Pro shop question
 

Is it wrong or considered pooretiquette to bring your own equipment/accessories to have the pro shop to install for you?

Obviously, they would get paid for their timeon theinstalation.

I am considered by my co-workers to be a tight ass, and I don't want to pay pro shop prices if I can pick up equipment for less at a different store or e-bay.

I don't have the necessary equipment or knowledge to do some things on my own. Thus requiring the assistance of the pros.

RE: Pro shop question
 

I really don't think it is.

However consider what would happen if this is how everyone shopped. Either the local bow shops would be out of business or the prices of the services would have to go up significantly.

Not sure what to tell you on this one.

Tom

RE: Pro shop question
 

Not at all

Thats one of the things they do , sure they will charge for thier time but they'll expect the repeated bessiness afterwards.

RE: Pro shop question
 

Well.....i personally think it's in poor taste (just my personal opinion).

I had my pro shop set up my bow that I bought somewhere else, though.....but only because he didn't sell Mathews at the time. I bought all of my accessories from him.....and he set it up for nothing. I've since bought THOUSANDS of dollars worth of equipment from him.....so he and I are "fine".

How much are you saving? I wonder if he'd set your bow up, for free....if you'd bought the accessories from him? Now how much would you have saved?

I just wanna be able to look Greg in the eyes EVERY time I walk in the shop (which is often).

Jeff

RE: Pro shop question
 

O.K. here's my thoughts. I agree with SB for the most part, conditionally. If that is the type of relationship you want with that pro shop, and they are ok with it, then fine. You buy your stuff somewhere else, take it to them, and they charge you to put it on. BUT if they put it on, and say do not worry about the charge, then you are beholding to them. You do not have to honor that idea, but it does not change the fact that they treated you better than you treated them. And generally, if you do pay a little more once or twice on an accessory, the shop will usually put it on for little or no cost. Then as time goes on If you treat each other right, they will often lower their item cost to you, on some if not all things in their shop, and still hardly charge you to assemble or put it on, or rig it out. This is called building a relationship with your customers. It keeps them coming back. I mean really, do you think a guy who spends his money at " JOES BOWS " and has for the last 5 years pays list price for the items he buys? I know personally, I don't , and I don't spend near what many other people do in my area. But I have formed a relationship and the owner has earned my business, SO I give it to him.

RE: Pro shop question
 

I don't think it's in poor taste. It may piss off the owner, but ya know what............it pisses me off overpaying for something!

I bought a new set of sites this year for $46 on ebay. I took it to the shop and had them put on my bow and I bought 1 doz aarows, new string, and a new WB. I'd say he made out OK. BTW, the same rest was $86 at the shop.

I also don't have a problem buying parts for my car/truck and taking them to a mechanic to do the work.

RE: Pro shop question
 

Here's what our relationship does, for me:

1) My business/bow goes to the front of the line of customers that don't do their business there.
2) I get preferrential pricing on almost everything......although I tell him profit isn't a dirty word.
3) I've learned some valuable tips through just being comfortable enough to ask the questions.
4) I got a HECKUVA deal on Greg's bow he was shooting, last Christmas, for my son.
5) I've gained a friend.

I really couldn't put a dollar figure on all these things (and there's more).....but I'm betting I now owe HIM. He's earned my business....my respect.

Jeff

RE: Pro shop question
 

Expect to pay and don't expect him to drop everything he's doing to do it. If he has 10 bows that were bought at his shop waiting to be set up, you go to the back of the line. I can understand you might want to take somethings to a proshop, but really, why would you need to take a sight to a proshop to have it installed. A couple screws, spacers and or rubberr pads and it's done. I've found that most things aren't that much more expensive at a proshop and many would be installed for free if you bought them there. Those that take time and expertise you'll probably pay for. Personnally, I couldn't look in the mirror if I bought a NEW bow at Bass Pro or some place like that and took it to a Pro shop. A used one of Ebay, no problem...but don't spend your money somewhere else and expect a proshop owner to treat you like a long lost brother.

RE: Pro shop question
 

I never buy something from Cabelas or ebay that I can't install myself. If everyone bought accessories at walmart or ebay? Your proshop would be closed. Sometimes it is better to spend a little extra money to keep a business open. You never know when you are going to need that pro shops help.

