A question for all.....

[Ken Neeley]

Just wondering......if you could have the perfect mom-and-pop outdoor retailer of hunting/fishing/shooting/outdoor products in your neighborhood, what would be some of the most important things you would like to see implemented.



Internet sales?

Local products that can't be found at the big-box retailers?

Friendly small town atmosphere?

Familiar faces each time you visit?



Tell me what would be important to you and what things would make you patronize the place or order online versus going to the big-box guys.





Let me hear some ideas.....

 

[Michael S]

I would shop a mom and pop type place for the following

#1 for good service,

#2 stocking of small bait company baits that you can't find at the big name stores.

#3Internet sells are not that important to me, I live in Houston and have a Bass Pro Shop, Academy sports and Outdoors, and a Gander Mountain all very close to me, so very rarely do I place on-line orders,

#4-Price being competitve with the market, alot of mom and pop places that are sky high, I do not expect a mom and pop store to be able to meet the prices of the big boys just due to the volume discounts they get but at least be in the ball park.

#5 Rod and Reel repair and maintance.



There is a local hardware store in Katy that I shop at all the time, the main reason is because of the service, as soon as you walk in the door somewhere is there to greet you and asks how they can help. They are not the cheapest in town but they are with reason, and I don't mind paying a little extra when I get that kind of service and help. Its alot better than walking around Home Depot for 30 min. trying to find somebody that knows whats going on.

 

[Rich D]

Ken,



I hit the local store for the home made/locally made baits. The small stores can't compete with the chainstores when it comes to the big name baits, but they can offer the stuff you can't get. The muskie shop I go to also offers home made lake maps for a lot of the smaller local lakes. No, they aren't as precise as hotspots, but it gives you a jump start when learning unfamiliar waters.



Internet orders aren't too important for me in this case. When I go there, I also want to talk to Howard (the owner). He knows his stuff and if I tell him where I am heading, he will point me in the right direction on what to use and not let me waste money on something that won't work.





Rich D

 

[Mini]

Trolling motor repair....namely MotorGuide in this area.



All the hot baits on the market and have the ability to order/stock them QUICKLY.



Mini

 

[Christopher Laurencio]

I have often thought about starting my own shop because the local guys lack in a lot of areas.

Some Ideas.



1) Yes, local custom/hand made products.

2) Consistent Inventory

3) Move out the stuff that's so old the packaging is getting discolored.

4) Discounts for Federation Members

5) Appropriate hours/and parking for trailered boats

6) Get the latest stuff! Many local outfits never have the "new" stuff until it's old news. (Yammie Kreatures,Sweet Beavers/LuckyCraft,etc.)

7) Free Samples!!!!!!!!!!!!!

8) Get a deal going with Wackyworm Ken, he's in PA, you would make a killing selling these Senko Type Baits.

9) Test Tank (WackyWorm has a demo/test tank) you can test any soft plastic you want.

10) Reasonable Prices, for example. WaveWorm products in Wallyworld are dirt cheap! Almost half the price as BPS. If you can't beat the price, I would go to Wallyworld, buy them in bulk and markup a little bit. You would still sell/make more than trying to sell them at the higher price.

11) When somebody wants something you don't have in stock, don't rape them on prices because you have to get it shipped.

12) In tackle shops, word of mouth, (especially bad word of mouth) is important.

13) No Minimum sale on Credit/Debit transactions.

14) Knowledgeable staff

15) Rewards program for repeat customers (Huge Discounts for NTOWS Members)

16) Affordable gear for the beginner/family

17) Neat and orderly displays

18) For sale Billboard

19) Guide Service and or Feild Demo's



I can go on if you like







CJL

 

[XMYTRUCK XMYTRUCK]

Some small places I go around town are great, but there prices are way out there. for an X-rap @ BSP I pay 5.49 at the local store 6.99 ..:blink::wacko:

 

[Larry Harp]

All of the above.....



1. Internet sales. I was always of the opinion that the internet was more of a search/research tool than a buying tool. I buy a few things from Amazon. I used to buy from BPS off the internet but now that they have a store here in OKC the only time I use the internet is for promos that the local store doesn't offer like the 6 Pay Plan. However, I got to talking to my boss this weekend about his internet sales. I was always under the impression that those girls back there weren't all that busy...I was mistaken. He told me that 2 girls and one extra warehouse guy do the same volume as our Tulsa store with rent, utilities, and 8 or 10 employees! He told me that in the early days when they expanded from the little lighting store that we used to be into the largest lighting and decorating showroom in the state, salaries and expenses far outweighed sales and it was internet sales that kept the ship afloat. In addition, just imagine how many more turns we get just from internet sales.



