Serious question for those of you who work at shops
 

For those who help out at shops either part- or full-time, or those who own their own shop... or if you've worked in a shop recently...

I'm looking for some info, if you would be so kind to help me out.

What have you done/are you doing that you feel works really well? What have you tried to implement in the past that does NOT work well? (any ideas as to why? What would you change if you tried it again in the future?)

What HAS worked extremely well?

What do you feel your shop has done to differentiate itself from your nearest competitors?

What do you wish you had more of?

What gets in the way?

What one thing would you change about your situation? About the industry?

Anything else you can think of you'd like to address that I haven't asked?


Feel free to e-mail your responses to me ([email protected]) if you don't wish others to read them. I know these are quite thought-provoking (at least it's my HOPE that they are if treated correctly), and as such would require sometime to give yourhonest feedback.

I'm extremely grateful in advance for your thoughtful answers.

RE: Serious question for those of you who work at shops
 

Well I'm pretty new to this "game", having only worked part time in my shop for about a year and a half. There is A LOT about the business end that I am still learning. So an authority on the subject I am not, but I'll offer up what I have learned.

Some of my "problems" are with the owner. Now that's not as bad as it sounds. He's a GREAT guy, I would do anything for him. I consider him a very good friend. But he's set in his ways. He's "old school" if you will. And that works, but.....Bringing in new stuff is almost impossible. Sometimes I know more about what's available than he does. Shoot, I am trying desperately to get him to buy a computer and get internet service.

What do I feel sets us apart from our competition? Mostly service. We go absolutely above and beyond trying to help people. We will actually sell something that costs less because the more expensive isn't worth the extra money. We'll of course sell it if that's what they want, but you understand. We work our tails off to get what the customer wants/needs. I've spent literally HOURS w/ one customer just setting him up. Most of the shops w/in 50 miles of us (and there is only about 3) don't care, they just want your money. We hear it from our customers all the time. Guys bring in bows that don't fit them, all kinds of stuff. It's amazing. But we work VERY hard to have someone shooting well before they leave.

I wish we had more inventory. And by inventory I mean selection. But, I understand that overhead costs money, and us being a small shop, money we don't have in large amounts. We carry good stuff, but only a couple different styles. 3 or 4 rests, couple different stabs, couple different sights.....But he knows what sells, so he sticks with that. I recently convinced him to carry the Sword line of sights, and I think he's glad I did. We have sold quite a few of those in only a month.

What hurts us most in the "wal mart mentality." I understand it's their right to make money too, but the big mega stores really hurt us. I would like to see more companies go to pro shop only merchandise. I know we cant have everything that way, I understand that. But other than bows.....pretty much EVERYTHING else can be picked up @ bass pro. am I being selfish there? Yeah, probably. But I don't care, that's how I see it.

There's also too much BS and out right lies in the industry. It's amazing the corners that some folks cut, and the lies they tell to try to sell something. I'm sure that's not specific to the archery industry though.

Well, I'm not really all that knowledgeable on this, but that's what I see. I don't know if that's the info you are looking for or not, but there it is.

RE: Serious question for those of you who work at shops
 

what kind of shop? be more spacific.

RE: Serious question for those of you who work at shops
 

C'mon magicman... you're one of my favorite posters because you're halfway intelligent... ;)Archery shops, of course. :)

RE: Serious question for those of you who work at shops
 

Oh no Greg... you aren't going to have a life for most of the spring,summer and bowhunting season.[&:] If you have the funds and can support both paths and can appeal to both the paper punchers and the hunters you may have no life all year long. LOL Clothing will sit on the shelves. People aren't willing to leave their specialty clothing manufacturers or the discount Bass Pro Catalog type places to support their archery shop. Too many lines will hinder how much of the popular stuff you can carry.... so just carry what's hot and drop what's not. You must have someone that knows how to make arrows fast and carry them all and have them in stock. You need a small indoor range and all the toys for papertuning and speed and a variety of bow presses to accomodate all bows. Sorry to say, you got to have some trad stuff(Maybe)... but it doesn't sell fast enough and will tie up inventory. Forget it, you don't want it. Trad people buy from each other and the little old mom and pop string maker they've been seeing at shoots for the last 30 years. Big inventory won't bankrupt you, having the wrong inventory will.

