Cabela's

Full review
Cabelas got its start on a kitchen table in 1961 as a true American dream. Dick Cabela and his wife Mary were quickly into a mail-order business and were soon joined by Dick's brother Jim in what became one of the world's foremost sportings goods outfitters. Once a family owned and run business like Sam Walmart had, both businesses were propelled into major firms with stocks in the New York Trading Exchange. From there, it looks like both businesses have taken a turn less than historically family oriented.

Like Walmart, it appears like Cabelas has succumbed to corporate America to leave the original family values once again. Company officers no longer carry the Cabela name - and likely could care less. Cabelas is now moving from the mail-order scheme to retail store sales. A shift from mail-order to retail store outlet was markedly made when Cabelas Corporate announced a 10% reduction of headquarters workforce this October, while also stating this will not affect retail. They referred to it as "an effort to reduce costs and improve efficiency" in typical "bean counter" fashion - despite sales were reportedly up 1.5%, as of June, over sales the in the same quarter last year. Not surprisingly, newly built retail stores were also responsible for a roughly better than 37% shift from mail-order. 

Cabelas fast order processing system (IBM's DB2) was chosen over Oracle by Cabelas' senior programming advisor. I am an IBM associate and know IBM data systems are excellent, but every system relies on proper maintenance and knowledgeable employees. 

Does this means Cabelas will improve? Probably not. In fact, it could easily become adverse to mail order and Internet sales - as it apparently has...

The order on Monday:

On a Monday, the 17th of November, I placed an order for nine casual shirts at just over $220 happily avoiding sales taxes (locally 10% here). Two of them being less expensive "Henleys", in different colors, and one nice plaid  shirt from Cabelas "Bargain Cave" kept the price down. That order would have been much larger, but several of the shirts they displayed On-line were not in stock in the standard colors they displayed in their first displayed ads. I could only tell this as I tried to order them by color or size. Some were also not "in-stock" in for any color in a "Large". As I didn't want to back order anything, I only ordered in-stock items.

This was not my first purchase from Cabelas, although it had been some time since my last, as I had made one with them in the early 1990's and another previous purchase with them in the mid 1980's for some warm hunting clothes. Shipping was slow by mail order using a catalog then, but that was nothing unusual in those days. Ever since those orders, Cabelas has always sent me one or two nice thick catalogs each year - that I usually will flip though before they make it to the "circular" file. So, I decided it was time to try out their website after my catalog had already taken its normal journey. I found the website easy to navigate and as good with descriptions and pictures as the catalog they mail out. 

Most of the shirts I ordered were of heavy material, as I suffer from quite a lot of arthritis and need to stay warmer than I did in my younger years. Of course, remembering those heavy shirts I had bought there years ago were the main reason I returned, and I actually still had one warm chamois shirt from them that was due for replacement after having lasted so many years - a positive testament to its quality measured over time that can not be without value. 

I had easily made an Online Internet account with Cabelas to keep up with my order and to make future purchases. I also found a number of their prices reasonable, while some did appear rather exorbitant - even though I am not unfamiliar with Brooks Brother's prices. Using the Cabelas sizing guide, I was also easily able to determine my correct size. At 6'3" 220lbs. my normal shirt size is 16 1/2 with 34" sleeves, so a "Large" in a "Regular" was the recommended size for each of my purchases. The reason I mentioned "Regular" is Cabelas also offers "Tall" sizes for those over 6'3". Everything went well, and I was happy with my purchase experience at this point.

Strangeness on Wednesday the 19th:

On Wednesday I phoned customer service as, after two days, my On-line account showed the order still pending with no order tracking - and an estimated delivery date of Wednesday the 26th. I was told the order was "on the truck" and tracking would be provided soon by UPS once the "truck" made it in to their terminal. Supposedly, I had three to five day free shipping on the order and every item was in stock, packed, and had been "on the truck" as of that Tuesday.

More strangeness on Friday the 21st:

No real problem on Wednesday, I felt I would know something more about my order's shipment by Thursday. That toss of the dice showed snake eyes, so I called Cabelas customer service on Friday afternoon after my account still showed no changes from "pending". Again, I was told my order was "on the truck" and that they had no control of when UPS would send tracking (blaming UPS for delays) - but they would send it once they had it. By now, I was clearly beginning to smell a rat. I quizzed the representative, and she simply referred me to the estimated date - despite it was two days later than the latest advertised six business day delivery date. When I reminded her of this, she blew me off with, "Oh, don't worry, you'll have your tracking before then." I replied "thanks" and hung up the phone.

