Cabela's Inc. pulls out of next month's large outdoor sports show

witf.org ^ | 20 January, 2012 | AP

[marktwain]

(Philadelphia) -- Hunting and fishing retailer Cabela's Inc. says it won't participate in what has been billed as Pennsylvania's largest outdoor sports show next month following the decision to ban display and sale of assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines.

[Gabrial]

Cabelas can send all the gun stock they want to their great store in McKinney Texas. Just bought a beautiful Italian made over and under 12 ga there.

[driftdiver]

Hopefully but I doubt it. The ones I’ve seen are pretty one sided. Of course the bigger companies have their own lawyers on staff.

[ConservativeInPA]

Sorry ... the good guns have to go to the store in Hamburg, PA. I have dibs.

[tpmintx]

McKinney Texas

It's Allen

I have also helped to fund their operations somewhat.

[Still Thinking]

I understand that a number of other sponsors are pulling their support as well.

But Cabela's was one of the four main sponsors. Guess they ain't Dick's! (re: Dick's Sporting Goods and their many anti-rights faux pas)

[Still Thinking]

I live about equidistant from both the Cabela’s in East Hartford and Hoffman’s in Newington. Hoffman just recently announced that they are restricting sales of “Assault Weapons” (their term) to buyers with CCPs. I’ve got a gunsafe purchase planned for later this year and I’ll be getting that from Cabela’s

Go to Hoffman's too and pick out the safe, getting "help" from a salesperson, then go see the manager, and show him your receipt from Cabela's and explain why you didn't buy at his place. The sale they didn't know they didn't get doesn't hurt very much.

[Still Thinking]

Cabelas has more integrity than all of those politicians in Washington.

Don't insult them like that! They have a lot more than that amount!

[GreatMan]

P

[GreatMan]

P

[rabidralph]

They're online, now!

[Still Thinking]

Its possible. Usually the show venue will only provide refunds up until a certain date, usually a few months before the show.

If they took that line, my lawyer would be taking the line that if the money part of the contract was locked in, it was too late for THEM to be making adjustments to the rules. Can't be changing the product (exhibition space) after it's already bought and paid for and non-refundable, can we? In fact, even if the money WERE refunded it might be worth pursuing them for breach, because the exhibitors lost the opportunity to make MORE money than the booth cost or they wouldn't have been buying it in the first place. I believe it's called the "benefit of the bargain". The show entered into the agreement with one set of provisions, then thinks they can unilaterally change the provisions after the fact, in such a way that it makes their performance less valuable to the other party, with no recourse?? BS, I say.

[txrefugee]

What about Bass Pro?

[pabianice]

There’s a new Dick’s Sporting Goods in Northboro, MA. They sell only Nerf arrows and paint-ball guns for hunting. They’re useless.

[Fast Moving Angel]

I just ordered a shirt from them ... every little bit helps.

[ozaukeemom]

Serously! I mean, what other changes could they make on a whim at no cost to the promoters?

[FormerLib]

Cabela’s does have a great website. I’ve ordered from it before (and will again).

[randita]

Hubby’s in the process of ordering a couple of striper rods and reels from them right now.

With the added business, Cabela’s will more than recoup whatever they forfeited in exhibition fees. They know their customers are loyal.

[driftdiver]

Cabela’s sells strippers?

[tanknetter]

Big companies like Cabella’s easily spend $100,000 on shows like this.

Yup, but they'll more than make up for it across the board with increased short-term sales volume and long-term customer loyalty.

The promoter/organizer otoh is probably screwed. Vendor tables are only a portion of the revenues. A substantial one, but there's no way they're going to break even let alone turn a profit without having a good gate. Word's going to get around pretty quickly that places are pulling out and why ... driving both a direct boycott (people not going because of the stupid policy) and an indirect one (people not going because there aren't going to be enough vendors to justify the entry price).

The organizer may just decide to shut the whole thing down. They can claim that it's "too soon" after Newtown as a way of saving face and possibly limit their losses if they have a decent enough cancellation clause in the contract for the space they're renting. Especially if they don't have to give back the money already ponied up by the various vendors (although I'd still expect legal action).