2.Yes, I have several places around town that carry stuff like Sweet Beavers, Iovino, and Yamamoto that BPS just doesn't stock or they stock very lightly. Problem is, they run out and don't re-stock fast enough. Cash flow? Poor management? I don't know. In order to compete with the big boys you need to play a differant game.



3. I say be friendly and helpful to everybody that walks in the door, not just the tournament guys or the guys you get along with. There was once a store here in OKC that is out of business now that I would go in and not even get greeted. Then another guy would come in and the sales guys would fall all over themselves showing him all the latest stuff. How do you think that made me feel? I realize that I may only buy one or two crankbaits or spinnerbaits at a time instead of a dozen but I do buy regularly.



4. I think seeing the same face is good. You get a raport with someone who may know what kind of fishing you do and what kind of tackle you prefer. A lot of sales is just makeing sure the customer likes you because if they don't like you they won't trust you and if they don't trust you they won't buy from you.



Hope this helps.



Harpo

 

[Christopher Laurencio]

Another one Ken, Bulk Baits, such as 100ct Berkley Powerworms, both regular and irregs. Good sellers around here.

 

[JR F]

The Parking Is the most Important..You have to have room to get In and out with the boat....You can sell hard to get Items and have Line winding and reel repair..That would be my preferences..Plus I like to help the small stores..JR

 

[Rich D]

Another thing, don't count the minnows! One store, when you bought 2 dozen, you normally got close to 3 dozen. That guy retired after about 10 yrs, and the new guy raised the price on a dozen and counted them out. He actually told me once, you have 26 in there, but I won't charge you for the extras. That was the last time I went there. He ended up closing the shop after 2 years.



Rich D

 

[Mike L.]

Ken,

I am normally price and variety driven, so I don't usually hit the small local

shops.

Reason I do stop sometimes is to pick up a lake map, liscensc, use a ramp if available and get some info or refreshments.

On occassion I've found an owner who goes above and beyond to help make sure I have a good day, and I will pick up a lure or two, mostly to thank him for helping me.

I hate to admit it, but I do like shopping with the big guys....BPS,Cabelas etc...

 

[Jim in VA]

All the things that folks mention are important, but the key for a smaller store seems to be customer service. That's the one area a smaller store can really outshine the big boys. To me the amenities of the differing stores really seem to be as follows:



Bass Pro, Wallyworld - variety and availability of main stream equipment and lures

Internet - price (and convenience, albeit with delivery time delays)!

Small shops - experience and service.



The areas where smaller shops can really shine over others is service. If I have to pay $5.75 instead of $4.99 for a crankbait, its not that big a deal to me IF the store owner can tell me which ones work!! The stores I've gone to the most are the ones that can offer helpful advice specific to my needs. For fishing, if the store owner can tell me what to use, where to go, and how to fish a lure in the local waters, then I'll go there 9 times out of 10.



Good luck!

 

[TOMMY RICH]

Give me the atmosphere more than anything:lol:

Anyone can sell tackle or bait:blink:

 

[william Clark]

Backwaters is a great store in my area but I never get to use as much as I would like because I don't like to drive up from Frankfort to Lexington. That is probably a good thing financially wise for me.

They meet all my needs besides not being right in my town. They have all the latest and greatest lures out. Friendly and helpful.

Other than that add CJL's list which Backwaters meets most and I would have a dream store to visit. Clark

 

[TrepMan]

Ken - My view is location, location, location and product flexibility!!! BPS is 1 hour away, but I went last weekend specificaly for things I can NOT get localy - mainly Northern lures for Walley.



But that said, I do shop the local stores for bait and occationaly a few lures. For instance the new Mini Me's are HOT down here, so Eli and I hit 5 local (on the way to/from the lake and around the lake) and no one had them. Saw a fishing report that the "dugout" had them and drove 30 minutes each way. If a local store had them, i'd be there and might bay 10% more since it's local.



Also, from my perspective (along with the parking, friendly staff...) would be flexibility in quantity. if i'm buying say a new jig if they only come in 3 and 30 packs, i'd like maybe 10 of them. What i've YET to find anywhere around here that I LOVED in Houston (at least Gavleston bay) is a Bait/tackle shop ON THE WATER!!! When we are crappie or striper fishing if we run out of bait I have to re-load the boat on the trailer, tie it all down and go 10 minutes back each way to the bait shop and then back to the ramp again.



Here's a SWEET idea if you are NOT on the lake, offer cell phone delivery service with a surcharge. Say $10 to deliver 2 dozen shinner to your boat (that would be hard of course need GPS coordinates...) but maybe to the nearest ramp/dock near the store??







