Tractor News Cabelas has tractors!!??

[Hiltz]

I appreciate your conclusion that I am alienating TBN members by simply presenting information about Cabela's Wildlife & Land Management business, but consider that I first identified myself as being affiliated with Cabela's, I provided useful information that answered questions that many TBN members had about the topic and shared a perspective developed through 20 years of experience in the tractor industry, including having served as the leader of a well known, but now competitive brand. While my identity as The Tractor Guy is new, I have been contributing to TBN under another identity for many years, but can no longer use now that I have a new role. TBN members and guests are interested in facts, and opinions from those that know tractors. In that instance, I will always strive to provide only facts, be open about my affiliations, and be polite and helpful to all members.

I think a lot of people appreciate you coming here and giving your honest insight. I hope Cabellas sells lots of tractors.

 

[Camastown]

I don't think cabelas is going after all corners of the market. I would say they are , or should I say, not going after any market. My guess if cabelas is a family run business they are putting out a product line that they feel will represent their company. Like the gun safes. They don't make guns safes, but they find the best safes for the customer they serve. You will see high end expensive gun safes for people with a high end budget and safes that are imported to sell to a customer on a tight budget. But they are all great gun safes. And if there is a problem they will take care of the customer. When I went in to look at the tractors I told the salesman I just purchased my Branson. He did not blow me off. He spent about 20 minutes with me to tell me about his product. He was a former salesman for kubota, about ten years he said. He told me that cabelas was committed to do it right. I would guess that cabelas is excited to sell tractors to their existing customer base and if other people are drawn to them that's a bonus. Yes the prices are a bit higher but there is a huge amount of people with the extra money to spend if they know that there is someone to back them up. A perfect example is my brother that bought a TYM because he was on a tight budget . Then my other brother that has deep pockets, he bought a kubota and paid 3-4k more because of the name and the customer service. So don't try to tell me that cabelas can't be successful when kubota does it day after day for the last 20 years. And if I had the deep pockets I may have bought a john deere and not because they are a better tractor, and not because they are made in the USA, because they are not. I would buy one because of the outstanding reputation that backs them up. Look at McDonalds. Don't tell me they are the biggest because they have great food. I don't go to my tire store because of the prices , I go to them because they have outstanding customer service. I can give you tons of examples where price doesn't matter. In my business I don't go after the volume sales. In fact my prices for my shower doors are usually higher. I know my prices are higher because my customers tell me this after I sold them the shower door. They use me because of my outstanding reputation and because they tell me that I seem to know what I am talking about. I have seen many people in my business come and go and they are the ones that can out sell me in volume 10 to 1. Folks cabelas is not looking to sell millions of tractors , They are looking to fill a need that they feel that their customer may have. They are not going to be the typical tractor dealer that will take your old tractor as a trade in. They are not going to have old worn out tractors and implement scattered all over the parking lot. They are going to use the same business model they have been using for many years that have made them who they are. By the way tractor guy, I will be retiring in 5 years and I may hit you up for a job selling tractors

 

[JoeinTX]

Gimmicky? Yeah.

If/when they don't move enough of them they'll be gone. See Montana, Long, etc. Looked at TYMs a few years ago and they are good looking tractors but the local "dealer" (a lumber yard) kept a couple around for about a year and then S-canned them. Rinse and repeat, over and over. I would not buy one with any expectation of support or parts in the future.

As for Cabela's, I've never found them reliably cheaper on much of anything compared with anyone else. Priced a cheapo Savage there last year and then walked into a local STO gun shop and bought the same rifle for $60 less. Bought a variety of things over the last few years from Academy and did so because they would ultimately sell cheaper than Cabela's.

 

[fieldman12]