RE: Serious question for those of you who work at shops
 

Well I'm half polish so cut me some slack.:)Our local shop owner has some good ideas. He sells live bait to draw people. He has video archery. IMO ( the intelligent half) Service is going to make or break a business. If I'm ignored, or hurried I probably won't return. Give people space to shop but let them know you are available if needed. Ask your customers how they would make your shop better. Maybe a suggestion box. You probably are already aware of these things but I Thought I'd mention them anyway. Good luck.
PS. I laughed my a$$ off at your above quote!

RE: Serious question for those of you who work at shops
 

Greg if I could say one thing that differentiate the shop I go to from others is your are more then just a customer to them. You get that friendly hello, great convo, and usually if its something
minor you need done and you ask whats the charge, I usually get ahh nothing. To me these people are somebody you just keep coming back to and actually become friends.
Pretty cool if you ask me. They tell it to you straight and have never pushed anything on me and if I ask if I did need something or to change something most of the time I get talked out of it.
If it aint broke why fix it. They have been there for me.
I know you ask for those who worked there but feedback is just as good bro.

T

RE: Serious question for those of you who work at shops
 

This is all a guy could ask for!! Tell him to expand Tony and have him put up a shop in the Litchfield area in Minnesota.;)

RE: Serious question for those of you who work at shops
 

Hey I figure we kind of got our own bow shop with all the help from Rob/Pa, Greg/Mo, Arthur P, MeanV2, among so many others. Lets change the tech forum to the Bow Shop
and just let the guys who really know this stuff respond to questions when it comes to this. ( Cant forget a special spooning section :D)

I commend you all!

T

RE: Serious question for those of you who work at shops
 

Way toooo much info!:D

RE: Serious question for those of you who work at shops
 

You have not seen anything yet my friend, :D:D
Ok lets get back on track for Greg/Mo.

RE: Serious question for those of you who work at shops
 

It's really not about owning an archery shop.... it's about running a business. View it that way it you got a chance.

RE: Serious question for those of you who work at shops
 

Thanks for all the input guys so far... I really want to keep this up at the top to give some of the other guys a chance to view it and respond.

I saw Kodiak on it earlier for a long time, and I hope bigbulls and MeanV and others who've had a hand in running a shop will give their feedback.

And thanks for the concern, David... but I'm not opening my own shop -- to your point exactly, I'm afraid I'd lose all my own hunting time. ;)

Anyone know of any other shop owners or helpers that I could send this link to directly that frequent our forum? Again -- I really appreciate all the help.

RE: Serious question for those of you who work at shops
 

Frank Dickman and Cougars :D

RE: Serious question for those of you who work at shops
 

Buellhunter opened his up about a year ago in Iowa.

RE: Serious question for those of you who work at shops
 

Totally forgot about that John... thanks!

RE: Serious question for those of you who work at shops
 

Well Greg, Here is my 2 cents. Having worked in 2 of the larger retail stores in my area, at the time, I did find one thing always to be true. CUSTOMER SERVICE!

Now without getting into the entire price discussion I will tell you this. As hard as it may seem to do on a CONSISTENT basis. The shop owner and his employees on the floor need to make the customer feel as if they are the only one in the storefrom the time of introduction through the end of the sale.

That is where I have seen and helped develope "raving fans" ( must read for any sales person) these peoeple will be better advetising fo ryour shop than any billboard or radio ad.....ANyway.

You know yourself when in a store as a consumer not as a prostaffer or bystander etc. but someone who is looking for attention from a sales assoc. because you need help in a purchase, you always remeber that sales person that went a littl eabove the call, making you feel like they are concerned with you needs. These days that is few a far between , sadly, but fo r the few reaming die hards out there in the retails arcjery/hunting/outdoor/ sales world those who create that raving fan are the ones you charish. which leads to another dilema, how to retain those employees most valuable to your institution[8D]

ANyway Greg you have my e-mail. let me know if you would like me to eloborate more.

RE: Serious question for those of you who work at shops
 

Sent you a PM.

RE: Serious question for those of you who work at shops
 

I don't own a shop, but dang I've spent some coin in them. So, here is my two cents. Service is the main reason I frequent my local shop. Convenience is why I purchase online. So, you have to focus on service. Most people don't realize that your local shop has access to many brands not actually stocked on the shelf. If I need (as if)something that I would buy online, I can check with my shop first. If you have a relationship, normally the prices will be comparable and you're helping the local economy. They know me. They know what products I like, dislike, what I hunt, where, etc. It's all about the relationship, imo. They treat repeat customers with respect and as an old friend. They'll go out of their way to make sure you're happy and if you have an issue with something you can deal with them directly, not over a phone line. I'd rather Frank in town profit than Johnny Morris, but I'll admit the convenience of having something shipped to my home is easy. Make it easy and personal. And quality setup and assistance with tuning is probably one of the best services you can't get with any large retailer.

