Returning busted stuff…
- This topic has 9 replies, 7 voices, and was last updated Nov 1, 2005 at 12:33 am by
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….and expectations of product life.
I am in a quandry about returning a few fishing related items that I am not happy with. The first is my Cabelas Dry Plus jacket. I have had it for almost three years, but it just doesn’t work and looking back it never has. I have always gotten a little dampness in the shoulders, but the last time it outright failed in a prolonged, wind driven rain. Should I expect a return when I have had it that long? I think that I should. My wife does not. (She bought it for me for Christmas)
The second item is a pair of Dr.Slick tungsten carbide scissors that have broken a tip. These are less than a year old. They broke while snipping a piece of small copper wire wound up in a bugger hackle. I don’t think that is abusive to the equipment, or outside it’s intended purpose. I have used the scissors quite a bit, but they are less than a year old.
Are my expectations too high? At what point do you think that the manufacturer should be let off the hook for defects that surface as the item is used?
The jacket I think you should return.
Here’s why:
1) Cabelas manufacturers products abroad to lower quality standards.
Well said. Dr. Slick is a damn good company. I can’t say the same for Cabela’s/BassPro/insert your mega store here…..
Man such harsh talk of Cabelas. I have a dry plus jacket, its three years old and has never let me get wet. I have a Cabelas Gore Tex Wading Jacket that has given the same good service.
Customer service??
Once I was Striper fishing with a Shimano Calcutta 400 and an innerflow rod. The rod was in a Cabelas rod holder when a huge Striper hit and literally broke the rod holder sending my rig overboard. I wrote Cabelas explaining the situation and how a faulty rod holder caused me to lose my $300 outfit. The next week they sent me a letter telling me that a new Calcutta reel, new rod, 200 yards of Power pro and a new rod holder was in the mail.
Another time I built a rod on a St Croix blank I bought from them. The rod broke (my fault) and Cabelas replaced the blank, handle, grip, thread, glue, and the guides. How’s that for customer service?
I do understand the conflict with the mom and pop stores and I now buy all my rod building components locally. However we all don’t have easy access to a fly shop so Cabelas is the best thing going.I have many Cabelas products that I am happy with the price that I paid and the value that I received. Where I live Bass fishing dominates and if your into something else, well too bad. Cabelas has filled the gap nicely and has better customer service then [glb]ANY[/glb] outdoor store I have dealt with period! Bass Pro Shops is not even in the same universe as Cabelas and they shouldn’t be compared to each other.
Devils Advocate
Guys, thanks for the input…
I am going to call Cabelas and and see what they have to say about the jacket. I am not happy with it and they do say that they have a 100% satisfaction guarntee. We’ll see what they say and exactly what that means.
As far as the scissors go, I agree that I probably shouldn’t have been using them for what I was, but I am talking about REALLY fine wire that is not much, if any, thicker than 3/0 thread. I do have
Steve the Cabelas SLI, FT, and PT fly rods are made in USA. They are all fine rods. Most likely St Croix and Loomis blanks. The one you have is a new model I think and I am not sure where it’s made.
Mike,
Thanks the info. We have 3 Cabelas rods. 9wt FT, 8wt XST and a Prestige combo that belongs to my daughter. I am happy with all of them and glad to hear that at least one is made in the USA. I imagine that if the FT is, the XST probably is too.
I also got on the online chat with a Cabelas rep. and asked about the jacket. She told me that the only thing I can do is send it in for evaluation. I asked evaluation of what and she said “the jacket”. Um, OK. Kinda sounds like I am going to be in the market for a new jacket. I will send it in though. It looks like it is new and has obvioulsy not been abused, or even used that much. I will wait and see what happens.
Dr. Slicks… think about it. Here I imagine a Doctor who see’s scissors and tweezers tossed in the trash after a single medical procedure and wonders, ‘if they are so inexpensive that it is cheaper to throw them away than to sterilize them I imagine I could get them at a good price myself from Pakastan’, and fires off a few emails.
Next thing you know every fly shop in the states sells those tools at a rich mark-up and all is well with the world; especiallyfor the good Doctor!I would not hesitate in sending them back! You bought the carbide over the standard tools because they are supposed to be tougher! I’m sure had you known these ‘tougher’ scissors couldn’t handle the task the standards can you wouldn’t have paid twice as much for them.
Let the Doctor eat ’em!
Cabela’s? The best you can do is try! 😉
I agree with what was said about returning the jacket and not returning the scissors.
I have to put in a good word for Bass Pro though. I hate to see them run down. I live in Springfield, MO the home of Bass pro and the fly shop there could not be better. Their products such as waders, rods, and reels are pretty good quality. I have returned a couple of things to them even without a receipt and they have taken my word for it. The guys that work in the fly shop section are very friendly and knowledgeble. They do free fly casting lessons. I also patronize my local fly shop but I feel bass pro is a quality place to shop despite being a retail giant.
Greg
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