Where To Buy One's Hunting Needs - Sport Shop - Big Name Super Store?

ronecol

ronecol

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Orillia, Ontario
Shopping at a local sporting goods retailer the other day and purchased 2 boxes Win .30.30 170 gr Power-Points @ 23.99ea + tx and a Plano Pistol Case @ 14.99 + tx. Total expenditure: $71.15. Later the same day I'm at Big Name Super Store on another matter but I take a walk into the sporting goods area. So there's the same ammo @ 19.97 per box and the Plano pistol case @ 9.95. A quick calculation and if I had made my purchase at Big Name Super Store it would have been 56.35 or a savings of $14.80 which is over %20.

So the dilemma... There's lots to be said for supporting the sports shop and they are far better stocked with a greater variety. However, to pay %20 more for the exact same stuff doesn't sit well. I think another time I'll check at Big Name Super Store first.
 
I was lucky to have grabbed 3 boxes of Hornady 7mm-08 at Canadian Tire for under $40 per box recently. I saw the same stuff at Cabelas for $45. per box.
 
I buy local whenever possible. By local I mean mom and pop shops, local farmers etc. Not big box. I have bought guns, ammo, hunting gear and fishing equipment from gourleys variety outside Renfrew. We were talking ammo one day and I mentioned how much a spam can of 7.62x54 was at cdn tire and asked if he could get some for me at close to that price. Couple days later I stopped for fuel and he gave me a can for under cdn tires price. You don't get better service than that. Second example. He had a pink rascal in stock. My daughter was bugging me to buy it. But I told her that we have to get a neutral color cause her brother won't want to shoot a pink gun. Go back in and what does he have in stock.. A black rascal. Of course my daughter asks about it. We bought it. We got to the counter and I realized I'd need another trigger lock. I go grab one and he gives it to me for free. Sure the gun was $8-10 more then cdn tire. The trigger lock makes it well worth the price. Plus I have the satisfaction of knowing that a local family gets the money.
 
crash277 said:
I buy local whenever possible. By local I mean mom and pop shops, local farmers etc. Not big box. I have bought guns, ammo, hunting gear and fishing equipment from gourleys variety outside Renfrew. We were talking ammo one day and I mentioned how much a spam can of 7.62x54 was at cdn tire and asked if he could get some for me at close to that price. Couple days later I stopped for fuel and he gave me a can for under cdn tires price. You don't get better service than that. Second example. He had a pink rascal in stock. My daughter was bugging me to buy it. But I told her that we have to get a neutral color cause her brother won't want to shoot a pink gun. Go back in and what does he have in stock.. A black rascal. Of course my daughter asks about it. We bought it. We got to the counter and I realized I'd need another trigger lock. I go grab one and he gives it to me for free. Sure the gun was $8-10 more then cdn tire. The trigger lock makes it well worth the price. Plus I have the satisfaction of knowing that a local family gets the money.
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This is it guys. Saving a few bucks vs maintaining a relationship at a small store. The guy is going to go out of his way to make you happy so YOU WILL COME BACK. The guy at the super store doesn't give a rats ass if he never sees you again.

I try to support 2 local guys whenever I can. Does it cost a bit more sometimes, sure. Are there Benefits? Well lets see:

Guy # 1 did and drill & tap job on a rifle for $20 the day after I dropped it off (a couple "big" gunsmith places had 30 day wait lists) and;
Guy # 2 shipped some ammo for me to a guy on here that I sold it to (who could not believe how cheap the shipping was)

Support your local guy.
 
Well the local gun store went under when a WSS opened in town. Reality is that i did not go there, lack of parking, and he pouched a small gunsmith job for me so was already a no fly zone.

In the age of big box(i am assuming either Canadian Tire or Walmart for the OP) i both support the local stores and go to big box stores. In this instance i would buy the simple stuff at a big box as the OP is thinking, and look for specialty items at a LGS.

Where i am i have several excellent stores in Vancouver, International in Surrey 15k and 1/2hr away, Hubs in Abbotsford 25k and 1/2hr, or Wanstalls in Haney 1/2hr away over a toll bridge. No one is going to be able to compete with WSS for price, and my experience is that none of them compete with Wanstalls for specialty stuff or service.
 
I prefer to shop local maw and paw shops when I get the chance, but they usually are outrageous with their prices so I walk out on them if I can get a better deal elsewhere. We seem to get a lot of the crazy pricing being close to the oil patch. If they want us to shop local and support small business, they better price accordingly.
 
I shop wherever I get the best service especially for big ticket items like firearms. When it comes to price, I will pay a little more for better service, better selection, etc... but I can't justify 20%

Patrick
 
I shop where ever I get the best overall customer experience. Price is a part of that, as is down-the-road service, as is availability of product and product knowledge. For example I pay a buck or two more per bulk box of.22 rd at my LGS, but they always have a pallet in stock, and there's no BS about trying to find the manager with the key. Sometimes I shop at the bigger hunting chains because the selection of clothing is larger and sometimes the product knowledge is really good. We're in a new economy powered by FEDEX and the local shops really have to be great at offering what online and big box stores can't, namely great customer experience and service.
 
nowarningshot said:
Well the local gun store went under when a WSS opened in town. Reality is that i did not go there, lack of parking, and he pouched a small gunsmith job for me so was already a no fly zone.