Kel

RE: Serious question for those of you who work at shops
 

Greg, I really don't have a lot to say over what has already been said. Customer Service, Customer Service, Customer Service!!! It's more than being there and selling a quality product. It's making sure that you set them up with whatworks for them. I always want my customers to know that I am there for them anytime to answer questions or handle a problem. I've put bows together many times at midnight during the season. You also have to willing to get your customer what They want. Just because I don't shoot 2219's or 2514's doesn't mean they don't work for my customer. He may in fact Love the way they perform for him. You can show them alternatives, but bottom line sell them what they want. If you don't show enough interest in getting him what he wants he will get a bad impression right at the start.

All this and you have to remain as competetive in pricing as possible. Another thing to me that was very important was a couple of shop shooters. Guys that promote the shop and are willing to lend a hand when you are in a bind. A pro shop in a rural area can be a tough go. Things are really busy part of the year and can be dead at other times. An indoor lanes is a big advantage. Hopefully it's big enough to run indoor spot leagues as well as animal rounds after Bow season. All in all a Pro shop is a ton of work, very little profit, and long hours. It has to be a labor of Love. If not it usually is very evident, and reflects in a lack of customer service/interest.

Dan

RE: Serious question for those of you who work at shops
 

Greg,

Let me tell you the story of the shop I help out at. It may provide some insight into your questions/situation.

The shop I work for began as a fishing store back in the late 80's/early 90's. Their location, close to three major fishing hotspots, was a true boon for business. The owner keyed in on this and moved to a larger building offering a great variety of live bait and tons of fishing gear.Since he had alot more space to work withhe also decided to get into the archery business (a personal hobby). He decided to offer a wide range of services...indoor lanes (league shooting) a technohunt range. He also did some research and found out which archery gear manufacturers were popular and sold their equipment almost exclusively. He provided a full service pro shop to both hunters and target shooters across the Lehigh Valley area.

Eventually he even expanded to include an online ordering service for those products that would allow it. That was right around 1999-2000 and right around the time I started to frequent his shop on a regular basis. Business was excellent and he was doing quite well financially.

Sadly, right after 911, he noticed a significant drop in sales especially on the big ticket items. He was not initially worried but as the months passed and sales did not improve he did become more and more concerned. In an effort to remedy this he decided to again delve into new areas by exploring the kayak and canoe arena. This became a saving grace for him because he was really into kayaking and canoeing himself (having gotten personallyout of both fishing and archery gradually over the previous year or two).The shopsold tons of boats at that time and he was doing all types of shows/demos, etc....

Again, sadly, I think that was a big part of his downfall because there was limited space in the shop. Stocking and selling a complete inventory of boats took away from alot of floor space andsubsequently the techno-hunt range disappeared. Any marketing/advertising for archery/fishing disappeared entirely and attendance at any fishing/archery trade shows or outdoor expos also dwindleed out.

At the same time Cabelas set up shop 40 minutes away...D.i.c.k.'s Sporting Goods opened up a store less than 15 minutes away and two major archery pro shop competitors opened up shop within 10 minutes of the store. All of this combined spelled major trouble for the big-ticket items. Almost as soon as Cabelas and D.i.c.k'.sopened sales for things like treestands, ground blinds and any of the bow lines both carried ground to a major halt. The pro shop only lines held their own for a time but the other two pro shops managed to end up selling the shop's most popular line of bows thus further reducing sales. The other shops were also able to specialize more in custom services as they were archery shops only and did not have to worry about sharing space or time with fishing and kayaks/canoes.

The owner of the shop saw the futility of what had happened and eventually decided to go in a different direction entirely. He opened up a second business which was totally unrelated to anything outdoors. He put the same effort into it that he originally did with the shop and the business took off. Because of the nature of the business he did not have to stock alot of inventory, have many employees or put as much effort into turning a profit (in comparison to the services required for the archery shop).

So you are probably wondering what happened to the shop. Well, eventually the shop carried less and less items inthefishing, archery and the kayak/canoe areas. Fewer and fewer people frequented the store. Employees were fired, hours were reduced and the shop pretty much just relies on the fishingbusiness to support it. The next few weeks/months are the biggest of the year for the shop because of the opening of PA's trout season. This is basically what the shop lives on for the entire year. There is only one full time yearly employee with three others helping out seasonly (me being one of them).

