In reply to Post #15
So if there was another item of tackle that you could skip the middle man and go straight to the manufacturer and get it possibly cheaper you would buy from the Middle man? (Not aimed at you personally just a collective 'you') I'm not sure many would. So why with bait? WITHOUT PREJUDICE!!!ol.
So if there was another item of tackle that you could skip the middle man and go straight to the manufacturer and get it possibly cheaper you would buy from the Middle man? (Not aimed at you personally just a collective 'you') I'm not sure many would. So why with bait? WITHOUT PREJUDICE!!!ol.
In reply to Post #16
I get mine straight from source at a good price, but I do understand why people buy from the middle man bait company's out there. This isn't aimed specifically at OCB. There are many different companies who Geoff supplies, blakes, range baits, Oxford to name just 3 off the top of my head.
I should imagine Geoff has a pre-arranged price per kilo/10kg/100kg with these "middle men" and that these are his bread and butter customers because he knows he's going to sell X amount of tonnes of bait per year before taking customers off the street into consideration. Everyone's a winner, joe bloggs can order online from middlemen or pick up the phone and order from ABS direct. Either way Geoff is happy and very successful selling quality bait to happy customers.
I'd like to point out that I have no ties with ABS or Geoff whatsoever, other than I've bought and used his bait. All I've written above is purely what I'd imagine to be the case from a business point of view because it makes sense, a bit like Heinz for example selling beans to the supermarkets (middlemen) at an agreed price, but putting different labels on the tins and selling direct to the public from their own shop outside the factory. It's much more convenient to purchase from the supermarkets unless you live within spitting distance of the factory.
Geoff Bowers is one of the best in the business at what he does and has probably forgotten more about bait than most people will ever know, and off the back of it has formulated a very successful business, selling his bait from different angles. Good luck to the fella, in a market so saturated with new competition popping up every five minutes, he's being incredibly successful.
I get mine straight from source at a good price, but I do understand why people buy from the middle man bait company's out there. This isn't aimed specifically at OCB. There are many different companies who Geoff supplies, blakes, range baits, Oxford to name just 3 off the top of my head.
I should imagine Geoff has a pre-arranged price per kilo/10kg/100kg with these "middle men" and that these are his bread and butter customers because he knows he's going to sell X amount of tonnes of bait per year before taking customers off the street into consideration. Everyone's a winner, joe bloggs can order online from middlemen or pick up the phone and order from ABS direct. Either way Geoff is happy and very successful selling quality bait to happy customers.
I'd like to point out that I have no ties with ABS or Geoff whatsoever, other than I've bought and used his bait. All I've written above is purely what I'd imagine to be the case from a business point of view because it makes sense, a bit like Heinz for example selling beans to the supermarkets (middlemen) at an agreed price, but putting different labels on the tins and selling direct to the public from their own shop outside the factory. It's much more convenient to purchase from the supermarkets unless you live within spitting distance of the factory.
Geoff Bowers is one of the best in the business at what he does and has probably forgotten more about bait than most people will ever know, and off the back of it has formulated a very successful business, selling his bait from different angles. Good luck to the fella, in a market so saturated with new competition popping up every five minutes, he's being incredibly successful.
In reply to Post #17
Fair point and well constructed. However.... 1. Do you think that these people that buy from 'middle' men actually know that the bait comes from Geoff? (Agreed a very knowledgable chap). And 2. If they did know it was the same bait and they could buy 'direct' cheaper would they?
Fair point and well constructed. However.... 1. Do you think that these people that buy from 'middle' men actually know that the bait comes from Geoff? (Agreed a very knowledgable chap). And 2. If they did know it was the same bait and they could buy 'direct' cheaper would they?
In reply to Post #18
But it actually isn't cheaper direct? Oxford delivered is cheaper than abs delivered for 10kg so is blakes baits
But it actually isn't cheaper direct? Oxford delivered is cheaper than abs delivered for 10kg so is blakes baits
My only reason for buying from ocb was my mate uses there bait a lot and I'd near enough emptied my freezer and needed couple kilo to take my boy to a runs water so just chucked couple k on top of my mates order I know the bait is one of geoffs and a good bait but was just an easy option. Having used a few company's now ie abs Trent etc my next big order will be with a company that I've had my best catch rates and found to be the very best quality and I've been using for quite some time 😉
In reply to Post #18
Guarantee if ABS had an online ordering facility, they'd nick a lot of the middlemens business. Whether that is part of the agreement Geoff has made with them, I don't know.
