Purchasing Gun from Cabelas

[ClownColor]

This is a very tough review to write as I personally love to shop Cabelas cause they have very good customer service, ease of on-line shopping, and their return policy is as good as it gets. However, their Gun shop is a complete 180.

I found a great deal on a shotgun at Cabelas (Rogers, MN) and even had a 10% off card which gave me a great deal on a gun. I new what I wanted before hand but it was like pulling teeth to get someone to talk to you. No other customers were there and the one and only salesman walked by me three times, hoped on his computer for a while, then I "think" walked right out for a smoke break without even saying a word to me...I was literally standing 3 feet from him and not one "I'll be with you in a second" or somehting along those lines, it was a good 15 minutes before I got help. I didn't want to deal with them but the money was good (lesson learned). They flung the paper work at me with very little direction and then told me I did it wrong by using some common abbreviations.

Jump ahead to the gun being a POS and bringing it back for some help. The salesman said I everyhting I was doing was wrong and it was my fault the gun wasen't working and said all it needed was some oil. Oiled it up for me and told me he's never seen this happen before on such a great gun that they won't exchange it (for the same gun) or would they ship it back free of charge. This is one of my beefs with them. I was always nice to begin with to them and I wasen't trying to screw them over. The one thing I liked about Cabels is that if you have a problem with something you bought from them, they would take care of it...thats why they are over pirced right??? I know they have signs posted about returns but this gun had problems and I just wanted the same gun but a different one.

Well I took the oiled gun back and once again the gun was jamming left and right but this was on opening duck season and my temper was lost. Brought the gun in again and had the same grumpy expereince and it was like I was "making" them work returing this gun.

Time to pick the gun up-No one had a clue what was going on. They tried billing me even though the gun company said they would pay for cause it was within a few weeks of purchase. It even had in bold letters on the return slip from gun manufactor " we will pay for all shipping." After speaking with a manager it was solved but she made it sound like again, she was doing me a favor.

Not one gun sales person greeted me, smiled, a few actually yelled at each other behind the counter, they treated the trainees like trash, wouldn't even jump out of there way to help a person but would rather blame you for the problems...please, I've been shooting guns since I could hold one.

every time I dealt with a different person so the problems was spread wide throughout the gun department. To them, you really are just another number.

I would not recommend ever going to them to purchase Firearms (only) as 99% of the time the gun will be okay, but that time it's not and you need help, Cabelas wouldn't give you the time of day!

[Ufatz]

Sounds to me like you will have to elevate this complaint to a higher level to get any satisfaction. While there is no question the quality of employee at Cabela's has gone down dramatically over the past decade it is hard to imagine the sort of treatment you report. Did you speak to the STORE manager or just a Department manager? Find a number for Cabela's Corporate and call them.

I have been doing business with them for close to fifty years and have ALWAYS found them eager to correct ANY complaint I have had. If you have a good case I am sure they will take care of you.

And probably have a snappy chat with the folks in the Rogers gun department.

[Ufatz]

I believe you should advance your complaint to a higher level. Find a number for Corporate Cabela's, probably in Sidney NB and place a couple calls.

Throoughout nearly 50 years or dealing with Cabela's I have never had a complaint that was not MORE than adequately resolved. I agree the quality of service in some of the stores( and it all other retailers)0 has slipped dramatically in recent years-another whole subject!!- but if what you present to us can be investigated by the upper level Cabela's people I guarantee you will be made happy.

And perhaps the gun department folks at Rogers will receive a call too from the higher level folks. It is the ONLY way consumers can get the kind of service they want.

Make the call. You can't resolved anything here.

[harvey lee]

I purchase done of the Cabelas brand muzzlelosder scopes from them and after 2 years, the glass in the front eye piece came lose. I e-mailed thier CS and they said send it back in.

Since our return policy is 90 days, we will have to check and make sure you did not damage it.

Well, long story short, after 2 years, they asked if I wanted it replaced, a credit on a Cabelas card or cash.

Now, that is customer service.

if I were you, I would go to the Nebraska office and let them know you have had some issues with the stores clerks.

They typically are the best out there for damaged goods or returning items.

[mainbutter]

Thank you for this review.

