Cabela's

Full review
The first time I ever heard of Cabela's I was at my significant other's house and happened to see a catalog laying on the table. I picked it up and started browsing through it, and was immediately impressed with the large variety and selection of products. If you are in the market for hunting, fishing, or other outdoor equipment Cabela's is a great place to take a look.

As I am an avid internet shopper, the next time I needed outdoor equipment I did a quick internet search to see if Cabela's had an online store. I was delighted to find out that indeed they did. As I have gotten older I tend to shy away from real-life stores; too many people most of the time. Internet shopping works very well for me.


Positives

First of all, the Cabela's site works very well. I have never experienced a frustrating slow-down when browsing their site, even during peak hours. It is well-designed; pleasing to look at but not with so many graphics that it takes hours to get through it.

Second, I have always been very impressed with the variety and selection of items on the Cabela's site. I have never gone to this site and come away empty-handed for whatever I happened to be shopping for at the given time. Beware, though! This could be a very dangerous site. There is a ton of choices!

Next, I like the Cabela's search engine. It works well, is efficient, and has brought up every item I have searched for every time. They have a standard search engine as well as an advanced feature. I generally use the standard one with no problem, however, the advanced one can be fun to play with. You can set it to get sale items and new items, which can quickly get you to a variety of fun choices to purchase.

I like the site design; it is set up very logically and in a very user-friendly fashion. Along the left side of the site is a list of items available in the store. Right below this list is another box that contains store extras, such as gift certificates and the opportunity to request a hard-copy catalog. (You might want to request the catalog simply for entertainment value; it is fun to look through!) Under that, there is an informational section called "In the Field". Here you will find articles, discussion forums, weather, and field guides among other choices. Finally you will find the customer service links, language choices, and information on how to contact Cabela's.

If you don't want to go down the side of the screen, links to each of these areas are available across the top of the screen. On the home page you will find a list of featured selections as well as a great deal of other interesting information. This is a fun site to browse even if you are not specifically shopping for something.


Negatives

Well, I really have only one. Cabela's is not the most inexpensive online store around. Some of their products carry some pretty hefty price tags, and at times it might be wise (and more cost-effective) to look around before committing to a purchase. Still and all, I have found many items at this site that were decently priced and the quality of items purchased from Cabela's is always good.


Other Information

You have the ability to register on the Cabela's site, and I highly recommend you do this. Registering gives you the ability to have speedier checkout, gain access to member-only deals, allows you to track your orders, and provides you with an email newsletter full of interesting information. Registration is easy and quick, but does require that you enter your credit card information. I have no concerns in doing this as Cabela's maintains a secure server. (To know if a server is secure or not, look for the yellow padlock on the bottom of your computer screen.)

After you have registered, be sure to log in every time you visit the site. This will ensure that you don't miss out on any fun promotions and member-only specials.

There are several shipping options available. I generally tend to use the standard shipping, and my items have always arrived in the designated time frame. If you simply can't wait a week or so, you can choose express shipping or even next day air. You will, of course, pay more for the expedited shipping options. I find that shipping prices are reasonable on this site; not the cheapest out there but certainly well within the general ballpark range of what one pays for internet shipping.


Final Assessment

I thoroughly enjoy shopping at Cabela's Online Store, and I highly recommend their service. The items arrive in a timely manner and are of good quality. Customer Service is effective, efficient, and courteous. Give them a try! Go to www.cabelas.com and see for yourself. I don't think you will be disappointed. Time to sign off; I want to go to the Cabela's site and order these cute little umbrellas to go in the boat; they clamp on to the seat bars and provide wonderful shade from the sun when you are out fishing!