Buying Advice Cabela's selling Compact Tractors

[Cherokee140]

If they cap the number of hours for a particular warranty job, or force you into a flat rate schedule that's unrealistic, it's not really billing at the shop hourly rate.

I guess if the tech goes over as the shop has to do it for basically nothing the tech does not get paid for those hours worked.

 

[kcflhrc]

I seriously doubt Cabela's gives a crap about this thread or TBN. After all, we aren't the one's they will be selling these tractors to. We all have done our home work or should have. They will sell these tractors to the casual shopper that decides to buy a tractor the same day he or she sees one at the Cabela's store. Just like the people with more money than sense at the Harley Dealers. Look on Craigslist at all the used Harley's with under 2k miles on them. Those are the people who will buy these tractors.

 

[TSO]

I seriously doubt Cabela's gives a crap about this thread or TBN. After all, we aren't the one's they will be selling these tractors to. We all have done our home work or should have. They will sell these tractors to the casual shopper that decides to buy a tractor the same day he or she sees one at the Cabela's store. Just like the people with more money than sense at the Harley Dealers. Look on Craigslist at all the used Harley's with under 2k miles on them. Those are the people who will buy these tractors.

You are probably right ... as the old saying goes, "There's a sucker born every minute."

 

[The Tractor Guy]

"I don't care what the newspapers say about me as long as they spell my name right." Normally attributed to P.T. Barnum, but frequently debated.

Cabela's must love this thread!

This has sure been interesting to say the least. Just to play this back, after seeing so many posts related to Cabela's tractors that presented lots of questions and more than a few things being written that were not true, I decided to identify myself and post a summary that laid out all of the facts related to Cabela's now offering tractors and implements. I know this forum well, and I knew that there would be some negative comments, but it seemed worth to at least let folks know about Cabela's approach. In the end, for those that have a genuine interest in knowing the facts and not speculating, there is now something to refer to. That was the goal. For those that posted supportive comments, or made the effort to ask others to tone things down a bit, I thank you. For those that thought that being overly critical is how they serve fellow TBN members, God bless you, and I sincerely wish you the best, even if you might happen to work at or own a competitive tractor dealership. Again, I am not a Cabela's employee, I'm an Ag Equipment guy who is helping Cabela's put together a new business. Nothing more, nothing less. One thing that I am absolutely certain of is that neither me nor anyone else that's involved in what Cabela's is doing will ever find it necessary to speak poorly of another, whether they are a competitor or a tractor enthusiast. We choose to let our customers judge how well we serve them, just as any good business does.

 

[k0ua]

This has sure been interesting to say the least. Just to play this back, after seeing so many posts related to Cabela's tractors that presented lots of questions and more than a few things being written that were not true, I decided to identify myself and post a summary that laid out all of the facts related to Cabela's now offering tractors and implements. I know this forum well, and I knew that there would be some negative comments, but it seemed worth to at least let folks know about Cabela's approach. In the end, for those that have a genuine interest in knowing the facts and not speculating, there is now something to refer to. That was the goal. For those that posted supportive comments, or made the effort to ask others to tone things down a bit, I thank you. For those that thought that being overly critical is how they serve fellow TBN members, God bless you, and I sincerely wish you the best, even if you might happen to work at or own a competitive tractor dealership. Again, I am not a Cabela's employee, I'm an Ag Equipment guy who is helping Cabela's put together a new business. Nothing more, nothing less. One thing that I am absolutely certain of is that neither me nor anyone else that's involved in what Cabela's is doing will ever find it necessary to speak poorly of another, whether they are a competitor or a tractor enthusiast. We choose to let our customers judge how well we serve them, just as any good business does.

I like your forthright upfront attitude. And I know more about the Cabela's brand now than I did. Thank you.

 

[GManBart]

The fact that an advisor to Cabela's is taking part in this thread means someone there cares about TBN, this thread, and any connection to their company that comes up.

It's a safe bet that all the major manufacturers, or the companies who have their marketing and PR contracts, are on here as well. All of the big marketing and PR companies have teams dedicated to social media, and online forums...it's one of the biggest growth areas in both PR and marketing.

In fact, advertising through forum participation is considered a very high return on investment activity, and fairly new. Cabela's just hired Olsen as their PR company, and they've won a bunch of awards for being one of the most innovative companies out there.

Yeah, no OEM/Brand would care at all about TBN. Really? AGCO, Massey, Deere, NH, Bobcat, Kioti, and Mahindra are, or have been, paid advertisers here. Anybody wanna bet that Cabela's might be next?

 

[MessickFarmEqu]

Ever wonder why more people "in the know" or factory types don't post on forums? Maybe TBN could turn this thread into a sticky so if anybody ever asks you could link them to this one.

That Tractor Guy started out with good intentions but like on every forum, some on here have gone WAY over the line. Rest assured, if Cabela's sees these posts, he will no longer be posting and on a personal level, why would he? Nothing like insulting a person you don't know. It's the exact reason I don't participate in forums that deal with my business, just as the others in the industry won't. There's very little upside and it's the reason most businesses forbid their employees or agents to participate in public forums.

