Wyvern Crossbow

Hi All:

First off, I do not want this to be a Barnett bashing thread. I pretty well know and share most peoples opinion of Barnett on not only their products, but their business practices as well. the reason I am doing this is that the new representative for Barnett and I are getting together on Monday (he reps for a number of brands I sell, so this is just in the mix) and we have had a preliminary discussion as to why I dont choose to sell them. He assures me that they "seem very committed to turning their brand names upward" and "A couple of our people were in the Barnett plant last week and were very impressed with all the NEW items coming down the road and the strides that are being made to improve their product line"

So, that being said and me trying to keep something of an open mind I thought about it and figured that making an assumption that these "NEW items" are actually quality pieces Barnett would still have a ways to go to get me to sell them. However, these things are nothing that cant be overcome. So what I would like to know is what would Barnett have to do to get past their baggage and make it so many of you who would not currently own a Barnett consider them as an option? Assume that they have a quality product and a comparable price and performace range to other bows. Here is my personal list (mind you, some of my criteria is dealer specifc)

1: mimimum 5 year, prefered lifetime warranty
2: Ditch the lawsuits that are causing the prices for all the other bows to be raised (make money by producing a good product, not relying on your lawyers)
3: MAP pricing....they are so devaluated as to be a waste of time selling them
4: Focus on authorized dealers rather than big box stores. (with the new rep company that is a first step in the right direction
5: better fit and finish on the bows (right now they are pretty rough)
6: more compatable components ( like ditching that 3/8 scope rail)
7: Upgrade on the quality of accessories (better scope, etc..)
8: More clarification of EXACTLY what is made in America and what is not...too many rumors.

Over and above that, their bow has to impress me. The stakes have been raised high enough now that if the bow is not good quality, it can stay on the manufacturers shelves.

Now, I realize that many of you will not own a Barnett if it was given to you...that is fine, but I would like to know what they would have to do to even get your interest...

Thanks
Wyvern

DaGriz

All of the above items you listed plus: Develop some proven history of making a good product. Say 3-5yrs of producing products that stay together, have quality equal to the big four manufacturers. Along with that 3-5yrs of creditable performance; the crossbows must be able to consistently shoot 200+ arrows a week with no breakdowns, and no loss of accuracy .

They have a long, hard row to hoe. All the BS talk and promises they have been making doesn't mean didly squat when their bow keep self destructing!

Even if they do all these things; it would be a long, long time before I would spend money to buy a Barnett!

smokepolehall

competion is tuff right now. all that you said they need to do. fps is great but not at the expense of breaking all the time. good solid products that perform well and not be afraid it will come apart everytime you shoot it. a 375 fps CB ain't worth a toot if its broke down, specially during hunting season!

coyote170

X2

Huntr2

Thats the best why of saying what I was told months ago that the new Barnett waqnts to change the way they are lookede at and trying to build a better product. They just want a oppurtunity to do so and and so have are doing a good job. Buckeyefootball

Cossack

Last Saturday afternoon I went out in the deer woods with a friend. We both were using crossbows. We didn't see any deer. My friends crossbow is a Barnett Quad 400. We were out for about two hours. When we left the woods, my friend decided not to discharge his crossbow until he got home.
Right before he went to shoot his xbow at home, one of the Limbs broke from the stress.

Today a guy at work told me his Barnett xbow's limb(s) cracked this week.

DaGriz

????? Buckeye Bozo, you need to brush up on your grammar, sentence structure , spelling and word usage!! Trying to understand your post is like trying to read something a 6yr old Special Ed. student wrote!

As far as Barnett, they may want to change; but from everything I read and every thing I see first hand, they haven't changed one bit and are still making crap. So far their "new and improved" is just as bad if not worse than the older stuff.

coyote170

This says it all they are still not over the hill to recovery.

fishbait

I hadn't heard about the lawsuits. Can you elaborate?

Wyvern Crossbow

They have a pattent on the step thru riser that is IMO very vague and only a lawyer would see the similarities between the Preditor and a StrykeForce, but that is what happend, so Bowtech dealers are stuck paying Barnett $25.00 on every SF bought (it is called a "crossbow surcharge" and mind you, all that did was cut into a fairly tight profit margin on those bows to begin with) and Parker had to re-tool and re-design all their high end bows just to shut Barnett up. No clue what TenPoint had to do, but I am sure there were issues there too. So, rather than make a quality product they are relying on their income from the lawsuits so everyone who owns another bow has a stake in Barnett. I am trying to be as open minded as I can, but everytime I get an invoice from Bowtech it makes it very hard not to want to spit in to the Barnett booth at the ATA show as I walk past.

Wyvern