Pinwheel 12

BW-

No, I am not a sponsor of this particular site, but I do pay for advertising on others. I think you'll find there are not all that many of us that actually DO pay for usage or advertising on any of these boards! I also am a current member of various organizations that help the Archery industry with members' monies. If I hurt other shops with my internet business, I would certainly be hurting myself too as a shop owner. Generating interest in the sport of Archery, no matter how it is done, should be everyone's priority if they are involved with the industry, whether manufacturers, dealers, reps, Staff, whatever. Making money, of which a percentage goes directly back into further purchases within the industry if you happen to be a dealer, only helps to maintain a stable platform from which the industry may grow, no matter if it is done via "old ways" or new. We all have to look towards the future because the industry is forever evolving, that is why new technologies always replace the old ones every five to seven years. Internet sales are becoming an integral part of the equation now, simple as that. Mathews was following along with the AMO's original plan to try and curb internet sales, because they felt it would cause too many problems. As stated above, we cannot stop it, it is far bigger than us, so either "get on", or "get off". I chose to get on because I love the sport and felt that internet sales are part of it's future. THAT is the bottom line. Anyone that thinks the Archery Industry is a place to make big bucks better think again, unless you happen to hit it just right. While I make a decent living it is a tough row to hoe, and competition is fierce. I could've definately made more money in another field, but it's what I love, so....

As far as "free advertising", as stated I do pay for advertising, and anything I get for free, well maybe that is just a little payback for the info I've shared on the boards in the past few years that took me many, many years to learn. Everyone has it pretty easy nowadays. I don't mind at all helping people, but when I get attitude from other posters that tells me it should be "all for them, nothing for me", I guess it's time to re-think my position as far as giving so much away for free.

I have no problem with those who decide that internet sales is not for them, but I don't think I or others should be crucified for having them, either. It is up to each individual shop owner to decide if they feel it is right for their particular business, and seeing as it is now an accepted form of shopping worldwide, no-one is "criminal" for grabbing a piece of the pie. It's a free Country last time I looked,(free speech, free enterprise) and I for one am glad it is! Good shooting, Pinwheel 12

Grndzer

I guess we are a little off topic now... Hey has anyone got word from bowtech on an update date? I sent them an email but got no response.

BowTech_Shooter

The new site should be in place in the next 2 weeks or less. If you folks knew what has taken place with BowTech in the past month and a half or so you'd better understand. They are trying to do alot of to catch up from the AMO Show two weeks ago. I know for fact they worked solid 12 hour days after the show to get caught up on (some) of the paper work. They set up a whole bunch of new dealers at the show and all that info has to go on the web site as well as alot of other information.

Unfortunatly some people can't wait on a web site to be updated and go buy other brands and thats fine but as far as internet sales go in my opinion is wrong. It causes way too many problems with companies and actually causes dealers to fight and battle and sometimes give up their dealership with certain companies. Internet sales puts a dealer on EVERY corner of every street (if the person has internet) and will buy a bow from 2000 miles away just to save $5.00 or $10.00 dollars. Where do such people go to shoot the bow they choose first? We all know and certainly suggest shooting a new bow before we buy right? So what do we do go to our local pro shop try their bows out and go home to buy one online? Sorry bad practice in my opinion. I guess I would compare it to an employer having to pay his help say $15.00 an hour but goes out every day to try to find a person to replace them for a little less, after this person gets hired for $14.00 an hour the employer looks for someone for $13.00 an hour. Where does it end? Bow companies are in business to make money just as we all are from our daily jobs. The policies and guidelines enforced by said bow companies are whats going to keep them around when they please the dealers they have and don't have pricing battles online. I'm not a pro shop owner, I'm just a factory worker and this makes sense to me. It just wouldn't be fair if my dealer wants $500.00 for a bow and the guy buys one online from a dealer in CA. to save $5.00

Anyway, The web site will be updated soon. Trust me it will be awesome....

Grndzer

Thanks BowTech Shooter!

Yea I agree with the internet sales issue. as a matter of fact I think the bow companys should not allow internet sales. At least for the highend models.

But this was not the point of my post, not to start the net sales issues but just that the 02 stuff should have been posted on the site qiucker for us to look at not to buy.

