Buying Advice Cabela's selling Compact Tractors

[Hiltz]

That is a weird one. Lobbyist getting the best of consumers. In another similar instance in the past you couldn't get local stations if you had a dish tv. I always thought it was some sort of technology problem until I came across an article about the big cable companys . They had legislation passed that made it illegal for satelite dish companys to broadcast local stations. Another case of harm to the consumer by special interest. Sorry I didn't mean to hijack the thread.

 

[GManBart]

Remember during the PU truck and SUV craze, where some buyers insisted on Cadillac or Lincoln trucks/SUV's, even though neither company had ACTUALLY made a single such product in their history?

That's kind of a silly argument. Lincoln is part of Ford, and they have plenty of experience building trucks. The Mark LTs were made on the F150 line just up the road from me. Further, why do you suggest that buyers insisted on Caddy or Lincoln trucks/SUVs? Do you know that was what caused the two companies to offer specific products? Are you sure it wasn't the design execs saying "hey, trucks and SUVs are hot right now, we should try getting some of that business", or are you guessing? From 2009 to 2013 I spent most of my time working with the Big-3 and learned that what the public thinks happens in the auto industry is almost never true.

 

[daugen]

Only those who know little to nothing buy a tractor from a retail outlet.

there is a lot of truth in this. Though someone who buys a JD 100 series at Home Depot is still getting a good
lawn mower. Ok, let's say, to wear another hat, I grew up in the suburbs, just bought my first home, in the country with an acre of grass.
I have never owned a riding mower before. How would I know to go to a dealer? Advertisements?
I sure will be going into Home Depot constantly, and what is out there right in front every time I go in? That row of green JD...
do I know the difference between a 100 series or a 300 series? Unlikely. And price is likely to drive the decision anyway.

I think many people would think it was utterly nuts to spend three thousand dollars on a riding mower when a push mower will work just fine.
But hey, the push mower is 500 and that rider is 1500...man I'm going to ride. Am I going to look for pressure lube? No. What's that?...

Bottom line is that we here are experienced and Cabela is going to be a different kind of hand holding for the likely less experienced tractor buyer.

I always thought the Ford 8N was a beautiful design. And when the Boomers came out, I kind of scratched my head...all that chrome on a tractor?
But you know what, they seem to be good tractors, and where else will you get a CVT at that price point?
And I bet NH Boomers were bought more often by inexperienced operators than old farm hands. Why? Because they have the fit and finish of a car, sort of, and
that's what an inexperienced owner sees as a positive. Hey, he likes to wax his Jeep Overland, so why not wax the tractor?
Pounds of lift at the three point is not what that buyer is looking for. He wants a seed plot maker and a bush hog and if he wants it all to look nice, so?
His money.

and put a SCUT in front of the building with a snowblower on it and this past winter it would not have sat there long, no matter who built it...
Do folks impulse buy a tractor? ?????
I bet Cabela hopes they do. And maybe the guest chair there will be more comfortable than the normal greasy steel chair in the dealer's sales area.
As always, a seat for every behind.

 

[Cherokee140]

That's kind of a silly argument. Lincoln is part of Ford, and they have plenty of experience building trucks. The Mark LTs were made on the F150 line just up the road from me. Further, why do you suggest that buyers insisted on Caddy or Lincoln trucks/SUVs? Do you know that was what caused the two companies to offer specific products? Are you sure it wasn't the design execs saying "hey, trucks and SUVs are hot right now, we should try getting some of that business", or are you guessing? From 2009 to 2013 I spent most of my time working with the Big-3 and learned that what the public thinks happens in the auto industry is almost never true.

The same reason we now have a Porsche SUV, BMW SUV and so on.

The reason Lincoln and Caddy made the trucks is to cash in on the whats hot right now just like you said. They sold to people that are more interested in the look and the name on the back then what the vehicle really is.

These same people are the buyers of things like this

 

[lilranch2001]

Personally I will be laughing at a few vocal individuals on here if Cabela's has a huge success

 

[murphy1244]

Well they wont sell too many of them here as there is no stores in this state.

 

[GManBart]

Well they wont sell too many of them here as there is no stores in this state.

Funny/curious thing about our Cabela's is that it's close to the Ohio line. There is a hotel a quarter mile from the store, along with a few chain restaurants, a jerky outlet, a drug store, and an indoor water park. It's become sort of a short trip destination from what I can figure, and many of the cars have Ohio plates. I've overheard people in the Cabela's talking about "when we get back to the hotel", and referencing the water park in the same discussion, so I can only figure that they're staying across the street. I actually think people are making it sort of a weekend trip...drive to Cabela's get a room at the hotel, have dinner at a chain restaurant, get up in the morning, go to the water park, then go to Cabela's etc.

If it's that much of a draw, I can only guess there might be enough appeal/draw that some folks might just buy a tractor from them because of the positive association they have. The other thing is that when you look at (listen to) the people that make up a decent percentage of the customers, I'm not so sure they're the most savvy shoppers who do a lot of product research...just saying.

 

[GManBart]

These same people are the buyers of things like this

View attachment 366945

Come on dude, that's a certified cage-free Amish stump right there...totally worth a hundo!

 

[murphy1244]

I have a hard time going into town to shop let alone to Michigan.

 

[dave1949]

That was an interesting find.

It sounds like Obamacare is hurting them with all the "restructuring"/ getting rid of full time and older employees they are doing.

It sounds to me like Cabela's took advantage of the chance to turn some decent jobs into not so good jobs, while foisting the cost of their employee healthcare onto tax payers. Low income people, such as part time-retail employees, qualify for substantial health insurance subsidies in the ACA--the cost of which is borne by taxpayers.

As a business, Cabela's had the chance to make a free-will ethical choice and chose not to. As a consumer, I choose to not spend my money at such places.