The final proverbial "straw" was the selling of the building, but not the business. This occurred this past year. The building is going to be subdivided into three business...one of which will remain the archery/fishing/boating store. Inventory will be drastically less than before because of the limited floor space. The shop will only be carrying one line of kayaks, no canoes, one line of bowswith limited accessories and, ofcourse, enough fishing gear and live bait to cater for that which gives it the most business.

I think that story provides answers for many of the questions you asked... in a nutshell. ;)

RE: Serious question for those of you who work at shops
 

PM sent.... several actually.... character limits are hard to deal with.

RE: Serious question for those of you who work at shops
 

Dan, you are SOOOO right. In fact, the shop I work at IS a rural shop. That's part of the problem, it's kind of out of the way. BUT, that's also an advantage. We have our own ground on site to hold outdoor 3D shoots and such. And being an "employee" I'm also a shop shooter. You are 100% right, come the 2nd week of August, we're so busy we need 2 or 3 guys every day. My main "job" is arrow building, and I can barely keep up. But this time of year.......LOL.....I shoot my bow alot. Or look after the shop so the owner can run some errands, that kind of thing. And you're also right, the shop guys promote the shop and essentially are "walking advertisements." Some folks don't know what they want, look @ what we shoot, and end up with nearly the same. Doesn't always work that way, but sometimes.

And, it's a GREAT deal for the guys working there. I don't get a paycheck, but the kickbacks are awesome. It's 100% worth it. In fact, I wouldn't have half of what I do if it weren't for that. I get a new bow every year, and that's why. Contrary to popular belief though, it's not free. ;) Otherwise, I would still be shooting my 12 year old Riptide. I'm extremely grateful he asked me to help him out. For that reason, I work my tail off for him, and there's not much I won't do to help.

The customer service side of things was a difficult transition I'm still working on. I went from customer to employee, VERY different point of view. I'm learning though.

RE: Serious question for those of you who work at shops
 

you pose the question as if you or someone you know wants to open an archery shop....i don't work in one and many of my questions here can simply show you i am no expert in the archery world. but running a business is running a business regardless of what it is...period...

customer service should always be first...MOST people rely on this and will go where they are welcomed, liked, understand etc. second is PRICE....those that don't mind paying a little bit more for products in an archery shop to get that one on one customer service is good...but those who want the buttom line will come and go and not worry about customer service to save a buck, IMO as from what i have seen for the past 7 years...having competitive prices and customer service would be an ideal for the best of both worlds...most of this i am sure is common sense, but TOO many times i have seen people forget it...

one thing i personally do and that has worked well for me, in what i do for business, is to always explain what you are doing or to answer peoples questions in depth....after a few sentences you can tell if they want to hear it or not...if they do, keep going.....this will lead to life long customers (in my experience) and if they don't want to hear everything give a brief overview of what you are doing and why and let them go on their way, (most of these customers are looking for low prices and less c/s)..

another suggestion....watch your advertising...it can get very pricey..don't get caught up in long term contracts as they MAY bit you in the butt. INSURANCE is another thing to consider--an indoor range policy will be, in most cases, much more then a Retail policy!!

don't let yourself get burnt out...there will be lots of enthusiasm to begin with, business will be slow to start and then pick up..it may pick up fast and you will get slammed with orders, work, etc....this is when you don't want to let yourself get burnt out.....because when the slow times come, most in my experience, tend to relax and do less work.....which is not good when times are slow....

location is another key and is a large key to having a good business....find a good area and look over potential buildings....rent is something else to watch....avoid a tripple net lease (not sure if they do it in other states but it is very common in CA)....not to say some tripple net leases are ok, but most are BAD!(reason being landlord requires you to cover building coverage on your insurance which depending on your location can be anywhere from $500-$1500 or more in insurance a year)...

this is all i can think of for now...........but getting started with products, being a dealer for X company, etc is a starting point, find your location, get prices for rent, get prices for insurance, advertising cost, etc.....THEN if there is a profit go forward with it........

also, try to stay away from sale requirements from certain dealers....one of the reasons i don't go to one local shop for bow selections is because he ALWAYS pushes bowtech..not to say they are bad, but i am the kind of person that wants to know facts, warranty, price,performance, etc..then let me decide...

hope in all this rambling you can pick out things to help you some.

josh

RE: Serious question for those of you who work at shops
 

Not sure what I can add at this point in the thread?
The first year for me has been an "adventure" to say the least.:D
But, my business and customer base continues to grow, slowly, but steady. I feel this is the best growth as it doesn't overwhelm you that way.

