What's with Cabela's?

[J Francho]

What's up Dodge! 

[JHB]

2 hours ago, The Bassman said:

 

I was really anticipating Cabela's opening a couple of summers ago.  Since then I've gotten pretty nonplussed about the place. I know it's a scaled down version but to me it's no better than GM was.  I actually kind of miss them. The new Gander Outdoors web site doesn't have me holding my breath about their store opening.  What we need in Indy (at least from a fisherman's perspective) is something like good old Galyan's.  I really miss them.

Try HCT in Bargersville on 135. There prices are about the same as TW. 

[FishDewd]

I went to the BPS at 288/beltway 8 in pearland yesterday. Was not real busy, but they were very well stocked. I only saw a few things that weren't in stock, and they had what I needed to prepare for Spring (if it EVER gets here, this year sucks so far). But price wise... they were higher than Cabela's on a lot of things. Over $8 for Yamasenkos, and $6 for a pack of 1/4 oz drop shot weights. Luckily what I needed was decently priced. Really hope Cabela's or Academy gets it together soon.

[LxVE Bassin]

7 hours ago, The Bassman said:

 

I was really anticipating Cabela's opening a couple of summers ago.  Since then I've gotten pretty nonplussed about the place. I know it's a scaled down version but to me it's no better than GM was.  I actually kind of miss them. The new Gander Outdoors web site doesn't have me holding my breath about their store opening.  What we need in Indy (at least from a fisherman's perspective) is something like good old Galyan's.  I really miss them.

Well my way of making Cabela’s useful is looking at things in person (if it’s in stock) to get a close up view and inspection before ordering from tackle warehouse. Besides that I go for emergency needs when I can’t wait on tackle warehouse. I looked at the new Gander website and the prices look the same so I’m curious to see how long they will last. 

[LAO162]

On 2/4/2018 at 6:10 PM, dodgeguy said:

Took a trip to Cabela's Hartford store today and was really disappointed. Nothing in stock and bare lsles.Hopefully they will get their act together.i can't believe bass pro let it look that bad.

I was also there this weekend with some gift cards burning a hole in my pocket.  After missing a few seasons of fishing I was looking forward to checking out the new generation of rods and reels.  Slim pickin's on rods, and even the reel section was relatively bare.  The Fuego LTs were behind the counter, but the could not be sold yet.  For my needs, the Hartford Cabelas places too much emphasis on saltwater fishing.

 

Bummer I picked up my renewed LTC on Saturday and it is useless in CT.

[CTBassin860]

5 hours ago, FishDewd said:

I went to the BPS at 288/beltway 8 in pearland yesterday. Was not real busy, but they were very well stocked. I only saw a few things that weren't in stock, and they had what I needed to prepare for Spring (if it EVER gets here, this year sucks so far). But price wise... they were higher than Cabela's on a lot of things. Over $8 for Yamasenkos, and $6 for a pack of 1/4 oz drop shot weights. Luckily what I needed was decently priced. Really hope Cabela's or Academy gets it together soon.

BPS is always stocked....with everything but the things you really want.

[Boomstick]

I was in there a couple weeks ago as well. The rod selection was picked clean (except for the saltwater rods).

 

Last year in the spring they were stocked full!

[FishDewd]

2 hours ago, MassBassin508 said:

BPS is always stocked....with everything but the things you really want.

I thought that was normal with all stores? Least it is with me. Better yet, there will something that's been carried fr years and years... I decide to finally try it, I like it... then they stop carrying it. Lol. Happens to me all the time at grocery stores.

[BuzzHudson19c]

On 2/6/2018 at 5:04 AM, CroakHunter said:

You can order ammo online as well...

Not in my state.

[drscholl14]

Was just thinking about this topic again and realized one of my biggest complaints is that neither sells any apparel from tackle/rod and reel companies.  It's all BPS or Cabelas brands except for UA, North Face and Huk.  Anyone know if they have a contractual thing where they can't carry that stuff?  Would think they could sell an awful lot of shirts and hats from companies like Shimano, Daiwa, G. Loomis, Abu etc.

[RPreeb]

16 hours ago, FishDewd said:

I thought that was normal with all stores? Least it is with me. Better yet, there will something that's been carried fr years and years... I decide to finally try it, I like it... then they stop carrying it. Lol. Happens to me all the time at grocery stores.

