As a new archery shop owner I am interested in what the archery buyer shops for most at there Pro Shop. Excluding Bows, what are the top 5 products that you would go to your local shop to buy before going to Wal-mart or other discount stores. Please include brand names if possible. Thank You for your time.
Poll: Top 5 Products?
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My recommendations would include target archery equipment. Many archery shops today do not spend enough resources marketing ancillary archery products such as thumb releases, target sights, carbon stabilizers, Easton composite shafts, leather quivers, not to mention a few sweet looking target models. Every pro shop should be selling Archer's Adantage, The Archery Program and any other related software pertaining to archery. Today's youth are looking for information in this format. I could name more brand specific items but I feel the point here is not to limit your sales potential to bowhunting alone. There is a great deal of potential for archery to grow, it just isn't happening everywhere. For archery to grow and flourish, archers need to have places to shoot for fun. Not everyone has a safe range area in their backyard. In my travels, I see a very apathetic attitude in general towards organized target archery. Most shops live and breathe mainly catering to bowhunters, and then experience annual declines in revenues between seasons. Bowhunting is a six month season at best and the rest of the year you need to expound on other areas. At a time when big-box stores threaten small independent retailers everywhere, target archery provides a specialized area of growth that both you and your customers will appreciate. I wish you the best of luck in your new archery business. PM me anytime.
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Jim is right on! If some shop owners knew how much local $ they lost out on to purchases from a Lancaster catalog, well - you get the idea.
The guys that keep the doors open during the off season are die hard 3d'ers and target shooters. Spending money on archery stuff is a year round ocupation for me
Sean
The guys that keep the doors open during the off season are die hard 3d'ers and target shooters. Spending money on archery stuff is a year round ocupation for me
Sean
Being primarily a target shooter, what I would look for would be a small percentage of your inventory, but being a proshop employee, I can tell you what most hunters are looking for. Depending on your budget, here are the 5 things I would say will have the best best benefits to carrying a wide selection. They are not really in order.
-Wide variety of release aids.
-Good broadhead selection.
-Sights and arrow rests. These kind of fall into the same group. Carry as many varieties as you can, but stick with popular brands and models. Drop-aways are big right now. NAP drop-aways and Whisker bisqits are big sellers for us.
-Carbon Arrows. They get more popular every season. Keep lots in stock. Have some fletched so all you have to do is cut em' to length. Again, stick with proven brands. Our main carbons are PSE Carbon Force, Beman ICS, and Easton's new Carbon Aeros. They are popular because they are fairly inexpensive. It's nice for shop owners because there are fewer sizes to stock. Beman Matrix are good too. We havn't had much of a market yet for many of the fat shafts like CXL's. ACC's are less popular because of the high price, but we still sell a fair amount.
-Camo clothing. This is the toughest one to carry because of all the sizes, but if you can do it you will probably sell it.
It's impossible to carry it all, and someone will always ask for something you don't stock, but this stuff seems to be what we always get asked about the Bowhunting "New Gear" issue hits the stands. Hope it helps some.
-Wide variety of release aids.
-Good broadhead selection.
-Sights and arrow rests. These kind of fall into the same group. Carry as many varieties as you can, but stick with popular brands and models. Drop-aways are big right now. NAP drop-aways and Whisker bisqits are big sellers for us.
-Carbon Arrows. They get more popular every season. Keep lots in stock. Have some fletched so all you have to do is cut em' to length. Again, stick with proven brands. Our main carbons are PSE Carbon Force, Beman ICS, and Easton's new Carbon Aeros. They are popular because they are fairly inexpensive. It's nice for shop owners because there are fewer sizes to stock. Beman Matrix are good too. We havn't had much of a market yet for many of the fat shafts like CXL's. ACC's are less popular because of the high price, but we still sell a fair amount.
-Camo clothing. This is the toughest one to carry because of all the sizes, but if you can do it you will probably sell it.