I guess people near to say OCB, would weigh up the postage direct from ABS against the increased price they are paying per kilo from the middleman. Not saying everyone could ring ABS for 5kg of maple nut for £5/kg because it wouldn't happen, but if you order enough bait often enough, you'll definitely get it cheaper at some point. It's a loyalty thing both ways I think, nothing written, nothing said, just two parties scratching each other's backs so to speak.
Guarantee if ABS had an online ordering facility, they'd nick a lot of the middlemens business. Whether that is part of the agreement Geoff has made with them, I don't know.
I guess people near to say OCB, would weigh up the postage direct from ABS against the increased price they are paying per kilo from the middleman. Not saying everyone could ring ABS for 5kg of maple nut for £5/kg because it wouldn't happen, but if you order enough bait often enough, you'll definitely get it cheaper at some point. It's a loyalty thing both ways I think, nothing written, nothing said, just two parties scratching each other's backs so to speak.
In reply to Post #20
That proves my point entirely! For those who only want a few kilos every now and then it is so much more convenient to order online from one of the middlemen. If however youre getting through 2-300kg a year, you will get it a lot cheaper direct from source, especially if you're on one of the delivery routes and can avoid postage costs
That proves my point entirely! For those who only want a few kilos every now and then it is so much more convenient to order online from one of the middlemen. If however youre getting through 2-300kg a year, you will get it a lot cheaper direct from source, especially if you're on one of the delivery routes and can avoid postage costs
In reply to Post #22
I would like to add a few things here. Firstly I can only speak for Pete at blakes. Some baits like malarkey you can buy from blakes, often cheaper simply because his mark up is smaller due to being offset by the fact he sells particles and pellets and pet food. The bait is exactly the same, not cut or diluted or mixed differently. I know this because I have worked there. Secondly Geoff rolls several of the baits only for blakes (ie krinella and snowberry) and he won't or shouldn't roll these for any other company so I assume he does the same for Oxford baits sonubaits etc.
Blakes tell him the recipe and Geoff rolls it (often with Geoff improving or modifying ingredients as his knowledge is probably the best in the game). Yes many people have very similar baits all coming from Geoff but not all are identical. His facilities mean he can make huge quantities hence why everyone goes to him.
It's a point worth clearing up as its a misconception that blakes (and other companies) only sell his rebagged bait.
I would like to add a few things here. Firstly I can only speak for Pete at blakes. Some baits like malarkey you can buy from blakes, often cheaper simply because his mark up is smaller due to being offset by the fact he sells particles and pellets and pet food. The bait is exactly the same, not cut or diluted or mixed differently. I know this because I have worked there. Secondly Geoff rolls several of the baits only for blakes (ie krinella and snowberry) and he won't or shouldn't roll these for any other company so I assume he does the same for Oxford baits sonubaits etc.
Blakes tell him the recipe and Geoff rolls it (often with Geoff improving or modifying ingredients as his knowledge is probably the best in the game). Yes many people have very similar baits all coming from Geoff but not all are identical. His facilities mean he can make huge quantities hence why everyone goes to him.
It's a point worth clearing up as its a misconception that blakes (and other companies) only sell his rebagged bait.
I used Oxford Carp Baits over the winter as Perfection stopped mail orders & I was very impressed,I used both White Nut & Mc Nut along with the Linch Specials.I can highly recommend them the lead times were fine,I ordered on a Sunday & got delivery on a Thursday & never had a problem.I caught very consistently from the off (September) & I managed a few that I have been after.I even had 1 of the big fish at 37lb on a 12mm Linch Special in December & It passed loads of White Nut in the sling.I will certainly be using them again over next winter.
In reply to Post #24
Old thread.....
Has anyone used the tangie marine?
Old thread.....
Has anyone used the tangie marine?
In reply to Post #25
Not used the tange-marine but have been using Joe's bait for a long time and can't recommend it highly enough
Not used the tange-marine but have been using Joe's bait for a long time and can't recommend it highly enough
In reply to Post #25
using the gs crab currently., the gs crab and mc nut i've used with good results though.
using the gs crab currently., the gs crab and mc nut i've used with good results though.
In reply to Post #27
Used the GS Crab, great Barbel bait...
Used the GS Crab, great Barbel bait...
In reply to Post #28
Ive used OCB in the past, knowing full well it was ABS bait. Thing is, Joe is based closer to the waters that I fished at the time so could pick it up - something I couldn't do with ABS. Postage is what brings the cost of cheap bait up in a lot of circumstances.
Ive used OCB in the past, knowing full well it was ABS bait. Thing is, Joe is based closer to the waters that I fished at the time so could pick it up - something I couldn't do with ABS. Postage is what brings the cost of cheap bait up in a lot of circumstances.
In reply to Post #29
I thought Joe rolled it in house nowadays??
I thought Joe rolled it in house nowadays??