It is pretty normal and logical.  The stuff that sells fastest is harder to keep in stock unless you carry excessive inventory.  My limited experience in retail was of a standard ordering schedule, and it never seemed to account for the stuff that sold faster.  They didn't want any more stock than what they could be certain of selling during that cycle, because excess inventory is an added expense. 

 

Many companies are going more and more to a zero inventory business plan, with some items only purchased when current stock is depleted.  As a result they do sometimes run short of some items.  However, they should be able to tell you when the next shipment is expected.  They count on their suppliers to be able to respond to orders in a timely manner.

[Choporoz]

16 minutes ago, RPreeb said:

It is pretty normal and logical. 

Not logical to me, at all.  I don't currently work in retail, but I do have some familiarity with supply chains.  As a general rule, the faster moving stuff should have the most predictable demand.  Sure, there can be unpredictable spikes, but being OOS of fast movers is unacceptable.  Aside from the missed sales of any demanded OOS item, the fact that fast movers, by their definition, are going to be highly dissatisfying if not available when needed/wanted.   Sure, everyone wants to reduce back stock; 'just in time' is a buzzword for good reason.  But 'not-in-time' makes for a pretty lousy business model.

[RPreeb]

13 minutes ago, Choporoz said:

Not logical to me, at all.  I don't currently work in retail, but I do have some familiarity with supply chains.  As a general rule, the faster moving stuff should have the most predictable demand.  Sure, there can be unpredictable spikes, but being OOS of fast movers is unacceptable.  Aside from the missed sales of any demanded OOS item, the fact that fast movers, by their definition, are going to be highly dissatisfying if not available when needed/wanted.   Sure, everyone wants to reduce back stock; 'just in time' is a buzzword for good reason.  But 'not-in-time' makes for a pretty lousy business model.

I guess a lot depends on what you consider predictable.  This time of year, I'm not surprised that inventory on fishing gear is low.  In talking to the guy in Cabela's the other day, they are just starting to get ready for spring, but haven't really ordered anything yet.  I think that they can get away with it more these days because they can just refer a customer to their website for anything that isn't in stock at the store.  

[Deleted account]

I'm pretty sure that upon my death bed, my only significant regret will be having ever gotten into sporting goods retailing. (and maybe being restricted to the ship in Rio)... GO NAVY!

[the reel ess]

They could have an identity issue since they've merged with BPS. They have Tracker boats in the Spring catalog that came yesterday.

[FishDewd]

3 hours ago, RPreeb said:

It is pretty normal and logical.  The stuff that sells fastest is harder to keep in stock unless you carry excessive inventory.  My limited experience in retail was of a standard ordering schedule, and it never seemed to account for the stuff that sold faster.  They didn't want any more stock than what they could be certain of selling during that cycle, because excess inventory is an added expense. 

 

Many companies are going more and more to a zero inventory business plan, with some items only purchased when current stock is depleted.  As a result they do sometimes run short of some items.  However, they should be able to tell you when the next shipment is expected.  They count on their suppliers to be able to respond to orders in a timely manner.

I'm a warehousing manager at a vintage truck parts shop. One of the things I do is make sure that parts are kept at a certain minimal level (MIS). If we have 3 bedsides in stock for, let's say, an '80 C-10, and the computer is indicating that the par level is 5, then I go ahead and order more depending on how many sales we've had on that item that week/month.If we've been selling a lot of them, I may order as many as 6-8 more to cover the 3 that may get sold while waiting for the ones I order. If we've been selling less, then I may only order 3-4 more. Etc. True, certain things go through periods where they are selling a lot, then go through periods of not selling at all for several months, but all it takes is that customer at any time to come in and want 4 of them at once for 4 different projects. If we only have 3, we miss out on that 1 and they go through another company to get it. Unless you watch the minimum and keep up with it, you miss sales. Ultimately this will cost the business money. This is where large chains can mess up.

[TOXIC]

Bass Pro and Cabela's store employees do not order their own product.  They have corporate buyers that order product and centralized warehouses.  The store employees order from the warehouses with little to no input on what the warehouses stock.  Then there is the internal pecking order on which stores get first choice of the available product in the warehouses.  Having represented product manufacturers I know for a fact that smaller lower volume stores do not get an equal shot at product held in the warehouses.  

[CTBassin860]

2 hours ago, the reel ess said:

They could have an identity issue since they've merged with BPS. They have Tracker boats in the Spring catalog that came yesterday.

Sometimes my BPS identifies as a DSG