Local Tackle Shop

Product pricing and competitiveness is an extremely complex situation, and
it is so because all of the parties involved unintentionally team up to make
it so. In other words, it is a mess.

Manufacturers eventually allow themselves to be run by beancounters who
operate out of greed and fear, and who then allow the large power retailers
(Wal-Mart, BPS, Cabelas, etc.) to essentially take over their companies and
dictate how they, the manufacturers, will operate. Yes, it almost becomes a
master-slave situation!

Smaller retailers operate out of feelings of fear and persecution because
they cannot always buy at the best, large volume prices that the big
retailers have negotiated with the manufacturers (negotiate, hell! what
actually happens is that the cowardly manufacturers actually fell on their
knees and licked the power retailer's boots). Still, the few small retailers
that actually make themselves truly valuable, treat their customer's right,
and work hard intelligently with purpose and confidence will grow and
succeed.

I personally believe that the weak link in the fair pricing process is with
the manufacturers. We at Secret Weapon are operating differently than most
manufacturers. We think that what we are doing is correct, and we intend to
stick to our guns and make it work. We also think that our approach will
benefit everyone involved, and that it is good business for everyone from
retailers to consumers.

I have about fifteen years manufacturing experience. I also have over twenty
years retailing and wholesaling experience, from being the owner of a small
independent retailer to a manager of a "superstore." During those thirty
five years, I learned an awful lot. Now I have formed Secret Weapon lures,
and was lucky enough to be able to find a genius to run it. Yes, Joe
Haubenreich is exactly that! We have put our strengths and resources
together to plan what has become the most simple and honest marketing
approach ever, one which every other legitimate manufacturer should
consider.

To begin with, we are taking the honest approach that our business is the
sale of a good product that people will want. Without that, we would have no
business being in business. We then determined what it cost to make our
product and then added a fair profit, always remembering that the lower the
price, the higher the sales will be. The free market and the quality of the
product will show our prices to be viable or not.

Finally, we are making our products available to selected dealers at that
price. We have one price list for all dealers, whether they purchase one
lure or a thousand. We do not offer any prepaid freight programs or any
other programs that would benefit any one dealer over the other (therefore
we do not have to include freight costs in the price). We do not give price
breaks for large quantity orders. We also do not charge extra for small
orders. Hopefully, the end result will be that our customers will end up
being able to buy our products at reasonable prices everywhere.

If enough small dealers demanded this type of fair pricing from their
suppliers, and supported those who offered fair pricing, the others would
eventually fall in line and everyone would win. This looks good on paper,
and we are betting that it will eventually work in the real world.

--
Bob Rickard
(AKA Dr. Spinnerbait)
www.secretweaponlures.com
--------------------------=x O')))


"alwayfishking" wrote in message
...
Well I have read here about supporting your local tackle shop as oppsoed
to shopping the big chain stores and have to say I did my fair share, but
the local shop has increased prices so much that I just don't see myself
supporting them as much as I have in the past.

3.49 for a bag of zooms? 2.89 for a pack of 6 gammy hooks?

Don't get me wrong, I'll still buy when need dictates or when I need
certain items where price is not that much of a difference, or when I
can't
wait for shipping... but paying such a difference on certain items just
doesnt make sense. IMO.

I asked them about getting some line in and was quoted a price of 5 bucks
more a spool and I was looking for 4 spools!! I explained that it was too
much and just got the old shoulder shrug and a thats what it sells for
now.
Maybe just one bad store here..maybe not

Well said Bob.
"Bob Rickard" wrote in message
news
Product pricing and competitiveness is an extremely complex situation, and
it is so because all of the parties involved unintentionally team up to
make
it so. In other words, it is a mess.

Manufacturers eventually allow themselves to be run by beancounters who
operate out of greed and fear, and who then allow the large power
retailers
(Wal-Mart, BPS, Cabelas, etc.) to essentially take over their companies
and
dictate how they, the manufacturers, will operate. Yes, it almost becomes
a
master-slave situation!

Smaller retailers operate out of feelings of fear and persecution because
they cannot always buy at the best, large volume prices that the big
retailers have negotiated with the manufacturers (negotiate, hell! what
actually happens is that the cowardly manufacturers actually fell on their
knees and licked the power retailer's boots). Still, the few small
retailers
that actually make themselves truly valuable, treat their customer's
right,
and work hard intelligently with purpose and confidence will grow and
succeed.

I personally believe that the weak link in the fair pricing process is
with
the manufacturers. We at Secret Weapon are operating differently than most
manufacturers. We think that what we are doing is correct, and we intend
to
stick to our guns and make it work. We also think that our approach will
benefit everyone involved, and that it is good business for everyone from
retailers to consumers.

I have about fifteen years manufacturing experience. I also have over
twenty
years retailing and wholesaling experience, from being the owner of a
small
independent retailer to a manager of a "superstore." During those thirty
five years, I learned an awful lot. Now I have formed Secret Weapon lures,
and was lucky enough to be able to find a genius to run it. Yes, Joe
Haubenreich is exactly that! We have put our strengths and resources
together to plan what has become the most simple and honest marketing
approach ever, one which every other legitimate manufacturer should
consider.

To begin with, we are taking the honest approach that our business is the
sale of a good product that people will want. Without that, we would have
no
business being in business. We then determined what it cost to make our
product and then added a fair profit, always remembering that the lower
the
price, the higher the sales will be. The free market and the quality of
the
product will show our prices to be viable or not.

Finally, we are making our products available to selected dealers at that
price. We have one price list for all dealers, whether they purchase one
lure or a thousand. We do not offer any prepaid freight programs or any
other programs that would benefit any one dealer over the other (therefore
we do not have to include freight costs in the price). We do not give
price
breaks for large quantity orders. We also do not charge extra for small
orders. Hopefully, the end result will be that our customers will end up
being able to buy our products at reasonable prices everywhere.

