[Phil Yearout]

I had a gun shipped to the KC store from another store (this was back when they would do that for free); getting it there was fiasco in itself with conflicting stories and multiple phone calls. Finally I was notified it was there and made the 250 mile trip. When I got there they couldn't find the gun and no one knew anything about it. Finally someone found it in the back without a tag, note, etc. The first thing I noted was that someone had installed a butt plate that was too small for the stock and it looked like they had trimmed the stock down with a hatchet to fit the plate (not visible in the photos)! No one had bothered to mention that to me. As soon as the guy handed me the gun he sat down at the desk and made a phone call; never made any effort to talk with me about the gun, etc. I waited patiently until he hung up, then asked if they'd take less because I'd have to have the stock cut and a pad installed. "Nope," he said. "That's the price." I handed him back the gun, he leaned it behind the desk and made another phone call. That was the extent of the sales effort. On the way home my wife told me to go ahead and buy the gun I really wanted (considerably more expensive) so I guess they did me a favor.

My other major Cabela's go-round was over a broken fly rod. I had bought it on sale and it had since been discontinued, and rather than replace it with a comparable rod (which is what their guarantee says they'll do) they wanted to refund what I'd paid for it 10 years ago. After arguing with several layers of management I wrote a letter to Dick and Jim saying, among other things, how much I had enjoyed their products and service in the past, and that I knew if they still owned the company I wouldn't be writing this letter. Also, how much I hated that I wouldn't be buying anything from Cabela's anymore. Now, I don't know whether either of them actually saw the letter, but shortly thereafter I got a call from a customer service person who said that they had "misunderstood" my situation, and that certainly they would be replacing the rod, which they did.

We just got a new store here in the area; glad I didn't have to make good on my promise never to shop there again!