I don't think cabelas is going after all corners of the market. I would say they are , or should I say, not going after any market. My guess if cabelas is a family run business they are putting out a product line that they feel will represent their company. Like the gun safes. They don't make guns safes, but they find the best safes for the customer they serve. You will see high end expensive gun safes for people with a high end budget and safes that are imported to sell to a customer on a tight budget. But they are all great gun safes. And if there is a problem they will take care of the customer. When I went in to look at the tractors I told the salesman I just purchased my Branson. He did not blow me off. He spent about 20 minutes with me to tell me about his product. He was a former salesman for kubota, about ten years he said. He told me that cabelas was committed to do it right. I would guess that cabelas is excited to sell tractors to their existing customer base and if other people are drawn to them that's a bonus. Yes the prices are a bit higher but there is a huge amount of people with the extra money to spend if they know that there is someone to back them up. A perfect example is my brother that bought a TYM because he was on a tight budget . Then my other brother that has deep pockets, he bought a kubota and paid 3-4k more because of the name and the customer service. So don't try to tell me that cabelas can't be successful when kubota does it day after day for the last 20 years. And if I had the deep pockets I may have bought a john deere and not because they are a better tractor, and not because they are made in the USA, because they are not. I would buy one because of the outstanding reputation that backs them up. Look at McDonalds. Don't tell me they are the biggest because they have great food. I don't go to my tire store because of the prices , I go to them because they have outstanding customer service. I can give you tons of examples where price doesn't matter. In my business I don't go after the volume sales. In fact my prices for my shower doors are usually higher. I know my prices are higher because my customers tell me this after I sold them the shower door. They use me because of my outstanding reputation and because they tell me that I seem to know what I am talking about. I have seen many people in my business come and go and they are the ones that can out sell me in volume 10 to 1. Folks cabelas is not looking to sell millions of tractors , They are looking to fill a need that they feel that their customer may have. They are not going to be the typical tractor dealer that will take your old tractor as a trade in. They are not going to have old worn out tractors and implement scattered all over the parking lot. They are going to use the same business model they have been using for many years that have made them who they are. By the way tractor guy, I will be retiring in 5 years and I may hit you up for a job selling tractors

I agree Cabela's don't expect to be the top dog of sales. There main focus is there corner of the market. Everyone talks here about Service which is a key point. Like I mentioned before there is many parts of the USA with just one or no dealer. There has been tractor brands with a dealer network fail much bigger than that with an old tractor name In my opinion it would take a much bigger dealer and service base to be too effective.I wish them the best though.

 

[Code54]

The Tractor Guy - great post and thank you for providing additional information.

 

[The Tractor Guy]

The CT Cabelas has an evil donut man, too. I managed to walk past him on the way into the store without stopping. While inside the store, I could smell the donut aroma coming in through the HVAC. Temptation was too much for me and I got in my car with a dozen warm ones in a bag. Had a few left when I pulled in my driveway. Doh!

While I was there, I noticed a bunch of the tractors around the back of the building on funky, narrow steel wheels - wished I had a camera with me. They looked really bizarre-o.

The steel wheels go on all Cab tractors when they leave the manufacturing plant. The tractors are driven into and out of the containers. Once at the store, the Titan Tires and Wheels are mounted, the steel wheels are scrapped. This is very common.

 

[The Tractor Guy]

Thanks for the nice photos. On the TYM models in the same size they all have tilt steering. If these have it there will be a short red lever under the steering wheel boot area. The loaders and equipment are made by Woods.

All of the Cabela's tractors have tilt steering wheels. And yes, all Cabela's attachments and implements with the exception of the boomless sprayer and the spreader are made by Woods Equipment at their Oregon IL manufacturing plant. That is certainly a key differentiator to a TYM tractor/implement package, as well as all Cabela's ROPS tractors come with heavy duty sunshades standard, and the tires & wheels are from Titan, whereas the TYM tires are Chinese. Service, however, is where Cabela's will be stongest. If you break down, they will have a tech on your property with the tools and parts needed to solve the problem. Customer service is what made the company, tractors will be no different, it just presents another opportunity to stand out.

 

[The Tractor Guy]

The Tractor Guy - great post and thank you for providing additional information.

Thank you for the kind words, appreciate that.

 

[grsthegreat]

Dave, the comment about the Cabela's Chairman was not about him buying a tractor. It was about the founder of a company still running it after 53 years. That should impress anyone, particularly in this day and age.

well yes and no. the original owners actually only have a 25% share of the business. its a public traded company now days.

Dont get me wrong, i like the stores. but ive seen better prices

 

[The Tractor Guy]

well yes and no. the original owners actually only have a 25% share of the business. its a public traded company now days.

Dont get me wrong, i like the stores. but ive seen better prices

Don't mean to split hairs, but I didn't say they still owned Cabela's , I said still running it. Jim Cabela is the Chairman of the Board, though in fact they are the largest single shareholders.