I was shopping around for my first firearm ever, looking for a big game rifle and scope, and made a trip to the Owatonna Cabelas. I recieved similar 'grumpy' service there as well. After spending long enough in their firearms section to become dissatisfied, I walked over to the guys in the fishing department. I was greeted with a smile, chatted with a guy for a bit, and walked out of the store with a few new lures instead of a gun.

Some days later I went to gander mountain, and received excellent service from a guy who was more than happy to walk me through paperwork and everything.

Normally I'd say it was just luck of the draw about which store had an employee who was doing his job well that day, but I don't think the guys at the Owatonna Cabelas seemed to enjoy anything about their job, and certainly not helping out a potential customer with a purchase.

[Tom7227]

I bought a Stoeger double 20 from them 2 weeks ago. The help was up to snuff but I made the mistake of not checking the gun out carefully before I got it home. The triggers are very hard to pull and the gun takes a lot of effort to open. I called and was told that if I brought it back they would send it to the manufacturer. I didn't pay much for the gun but I sure was disappointed. There was a sign saying no returns on guns or ammo so I knew I was going to be SOL. I remember when one of their sales pitches was 'satisfaction guaranteed' but that isn't my experience this time.

[monstermoose78]

I went to cabela's on black friday to get a ruger 10/22 for my father inlaw. I waited for 2 and half hours at the gun counter, I ask for a 10/22 and they tell me they are sold out unless I have a ticket for one. Problem a guy 2 people infront of me bought 6 rugers. People were selling the tickets for as much as 50 bucks. I know I did not wait in the line the was around the store but I was still at the gun counter and they had guns to sell.

[Snag]

They are always super busy in the gun department whenever I stop by. I did walk the entire store one day for 45 minutes and never had an employee say hello or can I help you.

My beef is they are 25% higher than other stores probably due to the fact that they take everything back.

[Ufatz]

Hey Tom....they offered to send if to the manufacturer for you. Isn't THAT "customer service". They don't want to take guns back (I'm guessing) because they don't know what YOU might have done to the gun.

I would say offering to intercede for you with the maker of the gun is good faith effort on their part.

Take 'em up on it. You're probably gonna get a smooth as butter shotgun back.

[Burbot]

I managed a gun shop for a number of years, the taking back a firearm is a sticky issue. The gun is “used” once the FFL is filled out and the manufacturer will only smith it and send it back, we had a guy buy a Weatherby Mark 5 once. He brought the gun back telling us his bolt was jamming so I had one of my coworkers take the gun to a range, he ran a box of $30 ammo through it and the gun fired fine. The customer is given his gun back he fires it, gun jams, guy gets so PO’ed that he kicks the bolt open with his boot (remember Weatherby Mark 5, $1100 rifle or there about). Scratched gun with bolt bent goes back to Weatherby only to have the gunsmith send it back to us (the dealer) asking us to tell the customer to Size his brass after reloading his own ammo. We now own a scratched bent bolt Weatherby Mark 5 which we deemed unsafe to shoot due to firing mechanism damage. So now that gun is not only a total loss the time and ammo we put into it is also gone. Knowing the mark up on guns you are not going to stay in business very long if that happens a couple of times. Clown Color I am not saying you are a PUTZ like the Weatherby man is, but your story brought back a memorable story from the past. Hope you enjoyed reading it.

[ClownColor]

yeah, I understand their return policy on guns but the bigger issue was the customer service in the gun department.

I will continue to purchase from cabelas cause when I've had problems with products in the past, it's almost like a "no ask" return policy where they tend to bite the bullet, not me....I just will NEVER purchase a firearm from them and will feel more comfortable dealing with a smaller ma/pa shop that has more to lose with poor customer service.

On a good note-It was the gun that was having problems...not me! There was a faulty shell catcher that was screwing everything up along with a slide. I'd give Benelli 3 out of 5 stars for their service. Nothing special as they followed through with their warranty which they had too I guess but getting a hold of someone took days and their phone system (message system espically) was never working right. They also did not call/email/ or leave a note with the returned gun (which I guess is something they should have done per the service tech I later spoke with) and which I requested to them when explaining what was going on with the gun. I basically told them that if they couldn't find anything wrong, I didn't want the gun back as I could/would never hunt with a gun I couldn't trust. The personel at Benelli where nice and complete when you actually talked to them. It's unfortunate that I won't get to use this (new) gun till next year as most all my trips where done during the time it was broken and being fixed! Bigger lesson learned...don't buy a gun during peak hunting season