Len in Maryland

cottonfarmer:

Trust me, if you had spent that kind of money in my shop, the string incidentals would surely be 'no charge' and installed free.

Buck Magnet:

Please stop by if you get into the area.

TFOX

If I bought a complete setup from someone and he charged me for installing a rest or peep or anything of that sort.The bow would be left on the counter for someone else to buy.Especially if I were a repeat customer that had spent tons of money in that store. Good thing I do all my own instalation.They should charge for peep sights and such because they actually have to buy them.



If I brought in a bow that I bought elsewhere,then yes they should charge and yes I would expect it.


This,imo is how you get a good customer base built and keep them coming.



I had a tire place that I had bought atleast 4 sets of tires and they also did all my oil changes for several years,plus many other jobs.They never cut me any deals and I went in to get a tire fixed,all it needed was a patch,they charged me $10.00.I thought that was wrong but said what the heck.I had to go in again later to have a tire swapped on rims and patch a tire.This time they charged me $20.00 .I was po'd.They have made several hundred dollars off me and new me by name.They made $30.00 off of 10 minutes work.I hope they spent that $30.00 wisely because it was the last money they ever got from me.


The new place I went to had to patch a tire (on my wifes car) that I got from them and they didn't charge me a dime and that was after only buying 2 sets of tires and they are cheaper.So who do you think gets my buisness and anyone I know that is looking for tires.


This is just customer service and it goes a long way.

cottonfarmer

My point exactly Len!!!! Thanks. To bad you are not in Missouri or Arkansas!!!

PAhunter86

I wasn't comparing them, I was merely providing an example.[:-]

PABowhntr

What was the original question?



I have to admit that I knew this was going to be opening a can of worms when I read the original post.

I think Len summed it up very well with this simple statement.....

I think alot of folks aren't totally aware of all that goes into running a pro shop. It definitely was an eye opener for me when I first started working locally. As was mentioned before, many charges and the respective rates in general are left up to the individual shops. Some charge more than others. It is up to you as a consumer to decide whether the costs are worth the service.

reylamb

Frank, so true. I have heard guys at my local shop complain when they were charged $5 for cutting and gluing in inserts for arrows they bought at another store. Forget the small amount of glue, there is also wages to be paid, rent, electricity, insurance and taxes. If shops gave everything away they would not be in business.

silentassassin

Len,

Every Proshop that I have ever frequented, opereated much like you describe. Almost all of the shops charged for everything when I first started going in. After a few months I would try to pay for using their paper tuner or chrono etc and they wouldn't let me. Now they might charge the guy that was with me but I would always explain that if they spent as much money in there as I did that they wouldn't charge them either. The point is that you can afford to make certain concessions to certain customers because you know they are going to be there, they are to spend x amount every year, and your are going to have ample oppurtunuty to make money off of them. If I was cotton farmer and I spent that kind of money and still got tagged for labor on everything I would be looking for a new place to go.....but...on the other hand when I don't frequent a shop, I fully expect to get charged for any survices that I require. You have to keep your "loyal" customers happy but you can't give buddy deals to everyone and still stay in business. I have spent about $1500 in my Pro shop since Jan. 1 and it's a shop that I just started going to, needless to say, I have already gained "preferential" status, and that's how I plan to keep it

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dgirt

siskyou
You forgot about all the bow companys that want you to buy the 25 bow program and and save 2% and pay in30 to90 day's. And don't forget the arrow company's, sights or rests and don't forget releases. As a pro shop with nearly the price of a 2000 square home in inventory you are exspected to have on hand people think you get this stuff for free.

Archery is sport many choose to be in, but it is exspected to subsidized by a few willing to take time away from family and other things we enjoy.

I own a very popular shop in my area and yes I give a lot of things way to help someone in a pinch. BUT some think your kindness is some thing they can take advantage of as long as the you play by they'er rules.

I care very deeply how a customers bow shoots when it leaves my shop (it has my reputation riding on it). But like most shop's that stay busy when other are not it takes time to learn what's best for the shop an dwhat works best for the customer.

I always said that if the customer was always right I wouldn't be here, I'd be in the mountains hunting in the fall.

Archery shop are open in the summer when archery is the last thing on the mind of the fall bowhunter. Bills still have to be paid maintance on the building (think about 200 people a week going though your place), All the different people that come though that you don't even know and all the elk,turkey,duck and frog clubs looking for donations.

But heres the kicker, listening to a young person about taking his first deer or watching a new shooter do well in there first shoot at a local club 3-D.

those are the things that make it worth while to me.

For what it's worth
Doug Girt
Girt's Archery Anderson In.

coyote170

Cottonfarmer you might try Dennis Outdoors in Poplar Bluff
they are great people![8D]