Hey I maintain two websites and one gets more hits a day than I care to get and I get nagg email all the time about updates. My site updates automaticly via my database and got a ton of nagg mails when I changed the update time from 3 to 4 pm.

Cant wait to see the 02 stuff, Maby in 04 I will be in the market again.

BowTech_Shooter

Grndzer, I'm glad you understand. What happened at the AMO Show took us all by surprise and kind of put everything a little behind from a managment standpoint and the Marketing director got swamped too. He's the actual web site designer. If you wanted a brochure to see the 2002 line I have offered it on this site a few times. It has all the info and pics of the bows the web site will have. I have mailed a bunch of them since they came out in Nov.

Pinwheel 12

You guys state that internet sales will &quot;put a dealer on every corner&quot;, well, the manufacturers themselves are doing a good job of that already! Sheesh! I have experienced first-hand the so-called &quot;protected territories&quot; and all of the promises that go with it more than once, and altho it has worked fine with some, with certain manufacturers I found within a few months that I had two or three other dealers set up within my &quot;protected&quot; radius. Then some lame excuse spews forth when confronted about it. (In one instance I was the first dealer to stick my neck out for this company in my area, and got them a solid foothold) There are alot of things that go on behind the scenes that most do not see, and altho I still feel Pro-Shops are neeeded to complete the balance of the industry, equipment sales via the internet will only serve to save the consumer more money, money that can be spent on instruction, accessories, rangetime, whatever.(if they are like me, it won't be going back into the pocket!<img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle>) I know for fact that more and more manufacturers are &quot;lightening up&quot; on this issue, and more will be available online in the months and years to come.It's inevitable. I like selling over the counter and setting archers up in my own shop just as much as the next guy, but we have to face facts about future markets and sales. OK, I'm done, didn't mean for this to turn into a soapbox, but it needed to be said. Too many people have this big misconception that we are the &quot;bad guys&quot; by owning internet businesses, and it is simply not the case. Oh, and chew on this-- no matter where the bows go for sale, the manufacturers always make the same profit. The only ones that get the shaft are us dealers. Therefore, we must do whatever we can to survive, especially when there is a &quot;dealer on every corner&quot;. If it takes internet sales to do so, so be it. Good shooting, Pinwheel 12

Edited by - Pinwheel 12 on 02/11/2002 06:30:26

Straightarrow

It really doesn't matter if a manufacturer decides not to allow internet sales. Another reputable mfg will allow it. Those who prefer to shop by computer will give their business to the companies who offer it. This is simple stuff and unpreventable. Those who prefer to give their business only to companies that only support shops that sell locally, will do that. There are niches in every business and if a particular market isn't being sold to, then some company will fill that role. This will never change unless a law is passed, making it illegal to sell over the internet, and that ain't going to happen.

On another note, I must say that when I go to a website in Feb of 2002 and see 2001 bows, I'm a bit put off. It would seem to me that you would have any new models come out before year end. A manufacturer may have a good reason to do this, but many are going to see it as the company not being able to handle things in a timely fasion. I mean, did you ever see a car manufacturer come out with a new model in February of the model year?

Grndzer

Pinwheel, I think in the long run the customer gets hurt with internet sales. There are many people here that could easily setup a bow with out a dealers help. But for every one here there are a least 5 out in the real world that have no Idea. And when you drop 6 bills on a bow and it does not shoot right for him it hurts us all.

That customer will go around talking trash on this product when in all actually it is probably his fault the bow does not perform well.

I think sense the AMO show is the basic intro to new products that the same day the Amo show starts that the updated website should be brought on line. It can be designed and ready long beforehand and uploaded opening day. Makes sense to me.

Hey I got Photoshop skills need help just call!



Edited by - grndzer on 02/11/2002 08:18:15

Dacotah

BowTech and Mathews aren't the only slow ones. I've been anxiously waiting for the HCA and Champion sites to update also. <img src=icon_smile_dissapprove.gif border=0 align=middle> These companies need to take their websites more seriously. The sites should be updated on the day of the announcement. Archery is not a fall only sport, and obviously many, if not most, archers are not net impaired! <img src=icon_smile_angry.gif border=0 align=middle>