Sportsman's Warehouse

[RockyRaab2]

Yes, there is a Smut & Ignorance down on Wedwood Woad. I think S&E's prices have always been higher than SW's but I shop at all of them including Cabelas and Scheels. SW Riverdale is the closest and best for me - I have to drive past at least three SWs and Cabela's to get to Scheel's and so I seldom make that trip (But with the new Duluth Trading Co store next to Scheel's it is always worth the drive!) I really need to go to Angler's Inn more often.

The only good part of this buyout is that perhaps now my Bass Pro Tracker Owner discount will be good at SW. Except for that, I'm bummed.

[dubob]

Oh crap.  I stopped using Cabela's when BPS bought them out for lots of reasons, not the least of which was their retarded policy for supporting Veterans.  For all my fishing needs, I either buy on line or go to Angler's Den in Roy.  I've never been to Fish Tech, but it looks like they have a decent supply of fishing goods from their ads.

Hunting/shooting stuff can also be had online and I get most of what I need there or through my gun club.  I expect that the SW goods will go up in price and down in quality, just like it did at Cabelas.  This is NOT good news for any of us.

[smittyts]

Big Bummer!  I have always been disappointed with Cabela's.  High prices, poor selection, and they always seem to be out of exactly what I am looking for.  they run our of ice fishing supplies way too early and refuse to order stuff in during the middle of the season.  I will definitely be going to the new Smith and Edwards on Redwood more now.

[richyd4u]

Although it is unfortunate to hear this, at least maybe SW will have their shelves stocked up...been ridiculous this year! I'm more looking for tackle variety and options, and I'll pay a little extra just to get what I want, when I want it. Of course, TW and other online vendors are great for this, but when I need something immediately, it'll be nice to actually find what I need.

[Browntrout]

Bass Pro ruined the Cabela's in Lehi.  Sales dropped 40% after BP took over. I liked SW now they will be ruined by BP.
BP ruined Cabela's fly shop in Lehi with White River junk. Cabela's had some very good clothing lines now all gone.

[muirco]

Has been bought out by Bass Pro shop

Bass Pro parent to acquire Sportsman's Warehouse | Retail Dive

Sad day! If they change the store or stop competing, it will be unfortunate.

[RockyRaab2]

If you can't beat 'em, buy 'em out. That's what big retailers do when the competition is spanking their behind.

[PointyEndFirst]

Apparently, the government is too busy with silicon valley to pay attention to this merger.  This has to be an anti-trust issue.

[Tin-Can]

Oh crap.  I stopped using Cabela's when BPS bought them out for lots of reasons, not the least of which was their retarded policy for supporting Veterans.  For all my fishing needs, I either buy on line or go to Angler's Den in Roy.  I've never been to Fish Tech, but it looks like they have a decent supply of fishing goods from their ads.

Hunting/shooting stuff can also be had online and I get most of what I need there or through my gun club.  I expect that the SW goods will go up in price and down in quality, just like it did at Cabelas.  This is NOT good news for any of us.

    Hey Bob,  what did you mean by "retarded policy for supporting Veterans."   
    were you referring to Bass Pro Shops or Sportsmans ?   
   
   I'm asking cuz I don't know what policy either one of them have / or had.   And at least in the Davis / Weber counties area, where there are alot of prior service veterans and active duty, and I know lots of us buy lots of supplies (fishing, hunting, camping, shooting) from the SW in Riverdale.   If their policy is changing with their buy out by BPS, I sure would like to know what that policy will be.    Thanks. 

[dubob]

Hey Bob,  what did you mean by "retarded policy for supporting Veterans."   
    were you referring to Bass Pro Shops or Sportsmans ?   
   
   I'm asking cuz I don't know what policy either one of them have / or had.   And at least in the Davis / Weber counties area, where there are alot of prior service veterans and active duty, and I know lots of us buy lots of supplies (fishing, hunting, camping, shooting) from the SW in Riverdale.   If their policy is changing with their buy out by BPS, I sure would like to know what that policy will be.    Thanks. 

I was referring to BPS.  Before the buyout of Cabelas by BPS, Cabelas started a program that gave Veterans a discount for on-line purchases.  They always had one for in-store purchases.  Almost immediately after the buyout by BPS, that on-line discount was discontinued.  I immediately cut up my 20+ year Cabelas Signature credit card and closed that account and told BPS why.  No response at all.  I don't know what the BPS Policy on Veteran Discounts is today and really don't care.  I have no desire to start shopping BPS/Cabelas again as their prices are higher and quality is lower than I can find on-line and at other shopping venues.

SW has had a Veterans discount as long as I can remember - 5% I believe.  It has never been available for on-line purchases, but I can order it on-line and have it delivered to my closest store (Riverdale, UT).  I then go into the store to pick it up and immediately turn it back in for a full refund and then immediately buy it again and show my military ID card for the discount.  I just hope that the asinine approach to taking over ownership of SW isn't the same asinine approach used when BPS took over ownership of Cabelas.

I hope this clarifies it for you.

[Anglinarcher]

Wow, 30 comments and if I try real hard I see one that kind of back-handed is positive.  At least locally, this may be the biggest blunder in the world of business relations.

As an employee of SW, I can tell you we are almost to a person concerned.  We have not officially been told anymore than you guys know.  Unofficially, I was told that nothing would change for now.  I wonder if Cabelas or Ranger Bass Boats was told that too?