I picked a location in a small town. Many thought I was crazy and should have set up shop right in the Waterloo/Cedar Falls metro area.
Had I done that I would not be able to have Mathews and I have just also added Hoyt to my line up. If I was in the metro area I would not be able to have either. La Porte City is "just far enough" away for me to be able to have 2 of the big 3 brands. That is a HUGE thing in my opinion. Crazy huh?:D

My location is also only 30-35 miles north of Cedar Rapids and I pull a ton of business from that area too. Yep, half way between to of the biggest cities in Iowa. I also feel most of my customers kind of like the small town atmosphere that La Porte City provides. Almost like going on a hunting trip. My out of town customers make a day of it. Of course, the longer they are here, the more stuff they find that they need/want.

The obvious things have been pointed out. Success is in the details.

What sells?
Bows, especially top tier bows
Used bows
Arrows
Bow acc.
Range time, 3d is way more popular in this area than shooting paper
Service, great service

What doesn't sell?
Camo
Treestands ( I do ok with Summit stands, you can't buy them at WalMart)
targets

Other things to have/do

Have Demo bows, lots of them. I usually have at least 4-6 bows all set up for people to shoot. When ready, make a good customer a smokin deal on it.

Change your range! It gets boring to shoot the same targets in the same position week after week.
Get new and different targets. Many of us will never go to Africa but here you can shoot a Wart Hog:D
I have deer, turkeys,fox,coon, bears, coyotes, antelope, wild boar and my newest addition, the moving buck that ravels across the range on a garage door opener.
DLA also has 4 Delta shot blockers for sighting in and shooting paper
Have a broadhead target!
I feel it is important to have a big range. Ours is 8 lanes wide and 35 yards long. Nothing is more boring than hitting 12s at 10-20 yards all the time.
In the future I'd like to build a building that would allow an even bigger, longer indoor range.
Help the customer get sighted in. Almost every bow I sell gets sighted in to 35 yards before the customer leaves with it. Nothing like getting a customer hitting 12 rings before they even take the bow home.
Have a shop dog! I have 2 and they each work 3 days per week. Lots of my customers come as much to see my dogs as they do to see me. Many even bring treats every visit. They even know what days each dog works.

I guess I did have a few things to say/add:D

RE: Serious question for those of you who work at shops
 

Guys, I can't begin to express to you how appreciative I am for all this so far...

RE: Serious question for those of you who work at shops
 

Greg.......I gotta tell ya.......My curiosity is absolutely THROUGH THE ROOF right now........I just hope, at some point in the future, there may be some kind of explanation??

Oh.....and......You're welcome.

RE: Serious question for those of you who work at shops
 

Here's another "customer" opinon or two......from what I see at shops where I have shot this year.

What does a shop owner make on a new bow? $100? $150, tops???

So on a top-end bow.....his return on investment is 18-20%?

I go into shops and see sveral bows. Good enough.

Where I think theses guys are missing the boat.....is on accessories and incidentals. I'm betting the margin on accessories is anywhere from 50-400%+. Yet.....I don't see the shops I go into putting the majority of their inventory $$ into accessories. I think this is a mistake. A man will wait for a bow. WHen he wants a sight, though.....he wants it, now. Same with a stabilizer.......wrist sling.......etc...

Just my opinion.....

RE: Serious question for those of you who work at shops
 

400%!
Hahahahahahahahhahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah ahah

I wish:D

RE: Serious question for those of you who work at shops
 

PS, besides your % thing, you have a point.

RE: Serious question for those of you who work at shops
 

Here ya go, Buell.

How much does a 1' length of release rope cost you? I paid less than $1 for mine (retail). Now let's say you tie 'em sloppy....and only get one out of a 1' strand.

So...the shop charges a man $5 to tie on the D-loop.

$1 investment......$5 tendered. Do the math.;)

I said accessories AND "incidentals".

RE: Serious question for those of you who work at shops
 

I would be Happy with the50%. Most accessories have a mark upless than that. The Archery business is very competetive and works on a very small profit margin. Honestly many items I sell are done soas a customer service more or less in the hopes of creating traffic for other items.

