Scbasshunter Posted August 27, 2012 Report Share Posted August 27, 2012 I just got back home from an archery shop and I wasn't too impressed. I'm not sure if this is typical of most or all archery shops, but they were rude. They let me shoot some used bows to get an idea of what feels good, but as soon as I told them It was going to be a few months before I could buy one, they didn't want anything to do with me. I understand they are trying to sell products, but if you aren't willing to work with me in this process, I don't really care to do business with you. I think I will be shopping the bigger stores (BPS, Sportsman's Warehouse) when I get enough money saved up to buy a used bow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted August 27, 2012 Report Share Posted August 27, 2012 Don't expect any better service from the big stores, good luck. In all honesty it is all dependant on the tech and the owners of the store or the management. We had a good tech at a mom and pop shop that ended up closing up the local store due to opening in some other locations, that tech moved just before they closed up the local store. The gander store here is or at least was terrible, I got into it with the guy who claimed to be the manager over the archery dept over my draw length. He refused to help me with my pse bow(bow was a replacement for another bow that the limb broke on), needed a module to change the length and rather than help he argued with me in front of my family and other customers. Ended up having to get the module from pse and changed it myself with a pocket press. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbeck Posted August 27, 2012 Report Share Posted August 27, 2012 If you find a good guy Local make sure you keep him, some of these guys at the small and big shops don't seem to care about you buisness. JMO but I feel like they are doing me a favor, don't I pay you??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhine16 Posted August 27, 2012 Report Share Posted August 27, 2012 Archery shops. Just something to think about, but he may have thought you were just using his shop to tryout the bows and then you'd be buying online. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michiganbowhunter_SQ2 Posted August 27, 2012 Report Share Posted August 27, 2012 (edited) Don't expect any better service from the big stores, good luck. In all honesty it is all dependant on the tech and the owners of the store or the management. We had a good tech at a mom and pop shop that ended up closing up the local store due to opening in some other locations, that tech moved just before they closed up the local store. Like William said, bigger stores aren't much better (at least the ones I've been to). Went to Gander Mountain one time with an Idler wheel lean issue, I new how to fix it, but didn't have a press, and at the time there wasn't a dealer close to me and I was pressed for time. I ended with the "head tech" there working on my bow, and I had to walk him step by step on what needed to be done with it. He looked at me like I was crazy and said OK. Then he went ahead and charged me for having to tell him how to do his job. Had another experience with my cousins bow at another gander mountain. He outgrew his draw length and went to have different modules put on, and when he got done and came over to shoot it, the "tech" had put his cable slide on the rod the wrong way, it was on the rest side of the bow, so when he shot, the vanes had no clearance. Luckily it was an easy fix. I'd say go out and keep looking around all the shops. They all aren't bad (who knows, maybe the guy was already having a bad day). I got lucky and had a shop move in right across the street from me a few years ago. Great shop and the owner is great. Edited August 27, 2012 by Michiganbowhunter_SQ2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maine Hntr Posted August 27, 2012 Report Share Posted August 27, 2012 I'd say they aren't all bad either, I've got a shop here that I love going into. I was actually just there yesterday and the owner took 1/2 hour + out of his day to shoot the **** with me about anything hunting. I think you should keep trying the mom and pop shops and see if there's someone there you can talk to. Just my 2 cents. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RangerClay Posted August 27, 2012 Report Share Posted August 27, 2012 You are not going to like this but its the truth. I've been to good local shops and bad one's. The bad one's are out there. I think you should have been up front with shop owner about putting off your purchase before you tried the bows. If your local shop is anything like mine, it's very busy this time of year. Everyone is getting ready for the upcoming season and they are crowded. The shop owner spent his valuable time with you with the expectation that you were going to make a purchase. This was time he could have spent on people who have cash in hand. He has to make a living also. To be honest I would have been irritated with you as well. Don't go to another bow shop and ask to use a bunch of bows until you have some money in your wallet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbHunterNY Posted August 27, 2012 Report Share Posted August 27, 2012 You are not going to like this but its the truth. I've been to good local shops and bad one's. The bad one's are out there. I think you should have been up front with shop owner about putting off your purchase before you tried the bows. If your local shop is anything like mine, it's very busy this time of year. Everyone is getting ready for the upcoming season and they are crowded. The shop owner spent his valuable time with you with the expectation that you were going to make a purchase. This was time he could have spent on people who have cash in hand. He has to make a living also. To be honest I would have been irritated with you as well. Don't go to another bow shop and ask to use a bunch of bows until you have some money in your wallet. yup... and show up during the week after season and you'll probably get free lessons when things are slow! lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redkneck Posted August 28, 2012 Report Share Posted August 28, 2012 You are not going to like this but its the truth. I've been to good local shops and bad one's. The bad one's are out there. I think you should have been up front with shop owner about putting off your purchase before you tried the bows. If your local shop is anything like mine, it's very busy this time of year. Everyone is getting ready for the upcoming season and they are crowded. The shop owner spent