As for increasing SW shelf supplies, many of my customers tell me the Riverdale store was better than Cabelas, and we stunk....but, that is do to available supplies world wide, not to anything Cabelas or SW or ..... could have done.  Our buyers could not buy what is not available, and when we get it in it flies out the doors so fast this year we hardly even need to remove it from the carts to the shelves before it is sold.  

The small shops that I have visited either have high prices, which keeps sales down and supplies up, or are as empty as SW, or even more so.  Go figure.

I am telling my employees that we should wait and see, do our best job to help people, make sure we keep stock out of the back rooms and on the shelves for customers.  After all, there are differences between this "merger" and other buy-outs made by the same shell company.  It is thought that Cabelas was near bankruptcy when they were purchased, and that Forest L. Woods, owner of Ranger Bass Boats, had no willing error and just needed to get out due to age.  SW is in good financial shape right now and has been buying stores out ourselves around the country.  

My Son is a "bean counter" and has told me many times that publicly traded companies, like SW, are subject to take-overs anytime someone with lots of money offers to make existing stockholders a lot of quick money.  It is the bird in the hand verses two in the tree syndrome.  Do you keep the plump bird (fast profit) or release it in favor of potentially twice the plump birds (future profits).  Our stock market jumps one day and falls the next day due to that very real and common question.  The more doubt one has about the future, the more likely you are to take the quick profit, and with COVID-19, the Election Results, the division in the country right now, I can understand the concerns about the future of business, even the business SW is in.

Personally, I chose to try to consider this a positive Merger.  Perhaps, like Walmart, if we are big enough we can demand more influence in obtaining product on the world market.  If I am wrong, well it will not be the first, nor the last time, that I have made a mistake.  If I am right, we could be staged to have a more stable supply chain.

I work for SW, but have not always done so, and have shopped at BPS stores in other states, and have shopped at Cabelas in other States as well as Utah.  I have shopped at SW for many years as well.  All of these stores have had specific things that have made them stand out, and things I personally would have changed.  I can, and do, hope that this time it will allow the strengths of all of the organizations to come forward and the weaknesses to be overcome.

Let's hope, even if hope seems improbable, that this "merger" will be a better thing in the future.  As for other concerns, regulators have not given final approval to my knowledge, and I believe Stockholders must sill vote on this.  It is likely to be a done deal, but it is not a sure deal at this time.

Now, ask me in 6 months if I was a fool, or a genius.  Both are possible, and only time will tell.

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a better year next year.

[Tin-Can]

Hey Bob,  what did you mean by "retarded policy for supporting Veterans."   
    were you referring to Bass Pro Shops or Sportsmans ?   
   
   I'm asking cuz I don't know what policy either one of them have / or had.   And at least in the Davis / Weber counties area, where there are alot of prior service veterans and active duty, and I know lots of us buy lots of supplies (fishing, hunting, camping, shooting) from the SW in Riverdale.   If their policy is changing with their buy out by BPS, I sure would like to know what that policy will be.    Thanks. 

I was referring to BPS.  Before the buyout of Cabelas by BPS, Cabelas started a program that gave Veterans a discount for on-line purchases.  They always had one for in-store purchases.  Almost immediately after the buyout by BPS, that on-line discount was discontinued.  I immediately cut up my 20+ year Cabelas Signature credit card and closed that account and told BPS why.  No response at all.  I don't know what the BPS Policy on Veteran Discounts is today and really don't care.  I have no desire to start shopping BPS/Cabelas again as their prices are higher and quality is lower than I can find on-line and at other shopping venues.

SW has had a Veterans discount as long as I can remember - 5% I believe.  It has never been available for on-line purchases, but I can order it on-line and have it delivered to my closest store (Riverdale, UT).  I then go into the store to pick it up and immediately turn it back in for a full refund and then immediately buy it again and show my military ID card for the discount.  I just hope that the asinine approach to taking over ownership of SW isn't the same asinine approach used when BPS took over ownership of Cabelas.

I hope this clarifies it for you. 

    Thanks Bob, it does. 

[dubob]

Anglinarcher, thank you Sir for that very informative insight.  I would like to address - with respect - the part I think applied to me directly.

Wow, 30 comments and if I try real hard I see one that kind of back-handed is positive.

I'm guessing my post wasn't that one.   

Please don't get me wrong; I really do like SW and shop there at least once a month.  I love the discount coupons ($10 off $50 purchases) and use them a lot.  I also love the fact that they support our troops and a ton of outdoor activities (my source of discount coupons) .  But the takeover of Cabelas was terrible and I have nothing to suggest that the buyout of SW (if finalized) will be any different.

I have talked with a couple of folks employed by Cabelas that BPS finally realized their policy changes at Cabelas after the takeover cost them millions in lost customer base and sales.  They have reversed course on some of the changes and hopefully those lessons will be applied to the SW buyout if/when it happens.  My fingers are crossed, but I don't have a good feeling that this will be the case.  I very much want to be wrong about this.

[RockyRaab2]

Bob, I suspect that the one "back-handed positive" post was mine where I said that SW might now honor the BPS Tracker boat owner discount. Which I did in fact intend as a semi-positive comment.

Anyway, as anglinarcher said, the sale of SW is not yet final. It may or may not happen. All we can do is wait and see.

[TiteLines]

Looks like I will be making the long drive to Smith and Edwards more often in the future.
Sure wish that we still had Kent's or the old Sunset Sports Stores back.
It would be nice to shop at a sporting goods store that catered to our local needs.

   Isnt there a Smith & Edwards now out on Redwood Rd and 7200 so. I thought I saw a store front last week when driving. ?

Smith & Edwards - 9000 S. & Redwood. Same parking lot as Jiffy Lube.