In reply to Post #90
Yeah i think the boom through covid and the subsequent slow down has caught a few out for sure. And now it's levelling out again some fishing companies are realising there numbers were well out when they budgeted.
I think its a extremely hard supply chain to manage for some of the bigger companies, and the costings associated with it have blown up over the last few years. There must be large amounts of cash tied up in orders, transit, shipping and distribution costs, in a business model that has a massive seasonal swing in sales.
Would hate to see what some if their working capital numbers are.
Yeah i think the boom through covid and the subsequent slow down has caught a few out for sure. And now it's levelling out again some fishing companies are realising there numbers were well out when they budgeted.
I think its a extremely hard supply chain to manage for some of the bigger companies, and the costings associated with it have blown up over the last few years. There must be large amounts of cash tied up in orders, transit, shipping and distribution costs, in a business model that has a massive seasonal swing in sales.
Would hate to see what some if their working capital numbers are.
In reply to Post #91
The boom where companies over expanded or assumed it would go on forever and built up huge order books and inventories has caught out quite a few industries.
The consumer cycling industry.... in particular off road cycling/mountain biking has unfortunately been hammered 10 x as bad.
Everyone got or wanted bikes during lockdowns, prices went up, companies got greedy and over geared (accidentall pun) their orders and supply chains assuming prices and demand would continue to rise, then the ass dropped out of it end of 23/24 and now there are crazy deals on bikes... huge sales, really well known and respected brands going out of business, world cup teams having to shut down etc.
Same but smaller scale with fishing.
The boom where companies over expanded or assumed it would go on forever and built up huge order books and inventories has caught out quite a few industries.
The consumer cycling industry.... in particular off road cycling/mountain biking has unfortunately been hammered 10 x as bad.
Everyone got or wanted bikes during lockdowns, prices went up, companies got greedy and over geared (accidentall pun) their orders and supply chains assuming prices and demand would continue to rise, then the ass dropped out of it end of 23/24 and now there are crazy deals on bikes... huge sales, really well known and respected brands going out of business, world cup teams having to shut down etc.
Same but smaller scale with fishing.
My heart bleeds for all these companies that took the piss during Covid
I hope you enjoyed your two years of greed, rather than building a loyal customer base and staying true to your brand and have customer that would be there for years
I hope you enjoyed your two years of greed, rather than building a loyal customer base and staying true to your brand and have customer that would be there for years
In reply to Post #93
Couldn't agree more I hear the distant sound of the world's smallest violin being tuned up.
Couldn't agree more I hear the distant sound of the world's smallest violin being tuned up.
my concern is with so many tackle retailers closing down, this is going to make it way harder to launder drug money. thankfully theres still nail bars and turkish barbers or the whole economy would colapse.
In reply to Post #95
Obviously not a follower of politics as the last three or more governments have been working hard on collapsing the economy.
Obviously not a follower of politics as the last three or more governments have been working hard on collapsing the economy.
Outlaw were the only ones who tried to follow the AD model of supermarket tackle shops, making sure the local small shops closed and then running an internet business that was only ever about margins.
Blame covid or whatever but we allowed this. As for total tackle taking over one or whatever of the shops WHY? You're an online discounter who happens to have a shop and successful fishery, why buy another internet business with minimal casual trade.
If price is No 1 then ad, total tackle and outlaw are the ones, but spare a thought for places like the tackle box. Like a local pub where customers can nurse half a pint for hours and still be treated, respected and valued the way they should be. When they pack up, there will be a massive void of experience and service that nobody will ever fill. Just internet shops in a race to the bottom, manned by bots and non angling service.
It's a shame and may never come back as this world wants the high street dead.
Outlaw Pro - it's a shame, but let's not kid ourselves they were invested - they were a commodity based business. The clothing range, baits and rods are to live on, proving premises and proper service is a thing of the past.
Blame covid or whatever but we allowed this. As for total tackle taking over one or whatever of the shops WHY? You're an online discounter who happens to have a shop and successful fishery, why buy another internet business with minimal casual trade.
If price is No 1 then ad, total tackle and outlaw are the ones, but spare a thought for places like the tackle box. Like a local pub where customers can nurse half a pint for hours and still be treated, respected and valued the way they should be. When they pack up, there will be a massive void of experience and service that nobody will ever fill. Just internet shops in a race to the bottom, manned by bots and non angling service.
It's a shame and may never come back as this world wants the high street dead.
Outlaw Pro - it's a shame, but let's not kid ourselves they were invested - they were a commodity based business. The clothing range, baits and rods are to live on, proving premises and proper service is a thing of the past.
In reply to Post #97
To be fair my shed is bigger than the shop at Total fishing tackle, so i can see why they want a proper shop
To be fair my shed is bigger than the shop at Total fishing tackle, so i can see why they want a proper shop
It seems the only way to survive in the Tackle trade these days is to offer Niche products in an area surrounded by lakes backed up with great customer service.
The like of the Tacklebox, johnson Ross and Yately angling seem to have got it about right.
Could also throw the likes of Pro lite explorer into the mix. Although it's early days for them.
The like of the Tacklebox, johnson Ross and Yately angling seem to have got it about right.
Could also throw the likes of Pro lite explorer into the mix. Although it's early days for them.
In reply to Post #97
I may not be 100% on this, but if my memory serves me right the smaller shops struggled to obtain/maintain accounts with the bigger companies. The bigger companies then only opened accounts with larger stores/companies with high/projected turnovers, and as a result it was difficult for new shops to gain traction. They struggled to pull in punters when they only sold the likes of ESP / Drennan / Kamasan with the odd sprinkling of Nash or Mainline!