his valuable time with you with the expectation that you were going to make a purchase. This was time he could have spent on people who have cash in hand. He has to make a living also. To be honest I would have been irritated with you as well. Don't go to another bow shop and ask to use a bunch of bows until you have some money in your wallet. Joe is dead on. You're asking him for help with a lower end bow to maybe be bought at a future date. That's not to say you don't deserve respect, but most shops are swamped right now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scbasshunter Posted August 28, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 28, 2012 You are not going to like this but its the truth. I've been to good local shops and bad one's. The bad one's are out there. I think you should have been up front with shop owner about putting off your purchase before you tried the bows. If your local shop is anything like mine, it's very busy this time of year. Everyone is getting ready for the upcoming season and they are crowded. The shop owner spent his valuable time with you with the expectation that you were going to make a purchase. This was time he could have spent on people who have cash in hand. He has to make a living also. To be honest I would have been irritated with you as well. Don't go to another bow shop and ask to use a bunch of bows until you have some money in your wallet. That contradicts everything that everybody else has said. Everybody has said to try different bows before buying one. And I did tell the guy I talked to up front what the deal was. The guy that was with me was 1 of 3 or 4 people working there, plus the place was empty. I get and understand what you are saying, but that wasn't the case this time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maine Hntr Posted August 28, 2012 Report Share Posted August 28, 2012 You are not going to like this but its the truth. I've been to good local shops and bad one's. The bad one's are out there. I think you should have been up front with shop owner about putting off your purchase before you tried the bows. If your local shop is anything like mine, it's very busy this time of year. Everyone is getting ready for the upcoming season and they are crowded. The shop owner spent his valuable time with you with the expectation that you were going to make a purchase. This was time he could have spent on people who have cash in hand. He has to make a living also. To be honest I would have been irritated with you as well. Don't go to another bow shop and ask to use a bunch of bows until you have some money in your wallet. In full agreement here, it is a busy time of year and they would prefer to be working with someone who has cash in hand, may not sound customer service friendly but it's reality and if they know they're not getting a sale from you that day they would prefer to move onto someone they think they will get one from. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted August 28, 2012 Report Share Posted August 28, 2012 Guess I am gonna have a different persepctive here. If I tell a seller I am in the market, but not buying right now, I expect them to still treat me as if I were buying now or I could and would take my future business elsewhere. Kinda tells a little as to expectations of the after the sale treatment if they treat you poor when you are not buying anything. Just part of good customer service, even though the person was not buying a bow today, they may buy other items and losing a customer for being rude is just poor business practice imo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scbasshunter Posted August 28, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 28, 2012 Guess I am gonna have a different persepctive here. If I tell a seller I am in the market, but not buying right now, I expect them to still treat me as if I were buying now or I could and would take my future business elsewhere. Kinda tells a little as to expectations of the after the sale treatment if they treat you poor when you are not buying anything. Just part of good customer service, even though the person was not buying a bow today, they may buy other items and losing a customer for being rude is just poor business practice imo. I couldn't agree more. It seems with bowhunting, it is a good idea to shoot different bows before buying one. I don't think this day in age, people can realistically just walk in and drop hundreds of dollars on a bow without doing some research and shooting some bows. If I tell them I am saving up for a bow and want to shoot some different ones before making a decision, then they need to work with me if they want my business. I could understand if they were busy, but like I said before, there were 3 or 4 poeple working there and there were no other customers in the store. Unfortunately for them, I think I will end up going somewhere else. There doesn't seem to be any more archery shops here in Columbia, SC but there is a Sportsman's Warehouse and a BPS just an hour and a half away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
youngbuck06 Posted August 28, 2012 Report Share Posted August 28, 2012 I dont live far from you and i belive i know which shop you are talking about. I am dissapointed to hear this because i have always had fair service from them. There is another good shop that is in Rock Hill called Nichols Store. You can look them up online, I have had good service with them as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scbasshunter Posted August 28, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 28, 2012 I dont live far from you and i belive i know which shop you are talking about. I am dissapointed to hear this because i have always had fair service from them. There is another good shop that is in Rock Hill called Nichols Store. You can look them up online, I have had good service with them as well. Jeffery Archery? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
youngbuck06 Posted August 28, 2012 Report Share Posted August 28, 2012 Yes Jeffery Archery. 9 out of 10 people that i have spoken to have had nothing but praise for his shop. I have been there a couple of times over the last 3 years and i have had pretty fair service from them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scbasshunter Posted August 28, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 28, 2012 One of the guys did work with me a little but once they all found out I wasn't buying that day, they changed their interest in me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