RE: Pro shop question
 

Here's the viewpoint from this shop: It's business, I don't mind setting up equipment bought someplace else. BUT (and it's a big but) if the store doesn't make a profit then there isn't going to be a store for you to take your stuff to. You buy it from us and we set it up and service it for free no matter what it is (this is incentive for us to stock quality gear). If you buy it someplace else you should expect to pay a reasonable fee to get it set up and serviced. Just to keep the doors open costs $$$ (rent, heat, electric, taxes, licenses) not to mention being able to put some money in my pocket to live on, or at least make it worth-my-while to show up. You don't expect to work at your job for free do you? You shouldn't expect your local pro shop to either.

RE: Pro shop question
 

I agree that it's in poor taste. If you are in the unfortunate situation that your pro-shop is insane on their prices, then they have it coming. If the shop is within a few dollars, even up to $10, for me it is completely worth it to get it from the pro shop. I have purchased everything I have on my bow, including the bow, from the pro-shop I use and as SBG said, there are plenty of other benefits that come with it. When I am at the shop shooting and I have a problem of some type, they throw my bow right on the press and fix it. I have also learned a ton from them and have made some good friends now too.For me, the extra money is well worth it, and in the long run, it isn't very much (IMO). There are so many benefits that come from establishing a good relationship with the pro-shop to throw it away by buying everything elsewhere and having them put it on. Just my $.02.

RE: Pro shop question
 

You have to look at it from a Pro Shops view. If you owned the shop and someone brought in something for you to install on a bow that was not bought there how would you like it?

You can not even say that they get paid to put it on, so it is fair. Most of the profit in installing equipment, is the profitin the equipment not the labor.

You will get the service you pay for. If you buy from another store and bring it in for a $10 install job, you are a $10 dollar customer.You not only will be put behind the other customers but should be.

You also can not always look at a small shop as making a big profit off you just because they charge more than Bass Pro or Cabelas. Those stores buy in suchvolumn that they can sell it cheaper and have a larger mark up.

RE: Pro shop question
 

Let me say I respect what each person here has to say, and so far it appears most of us feel basically the same about our relationship with our pro shops ( friends ) we deal with. With that said, Lonestar, I have seen walmart and other big businesses run many small, friendly, shops out of business because someone was able to save 3 or 4 dollars on something. But walmart does'nt install things, set up their gear, give you tech help, or see what happens the first time you try to shoot your bow in walmart to see how it handles. I'll be reading your name in the paper headlines. What you asked is not " WRONG " but trust me, if you visit your pro shop, make some friends, and scratch each others back, you, the shop, and your local economy will all benefit. Plus you won't get arrested the first time you shoot you bow in the store. A little extra cost, for a brief time maybe, is worth more than all the money you could ever save by buying else where and paying someone to rig it out. And you might just meet your best friend, future brother-in-law, or just some really nice people in the process. So do yourself the favor and don't be quite so thrifty. There is more to life than saving a "buck". But that is just my opinion, AGAIN. And I promise not to post on this thread again......unless I have to.LOL

RE: Pro shop question
 

Buy some arrows or something. A box of fletches or field tips, you can always use those. Any little token helps.

RE: Pro shop question
 

But then again, it's not real difficult to slap on a sight and a bow sling. Why not so it yourself?

RE: Pro shop question
 

The pro shop that I go to is a great shop. He will help anyone that has a problem with their setup no matter where they bought it. His prices are slightly higher, but then again, I would GLADLY pay this price in exchange for his knowledge, expertise, and customer service. Money well spent. ;)

RE: Pro shop question
 

I have a pro shop in my area that would be perfect. I was a very loyal customer, 7 new bows in 4 years, I bought the very first bow they sold. After a few years they were more willing to help the potential new customer than they were me. So I say take it to them, you may be treated as a "potential newcustomer" and get treated better than the regulars.By the way, I no longer go to that shop recomend them.

RE: Pro shop question
 

I personaly dont feel comfortable bringing my steak to the restaurant, and Being a marine mechanic i dont like it when someone brings a part, that we sell, from some place else because he saved $10.00.

RE: Pro shop question
 

Thanks everyone for your input on this issue.

Just to clarify, I would not ask them to put simple accessories on for me. But rather help me out when I need a bow press to install a peep or leeches or whatever I may need a press for and to help set up a drop away rest. They were trying to convince me that a drop zone is the way to go. I would consider it, but they are going for 100.00 to 110.00. I know this is roughly what they are going for from a retailer but I can certainly pick one up on e-bay for less.

I am headed there today to have some arrows re-fletched and have a peep put in. I will just have to feel them out on the rest issue.

Thanks again for everyones view and .02....