I also just thought of a great idea, some someone steal it and pay me royalties!!! - Lure TRADE!!! I have a LOT of lures I bought that I don't use any more. Offer like Hollywood video did an trade in offer - every usable crankbait gets you 50 cents credit, every plastic worm 2 cents.... all in store credit, then repackage the lures or display them for sale ant 100% markup!!!

 

[Christopher Laurencio]

Ken, How about using on of those websites that is linked to your website for all on line sales. Something like "Land Big Fish.com"



That way you don't have to do the internet sales but still get the business

 

[Rich Kulakowski]

Be open when the fish are biting. One local store opened at 8am on the weekend. What good is that? They are closed now.

Ditto on the "don't count the minnows". The store I frequent, even though out of the way, uses a scoop and calls it a dozen. $2 a dozen gets you about 25. They sell 3 doz for $5 but the bottom of the bucket ends up black with them, maybe 6 or 8 doz. Need to move them to multiple buckets or they start dying off.

Setup near the water. Another local shop is in a warehouse in an industrial park. Lots of room, can never find anything if you can even find the shop, it's dark inside and they run odd hours.

Keep the inventory fresh.

Current rumor is a Cabela's opening about a mile from my house. How do you guys that live near a BPS or something manage to avoid the poor house? I'll be going by the place to and from work. Told the wife she has to get a job there so I can access an employee discount. She didn't much care for the idea. Neither did my son.

 

[Bruce Moore]

Ken, all the ideas above are good ones and need to be evaluated. Tee's statement has had me thinking since he posted it. "Atmosphere." Think about it, Floyd's barber shop, Cheers, the neighborhood hardware store. What do they all have in common? ATMOSPHERE. We all frequent where we feel comfortable. Humans are herd animals, we like to be around like minded people. Make your "joint" a one of the gang, feelin' places, and I don't care what you're hawkin', we'll buy it out of gratitude for letting us be part of the "club".



Good luck man, you deserve it.



BruceM

 

[TOMMY RICH]

You can still have both but, friends is what it's all about. This friend tells this freind and so on...usually places like that will get noticed quickly.

One Stop in Celina below Dale Hollow got it's rep that way. Guides frequent the place..even pros have been there because when the word's out....the rest is history

 

[Jeffrey Durham]

I owe a "mom and pop" retail store and I think that the personal attention from the same couple of salespeople is what our customers like the most. But I am watching this thread closely because any help for myself will be greatly appreciated also.

 

[Donald Fruge]

Things Neely should carry:



I can't resist this one....



Here is THE LIST:



1 AAA battery

A bike inner tube

A spare change of underwear

6 postage stamps

A paper clip

2 turtle-doves

A hockey puck---regulation

3 jack-nuts

A copy of War and Peace

Wax Paper

Grass seed

Gynecologist's phone number

Spare blades for the mower

Silly Putty

4 boiled eggs

300 feet of parachute cord

Dr. Scholl's foot powder

100 lbs. of Ice....(buy it before you leave, you'll have cold water when you get there)

A wishbone from last Thanksgiving's turkey

Nair Hair remover

A vanilla scented candle

Baby-Wipes

Preparation-H...economy size

4 eyes-of-newt

Dried gizzard of lizard

9 chicken beaks

Parrafin Wax

VCR

Cordless Phone

Strawberry Jam

Tweezers

Paragoric

Castor Oil

2 mouse traps

cheese for the mouse traps

crackers for any leftover cheese that the mice don't eat

3 cats to chase the mice that the mouse traps don't get

cat food for the cats

soy sauce to cook the cats in if you don't catch fish to eat

nose hair clippers

Flow-Bee hair cutting kit

Picture of MAC to put by my bed at night

Picture of MINI to take in the shower with me

Soap for the shower

Loofah pad for the shower

Body gel....for the shower

Handcuffs

Key for the Handcuffs

SPARE key for the Handcuffs

Hack saw for the Handcuffs...if I lose the spare key

Feather Boa...1 each, pink, pastel blue, and magenta

Sewing needles

kumquats

Staple remover

Nail gun

beer-bong

Owner's Manual for a '74 Harley

Eyebrow Shaver in case Rob show's up!!!

Bullhorn

Chopsticks....(for the cat marinated in soy sauce)



and.................TOOTHPASTE!!!!!!!

 

[Andrew Zuber]

LOL at Wolf!