Re: Here's what Cabelas posted at their site in my account for the shipping I had.

Standard Express
How is my estimated delivery date determined?

In-stock items shipped from our warehouse will typically arrive in 3-6 business days.  The estimated delivery date shown is quoting the sixth business day.  The day the order is placed is not calculated in this date range and business days do not include weekends or holidays.

Well, on that Friday evening my order still said "pending" at my account. A further check of the order still showed delivery as " In stock-Approx delivery Wed 11/26" displayed at every item - this date being the next week for a total of eight business days since I made my order, not including two week-end days. Huh, what happened to my usual 3-4 day Standard delivery that UPS and every other company usually does supply me with? Evidently the bean counters at Cabelas didn't care much about that - once they had received my order and credit card information.

UPS ground service only takes four to five business days at the most, in my location, from anywhere in the Continental USA. So, I have to wonder where that "truck" was that still hadn't made it to a UPS terminal in five days. UPS has terminals in even remote locations that take no more than a day to reach.

Monday, one week after my order:

On Monday the 24th, now five business days after the day I placed my order (early in the day and one full week earlier), eight of my shirts showed as "Standard Express Shipped-11/24/08"  - withno delivery date for them, at the Online account I had made with Cabelas. I also had received no tracking, and the ninth "in stock" shirt still showed as "Standard Express In stock-Approx delivery Wed 11/26". It was really just so "thrilling" for me to see the complete order was still listed the evening of Monday 24th as:

Order Date:  11/17/2008
Amount:  $222.64 
Status:  Pending
View Order

Just what happened to the advertised "In-stock items shipped from our warehouse typically arrive in 3-6 business days."? Better yet, what happened even to "The estimated delivery date shown is quoting the sixth business day". My account showed the quote on the eighth business day any way you want to examine that statement - unless the bean counters at Cabelas think customers can't count the days of the week and don't know what business days are.

Since I had been lied to on the phone twice by Cabelas customer service (unless that"truck" was somewhere in South America), I was getting a little upset. After a full week (six business days) later I still had no delivery date - despite having given them my email address, home address, cell phone number and home phone number. Of course, by this time I couldn't help wondering about just what kind of quality I could expect in the merchandise - and if it would ever arrive.

Hey, think about this - the Christmas rush hadn't really started yet as it was not even Thanksgiving yet. I'm sure glad my order wasn't food, or I would have already been very hungry. It's for sure there's no way I would now order anything from Cabelas for a gift under my Christmas tree. I've already ordered other items from much more distant Internet businesses, since this order from Cabelas - and they have all been delivered in three days using the same Standard UPS Delivery Cabelas offered me. I guess those other companies don't have their "trucks" lost somewhere in South America.

Now, In plain language, Cabelas should have just stated orders are not packed and shipped until a full business week has passed - if this is the case. What they implied to me was false advertising and enough reason for me to now question their reliability. I'm originally from the north, and I'll tell you I can get short spoken and to the point with people very quickly, and I sure don't appreciate being lied to and blown off when I ask someone a question. I don't think Cabelas customer service wants to hear from me at this point.

Tuesday the 25th - now six business days, not counting the day of my order:

I finally received an email with tracking for my order - scheduled delivery from Pennsylvania to be at my door on the 26th. Curiously, my account at Cabelas (the one I made to track my order) still showed everything the same as it did the day before. That "truck" with my order must have had a new driver form "south of the border" - one who was driving around lost in Pennsylvania for seven days including that weekend before actually making it to UPS on Monday the 24th, according to UPS records. Let's see, I should have had my tracking on the 24th - but Cabelas arbitrarily decided to wait a day and email it to me. Now, just why did I need to make an Online account to track my order? Oh well, I guess I wouldn't have finally gotten that email without one... At least I then knew when actual delivery should occur.

That truck driver who couldn't find UPS? Well, Cabelas should let him go and use a railroad spur for shipping - you can't get lost on tracks, and shipping by rail car is just as quick while being more economical and environmentally friendly. Using rail shipping, I also wouldn't have been expecting my order to come during the week of the Monday I made it.

