How much more are you willing to pay to buy local?

[CT Bob]

From another post:

"Friendship, trust, respect, loyalty, etc...all reasons maybe to pay a premium price."

I am just curious, how much of a premium your local shop is worth to you? If you wanted a new rod that your local shop was selling for $600 and you found it online for $550, would you pay the extra $50 at your local shop? How about if you found it online for $500? or $400, or $300? At some point does your own fiscal situation override your sense of ideals?

I will admit that paying a premium is not worth that much to me any more. When I first started fly fishing I bought everything local because I relied on my local shop to give me advice on my purchases,set my rig up, and even give me advice on where to go and what flies to use. As a novice, I felt that ANY premium I paid was well worth the help and knowledge I got from my local shop. In fact when I purchased my first "real" (read: expensive) setup the shop owner even took me out back and gave me a free casting lesson that improved my casting more in a half hour than several months of struggling on my own.

I don't tie flies, so for the most part that's about all I still buy at my local shop anymore, save for the "gotta have it now" emergency purchases. I don't even buy tippett there-I just go to Wally World and buy mono where I can get a lifetime supply for the same price as a itty bitty roll of "tippett material". I always thought that was a scam! Sure I want my local guy to do well, but it's not my responsibility to put food on his table, and I gotta eat too. On items that are ~$50 or less (like lines for example) I'm willing to pay maybe a 40% premium to my local shop. On the big ticket items like rods and reels (and waders could fall into this one too) If I can find it for 10% less online, that's where my money is going.

[Jed]

I would say if it was the difference between $600 and $550 I'd buy local. When you get down a hundred or so its not so clear.

I do try and buy locally. I like the local shop owners, like the service they provide to my community and I do ask them for favors like contributing to fishing events or things like that.

I am also prejudiced against big box stores. Don't like what they do to the communities (yes this is a BIG generalization) so I tend to avoid them. I also don't see their savings to be that great either.

Mostly its big buck items that I buy on price, but smaller stuff I do locally. What I don't do is go local to try equipment and find what I want and then buy online based on that knowledge.

jed

[Dave E]

If they through in free shipping, were based out of state and I already knew the product well enough to be ready to buy. I'd go with the online price of $550.00. In that case, with no tax and free shipping, I wouldn't be saving $50.00, it would be more in line with saving $99.50...add to that my time driving too and the additional fuel expenditure to and from the nearest fly shop ( around another $12.00 ). No contest.

all the best, Dave

[Bamboozle]

It depends on how bad or fast I want it.

But in all honesty other than closeout items I really don't see that much difference in prices on the SAME items between local fly shops and online retailers.

Most of the manufacturers frown HEAVILY, (with threats of pulling the product line) on retailers who discount. So I see most rods, reels, lines and the like at MSRP across the board. Cabela's sells Ross Reels for the same price as Joe's Fly Shop provided Cabela's isn't cheating or Joe isn't gouging. Funny thing is, I've never saw this type of price fixing in many other businesses that don't sell direct but instead use distribution or retail to sell their products. I only wish all of my competitors in my real job sold at the same price as me. Then we could all fight it out on service alone which I prefer.

Another thing I notice sometimes is that fly shop X will raise their prices when a manufacturer puts out a new catalog with a price increase; even if the inventory in the shop was purchased BEFORE the increase and the increase to the shop owner hasn't taken effect yet. In December I saw one large on-line retailer that held the old prices until HIS new catalog came out for 2007 so I saved a substantial amount of $$$ on a reel that the local guy increased in price the second he got the new manufacturer's catalog for 2007...

...back in October of 2006.

Bottom line, when I factor in freight & tax in some cases for the on-line retailer versus gas and travel time for the local guy; the local guy usually wins out on price. BUT if we're talking apples to apples on an item and I can get it for less; I'll buy it from whoever has the best price.

[Avalon]

Dear CT Bob,

I buy stuff from people not stores. Sure, I may buy a fly line on closeout somewhere, or a couple packs of hooks and beads, but when it comes to big ticket items I buy from one of the three fly shops I have been dealing with for over 20 years. It ain't about money to me.

No on-line retailer ever let me stay at their house for 15-20 weekends a year in exchange for help around their fly shop. No on-line retailer ever watched my dog for two weeks when I had to make an emergency business trip. No on-line retailer has ever taken me fishing or accepted my offer to take them fishing. I've never gone out to dinner with an on-line retailer and done of them ever wanted to sit around and drink beer with me.

