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After several snags along the way, outdoor retailer Bass Pro Shops has officially purchased Cabela’s.

Outdoor giants Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s have officially joined forces “with a vision to become North America’s premier outdoor and conservation company,” the company announced. The company was sold for about $4 billion.

“As we move forward, we are committed to retaining everything customers love about both Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s by creating a ‘best-of-the-best’ experience that includes the superior products, outstanding customer service and exceptional value our customers have come to expect,” said Bass Pro Shops founder and CEO Johnny Morris.

» Cabela’s, Bass Pro Shops merger: What’s going on now?

Bass Pro Shops had to smooth out the sale of Cabela’s banking assets before moving forward. Cabela’s Inc. has entered into agreements with Synovus Financial Corp. and Capital One Financial Corporation for the sale of Cabela’s banking assets and liabilities. Synovus will acquire certain assets and deposits totaling $1.2 billion.

Because Cabela’s is a publicly traded company and there were a number of federal regulations that need to be followed to complete the transaction.

Customers can exchange a Bass Pro Shops gift card to a Cabela’s gift card for an equal amount and vice versa. Gift cards are exchanged at the customer service counter in either store or by contacting our online customer service centers, the company announced.

Yea, I got the emails from both last Friday about being better together. We will see. If Bass Pro would adopt Cabelas hunting line and Cabelas the Bass Pro fishing line, it could be a good thing.

I just shake my head when I watch Americana Outdoors on TV. Most of the show is advertisement for Cabela's talking about their product lines, management style, and sponsorship of various tournaments. If the Cabela's business model worked so well, why does Bass Pro own them now?

Cabela's & BPS: Customer Questions
With Monday's announcement that the Cabela's acquisition by Bass Pro Shops was finally a done deal, business types have largely moved toward the next item on the standard list of acquisition questions: how long before the (inevitable) changes start to happen?

After all, it's unlikely that a businessman like Johnny Morris is going to maintain two of anything unnecessarily, and the two companies do have a lot of inevitable overlap, especially when it comes to the back office areas like administration, accounting, and management.

The answer to that question isn't one you'll find here today, although I'm as curious as the next person. With a reputation for being a tough-minded businessman, no one I've spoken with about the deal has much doubt that there are changes coming -and they'll decidedly impact Cabela's more than Bass Pro Shops.

After all, someone pointed out, Morris has just opened the equivalent of the outdoor Disney World adjacent to his original Bass Pro Shop in Missouri. It's not likely either will be relocating to Nebraska.

But we've been so busy looking at the scale of this deal that we've overlooked the people who will decide if the acquisition succeeds or not: the customers.

Fortunately, both companies are far better at customer service that those of us who sit and watch from the sideline.

Shortly after word was released to the media that the deal had been consummated, answers to the kinds of questions customers would ask popped up on both companies' websites.

They offer more insight into what's in the future than any release. That's why they're called "Frequently Asked Questions" right?

Anyway...the first question is the one the company hopes everyone asks: "What are the customer benefits of uniting these two companies?"

And the answer reads like a conversation with Morris himself: It's "an opportunity to create a 'best of the best' shopping experience for all outdoor enthusiasts worldwide for generations to come."

Sounds a bit high-minded, but everyone laughed a decade ago when Morris first started talking up his Wonders of Wildlife idea. No one's laughing today.

Operationally, the FAQs do indicate BPS and Cabela's will continue independent companies in the near term.

But there are some immediate consumer benefits, like the ability to exchange gift cards on a dollar-for-dollar basis between the two. If you have a BPS gift card burning a hole in your pocket and there's a Cabela's nearby, you'll be able to visit the customer service counter and exchange it for a Cabela's card. You can also call either company's online customer service centers (BPS is 800-211-6440, Cabela's is 800-237-4444) to make the exchange.

The FAQs say, they're "working to improve this process moving forward." That meaning's clear: one day you'll see a card that works in either (or both) locations. That's a win for consumers- and a benefit other retailers don't currently offer.

"Moving forward" is a phrase that appears frequently in the answers to many of those frequently asked questions, especially when it comes to the two group's customer reward programs.

As it stands today, everything at both stores will continue to operate normally for the time being."Moving forward" may mean changes- or not.

Customers at both stores will retain their current Outdoor Rewards (BPS) or CLUB (Cabela's) points, although there will be no new credit cards issued "at this time."

If you have either of their affinity credit cards, you won't be able to pay Cabela's credit card balances at BPS or vice versa. But it's one of those things they're "looking to change moving forward."

As far as products, the company (companies?) say the product mixes will remain the same at this point. For consumers, that means they'll still be able to buy each company's branded merchandise, along with other brand-names they're accustomed to seeing.

One significant change will be a customer's ability to return products to either store - or by calling customer service at the numbers given earlier. Since the companies don't currently have access to each others' respective inventories, this looks like a potential logistical problem, but the FAQs indicate this will be improved "in the near future."

Lifetime warranty policies at both entities remain intact with one change: now customers can make those lifetime warranty claims at either location for "refunds or exchanges for a comparable item."

And Cabela's will also continue trade/buy used firearms -something that's never been an option at Bass Pro Shops. The heavier emphasis on firearms at Cabela's has been one area where consumers and firearms and accessories manufacturers have expressed concern.

Services, including "wish lists" will continue, but you won't be able to buy online and have your products from BPS/Cabela's shipped to a location of the other store-at least not yet.

Not surprisingly, the round-up programs for conservation will remain intact at both locations.

Finally, the companies say there are no plans to stop mailing catalogs.

Lots of questions remain, but like the answers to the FAQs, they'll have to come from the companies themselves, despite all our collective observations and estimations.

And, as always, we'll keep you posted.

--Jim Shepherd, Publisher, The Fishing Wire

Sounds kinda like Overtons/Gander Mountain.