Why I am done with Cabelas.

[Randy]

Dave, I'll bet that you look closer at those gloves before you buy them next time.

[bwarner]

Ever since Cabela's went corporate their service has gone in the toilet.If YOU claim to the "World's Foremost" you need to stand behind that with quality products and great service.
The Cabela's brand is cheap quality and very over priced.
Firearms are very over priced.

It's to bad corporate America is ruining another truly American company.

[Mudinyeri]

And I am the one that was called a dirt bag, but that's okay, I can handle it. And what is the big deal about being a habitual returner, I had a receipt and a defective pair of gloves.

One return is not a "habitual returner".  A habitual returner is someone who frequently buys merchandise, uses it and then returns it for a refund even though the merchandise is perfectly serviceable.  That practice, along with other dishonest buyer practices, is what is driving retailers' need to identify those returning items.

You didn't indicate that you regularly or frequently returned items so I didn't think my "dirt bag" comment applied to you.  Was I wrong?

Maybe it's a question for a different thread but my question about what non-public data is on your driver's license still stands.  If a cop stops you and asks to see your license and registration is that "harrassment"?  If you go to the bank and want to cash a check and the tell asks to see your license, is that "harrassment"?  I'm all for protecting one's privacy but what privacy do you give up by showing someone your driver's license?  Random people on the street ... no need to know.  A retailer who is potentially going to give you cash back ... probably no harm.

[OnTheFly]

My two cents...
Personally I think that this was a FAIL on Cabela's part.  Not because they asked to see a driver's license, but because their customer service made a very lame attempt at explaining their position.  It showed a sincere lack of customer appreciation. 

Regarding the requirement for a driver's license...
When you are used to dealing with a small store that has a small, and often well known to the store owner, client base, then there is very little need for such policy.  However, as Mud has stated, if you had grown a store to be a world wide retailer, you would likely come up with the very similar policies that many people would not understand and/or like.  I look at customers like the government.  They are absolutely necessary, but you always need to keep your guard up to make sure they do not over-step reasonable boundaries.

Other than that, I don't have an opinion. 

Fly

[Mudinyeri]

My two cents...
Personally I think that this was a FAIL on Cabela's part.  Not because they asked to see a driver's license, but because their customer service made a very lame attempt at explaining their position.  It showed a sincere lack of customer appreciation. 

Regarding the requirement for a driver's license...
When you are used to dealing with a small store that has a small, and often well known to the store owner, client base, then there is very little need for such policy.  However, as Mud has stated, if you had grown a store to be a world wide retailer, you would likely come up with the very similar policies that many people would not understand and/or like.  I look at customers like the government.  They are absolutely necessary, but you always need to keep your guard up to make sure they do not over-step reasonable boundaries.

Other than that, I don't have an opinion. 

Fly

Agreed.  I also think you can grow as an organization and maintain a focus on customer care while doing so.  There are a number of good examples of this in the retail world.

Personally, I've had only one slightly negative experience with Cabela's.  That has been outweighed by numerous positive experiences.

[omaharj]

I see this as another sign of Cabela's growing pains. It appears they implemented a policy without sufficient education and training.
  I see them trying to react to customer needs and wants,I think you are aiming low,DaveB, and should redirect your complaint higher up. I suspect if policy makers and implementers knew of your incident,you may have a positive experience in the end.
  Then again, as a kid, I watched "the Wonderful World of Disney".   sometimes I still think that's the way the world is.heh heh.  RJ

[DaveB]

I see this as another sign of Cabela's growing pains. It appears they implemented a policy without sufficient education and training.
  I see them trying to react to customer needs and wants,I think you are aiming low,DaveB, and should redirect your complaint higher up. I suspect if policy makers and implementers knew of your incident,you may have a positive experience in the end.
  Then again, as a kid, I watched "the Wonderful World of Disney".   sometimes I still think that's the way the world is.heh heh.  RJ

I did the best I could, I sent them an email that was handled by a minimum wage employee I'm sure.

I was civil through the whole event until they said I couldn't get my cash back less than 10 minutes after I made the purchase, and had the receipt. I was still civil, did not swear or call anyone names, but do not feel that I should have had to show ID for a total cash transaction. My email was no different, but their reply shows that one customer loss at a time to them means absolutely nothing.

