

No deals at cabelas, that's for sure . They are the highest place around.

On new firearms, I would tend to agree with you. Inside their specialty gallery, I agree also. But every once and awhile, they make some pretty big pricing errors. During the panic of 2013, I got a used WASR for $329, and a few months later an HK-91 with a fixed and HK folding stock, 2 30rd mags (usually $80+ each) for $1799. I had to wait forever but both of those were pretty amazing deals.

I was down there a few weeks ago and the gun counter was packed 3 deep for almost the full length.

[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.