In the age of big box(i am assuming either Canadian Tire or Walmart for the OP) i both support the local stores and go to big box stores. In this instance i would buy the simple stuff at a big box as the OP is thinking, and look for specialty items at a LGS.

Where i am i have several excellent stores in Vancouver, International in Surrey 15k and 1/2hr away, Hubs in Abbotsford 25k and 1/2hr, or Wanstalls in Haney 1/2hr away over a toll bridge. No one is going to be able to compete with WSS for price, and my experience is that none of them compete with Wanstalls for specialty stuff or service.
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Do not forget reliable gun, they also have a price match policy, as does Italian Sporting goods (not sponsor but great guys)
 
I bought my first new rifle at Wanstalls some years back now. I had just popped in to have a browse and they had a Marlin 336ss in stock, price was 10% more than WSS. I asked if there was any wiggle in the price and got a free box of ammo.
Later that year I got a Christmas card from them thanking me for my business.

I'm happy to pay a fair price for better service. You tip 10-15% for good service at a Restaurant.
 
Whenever possible buy local. The service is always better. It may cost a couple bucks more but they are my neighbours.
 
Bland said:
Whenever possible buy local. The service is always better. It may cost a couple bucks more but they are my neighbours.
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That's just it, it's not always better. Many small shops are extremely unfriendly and brutal to deal with. I avoid a handful for this exact reason. Conversely some of the big box stores can have some beauties working behind the counter also,

Patrick
 
I should qualify my remark. Small town policy, maybe not so much in the big smoke. IF Mom and Pop operations in a small town do not extend exceptional service they close their doors pretty quick. It is also just part of my personal philosophy, always give the small guy a break, but they do have to earn it.
 
Support the small shops if they give good service. Knuckhead Tire and Wally Mart can sell at lower prices due to mass buys to fill all the outlets, plus don't see dishes, tires, tools and so on in my local gun shop to off set pricing. When all the stand allow gun shops are gone where are you going to get items that only gun shops sell? Most of the internet businesses are the same small stand alone shops, taking advantage of the internet to pay the bills, and good on them. Most small stand alone shop owners can make better money going and getting a job, when all's said and done their profits are not great.
 
That's the dilemma.

Crappy Tire, Walmart or even Cabela's is not going starve or get rich selling you a box of shells. They count on you buying tires, a toaster, or maybe some "other" stuff when you are in getting your hunting supplies. For them, that market is a mere month or so in the fall - it's more important to get "footsteps" in the store than making enough off a few boxes of shells to stay in business.

You don't get the same service and almost certainly don't get any expertise or valuable advice - you need be informed "before" you get there.

Now the LGS doesn't have the same luxury. They can't sell you a box of shells at/near cost. They have to make enough to carry them all year (pretty much) during the peak season(s) for them. They more often than not DO know what they are talking about and can give you advice, offer alternatives etc.

But like most of us (and I include myself), I am generally not willing to pay the premium for that service unless they have that unique item where the only alternative is "shipping" at added cost.

But make no mistake - when all the competition is gone, the bean counters at these chain stores will realize that being the only player on the block, prices will rise to "what the market will bear".

So don't cry when the local shop closes and you are stuck with the crappy selection at Wally World - remember, you voted with your wallet and the little guy lost...
 
I find Al Flaherty's Outdoor Store in Toronto consistently has the lowest online prices for the guns and ammo that I'm looking for (9 mm, 5.56 NATO, .223 Rem, .308 Win, 12 gauge). I buy at the store, so don't have to factor in shipping costs.

In my experience, the staff's knowledge and quality of service is "generally" good. Occasional exceptions.
 
ronecol said:
Shopping at a local sporting goods retailer the other day and purchased 2 boxes Win .30.30 170 gr Power-Points @ 23.99ea + tx and a Plano Pistol Case @ 14.99 + tx. Total expenditure: $71.15. Later the same day I'm at Big Name Super Store on another matter but I take a walk into the sporting goods area. So there's the same ammo @ 19.97 per box and the Plano pistol case @ 9.95. A quick calculation and if I had made my purchase at Big Name Super Store it would have been 56.35 or a savings of $14.80 which is over %20.

So the dilemma... There's lots to be said for supporting the sports shop and they are far better stocked with a greater variety. However, to pay %20 more for the exact same stuff doesn't sit well. I think another time I'll check at Big Name Super Store first.
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The sporting goods store I deal with almost exclusively has a low price guarantee, so I don't worry about this
 
I buy stuff at the big box stores when there are good sales. like the deluxe treestand with harnesses I bought last winter at can tire for 70% off

I always support the local smaller shops though. I also feel that grinding my local shops to get a deal like 70% off on a treestand just isn't fair to them. so ya, the little guy whenever and where ever I can regardless of a few bucks price difference, but the big box when they put stuff on at prices that would be be impossible for my local shop to sell me and not lose money.
 
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