If enough small dealers demanded this type of fair pricing from their
suppliers, and supported those who offered fair pricing, the others would
eventually fall in line and everyone would win. This looks good on paper,
and we are betting that it will eventually work in the real world.

--
Bob Rickard
(AKA Dr. Spinnerbait)
www.secretweaponlures.com
--------------------------=x O')))


"alwayfishking" wrote in message
...
Well I have read here about supporting your local tackle shop as
oppsoed
to shopping the big chain stores and have to say I did my fair share,
but
the local shop has increased prices so much that I just don't see myself
supporting them as much as I have in the past.

3.49 for a bag of zooms? 2.89 for a pack of 6 gammy hooks?

Don't get me wrong, I'll still buy when need dictates or when I need
certain items where price is not that much of a difference, or when I
can't
wait for shipping... but paying such a difference on certain items just
doesnt make sense. IMO.

I asked them about getting some line in and was quoted a price of 5
bucks
more a spool and I was looking for 4 spools!! I explained that it was
too
much and just got the old shoulder shrug and a thats what it sells for
now.
Maybe just one bad store here..maybe not

Local Tackle Shop
quote--
From: (AJH)
I don't know know where you get this "super lines" will wear groves in
Hardloy guides..Have you actually seen it happen? No one else has...
--quote

I have the Fuji Aluminum Oxides guides on a Pflueger rod and used 10#
PowerPro all last year and my guides dont have any groves or noticeable
wear.

Bob Rickard wrote in message
news
Smaller retailers operate out of feelings of fear and persecution because
they cannot always buy at the best, large volume prices that the big
retailers have negotiated with the manufacturers (negotiate, hell! what
actually happens is that the cowardly manufacturers actually fell on their
knees and licked the power retailer's boots).

Bob, that's an excellent post and statement about how you run your business.
But what is a manufacturer supposed to do if he needs to get his product
into the big retailers? I have no experience in this type of business, but
it seems if he doesn't capitulate he can't reach a large portion of the
market he's aiming for. I'm well aware that big retailers squeeze the &%*#
out of their suppliers, but what's the alternative?

Marty wrote:
I'm well aware that big retailers squeeze the &%*#
out of their suppliers, but what's the alternative?


It's even worse than that. They not only squeeze the supplier, they compete
directly with him, with their own name brands, and will copy the best
sellers from their suppliers lines without a 2nd thought. I really believe
that finding a way to make it without the big retailer is a better approach
in today's fishing market.

Time was, getting your product in "the book" (the BPS catalog) was a sure
road to success. Now they put it in their stores first, and if it sells
there, they'll just private label a cheap, imported imitation of it and put
THAT in the book.

RichZ©
www.richz.com/fishing

Marty, you asked the big question; "I'm well aware that big retailers
squeeze the &%*#
out of their suppliers, but what's the alternative?" There answer is that
there are two "can't fail" alternatives if the product is actually good,
deserves a place in the market, and the manufacturer shows a little
patience. To be brief, I am going to give one example of each alternative
from the world of consumer electronics, with which I am intimately familiar:

1) Produce an excellent product, solicit honest, competent dealers, offer
fair prices to everyone, be patient and support your dealers of all sizes.
This describes Alpine Electronics. They produce autosound electronics that
the consumers want because of Alpine's reputation for QUALITY. They will
selectively sell to the power retailers who literally beg for the product,
but at their (Alpine's) own terms. Alpine sets the rules for conducting
business. The small dealers can still fully compete, and everybody wins.

2) Produce a good, if not necessarily exemplary quality product, and MARKET
it really well to the public. Make the public really want it and maintain
the quality of the product high enough to avoid negatives. Be patient and
support the good smaller and mid-size dealers. Make the big guys want it
enough to make them buy it on your own terms. All of this goes to describe
Bose Audio, a fine company that created and followed this blueprint to
success. This steady growth has also permitted them to greatly improve the
quality of their products and to support the R & D expenses that are
permitting them to become an incredible innovator of new type products.
Again, everybody wins.

These companies are just two examples of honest success fostered by putting
the product and faith in all of their dealers first. We could all expand on
this list ad nauseum, but I am still actually trying to be brief (believe it
or not!)

In summary, both of these methods of operation are based on the same
necessary ingredients; First, the QUALITY of the product offered has to be g
ood enough to make the buying public want it over time. Next, the
manufacturer has to be run by people who UNDERSTAND AND BELIEVE in the
product, and not by clueless beanfumblers who will never comprehend that it
is the product only that is reason for the existence of the company in the
first place. Last, it is the manufacturer's faith and belief in the product
that permits the PATIENCE required to properly build and support the
operation.

Amen,

--
Bob Rickard
(AKA Dr. Spinnerbait)
www.secretweaponlures.com
--------------------------=x O')))


"Marty" wrote in message
...

Bob Rickard wrote in message
news
Smaller retailers operate out of feelings of fear and persecution
because
they cannot always buy at the best, large volume prices that the big
retailers have negotiated with the manufacturers (negotiate, hell! what
actually happens is that the cowardly manufacturers actually fell on
their
knees and licked the power retailer's boots).

Bob, that's an excellent post and statement about how you run your
business.
But what is a manufacturer supposed to do if he needs to get his product
into the big retailers? I have no experience in this type of business, but
it seems if he doesn't capitulate he can't reach a large portion of the
market he's aiming for. I'm well aware that big retailers squeeze the &%*#
out of their suppliers, but what's the alternative?

Rich and Bob, thanks, interesting replies and very enlightening.