Mud, I have never returned anything to Cabela's before, but screw with me once and there will not be a second time. As far as calling you a sheeple, it was also a general term meant to go to all the people that are willing to give in to corporate BS. Also, the only reason they want the DL is to make sure I get more crap from them in the mail now. As far as my DL goes, it is a government ID and not a Cabela's cash refund ID, it is of no use or value to them.

[OnTheFly]

As far as my DL goes, it is a government ID and not a Cabela's cash refund ID, it is of no use or value to them.

• Honest shopper A makes cash purchase at Cabela's.
• Honest shopper A goes to car in parking lot and places newly purchased items (with receipt) in said car, and then goes to another restaurant or shop.
• Dishonest thief B watches shopper A and when they are out of sight, illegally enters car to retrieve merchandise.
• Dishonest thief B enters Cabela's to get the cash from the purchase.
• Cabela's takes official state ID information and records it.
• Honest shopper A comes into Cabela's when they find their items stolen.
• Cabela's has the information to provide to police.

Sounds like it could be useful to me.  Just say'n.

Fly

[DaveB]

And how many times has this happened in Sydney, Nebraska? And in less than ten minutes after the purchase. Then, why would anyone go into the store to report an item stolen from their car in a parking lot? Sure, it makes sense, the exact type of sense that will keep me from ever blessing their door with my shadow again.

[Mudinyeri]

Mud, I have never returned anything to Cabela's before, but screw with me once and there will not be a second time. As far as calling you a sheeple, it was also a general term meant to go to all the people that are willing to give in to corporate BS. Also, the only reason they want the DL is to make sure I get more crap from them in the mail now. As far as my DL goes, it is a government ID and not a Cabela's cash refund ID, it is of no use or value to them.

So, it would appear that you don't qualify as one of the dirt bags to whom I referred.  If you don't qualify, I'm not sure why you took it personally - although your reaction to Cabela's request to see your driver's license might give us some insight.

On the other hand, you specifically referred to an action of mine as one that exemplifies "sheeple" in your opinion.  It's OK, I've been called much worse and somehow survived.  I've also somehow survived by complying with most polite requests made of me.  Cabela's has my information.  They occasionally send me a flyer or an e-mail.  Sometimes they have a good deal in them.  Sometimes I take advantage of those good deals ... sometimes I don't.  Worst case scenario ... I toss the flyer in the recycle bin or delete the e-mail.  Nobody had to die.

I pick my battles.  Letting a teenage clerk look at my driver's license to make sure I didn't steal some merchandise that I'm returning isn't a hill I'm going to die on.

[Ronvandyn]

I have only ever had one problem with them, and that also was a return.

My fauly, not theirs, they print it right on the back of the reciept for all to read (assuming that you can read green letters in a 2.2 point font, which I cant with or without glasses), there are things that just cannot be returned once bought.  Ammo for one, and my problem child which is primers.  Its the third time its happened, I bought "Magnum" primers rather than the regular one's.  One of these days I am actually going to take the 2.2 seconds necessary to make sure that I am buying the exact primers I need and not just Large/Small and Pistol/Rifle.  (sigh)

Ron

[armed and humorous]

What's the big deal about showing them your drivers license?  It would have saved you a lot of hassle and eliminated the need for this thread.  I'm not saying Cabela's customer service or policies are the greatest, but you had to get your wallet out anyway to put the cash back in, so why not just show them the damn license and get it over with.  I'm sorry, but it bugs me when people rail against minor inconveniences as a matter of principle when it makes a major inconvenience out of the situation.  If there were some good reason for not showing your drivers license (like you didn't have one), I could see where you would be upset.

I know.  I have too much time on my hands, and this is an old post that probably didn't need to be revisited.  From my own perspective, I think Cabela's is a decent place to shop (though I'll agree the waiting times at the gun counter can be annoying), and they don't discriminate against CHP holders.

[Z3R0]

I really think everyone should work retail at least for a couple months in their lives.  You gain a much better sense of what some of these people have to deal with on a daily basis. 

Did they handle the situation as well as they could have? No, probably not. 

However when it comes to large chains like Cabela's, Walmart, etc. you really cannot expect to be treated like you're shopping in ma and pop stores.  These people aren't going to remember your name, your birthday.  They're already probably helped 100+ people they've never met before that very day.

You're there shopping because they have the products and/or are usually cheaper and/or at much more of a convenience than driving around to multiple places or buying online and waiting days to get the product.  These places have rules and policies that their associates must follow, and unfortunately, they have to enforce them with every customer, every time, or risk being labeled as discriminatory.