youngbuck06 Posted August 28, 2012 Report Share Posted August 28, 2012 i definitely agree with what you guys were saying earlier though, if they want my business then they better impress me and lend a hand with whatever problem i am bringing into the store. I am the one paying them, not the other way around. If it was like you said with an empty store then the salesman should have had no problem assisting you with questions and answers and even pricing from another store. The salesman here obviously was only out for a paycheck and is not passionate about their job or the outdoors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Kat Posted August 28, 2012 Report Share Posted August 28, 2012 I gotta go against the majority here....if you can't take time to answer my questions about a bow now, regardless if I have money now or not, then you don't need to be in the business. Lucky for me I had some good guys in my area who took the time to teach me about bows, and I have a natural talent that allowed me to pick up what worked for me quickly. Your spot on....you need to try out several bows.....shoot the ones you like several times.....then make your decision. That lil vibration you don't like, or that jump you dislike can be the difference in making a good shot....especially if you take your shooting to the competition floor. Again....if they can't take the time to help you, then piss on them. Go somewhere else....and I DO NOT recommend big box stores at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pruts Posted August 28, 2012 Report Share Posted August 28, 2012 I couldn't agree more. It seems with bowhunting, it is a good idea to shoot different bows before buying one. I don't think this day in age, people can realistically just walk in and drop hundreds of dollars on a bow without doing some research and shooting some bows. If I tell them I am saving up for a bow and want to shoot some different ones before making a decision, then they need to work with me if they want my business. I could understand if they were busy, but like I said before, there were 3 or 4 poeple working there and there were no other customers in the store. Unfortunately for them, I think I will end up going somewhere else. There doesn't seem to be any more archery shops here in Columbia, SC but there is a Sportsman's Warehouse and a BPS just an hour and a half away. I agree! There is only one store in London and everytime I go in there, it's like their doing me a favor for being in business. As some of you may now despite my age I'm new to hunting and have had to buy everything I need in a short amount of time. Which adds up! I did however get a compound bow and arows, ect. all but given to me. It's too small for me but the price was right and I bought it. When I take it in to that store all I hear is the complaining that it's too small, old, ect. I've already decided that I will not buy my new bow from them, whenever that will be. I will however have no problem in making them do the leg work and ordering else where. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scbasshunter Posted August 29, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 29, 2012 Yeah, it seems as though alot of those guys are only interested in people who are already big into bowhunting, thus probably going to spend more money. I sat and talked with a guy at Sportsman's Warehouse for a good 30 minutes one day. He talked to me about what to look for in a bow and what to avoid. He even let me hold some bows and draw them. Not sure if there is a shooting lane, but I never asked to shoot any of them. Point of it is, I had a better experience in a bigger store than I did in a local shop. I would much rather give my money to a BPS or SW any day of the week than give it to someone who couldn't give a half a crap about me, except for what's in my wallet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbHunterNY Posted August 29, 2012 Report Share Posted August 29, 2012 yea if it was that dead in the shop with 3-4 guys there and you didn't get any help then it's not the best place. sometimes you get people just hanging out there that have nothing better to do. they don't actually work there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trevor Posted August 29, 2012 Report Share Posted August 29, 2012 I have purchased all my archery stuff at the store pruts mentioned and I have had nothing but good service there. When I went in there I told the guys what I could afford and they showed me a bunch of bows in my price range and let me shoot them all. I did not buy a bow that day I went home and did some resource on the different bows and bought the one I liked best about a week later. So I guess what I trying to say is you should give them a chance. I have in there lots after I bought the bow to ask some question and tips and always got great service. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravin R10 man Posted August 29, 2012 Report Share Posted August 29, 2012 Stoped at my local shop last eve. got a dozen arrows, he cut them to length right away, while he was doing that I bought my Hunting licenses up at the counter and was out in 10 minutes. He wanted me to shoot the new Mathews, but I said no thanks,I do not have the time today Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pruts Posted September 3, 2012 Report Share Posted September 3, 2012 I have purchased all my archery stuff at the store pruts mentioned and I have had nothing but good service there. When I went in there I told the guys what I could afford and they showed me a bunch of bows in my price range and let me shoot them all. I did not buy a bow that day I went home and did some resource on the different bows and bought the one I liked best about a week later. So I guess what I trying to say is you should give them a chance. I have in there lots after I bought the bow to ask some question and tips and always got great service. I will admit the one guy in there was really good, the shorter one with really dark hair and heavy 5 o'clock shadow. After explaining to him the situation and why I had a bow too small for me he did everything he could to make it as good as possible, by stretching it out as long as he could and getting me set up with the longest release and knock loop he could. He also mounted my rest backwards to make my arrows long enough. The rest just seem disinterested seeing as I'm not going to buy a new one. I also don't waste there time by asking questions or wanting to try out bows, because I know I will not be buying in the near future. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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