It's impossible to carry it all, and someone will always ask for something you don't stock, but this stuff seems to be what we always get asked about the Bowhunting "New Gear" issue hits the stands. Hope it helps some.
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234 Posts
Arrow components, Rests
JD hit the nail on the head.
I'd add the need for good arrow components as well. Most shops carry limited choices in fletch materials (we can't find feathers around town), not to mention quality nocks (Beiter), or field points. Good selection of quality points is important.
Rests are a final comment. Most shops in our area carry few lines of rests. Fall aways are nice, but not everybody wants one. Offer a selection of diversified, quality rests that appeal to every archer, not just bowhunters.
JD hit the nail on the head.
I'd add the need for good arrow components as well. Most shops carry limited choices in fletch materials (we can't find feathers around town), not to mention quality nocks (Beiter), or field points. Good selection of quality points is important.
Rests are a final comment. Most shops in our area carry few lines of rests. Fall aways are nice, but not everybody wants one. Offer a selection of diversified, quality rests that appeal to every archer, not just bowhunters.
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5,700 Posts
i look for sights both hunting and target. i am interested in gold key futura equipment especially their rests from their standard rests to their drop aways. also their scopes and broadheads and such. turbo nocks. arrows and i shoot carbon force arrows but i understand you have to have different companies arrows.accessories that go with your bow ie: rests stabs string leeches and other equipment. another thing is i look for camo and bots and shoes and scents and scent reducingsprays and soaps. you nedd all types of terminal equipment from bow presses to fletchers and all that type of equipment and definately a good lazer range finder always needed and binoculars and things like that i would think to open up.
rob k
rob k
I agree with most, shops should carry more target archery stuff. It is hard to buy some target products if you cant test them out before you buy. If my local shop only knew how much money he misses out on and the shop across town makes because they carry target stuff...
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Things to test. I would gladly pay full price for items if I could at least test them first. Releases are the biggie.......several that I would like to try first before buying............so many triggers, so few BT's releases.......... ........
I realize that inventory is costly, but the more the better.........ck
........I realize that inventory is costly, but the more the better.........ck
I think they covered it pretty good already but I will post my top five items that I would buy from a pro shop
Releases ( stick with the big names)
Quality sights as well as scopes and pins
Rests (again stick with what is popular)
arrow shafts and components including vanes and feathers
stabilizers and accessories.
Releases ( stick with the big names)
Quality sights as well as scopes and pins
Rests (again stick with what is popular)
arrow shafts and components including vanes and feathers
stabilizers and accessories.
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2,236 Posts
Wow I cant believe simms products were not mentioned in the first few posts , I usealy put limbsavers and string leaches on before I fire a shot out of a new bow . Granted these products are most likely purchased from a discount store / catalog . Something else I think the average archer goes to a "pro shop" for is replaceing strings and cabels .
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8,060 Posts
Yep. Provide a place for them to shoot and see if you can find local pro that maybe you could hook new shooters up with to get some lessons to get them started out ont he right foot. I agree with Jim, that it is important to carry target archery equipment. How much of it you do carry will depend on the hunter/target archer ratio.
The things I seem to buy most often:
1.) Target Arrows / Fletching
2.) Scope / Sight Accessories
3.) String Accessories
The things that I see most people buying at the local shop during this time of year are
Releases, lenses, scopes, sights, rests, arrows & strings
Here's my opinion on some other things too:
For the rests that you choose to keep in stock, have a variety. The same goes for releases. My personal opinion is that aside from the fit and feel of a bow, the release is the second most intimate piece of the archers setup. It needs to fit the hand perfectly. Everyones hand is different, so they need to have something to choose from.
Like Jim said, sell The Archery Program and have a copy of it for yourself, so that you can ensure that you're selling the right arrow, cut to the right length with the right accessories on it, to the customer.
Hope all this helps. Good luck in your venture.
