Bill Kiene semi-retired
08-27-2022, 09:27 AM
I think it is a good addition to any fly fishing shop but it takes a lots of TLC and $$$ to have anything decent/modern.
About 15 years ago a good friend was deeply involved in the most successful independent online FFing site.
Like this one, over the years most were in Oregon because of the "no sales tax" situation.
Most of those had a tiny shop so they could quality as a "brick and motor".
To be '#1' it took ~$50,000/year to keep their web site cutting edge and up to date.
They paid a fortune to be at the top of all Google searches.
They had to have free freight on a "spool of thread" to be competitive or actually Number One.
On larger items they had to give free products away like "free insulated bottoms with every pair of waders".
They had to offer a free fly line and backing with every fly reel sale.
They were the largest Simms, Sage, Rio dealer of that time.
My friend who sold them product told me their book keeper told him they were not making much money.....?
Their overhead was so high because they gave away their profit to be "Number One".
The only reason we survived all this is we had many people send new customers to us all the time.
Unless you owned a fly fishing shop there are so many interesting things that the public never sees.
In a good fly fishing shop with a great staff and multi-profit centers you can make a good living like 'The Fly Shop' in Redding CA.
Mike has walk-in sales, had catalog sales, has online sale, has a big International travel business, lots of guides and private waters.
I only met a half dozen fly shop owners who actually made good money.
After 50 years of fishing tackle retailing I realize the products under $20 is where the volume is.
How often does an angler buy high ticket items like waders, boots, rods, and reels?
How often do anglers by flies, leaders, tippet, floating, clippers, retriever, fly boxes and such?
_______________________________________
Most would never know this but for decades their has been a "War on small business".
Sense COVID19 there has been a full on war to eliminate more small businesses.
Unless you or your family has or had a small business, your opinion is not too valid.
The only small businesses I like today is "you, your wife and kids" at home with no employees or additional overhead.
Hal and Jane Janssen had one of the most successful small business out of a small building in their back yard.
Hal had been in many fly fishing business over his lifetime so he had the knowledge and the connections.
His lovely wife Jane actually did most of the hard daily work shipping tons of fly fishing equipment to fly shops.
They were in Santa Rosa so we could order a "big load of stuff" one day and get it the next, with a 99% fill rate.
__________________________________________
There has been a war on small family farms for about 50 years now too.
If you ever watch any World News the European Union and the European governments are shutting down their famers?
100% fact if you care about the World news. Dutch farmers are protesting right now. But who cares........
About 15 years ago a good friend was deeply involved in the most successful independent online FFing site.
Like this one, over the years most were in Oregon because of the "no sales tax" situation.
Most of those had a tiny shop so they could quality as a "brick and motor".
To be '#1' it took ~$50,000/year to keep their web site cutting edge and up to date.
They paid a fortune to be at the top of all Google searches.
They had to have free freight on a "spool of thread" to be competitive or actually Number One.
On larger items they had to give free products away like "free insulated bottoms with every pair of waders".
They had to offer a free fly line and backing with every fly reel sale.
They were the largest Simms, Sage, Rio dealer of that time.
My friend who sold them product told me their book keeper told him they were not making much money.....?
Their overhead was so high because they gave away their profit to be "Number One".
The only reason we survived all this is we had many people send new customers to us all the time.
Unless you owned a fly fishing shop there are so many interesting things that the public never sees.
In a good fly fishing shop with a great staff and multi-profit centers you can make a good living like 'The Fly Shop' in Redding CA.
Mike has walk-in sales, had catalog sales, has online sale, has a big International travel business, lots of guides and private waters.
I only met a half dozen fly shop owners who actually made good money.
After 50 years of fishing tackle retailing I realize the products under $20 is where the volume is.
How often does an angler buy high ticket items like waders, boots, rods, and reels?
How often do anglers by flies, leaders, tippet, floating, clippers, retriever, fly boxes and such?
_______________________________________
Most would never know this but for decades their has been a "War on small business".
Sense COVID19 there has been a full on war to eliminate more small businesses.
Unless you or your family has or had a small business, your opinion is not too valid.
The only small businesses I like today is "you, your wife and kids" at home with no employees or additional overhead.
Hal and Jane Janssen had one of the most successful small business out of a small building in their back yard.
Hal had been in many fly fishing business over his lifetime so he had the knowledge and the connections.
His lovely wife Jane actually did most of the hard daily work shipping tons of fly fishing equipment to fly shops.
They were in Santa Rosa so we could order a "big load of stuff" one day and get it the next, with a 99% fill rate.
__________________________________________
There has been a war on small family farms for about 50 years now too.
If you ever watch any World News the European Union and the European governments are shutting down their famers?
100% fact if you care about the World news. Dutch farmers are protesting right now. But who cares........