My Wife Thinks The World Is Ending

[MOsmallies]

Paul's Bait and Tackle is about 5-10 minutes from house, so I've used them quite a bit in the past, but they just don't have anything anymore. Their bait selection is basically wiped out now! One of my good fishing buddies has worked for them off and on over the years and he told me that Pure Fish (Berkley, Abu Garcia, etc.) placed a new stipulation on the retail stores. Apparently they are forcing retailers to buy at least $50,000 worth of products at the beginning of the year. If you cannot afford that then you can't sell their products. I believe this is a big reason why Paul's B&T's inventory is bare bones. I think they are really only going to focus on trolling motor and reel repair from here on out. Very sad!

Almost all of my fishing equipment and tackle is now purchased at Bass Pro St. Charles or online at Tackle Warehouse. I also check out eBay every time I'm in the market for a new reel as I can usually save $40-$70 on a brand new reel in box.

[Ham]

try the 100mph rain suits, best I have seen.

Have you ever seen the Cabela's Guidewear? I'm pretty fond of mine. I did look at the 100 MPH stuff and it was nice, but I didn't get the feeling it would be better than the Cabela's Guidewear.

[eric1978]

It's all online for me now. Everything is so inflated and overpriced that my loyalty to mom & pops' went out the window years ago. I'll check with Hargroves and FC first and buy from them if their prices are competitive and I'm in the area, but it's just too easy to sit at home and order stuff heavily discounted and shipped free.

I go to the big boxes rarely anymore. I'll run up there to look at something I'm interested in if they have it...then usually come home and order it online for much less.

Some people sing unwavering praises of capitalism in one breath, and in the next they cry about the small shops getting shut out of business. To them I say make up your mind. If a company that's in the retail business is not selling globally, in bulk, for good prices, they're on the road to failure. But that's our perfect, holy, free-market system, right? Survival of the biggest.

[Mitch f]

It's all online for me now. Everything is so inflated and overpriced that my loyalty to mom & pops' went out the window years ago. I'll check with Hargroves and FC first and buy from them if their prices are competitive and I'm in the area, but it's just too easy to sit at home and order stuff heavily discounted and shipped free.

I go to the big boxes rarely anymore. I'll run up there to look at something I'm interested in if they have it...then usually come home and order it online for much less.

Some people sing unwavering praises of capitalism in one breath, and in the next they cry about the small shops getting shut out of business. To them I say make up your mind. If a company that's in the retail business is not selling globally, in bulk, for good prices, they're on the road to failure. But that's our perfect, holy, free-market system, right? Survival of the biggest.

No complaints from me! If they don't like it they have the option to pay a premium for extra service if they want. In some cases that is what I do.

[ness]

No complaints from me! If they don't like it they have the option to pay a premium for extra service if they want. In some cases that is what I do.

Well you'd better hurry and buy all your stuff. They're all going out of business but Mr. Big, whoever that is

[RSBreth]

I have always read these "big guy versus little guy" threads on the "internets" since it's inception - for fishing tackle, guns, or for whatever - and it always boils down to the same old arguments.

I must be jaded or just not have enough hours in my day to ponder stuff - to me it's usually a retail choice, not a bloody religion.

I mean - some of the same guys who are all about the "big business sucks" mantra are buying their flies from the same Indonesian shop as Umpqua does, but from some smaller "hip new online business".

Same flies, but they feel better about it, so it's O.K.

O.K. -yeah, I'm cranky tonight.

[rps]

When I started this thread, I did not imagine it would morph into a big box versus mom and pop discussion. I was merely wondering what causes people to change something that doesn't appear to be broken.

The business grows to more than 50 stores and who knows how many grocery store outlets and someone says "I know, let's change the model. Instead of being the gorilla in our niche, with all the market benefits that flow from that, let's change into another niche where there are already strong competitors." Makes you wonder who was at that meeting.

[Justin Spencer]

The business grows to more than 50 stores and who knows how many grocery store outlets and someone says "I know, let's change the model. Instead of being the gorilla in our niche, with all the market benefits that flow from that, let's change into another niche where there are already strong competitors." Makes you wonder who was at that meeting.

I believe we were talking about BPS originally and I think their success speaks for itself. The ability to change with the times is what enables businesses to stay strong for generations. With less and less people getting involved in hunting and fishing Bass Pro has widened their scope to appeal to many demographics from house decorating to clothing, shoes, toys, etc. I'm sure their execs. have done their research and know what sells so that's what they provide. It might not be what we are after, but the bottom line is to be successful and make money, and that's what they do. Look at Walmart, they are starting to carry organic products and other things that you could only get at natural food stores in the past. No coincidence that this happens as people's eating habits are changing as we find out how bad certain food products are. The big box stores didn't become successful by being stupid and sitting back as the world changes.

[Mitch f]

I believe we were talking about BPS originally and I think their success speaks for itself. The ability to change with the times is what enables businesses to stay strong for generations. With less and less people getting involved in hunting and fishing Bass Pro has widened their scope to appeal to many demographics from house decorating to clothing, shoes, toys, etc. I'm sure their execs. have done their research and know what sells so that's what they provide. It might not be what we are after, but the bottom line is to be successful and make money, and that's what they do. Look at Walmart, they are starting to carry organic products and other things that you could only get at natural food stores in the past. No coincidence that this happens as people's eating habits are changing as we find out how bad certain food products are. The big box stores didn't become successful by being stupid and sitting back as the world changes.

X2

[rps]

Justin, your comments are intelligent. However, as I did not make clear, if one chooses to change the market direction of a successful operation, I would think you would not begin by abandoning that which originally made you a market power.

I realize selling 1000 units with a profit of $2 each beats selling 2 units with a profit of $100 each - the reason Walmart thrives is that it gears its goods to maximize the small profits and then sells a boatload of the items. BPS can go that route if it chooses and from what I am seeing it is. However, it does not make sense to me to totally stop carrying the high end. If I don't go in, I will not buy the small extras that are more profitable.

The totally amusing thing about this thread is that our grandchildren will not understand what we are talking about. The entire "shopping" paradigm is changing so rapidly that business schools cannot keep up.