I don't think thats true at all. I'm here, and have been for a long time. There is upside. You just have to be willing to swim with the sharks and realize that you loose control of your corporate message. While its causes stress at time, it builds trust and respect and over the long haul people will reward you for it.

 

[TSO]

I heard stories about a fella that used to come around these parts ... went by the handle "Mahindra Don." Anybody know him?

--------- --------- ---------

While its causes stress at time, it builds trust and respect and over the long haul people will reward you for it.

Potentially, but not always. Sometimes a dealer might come around and actually hurt his own reputation and actually discourage trust, depending on the comments he or she makes.

 

[kcflhrc]

When did Cabela's become an OEM?

 

[V1Rotate]

Tractor Guy

I am impressed with the professional and polite way you have handled yourself on this thread.
All you are doing is giving us the facts from Cabela's point of view, and these facts will make us better informed as consumers.
I think it is good that Cabela's is selling tractors, that means more competition which can mean better equipment and better prices.

 

[Hiltz]

Now if we could just see new cars sold at WalMart and on Amazon. Then I would be happy.

 

[kcflhrc]

Now if we could just see new cars sold at WalMart and on Amazon. Then I would be happy.

That could actually happen. Sears actually used to sell vehicles back in the day.

 

[GManBart]

When did Cabela's become an OEM?

If you're going to nitpick, include Bobcat as well...they didn't make their tractors either. OEM or "brand" can be substituted equally for purposes of this discussion....companies selling tractors with their own name on them.

Regardless, you said the big brand names wouldn't care about an online forum. Evidently they disagree with you by being advertisers here.

 

[sparc]

PowerPro Equipment | Customer Focus is our Definable Difference!
....

If I decided on a TYM, I would feel more secure buying from a local Cabela's. Of which there are none.
But if there were...

But soon there will be. May 1st a new Cabela's opens at the Christiana Mall in DE.

And isn't there a store in Hamburg, PA now?

There are not going to be as abundant as your local WaWa, but with 23 new stores opening over the next two years they will increase their numbers by almost 50%.

 

[kcflhrc]

Regardless, you said the big brand names wouldn't care about an online forum. Evidently they disagree with you by being advertisers here.

No, I said Cabela's wouldn't care. Get it right!

 

[GManBart]

No, I said Cabela's wouldn't care. Get it right!

There's already someone with direct ties to the Cabela's tractor line here, so you're wrong any way you look at it.

 

[jmc]

OEMs and distributors have much to offer on TBN, but it's a tightrope walk. When they come here with an objective announcement of a unique product, or new perspective on an old product, or needing product feedback, the TBN members are almost unanimously supportive. Things go awry though, when the they can't resist using that spotlight as a sales opportunity as well.

Remember the guy promoting a top link that was a passive hydraulic cylinder so you could (kinda) tweek the box blade attitude without getting off the tractor and without hydraulic connection? The whole tone of his epic thread became calling him out on his exaggerated claims rather than discussing the significant merits of that product.

On the other end of the spectrum, I always read Messick's posts. We get his perspective from TheOtherSide without feeling manipulated.

Then comes Tractor Guy. Nice to hear the BehindtheScenes story, as he knows it, of Cabela's foray into tractors but then it degenerates into chest beating about commitment and customer service, etc. As consumers, we HEAR this from many companies but SEE it from few, so we can't resist taking out our frustration on him. Add some more hyperbole about how amazing it is that the CEO of Cabela's owns a Cabela's tractor and things continue downhill.

My point here is that while Tractor Guy is disappointed in his reception by some of us, he could have handled it better on his way into it.

 

[TSO]

Here's a question: WHY is Cabela's newly marketing the Tier3 tractors instead of Tier4? Seems odd to bring these to market right at the switch. It's Cabela's trying to avoid regulations because they're not actually manufacturing them?

 

[daugen]

But soon there will be. May 1st a new Cabela's opens at the Christiana Mall in DE.

And isn't there a store in Hamburg, PA now?

There are not going to be as abundant as your local WaWa, but with 23 new stores opening over the next two years they will increase their numbers by almost 50%.

Thanks. Hamburg is more than two hours away but Wilmington DE with no sales tax is always a nice idea.
Didn't one of the major sporting goods chains bite the dust in the last few years?
Maybe Cabela is moving in to the vacuum with a more interesting line.
Cabela had better hope there is not a Walmart too close by...that same Coleman cooler is going to be much cheaper
at Walmarts, as will other commodity vs specialty items.
But Walmart likely won't have a 100 below sleeping bag, and certainly not a shiny awd tractor...

I wonder if they want to buy my late father in law's animal heads for their stores...all kinds of nice endangered African animals.
That might be like waving a fur coat in front of a PETA member.

 

[arrow]

That could actually happen. Sears actually used to sell vehicles back in the day.

Ah the good old "Allstate" sold in 52-53. They also sold houses along with everything else.