The things I seem to buy most often:
1.) Target Arrows / Fletching
2.) Scope / Sight Accessories
3.) String Accessories
The things that I see most people buying at the local shop during this time of year are
Releases, lenses, scopes, sights, rests, arrows & strings
Here's my opinion on some other things too:
For the rests that you choose to keep in stock, have a variety. The same goes for releases. My personal opinion is that aside from the fit and feel of a bow, the release is the second most intimate piece of the archers setup. It needs to fit the hand perfectly. Everyones hand is different, so they need to have something to choose from.
Like Jim said, sell The Archery Program and have a copy of it for yourself, so that you can ensure that you're selling the right arrow, cut to the right length with the right accessories on it, to the customer.
Hope all this helps. Good luck in your venture.
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Back when I started shooting in the mid 80's, the shop I went to sold a new hunting/3dbow and a target bow to nearly every serious archer. Now that shop is owned by a hunter oriented owner and he sells only one bow per year to the serious archer. Pretty easy math, I think. Now, to answer your question - the only thing I buy from my local shop is arrows, mostly Beman ICSH shafts. I do not buy my target gear from him because, he does not stock any. If it has to be ordered, I may as well order it myself and get it quicker and cheaper than through the dealer. If he stocked the items, I'd pay the extra and get it from him.
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My wife and two friends run a pro shop and range. We cater to target, 3D, JOAD and experienced hunters. Some of the stuff that helps us compared to the big Bass Pro type shops a few miles away.
1) strings-we tie our own-this is a major help to those who have old bows or trad bows. we also have a full selection of the mathews factory stuff since this is our biggest line
2) we carry the top line releases but we also have a few of the cheaper cobras for people who are just starting
3) sure loc sights-we are in a big 3D area and these are the best IMHO
4) carbon target arrows-redlines, vectors, ACC's-we can't stock all the sizes but our supplier gets them to us in a day or two, Small shops aren't going to be able to sell the cheapie stuff for the same price as "Discounts are US" but they can get the more experienced people by having the top line stuff
5) Jim is right about archer's advantage
we usually have a copy or two to sell
6) we have a wide variety of fletching supplies including a wide range of kurly, K, and spin vanes that are becoming more popular for some 3D shooters and the standard for fita recurve shooters
7) I strongly suggest getting certified as a coach or instructor. We have two Level 2 NAA instructors and I have a NFAA MC certificate-we do a fair amount of school groups etc instruction and this leads to more sale
8) this sounds stupid, but if you have a range, snacks and sodas help pay the rent.
1) strings-we tie our own-this is a major help to those who have old bows or trad bows. we also have a full selection of the mathews factory stuff since this is our biggest line
2) we carry the top line releases but we also have a few of the cheaper cobras for people who are just starting
3) sure loc sights-we are in a big 3D area and these are the best IMHO
4) carbon target arrows-redlines, vectors, ACC's-we can't stock all the sizes but our supplier gets them to us in a day or two, Small shops aren't going to be able to sell the cheapie stuff for the same price as "Discounts are US" but they can get the more experienced people by having the top line stuff
5) Jim is right about archer's advantage
we usually have a copy or two to sell
6) we have a wide variety of fletching supplies including a wide range of kurly, K, and spin vanes that are becoming more popular for some 3D shooters and the standard for fita recurve shooters
7) I strongly suggest getting certified as a coach or instructor. We have two Level 2 NAA instructors and I have a NFAA MC certificate-we do a fair amount of school groups etc instruction and this leads to more sale
8) this sounds stupid, but if you have a range, snacks and sodas help pay the rent.
I agree with the comments above.
I would love to be able to try out the different releases at my local shop.
A good assortment of arrows and components and access to a scale to weigh everything would be nice.
Having a computer availabe running AA or TAP would be also be great to help make purchase decisions.
I would love to be able to try out the different releases at my local shop.
A good assortment of arrows and components and access to a scale to weigh everything would be nice.
Having a computer availabe running AA or TAP would be also be great to help make purchase decisions.
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