Wednesday the 26th:

Well, my order finally arrived this Wednesday - most of it. That's right, the one shirt that still showed at my account as "In stock - Aprox. delivery Wed. 11/26" didn't come. My Cabelas account also still showed my entire order as pending. I did receive an email that gave me tracking on both shipments on this day - great, I already knew my shirts were coming from the earlier UPS tracking. Now I got to see the ninth shirt was to be delivered on 12/02 - after Thanksgiving, and over two weeks since I made my order.

Eight of my shirts did arrive well packaged and in excellent condition. The two henley Carhartt shirts, the least expensive I ordered, came with two plastic hangers - and one Cabelas brand shirt came with a Cabelas plastic hanger, while the most expensive ones curiously had no hanger. Well, I guess someone can always use a hanger - but I use wooden hangers in my closets.

Anyway, the quality of the shirts was unquestionable, and they were all of the correct size. All actually had a fuller cut for a standard Large size - the way I like all of my shirts, as I am 6'3" and 220 lbs. People of my stature with a slighter build could easily wear all but the henleys as an over-shirt, for layered insulation against the cold, but that won't happen with me - although I could wear a Carhartt henley as an undershirt. I had expected quality, and that expectation was fully met.

Monday the 1st of December:

After two weeks, my Cabelas account finally showed my complete order as shipped - and, for the first time, order tracking was supplied there for the order they split into two shipments.

Tuesday the 2nd of December:

The day saw the arrival of my last shirt. On inspection the shirt was again of the excellence I had expected, and it was well packaged - just as the previous shipment had also shown. 

Final Thoughts:

Normally I wouldn't be so harsh in rating a company, but during two phone calls, customer service could have just told me the truth - that my order would not be processed until the following week, and could be shipped from multiple stores. Instead, they repeatedly told me it was "on the truck" and headed to UPS. Since I have a privacy gate some distance from my home, and there's not always someone at home, I have to know when deliveries are to occur. Then there was the issue of tracking that should have been supplied a day earlier, and the On-line account that did not update in a timely manner. There was also the fact my credit card was not billed until the first shipment actually occurred - also letting me know when my order was actually processed. It was nice to know I wasn't charged until the first shipment of my "in stock" items occurred, but the very late processing also caused the credit billing to be carried over to December billing by my card issuer - for something I intended to pay off in my current November statement - and should have been able to do with any order made on the 17th of the month.

Cabelas customer service tried to blame UPS for their own problem, but the evidence put the blame for my late arriving order squarely on Cabelas. UPS shipping showed eight of my shirts shipped from Stanton, Pennsylvania. The last shirt shipped from Oak Creek, Wisconsin. Clearly, my "in stock" items shipped from Cabela stores and not a common warehouse. This should have been no problem for a computer system that updates the entire system each night as theirs does. But, even after my two initial calls to customer service - no one cared to explain truthfully or to look into the problem.

Due to this, I can not recommend Cabelas to everyone.  While I might use Cabelas again, due to low pricing and the good product quality, I now know not to be expecting the timely shipping I always receive from other On-line merchants. I also will be hoping I never need their customer service again - unless they can speak truthfully in the future. I certainly won't be using Cabelas for any holiday gift shopping, as I had intended, where such slow order processing could possibly become an issue. Hopefully my experience was just an unusual one for shoppers at Cabelas.com, and can be used by the company to improve its internal shipping/order processing, customer service, and account updating. 

For now, maybe it's time I thought about ordering from the "other guys" - like Gary Olen at Sportsman's Guide again. It's been a long time since I ordered there also. I know several who can still do timely shipping - even during the holiday season. Waiting over two weeks for an order to be completed during normal work days is absurd, especially when every item was "in stock" and delivery is repeatedly advertised within six business days - and with no holidays involved in the advertised time frame. There is also no excuse for customer service deliberately lying to a customer.

One final note, Cabelas had their large logo picture imprinted on both of the new Georgia-Pacific boxes they shipped my items in. I'd have to say the extra money spent for this should have been spent on improving the actual order processing - I could care less about a picture on a now empty box that will go out with the trash, and those boxes could have been made using cheaper recycled material that would help preserve our forests. I'm sure everyone else feels the same. It looks like those "bean counters" at Cabelas could use some serious management lessons.