Local Retailers Inventory

[Guest JayVee]

Guys, I've been visiting the various fly shops around town since I started fly fishing back in August. I've noticed they've been sold out of certain items for all that time. I just don't get this and I'm totallly frustrated with it. I mean this is the 21st century...it's not like they have to wait for the Pony Express to arrive. And hey, I'm happy to spend my money on-line, if that's the way it is. Their loss. I'm all for supporting the local economy but if I can't get the things I need I'll go elsewhere...anyone would I think. Do they place one order a year and that's it? Can someone shed some light on this for me? I've never been involved in a retail business.

 

Sorry for the rant.

 

JV

[lonefisher]

Backordered products..... I know thats often one of the biggest problems retailers face.... in some cases it may be reluctance to make an order at this time of year but in some cases they may just not be able to get products...... It does suck though

[reevesr1]

Agree with the Lonely one. August is a bit late to be making orders for a Calgary fly shop, but if the demand is there (as evidenced by the lack of product) then you can bet it is on order. They make money out of selling you stuff. If they don't have it for an extended period of time, its on backorder.

 

Also, I think some of the operators are really negotiating price with any Canadian suppliers. As in "if the dollar has gone up 20%, why haven't your prices come down?"

[Nick0Danger]

If you ask the retailer, often even if they do order but things do not come in, demand is quite high in calgary so that does effect availability. The fly shop that generally, has lots of stock is fish tales, they always seem to have it. Personlly i shop at bow river troutfitters cause Mike and Tyson make me laugh.

[Inconnu]

Some of the issue seems to be with timing. Most of us tie through the Winter, which to me seems to be when they should have a good inventory in place. I have asked and found that some flyshops will only order tying materials in the Spring when many of us do not tie. I have discussed this with managers before but I am not sure I made any headway. Do most of you folks tie in the winter as well?

[ladystrange]

i tie year round but more so in the winter.

 

i know with one place in particular the 'buying' is done in bulk by the 'buyers' upstairs and if i remember correctly, needs to be approved. sometimes it takes a long time to get stuff in, back order by the suppliers who supply the shops because the original manufacturer is behind. i was looking for elk last november. i finally found it in february and the place i normally shop just got it in and had been on order since last summer.

 

try calling around before you hit a specific store. btw, what are you looking for?

[DonAndersen]

JayVee,

 

Retailers "book" the product as much as 6>8 months in advance. They try to guess what the market will be. Booking in advance gives a high discount. Failure to pre-book will result in reliance on wholesalers to keep the inventory high. But wholesalers also book in advance. They try to guess the market 6>8 months out. Retailers only want to order in the summer when they get enough orders from a single applier to justify the cost. No retailer is going to order 1 package of dubbing, get charged $1.00 for it + $15.00 for freight and expect to sell it to you @ $16.00.

The joys of retail.

 

catch ya'

 

 

Don

[Guest bigbadbrent]

Don't drive around to the shops..call and ask if they have what you're looking for in stock. If they dont, move to the next store, if they do, you're set..

 

 

Most places will do inventory right around now for their non-tying stuff, and start ordering everything in, and again in the spring. If you're looking for tying stuff, i know troutfitters just got their hareline order in, so their walls are full once again.

[megalops]

As a former shop rat, Don hit the nail on the head with his comment. Orders are placed really early in the year (January and February) and by the time it gets to August, if you run out it is unlikely that the manufacturer will have any left either. Most manufacturers ship in batches so you don't get too overloaded with inventory in your first booking.

[Guest JayVee]

Thanks for all the feedback folks. That explains a few things but doesn't ease my frustration. My credit card is smokin' from all the on-line shopping I've been doing

[bigalcal]

There seemed to have been a "Gink" shortage in Aug-Sept.

[reevesr1]

There seemed to have been a "Gink" shortage in Aug-Sept.

 

Borrow my wade vest. The inside right pocket is smothered in gink. Stupid cap!

[Harps]

Wholesale in Lethbridge didn't have any large neoprene waders today?!?

Nor Size 9-10 wading boots in the top models.

And missing a bunch of other stuff (lights sheaths, etc).

 

Disappointing to say the least.

[Guest JayVee]

Borrow my wade vest. The inside right pocket is smothered in gink. Stupid cap!

 

This is a picture of a trout I caught on the Crow this past weekend. Notice my gink bottle there? We must have bought from the same batch, Rick! LOL! I didn't even know that had happened until I looked at the picture!

 

[Rick]

I can't help but wonder what Cabelas will do to our local shop inventories. I've been hearing rumours that one is opening west of Calgary for the past couple of years. I was just down to Spokane recently and there is a new Cabelas on the highway right on the border of Idaho and Washington.(Idaho side) It wasn't opening until Nov. 9th. but the size of the building was overwhelming. As I visited some of the local fishing shops I couldn't help but wonder how many of them will be horribly affected by Cabelas. Will local shops inventory go up or go down? My guess is that some of the local shops will go under if they don't focus more on their customers. I will continue to support the local shops but I have to admit my disappointment that I couldn't get into the Idaho store! Rick.

[reevesr1]

Yep, same thing, but mine was in my vest. Sticky.

[ladystrange]

Wholesale in Lethbridge didn't have any large neoprene waders today?!?

Nor Size 9-10 wading boots in the top models.

And missing a bunch of other stuff (lights sheaths, etc).

 

Disappointing to say the least.

 

 

if lethbridge didnt have it, wholesale will transfer between stores. the calgary store is now the warehouse for all of the stores

 

 

i dont think we will have much of an issue with cabela's. bass pro is supposed to opening in balzac soon, now that they have the water issue sorted out. last i heard about cabela's was that they were only going to open an outet for mail order in canada. but who knows

[WesG]

if lethbridge didnt have it, wholesale will transfer between stores. the calgary store is now the warehouse for all of the stores

i dont think we will have much of an issue with cabela's. bass pro is supposed to opening in balzac soon, now that they have the water issue sorted out. last i heard about cabela's was that they were only going to open an outet for mail order in canada. but who knows

 

 

True, if your willing to wait a month and a half...... I admit that its frustrating when you go to your local stomping ground and they dont have what you need. Things like waders, boots and rods I can understand as it is the end of the season. But when it comes to things like said Gink and leaders and tippet material, I dont think there is any excuse for stuff like that. Shops should know how much they sold of a particular item a previous year and greatly increase the number of that product if they were sold out of it for over half the season. But I guess in the end, your the customer and its your dollar that talks. If the store doesnt have somethign you want, they are loosing money, it hurts them as well.