Ken-

I would think back to all the times you gone to one of the 'big names' and either couldn't get what you wanted, or had to wait an outrageously long time to get it, then try to come up with a way to resolve those issues....if you can, you'll have the majority of the people coming YOUR way!!!!



az

 

[joe haley]

Idont have much to say that hasnt already been said but I have a BPS about 10 miles from my house and a small tackle store about the same the small store carys alot of plastics that BPS does not carry they also do rod & reel repairs on site they also have aboard telling of up comming tournaments and people can post there boats and other equipment for sale I really like going there instead of BPS





JD

n

 

[fatrap]

A lot of the guys above have great suggestions. Just too add my two cents worth. If you sell firearms have a small range to try them. Rod and Reel repair are biggys to me. Woods tackleshop near me repairs most reels. Having a gunsmith handy is asking a bit much but knowing where to send someone is a plus.

My favorite suggestion. Have an old couch and a couple chairs near the coffee pot and pop machine where I can hang out and bullshi++ with the other guys that are afriad to go home and get put to work by their wives. Maybe a cable TV set up and VCR.

While your at it add a bar and a few Hooters girls.

fatrap

 

[Bruce Freeman]

Hardwood floors for the old time effect, Coffee, soda, juice and maybe a few snack type foods and of course all the other good stuff listed above

BF

 

[Bill McElroy]

Monthly sale specials on locally made lures,....local pro's giving in-store seminars and demo's. You could offer "classes" for begginers in Hunting, Fishing, and Archery. Get a local Cop / Cert. instructor to offer CCW & Hunter's safety classes.



Get a major lure/rod/reel mfgr to pay the "appearance fees" of big name pros and do a "Demo Day's"....i.e. get Rapala to pay for Mark Martin to come in for a Walleye seminar...Electronics, soft plastics,...etc..etc. Craig and Kern Micheal's could do Big Water Walleye Techniques,...get some local bass pro's to do "in-land lake Bass Tactic's", etc..etc"... Feature a different pro 3-4 times during the week if they're available, and ask them to gear their presentations to local water.



Maybe offer a "swap meet" where people can buy/sell their used equipment and spend their newly acquired $$ in YOUR store!!..LOL

 

[Gene B]

Get a local "famous" cartoonist to start a new strip about the high jinks in a bait shop. With charactors like, Minner, Smack Daddy, Nauga-thong Feely etc. Make sure the strip is named the same as your shop.



A freindly and knowledgeable staff with good stock will go a long way. I don't know if a small shop can compete with the big stores on price and selection but, personnal service and relationships go a long way.



Gene

 

[Teri C.]

Um.....incredibly HOT employees! :wub:

 

[Mini]

I like Teri's answer

 

[Bill McElroy]

Teri,....are you looking to move to MI???:wub::wub::wub:

 

[Teri C.]

Nope, I am afraid I'm in love with Nashtucky. :wub:



I tried to plan a trip this month but I will be working every weekend.

 

[Bill McElroy]

Nashtucky?!:angry: He better treat you as good as WE do!!!

 

[SCOTT GARDNER]

Ken if u have water close by try renting boats.It can make some big money and it dose not have to be very nice boats. Just john boat or canoes.If u are close to a lake i could see u making better money on that then fishing lures and u get to sell them again and again and again.

 

[JR F]

Just buy the bait shop Neeley I'll order from ya.JR By the way remember Make a little on alot,,, not alot on a little...From My days when I had my Gun Shops....You will make It ....It Is scary but you won't know Until you try...JR

 

[Craig Roberts]

Hire employees with good knowledge of your product, and who genuinely care about giving good customer service



Craig

 

[Mark Gross]

Remember sex sales !



May I suggest a pair of Daisy Dukes,worn very tightly,halter top and just to top it of a cowboy hat.

Remember Ken try not to come on to strong!! :lol::lol:



Mark

 

[Bill McElroy]

The first time I see Neeley sportin' Daisey Dukes and a halter top....I'll never shop there again!!:blink:

 

[Kenneth Brown]

Mac, You gotta stop that... that visual all the way to Mi is too much to handle!!



Is Teri going to grace us with her charm and beauty!!! not to mention fishing ability!!

She's better looking than MINI

 

[Kenneth Brown]

Copies of my new book and DVD would be for sale,on the counter, by the cash register, just before you leave the store... Hey check 'em out!!!!

 

[Bill McElroy]

Teri can't make it this year,...but she sure is fun to fish and party with!! When she can come up...(maybe next year?!), we'll induct her into the MVM and make her the "GodMother"...she'll be known as the "Donna"...LOL:lol:

 

[Teri C.]

I wish I could make it but not this year. You're a bit further from Nashville than you were from Indy. Next year I should be able to take more time off but you are welcome to come to Tennessee any time!