Cabelas is lame for being out of ice fishing gear alrady.

[harvey lee]

Isn't that the truth Ed. Todays warehouse supply is very low and companies keep it this way as they do not want their funds tied up in inventory.

I have already started getting ready for the open water season and hope that in short order the stores will be loading up on the spring items.

I am sure that in regards to the ice season, 90% of the sales have already been made and they are not going to inventory a full supply for the summer. Yes, people can run short or lose a lure but the big box stores cannot afford to carry a full inventory for a select few sales.

The mom and pop stores can carry ice fishing tackle late into the season but in the big picture, they are not carring that much in total dollars. If one knew what Cabela's carried for seasonal items in dollars, one would understand why they try to sell short.

[aczr2k]

I don't know why everyone is bragging up fleet farm....go to the St. Cloud store, if your not there within the first week they put the ice fishing stuff out your not going to get it and they never re-stock.

I've looked for some items in other departments for years now and the rack has never had any stock. If you need 4 items you might find 1 or 2. Now after buying the items somewhere else I still go and look for them there..it's almost a game.

I'll stick to Reeds, Streiff's and other non big box stores for tackle.

[castmaster]

One thing I HATE about FF is they wont give prices over the phone. I understand they fell it stops competitors from doing a price match on their products, but they should also realize it keeps some customers from ever walking in the door and most likely buying other items as well. I for one wont run to FF on the off chance I might be able to save a couple bucks, or possibly pay a couple bucks more. I will travel to the store that can tell me what the price is before I leave my house.

One other key thing some are leaving out of this whole discussion is the fact that most of these stores dont pay for the merchandise when they receive it. Most are on 90 day bill cycles, meaning if they take delivery of inventory on January 1st they dont need to pay for that inventory until April 1st. Most vendors and wholesalers will take back any unsold inventory and credit the amount owed accordingly.

[Ed Carlson]

Most vendors and wholesalers will take back any unsold inventory and credit the amount owed accordingly.

Ahhh..unfotunately....NOT.

You bought it, you own it. It's very rare now to have a vendor willingly or otherwise RTV any overages in stock.

[Northlander]

I'd buy more at Cabelas if they'd just send me a catalog once in a while. I mean, I haven't gotten one in like THREE days!!!

Now thats funny!

[CaptainMusky]

[quote name='Ed Carlson

Ahhh..unfotunately....NOT.

You bought it' date=' you own it. It's very rare now to have a vendor willingly or otherwise RTV any overages in stock. [/quote'] I was going to say the same thing, especially in a seasonal industry like this.

[Slabasaurus]

I

I have already started getting ready for the open water season and hope that in short order the stores will be loading up on the spring items.

Yeah, there have been some decent sales going on now, got a few rods half off... I'm just about set for open water, just need to re-spool and set the rigs up

I did notice the local bait shop up north had a better selection than the box stores... even if that's only because they actually had inventory on their: Flashers, Power and hand Augers, and all of the new jigs/baits... and they were competitively priced.

No matter what I'll keep going to Cab town over lunch breaks... I don't think you ever get too old to enjoy the fish feedings there.

[jwmiller33]

when it comes to corporate finance, one thing my professor in college always told me about forecasts is this.... they are always WRONG. if you are limiting your sales based on your forecasted demand on your products, your always going to be wrong to some extent.. sometimes you will have excess supply... but most of the time you will have excess demand... the thing most of the forecasters dont calculate in their supply chain models is the effect of a consumer who goes to the stores and sees empty shelves, and the counter effect this has on future potential sales. after doing this, the customer understands once it gets to a certain point in the season, why bother going to that store because the inventory levels are low to sold out. in these tough economic times, companies are really trying to minimize potential losses, but what they are really doing at the same time is limiting potential growth and sales

[CJH]

Very true. One of the first rules of retail was Out Stock = Lost sale.

That being said, seasonal equipment is probably one of the most difficult things for retailers to forecast and manage.

