Some helpful advice for bow shop owners....

[ultrastealth]

I went to a local shop yesterday to try to get some new arrows, broadheads, and a target core. They had none of that, but they had plenty of Ozonics, clothing, and other stuff that they sell for less in the big box stores. That doesn't seem to me to be a great business model. I go to bow shops to get the things that are difficult to find elsewhere, but, if they don't have them, why not shop online or at Cabelas or Bass Pro? If you don't have the stuff that I need in a hurry, what's to keep me from just ordering it and having it shipped? I get tired of retailers who don't keep stuff in stock complaining about the internet. People spend their money at brick and mortar for convenience, so don't make it a waste of time if you want to keep your customers.

[Draco]

Try shooting traditional. No shop any where has any thing for trad.

[Sunnylab]

Lots of inventory is a blessing and a curse sometimes.

[ultralite09]

I went to a local shop yesterday to try to get some new arrows, broadheads, and a target core. They had none of that, but they had plenty of Ozonics, clothing, and other stuff that they sell for less in the big box stores. That doesn't seem to me to be a great business model. I go to bow shops to get the things that are difficult to find elsewhere, but, if they don't have them, why not shop online or at Cabelas or Bass Pro? If you don't have the stuff that I need in a hurry, what's to keep me from just ordering it and having it shipped? I get tired of retailers who don't keep stuff in stock complaining about the internet. People spend their money at brick and mortar for convenience, so don't make it a waste of time if you want to keep your customers.

Sounds like you need to find a real bow shop.

The only archery shop I go to anymore is Cinnamon Creek and they have everything I need and then some. Heck, I drive past 3 other shops to get to it. I would definitely say most archery shops could learn a thing or two from CCR.

[White Falcon]

I have had some bad experiences with archery shops in the area. Example: Had a cable reinstalled, just came off cam. They charged full hourly rate. I know they have to make money. There was no one in the store but me. Lost a customer. Not the thing to do if you want customers coming back. Just my $.02

I buy all my Trad gear on line. 3rivers, Lancaster Archery, and arrows from different site members.

[Mesquite Archer]

I agree, I prefer to walk in, handle the merchandise, pay cash and walk out. Not just bow shops but most places these days keep very little inventory in the store and the common response is "We're out but I can order it for you".

My response is, I have a computer and can order it for me too. Usually, for less money, tax free with free shipping so no wonder the brick and mortar stores at going out of business.

I get that inventory is a cost to a store until sold and they need to manage that cost but they contribute to their own demise every time they send a customer down the road.

[rocky]

I went to a local shop yesterday to try to get some new arrows, broadheads, and a target core. They had none of that, but they had plenty of Ozonics, clothing, and other stuff that they sell for less in the big box stores. That doesn't seem to me to be a great business model. I go to bow shops to get the things that are difficult to find elsewhere, but, if they don't have them, why not shop online or at Cabelas or Bass Pro? If you don't have the stuff that I need in a hurry, what's to keep me from just ordering it and having it shipped? I get tired of retailers who don't keep stuff in stock complaining about the internet. People spend their money at brick and mortar for convenience, so don't make it a waste of time if you want to keep your customers.

This has been a thread that has been very hard to stay away from.

Sounds like you need to find a real bow shop.

The only archery shop I go to anymore is Cinnamon Creek and they have everything I need and then some. Heck, I drive past 3 other shops to get to it. I would definitely say most archery shops could learn a thing or two from CCR.

Most small archery shops work on a local level, with a budget driven by traffic in that local area.
In most cases, the owners of these local shops are bowhunters, with a passion for bowhunting, and are simply pursuing that passion with an investment, with hopes it will make a small return.
In a lot of cases, small archery shops know that online sales of certain products make it impossible to compete, and a total waste of time and money to inventory such products.
CCR is a different breed of archery shop.
I'm not sure if the owner is a bowhunter or not, but there is a LOT of outside money that has been invested into CCR, that will never be recovered in the archery shop itself.
Small, local archery shops, in most cases, are limited by funds, and can only stock inventory that moves, and are reliant on loyal customers that grasp this fact.
Maybe when y'all open your own archery shop, and struggle with finances and customer base, your advice might be different.

I agree, I prefer to walk in, handle the merchandise, pay cash and walk out. Not just bow shops but most places these days keep very little inventory in the store and the common response is "We're out but I can order it for you".

My response is, I have a computer and can order it for me too. Usually, for less money, tax free with free shipping so no wonder the brick and mortar stores at going out of business.

I get that inventory is a cost to a store until sold and they need to manage that cost but they contribute to their own demise every time they send a customer down the road.

[dbelcher269]

The problem with not supporting the local shops comes into play when you need work done and they’re no longer in business. It’s hard not to save a dollar or two, I’m guilty of it.

[SaltwaterSlick]

The Houston area is blessed with 2 great archery pro shops (and even good ones outside the local Houston area). I've been supporting The Bow Zone since its beginning. Now that it has changed ownership (and the new owner has carried on the tradition of off the charts good service), and expanded the shop to a state of the art archery center, it's even better! It is worth the drive to have real genuine archery experts assist you. For those on the west side, West Houston Archery is that kind of facility as well, thanks in no small part to the same ownership that started both businesses... Some genuine archery nuts that know their stuff there too.

Both places have great selection of inventory and competitive pricing, plus they don't nickle n dime you when it comes to helping with service and just getting you shooting again.

A big "2 thumbs up to both Texas Archery and West Houston Archery!! Thanks for your service over the years!

[Mudslinger]

This has been a thread that has been very hard to stay away from.


Most small archery shops work on a local level, with a budget driven by traffic in that local area.
In most cases, the owners of these local shops are bowhunters, with a passion for bowhunting, and are simply pursuing that passion with an investment, with hopes it will make a small return.
In a lot of cases, small archery shops know that online sales of certain products make it impossible to compete, and a total waste of time and money to inventory such products.
CCR is a different breed of archery shop.
I'm not sure if the owner is a bowhunter or not, but there is a LOT of outside money that has been invested into CCR, that will never be recovered in the archery shop itself.
Small, local archery shops, in most cases, are limited by funds, and can only stock inventory that moves, and are reliant on loyal customers that grasp this fact.
Maybe when y'all open your own archery shop, and struggle with finances and customer base, your advice might be different.

Been there and done that and unless you have owned a shop before, then you are just grasping at straws when you think you know about the archery retail business.

Rocky is spot on with his post.

A retail shop cannot compete with mail order on 99% of most items unless you sell it for very little and I mean very little profit margin and then when you do not sell much as far as inventory due to traffic or lack there of, then you are done as you probably do not have enough to pay your overhead.