The Northern California Fly Fishing Board

I was over at one of the two local fly shops that I frequent yesterday (one near work, one near home) and the subject of "how's business" came up. The owner told me he is seriously considering shutting the doors when his lease is up (in April). He gave me two examples of what he sees as reflective of the types of problem facing local shops:

1. A guy comes into the shop to try out some equipment. He doesn't purchase anything, but after he has "test-driven" some product, goes away and purchases it cheaper at an online merchant.

2. Another fellow comes in and while browsing, finds something that is obviously mismarked. Rather than make a big deal out of it, the owner sells it to the man for the marked price, even though he is losing profit, and even thought the fellow can easily afford the "correct" price.

Increasingly, people are using fly shops as a place to "test drive" equipment, but are unwilling to pay the full retail price (Most high-end manufacturers do not allow discounting on their current line products). They then purchase their equipment on line from big name retailers (usually out-of-state so no sales tax) that have no personal interaction with the customers, who ship for little or nothing on items above a certain price. And while the consumer saves himself a few dollars, the local businessman, who lives in the community, who provides service and information with a smile, who would call you by name if you gave him the opportunity, goes out of business.

I would encourage you not to let this happen. Go to your local fly shop and spend some money. You will not break your bank account in doing so, but you will find that you make a friend who can provide much better service that any online company can or cares to.


Buzz

Buzz wrote:
And while the consumer saves himself a few dollars, the local businessman, who lives in the community, who provides service and information with a smile, who would call you by name if you gave him the opportunity, goes out of business.

I would encourage you not to let this happen. Go to your local fly shop and spend some money. You will not break your bank account in doing so, but you will find that you make a friend who can provide much better service that any online company can or cares to.


Buzz

Buzz,

That's only a good idea if you want to have a Fly Shop in your local area. I have gone from three to one withing twenty miles, and the one left is fifteen miles. A lot of it is just what you describe.

I think you are correct!

Ed Kelleher wrote:
Buzz wrote:
And while the consumer saves himself a few dollars, the local businessman, who lives in the community, who provides service and information with a smile, who would call you by name if you gave him the opportunity, goes out of business.

I would encourage you not to let this happen. Go to your local fly shop and spend some money. You will not break your bank account in doing so, but you will find that you make a friend who can provide much better service that any online company can or cares to.


Buzz

Buzz,

That's only a good idea if you want to have a Fly Shop in your local area. I have gone from three to one withing twenty miles, and the one left is fifteen miles. A lot of it is just what you describe.

I think you are correct!

The same goes for support you local manufacturer. At Spey o Rama, one of the leading lines uses was NextCast from Sacramento. Does Kiene's, who VOCALLY advertises itself as having the biggest spey department in California carry Nextcast line? No. Fly shops want to have local customers come in, but do they support local manufacturers? In Kiene's case NO!

Hi Dan,

Since you seem to feel the need to badmouth Bill on mulitple boards without knowing the facts let me spell it out for you. Simon of Nextcast ran out of lines months ago. We caught on to how innovative they are and showed interest in them but unfortunately he was out and waiting for his overseas manufacturer to get his next run finished. Since that time Kiene's, along with Simon, have been waiting for his lines to arrive. So as a result it is hard to carry lines that are somewhere on another continent in production.

Thanks,
aaron

I always support the little guy wheather its fishing or my bicycle hobby,
all of my tieing supplies , waders , boots or reels and line come from
my local shop. I guess it is just about all of what I purchase comes from
a local mom and pop shop , good people that make you feel good while there.

Mark

that doesn't sound like local manufacture to me

Buzz,

Although I philosophical agree with your statements it really comes down to simple economics and basic sompetition. The internet has certainly changed marketing of products,whereas in the past a business would look to the local market, now a business has to look globally. Fly fishing expenditures are for most people discretionary dollars, as such they are very limited for most people. Viewed from this point of view if a person is buying a $1000 rod and reel combination there is at least $75.00 in sales tax, depending where in California you live, that diminishes those discretionary by that amount. Whereas, the person that buys that same rod and reel combination from an out of state vender has those sales tax dollars to spend in their local fly shop. Just a slightly different prespective of the same view.

Salman wrote:
that doesn't sound like local manufacture to me

Yep, overseas usually means China these days. Not exactly local.

After all, there is a line item on the California Tax form for out of state, non-taxed, purchases. you are supposed to keep track, then pay the tax, just as you would on a new car, etc.

And we ALL do that, don't we?? :roll

Here we type, talking about helping the mom and pop shops, but few of us probably pay the taxes we should, as evidenced by the current state of the Roads, DFG, education, etc. and yes...I AM a hypocrite.

This is typical of a cowardly bastard posting erroneous information about a fine fly shop run by a complete gentleman. Take your football and leave.

Yeah, that stuff sucks and local fly shop owners who allow themselves to be victims will remain victims.

Having been on the otherside of the counter (running the flyshop) in the past, I can see customer service (read business development) opportunities in both situations.

In both cases, the customer/prospective customer is in the shop...the shop owner had them in there!

For the rod builder, provide assistance, recommend rod building hardware and supplies that are on hand, ask about what reel and line the builder is considering, show the reels and lines that are available in the store, help the builder measure the spacing, and talk with lhim about his fishing plans and equipment that he may need in addition to the rod building information.

For the customer who took advantage of the mistake, do the same thing, recommend a reel or line for the rod, remind the customer of new merchandise in the shop, ask the customer to tell his friends who fish about the great deal he got (you know the customer is going to tell them anyway, "Hey, they screwed up, marked the rod wrong and I got a deal." so be proactive, make the customer grateful for the "deal'.

These situations represent an opportunity to develop what the marketing geniuses call customer intimacy that creates a desire for the customer to return.

We all know that there's a special stream in Hell (that only has stunted 4 inch Brookies) reserved for the $%^&* guys who use the resources at the local fly shop to test cast rods or determine their proper wader/wading shoe size and them buy on line or from a cataloge to obtain a discount (even if it's the sales tax rate...hey, what about the shipping charge?)or to have the local shop put the backing on a reel (spool) and the flyline that they obtained from another source, using the local shop's winder and having the staff tie all the knots.

Paul

I try to spread my money around... save some purchases for the Ted Fay Fly Shop, and others down at the shop in Los Gatos/San Jose. I've bought a few things on-line... someone gives me a Cabela's gift certificate, I don't decide not to spend it... and having an Orvis store at Santana Row down in San Jose means my wife has a habit of getting me Orvis gift certs.

Generally, though, I totally agree... if you don't spend the money you are planning on spending at your local shop, you won't have one.

B-