[reinhard1]

was at gander today to get a gift card and looked at their ice fishing stock and it was poor. fleet farm wasn't full but so far had the best variety. i can understand the need to start to re-stock. now is the time to start looking for markdowns. good luck.

[pulleye16]

I actually love the big c. Best customer service...never had any problems with price matching or returns. Love their online store the most. BARGIN CAVE! also have great and easy returns for online purchases.

[slipperybob]

It's always been kind of like this for the past several years or for as long as I can remember. End of January, you won't find the things you have lost to a fish. I also hate buying a whole bunch of extra lures at the beginning of the season, but that's kind of what it has come to. Fleet Farm is about the only other place I will check for re-supply.

[CJH]

BARGIN CAVE!

Dang it!!! Knew I forgot to check something while I was there.

[PurpleFloyd]

when it comes to corporate finance, one thing my professor in college always told me about forecasts is this.... they are always WRONG. if you are limiting your sales based on your forecasted demand on your products, your always going to be wrong to some extent.. sometimes you will have excess supply... but most of the time you will have excess demand... the thing most of the forecasters dont calculate in their supply chain models is the effect of a consumer who goes to the stores and sees empty shelves, and the counter effect this has on future potential sales. after doing this, the customer understands once it gets to a certain point in the season, why bother going to that store because the inventory levels are low to sold out. in these tough economic times, companies are really trying to minimize potential losses, but what they are really doing at the same time is limiting potential growth and sales

+1

[Steve Foss]

It's been a constant irritation for me, this seasonal stocking garbage. Always seems like I don't have money when things are in stock in advance of the season, and when the season is in full swing and I seem to have money, no one has anything in stock.

I'm not talking February here for ice fishing, I'm talking late December and early January.

Yeah, I know all the blah blah blah reality of retail and such. Been there, sold that. So last year, when I wanted three big ticket ice fishing items in late December/early January and none of the biggies had them in stock, I used Google to do my shopping. And shazammm! Up here in God's armpit, ya gotta shop online for a ton of things anyway, but even if you live in a big city, there are times when all local vendors are out of stock and you can let your keyboard do your talking.

Sooo many online outlets that stock less volume than the big boys and tend to have more items in stock later in the season because demand is slack until the monster stores run out. The bigger the retailer the wronger they are. You can quote me on that.

[goblueM]

no kidding, i was in Cabelas in SE Michigan on January 5th and they were out of augers, spring bobbers, and several rod/reel combos I was hoping to buy for my dad.

I go to Cabelas expecting I can get merchandise appropriate to the season - I understand that they might not have waterfowl decoys in March, but ice augers in January? CMON

[robert aldrich]

marine general(MG) is the place i go to up here in duluth mn. i go to MG all the time. i have a friend who works at MG. they still have alot of stuff in stock. i went to MG to by a Vexilar Cold-Snap Bibs and they only have mediums left, but my dad called vexilar and they said that they are out for now. i got the medium and it works. at MG they have good people to help you and they know what they are talking about. they are not some teen at fleet farm or any big box stores who does not know anything. they go fishing like us. my friend who works at MG goes ice fishing and fishing with me and my buddy. i am not trying to promote them. i am just helping other ice fishermens. you can call them and you will get a answer to your question. .marinegeneralcatalog

I AM NOT TRYING TO PROMOTE THEM, I AM JUST HELPING THE OTHER ICE FISHERMEN OUT.

[Steve Foss]

MG is an excellent local outlet. Like any of them, sometimes they got it, sometimes they don't.

[robert aldrich]

very true, i go there like every weekend and some times more in a week. i wonder what would happen if you mention my name at MG or over the phone? my buddy who works there will be your sales person. he is realy knowledgeable. he does not work on tuesdays, but with the boat show comeing up he is. I AM NOT TRYING TO PROMOTE MG.

[Hardyboy]

I AM NOT TRYING TO PROMOTE MG.

Your not sayin but your just sayin right !