I’m not a huge Cabela’s fan, but I have purchased about as many products from the “World’s Foremost Outfitter”, that I can count on one hand and still tie my shoes. Therefore, I am no authority on whether or not Cabela’s, as a whole, has lousy customer service or whether the following incident is endemic and relegated to just the Scarborough, Maine store.

I received an email from a friend asking if somehow I could help in order that other sportsmen doesn’t run into the same problems that he has in attempting to buy a particular gun. I emailed back with a couple of questions and am awaiting a reply. What I wanted to know was whether he and his wife have any idea of his claim that Cabela’s, “service basically sucks”, is widespread throughout the entire Cabela’s corporation and whether or not he had contacted or attempted to contact corporate offices to resolve his problem. If and when I get that information I will share it.

I am going to post the majority of the email, hopefully without taking something out of context. I am blanking out the names for right now as I don’t see any need for that. I will say that I have known this person and his wife for perhaps 40 years and they are exceptionally trustworthy people.

Here’s the email:

Hello Tom,

Maybe some of your readers can help me with my dilemma with Cabela’s. Before last hunting season I twice called the Scarborough, ME Cabela’s looking for a Remington 750 carbine in a .308 cal.. Twice I was told that the gun buyer would get back to me and it never happened, so I went the season without that firearm. So this year I thought I would start earlier and called on Monday. The person in the gun dept. told me that they didn’t stock that model and that I should call Remington and purchase the gun from them. I was then supposed to have it shipped to Cabela’s and they would transfer it to me at a nominal cost of $25.00 to $35.00.. I was always under the impression that Cabela’s was a retailer and not a transfer agent and with that kind of representation Cabela’s cannot possible be “The World’s Foremost Outfitter”. Cabela’s customer service basically sucks and I hope one of your readers can point me to a customer service person at Cabela’s headquarters. XXXXX and I have Cabela’s Signature credit cards but that shouldn’t matter since all customers should be treated equal. That is the way we run our business and the way all businesses should run.

L.L. Bean is looking better all the time,

XXXXXX

I find the story puzzling for a number of reasons but I will tell you this. As I have said, I have known this man for about 40 years and among his hunting buddies at camp he is teased because it seems everything he owns comes from Cabela’s, even the seat covers in his truck, etc. etc. etc. With the amount of time he has spent at this store and the amount of merchandise he has purchased through them, he should have a good sense of what their customer service is like.

In this day and age of economic struggles, a large retailer like Cabela’s, I would think, would NOT want to find their name plastered across the Internet in a negative fashion.

If there are any readers who can provide him/me with a contact person at Cabela’s headquarters, please email me the information or I can put you in contact with this guy. You can also express your experiences with Cabela’s, good and bad, in the comment section below.

Thank you.