I haven't been invited to a family wedding or Christening, not have I attended a funeral of a family member of an on-line retailer. No on-line retailer ever introduced me to people that would become some of my best and dearest friends either. Nor did they welcome each and every one of my friends that I ever sent their way like they were long lost buddies.

They say it's not good practice to do business with friends, to that I say what a load of bunk. What I have received from my friends in the fly fishing business can't be measured in terms of dollars and cents and frankly I wouldn't want it any other way.

Best Wishes,
Avalon

[Lucky489]

Dear CT Bob,

I buy stuff from people not stores. Sure, I may buy a fly line on closeout somewhere, or a couple packs of hooks and beads, but when it comes to big ticket items I buy from one of the three fly shops I have been dealing with for over 20 years. It ain't about money to me.

No on-line retailer ever let me stay at their house for 15-20 weekends a year in exchange for help around their fly shop. No on-line retailer ever watched my dog for two weeks when I had to make an emergency business trip. No on-line retailer has ever taken me fishing or accepted my offer to take them fishing. I've never gone out to dinner with an on-line retailer and done of them ever wanted to sit around and drink beer with me.

I haven't been invited to a family wedding or Christening, not have I attended a funeral of a family member of an on-line retailer. No on-line retailer ever introduced me to people that would become some of my best and dearest friends either. Nor did they welcome each and every one of my friends that I ever sent their way like they were long lost buddies.

They say it's not good practice to do business with friends, to that I say what a load of bunk. What I have received from my friends in the fly fishing business can't be measured in terms of dollars and cents and frankly I wouldn't want it any other way.

Best Wishes,
Avalon

Well said. I usually try local 90% of the time.

[bowmaker1]

Having been in the retail business since 1970 and the car business since 1977 I definately feel it is worth a premium to buy local. In the example of the $600 rod, I know that I would first ask the local shop to shorten the spread a little, and then buy there. It is very easy for online retailers in particular to be cheaper on price, because they have virtually no overhead costs. Costs such as cost of inventory, staff, insurance, rent, property tax, customer services, payroll taxes, FICA, workers comp, electricty, heat, thieft, and on and on. Some one already mentioned donations for every wildlife banquet or public works project. Of that extra $50 for that rod how much do you really think goes in the owners pocket and how much goes back into your own community to fix streets, upgrade schools, support the resturant next door, or to put gas in the truck he bought from me so that I can buy a flyrod? The more you do locally the more the shop owner can do locally and the more dollars you send away on-line the less he can do locally! There is also the big issue of personal service. Will the on-line retailer let you test cast a rod or a new line to see if you like it before you buy it? Will the give you a loner rod for that big trip if you break yours just before you leave? Will they show you how to tie a good nail knot or clean your line, or patch a hole in your waders all for free because they like and value you and your business?

I happen to be at a disadvantage here in SE Iowa in that there isn't a real fly shop closer than a 2 hour drive and even those are basicly big box stores, like Scheels or Gander Mountain. I buy things from them as well as Cabelas and Bass Pro which are both 4 hours away. I do buy things at the 2 or 3 of the local shops at Bennett Springs and have paid more money than some other places just because it is very nice to have them there when I want or need something when I am 400 miles from home.
Sorry, sometimes I get a little wound up.

[RoyChristie]

Some years back I read a story about a lady of ninety years plus who lived in Guildford UK and had always bought her cars from the same shop over a period of sixty years.

She would take back a two year old with 2000 miles on it and trade it for a new one. As she was the eldest motorist locally the newspaper interviewed her.

The lady was asked why she never bought any other make of vehicle and invited to comment as to why a ninety year old should be driving a 427cu/in A.C. Cobra.
Her response was that she trusted the cars, besides which, on the rare occasion the cars failed, all she had to do was call the makers and they would come down from the other end of the street and fix it.

No problem; no competition.

If you get service like that at your local shop, you will rarely stray

Roy

[PaGuy]

Hum some thing yes some things no. I try to buy as much as possible from the 3 fly shops within 5 miles of my house. But if I cant find it at them I go to sportsmans warehouse or somewhere online

[nick0danger]

To start, my LFS gives me 15% off everything. If i buy hackle for tieing ill barter with them and usally have me buy something that has been around for a bit but i dont mind. There maxima 110 yard spools of tippet, cost less there than at wallymart, and that mono I would not use after a summer cause it will break down and the trout in the bow can do a number on brand new tippet.

If i found a rod for 500 and they where selling it for 600, they would give me the rod for 500.

That said i will pay a big preimum for an canadian or amercian made product.