Now if you wanna talk profit margins Plumbing fixtures, lighting fixtures, cabinets, and heat & AC equipment. That's where I can make some money!!;)

Dan

RE: Serious question for those of you who work at shops
 

Well I have only been shooting for a short time. The first placeI went to was an old way out of the way cracker shack of a bow shop out in the middle ofno where. After talking with them for a while I went and looked around at a few of the other shops around town. In the end I went back to the old cracker shack. He is a very personable guy and has done everything he can to help me become a better shooter. He wont sell me what I dont need, and will get me whatever I want. I go out to shoot at his place atleast 2 times a week, sometimes we just end up sitting up in the shop and I dont even shoot and most of the other times he comes out and shoots with me. He also really helps my son out as well, showing hime the right way and the wrong to do things, and really tries to promote archery with the younger kids.So I guess what I am saying is customer service. He will always have my business even if his prices might be a little higher (which they rarely are). I consider myself lucky because not only have I found a place to learn how to shoot, but I also made a really good friend. Customer service and friendship go a long way.

RE: Serious question for those of you who work at shops
 

What's the number one thing you end up doing in a bow shop to a customer's bow?

It doesn't take too many 4-500% markups to make up for the 20-40% deals. The dollar figures are just lower on the higher profit margin deals.

Mirrors golf in a lot of ways. I used to re-grip clubs for $6-$7.50 a club.......13 yrs ago. The grip cost us $1.75 (+/-). Other materials maybe another $.25. I could do a set in 30 mintes, easy....start to finish. 14 X $4.00 (on the low end) = $56.00.

How many shops offer a "Pre-Season Bow Overhaul" for their customers? Offer to check everyone's bow to ensure proper DL....check their strings and cables.....replace old kissers/peeps/D-loops? Check it through a chrono......make sure it's still within specs?????

ALL of these things would lead to sales of things that have THE highest margin of profit attached. It would just take a little initiative.

And not to even mention LESSONS! I'd have SEVERAL kids bows fully set up in my shop if I owned one......one to fit almost any little guy/gal. I think this is another place shops miss the boat.

Just off the top of my head......take it with a grain of salt....opinions, only.

RE: Serious question for those of you who work at shops
 

ok, I'll give you the 400% on a string loop
Of course you didn't figure anything for labor to put it on.
Good thing it only takes a couple minutes:D

RE: Serious question for those of you who work at shops
 

Of couse I didn't Buell.....Nor would you figure your labor for every hour you worked in the shop while that new Trykon hung on the hook before you sold it.

And the incidental 400% on the D-loop is, in reality, more like 900% (2/1' length x$5/ea).

I know you guys aren't getting rich. Tough gig....but I'm sure it's your passion. I admire that.

Heard a saying just a short time ago......

"Do what you love.....and you'll never have to work a day in your life"

Wish I knew the author. Good luck guys.

RE: Serious question for those of you who work at shops
 

and that example would be great if a shop did about 25,000 D loops per year
heck, I wouldn't even need to sell bows then:D

Dave's D loop shop is now open.

Just having a little fun with ya.
It is a tough business but it is fun and I am enjoying it. I am glad you know this. Many on some sites, especially AT, manymake it seem like shop owners make $10,000.00 off every bow sale.

RE: Serious question for those of you who work at shops
 

Jeff, we offer pre season overhauls. What we charge depends on where the bow was purchased. MOST cases, to simply go over it there is no charge. If we need to work on it, we'll charge, generally, $10. If you buy the bow from us, we charge nothing for labor, other than the aforementioned. String breaks. No problem. Buy a new string, no labor. Need a rest installed? Sights? No problem, buy the sight, we put it on for you.

Buy your bow and accessories, we'll set it up, level everything and set centershot. I would bet that in 90% of the cases, that bow is shooting bullet holes in paper w/ VERY little, if any, additional tuning.

I think we charge $1.99 for a D-loop, and I'm guessing half the time we don't charge anything. The bow comes w/ 2 hours free range time, and a kisser and peep, installed.

We have 5 youth bows, set up, hanging on the wall right now.

Jeff, you're pretty accurate in your assesments, save some of the numbers, but you have the exact right idea. Which is why in my first post, I mentioned how hard we work setting guys up w/ the RIGHT equipment, and teaching them to use it.

This thread, and the newest in the installment, are very interesting to me. It shows me what we are doing right, and what we may need to work on.

RE: Serious question for those of you who work at shops
 

Thanks, Donnie... best endorsement for what I'm after that I could have hoped for. :)

RE: Serious question for those of you who work at shops
 

bump for me so I can find it easier for a few minutes...