The boom then came around 2004, the underwater DVD's arrived and those who adapted survived, those like Bennetts who sold maggots and keepnets didn't move away from spending money on paper based mail order, so they perished. Korda / Fox / Nash became the big three, and anyone who sold Spombs were able to break even at the end of the month. Otherwise, it just seemed that anybody else with just Lemco accounts etc were always going to struggle if the printed media were being paid thousands by the big boys for advertorials, which they relied on too heavily until the likes of youtube exploded. People realised they didn't need to pay a fiver a month to be told for the 15th time that year how to tie a solid bag. It was their own fault, and not the cost of paper which is the excuse they all like to churn out.
It's become a **** show really. My Youtube algorithms have also ensured that any small businesses just will not get the reach that the big boys do. It's all deliberate. I think the bubble has burst, or it will do when certain figures leave the industry in one way or another.
All my theories of course, happy to be educated!
I may not be 100% on this, but if my memory serves me right the smaller shops struggled to obtain/maintain accounts with the bigger companies. The bigger companies then only opened accounts with larger stores/companies with high/projected turnovers, and as a result it was difficult for new shops to gain traction. They struggled to pull in punters when they only sold the likes of ESP / Drennan / Kamasan with the odd sprinkling of Nash or Mainline!
The boom then came around 2004, the underwater DVD's arrived and those who adapted survived, those like Bennetts who sold maggots and keepnets didn't move away from spending money on paper based mail order, so they perished. Korda / Fox / Nash became the big three, and anyone who sold Spombs were able to break even at the end of the month. Otherwise, it just seemed that anybody else with just Lemco accounts etc were always going to struggle if the printed media were being paid thousands by the big boys for advertorials, which they relied on too heavily until the likes of youtube exploded. People realised they didn't need to pay a fiver a month to be told for the 15th time that year how to tie a solid bag. It was their own fault, and not the cost of paper which is the excuse they all like to churn out.
It's become a **** show really. My Youtube algorithms have also ensured that any small businesses just will not get the reach that the big boys do. It's all deliberate. I think the bubble has burst, or it will do when certain figures leave the industry in one way or another.
All my theories of course, happy to be educated!
In reply to Post #100
pretty much spot on as usual mate.
sad times indeed
pretty much spot on as usual mate.
sad times indeed
The independent fishing tackle shop of old snoozed, lost and became extinct.
Shops were miles behind the times, not only in terms of stock but also environment. Dark and dingy shops, groups of people (staff and customers) sitting round drinking tea/coffee, more people hanging round outside whilst having a smoke. Like it or not, modern kids and parents could find these type of places intimidating and would avoid. Some tackle shops were no more than a place for social gatherings.
All this was fine/accepted up to mid 1990s but many never changed and became awful, archaic places whilst the world, and especially retail shopping moved on. Its difficult to have too much sympathy.
Then the bigger guys turned up and dragged the industry kicking and screaming into the modern world. Bigger shops, more welcoming environment, better stock, an online presence and cheaper prices. The small independent stood still and didnt stand a chance! ... There were downsides of course (ie loss of personal touch, local advice, places to buy a pint of maggots etc) but as a consumer the pros did outweigh the cons for a time imo. And now that bubble seems to have burst! (Tackle Box being the exception in my part of the world)
Elsewhere its a sh*show! .... Nobody seems to know which way to jump to move forward. If i was one of the bigger brands I would seriously consider selling direct.
Shops were miles behind the times, not only in terms of stock but also environment. Dark and dingy shops, groups of people (staff and customers) sitting round drinking tea/coffee, more people hanging round outside whilst having a smoke. Like it or not, modern kids and parents could find these type of places intimidating and would avoid. Some tackle shops were no more than a place for social gatherings.
All this was fine/accepted up to mid 1990s but many never changed and became awful, archaic places whilst the world, and especially retail shopping moved on. Its difficult to have too much sympathy.
Then the bigger guys turned up and dragged the industry kicking and screaming into the modern world. Bigger shops, more welcoming environment, better stock, an online presence and cheaper prices. The small independent stood still and didnt stand a chance! ... There were downsides of course (ie loss of personal touch, local advice, places to buy a pint of maggots etc) but as a consumer the pros did outweigh the cons for a time imo. And now that bubble seems to have burst! (Tackle Box being the exception in my part of the world)
Elsewhere its a sh*show! .... Nobody seems to know which way to jump to move forward. If i was one of the bigger brands I would seriously consider selling direct.
I placed a order 16th Jan online for a Nash Monster retention sling and Nash Weigh tripod they both got delivered yesterday after hearing not alot!
So anyone that is worried about online orders they are still shipping out orders
On another subject I really hate the Angling Direct structure which reminds of Sports Direct swallowing up the independent tackle shops don't get me wrong they have to agree to sell up but was gutted when Shrewsbury's Total Angling sold out last year bespoke gear goes out the window which is gutting I wont support there ethics
So anyone that is worried about online orders they are still shipping out orders
On another subject I really hate the Angling Direct structure which reminds of Sports Direct swallowing up the independent tackle shops don't get me wrong they have to agree to sell up but was gutted when Shrewsbury's Total Angling sold out last year bespoke gear goes out the window which is gutting I wont support there ethics
In reply to Post #102
Fair point Paul.. but I think a lot of that was partly there attraction. The un willingness to move with the times. The last of the great hold outs.. no doubt for a lot of them it was there undoing.
As for selling Direct. Korda have started to sell there clothing line online. There reason being that the shops haven't got the space to display their clothing. Which is no doubt growing all the time. But in someway maybe there seeing the writing on the wall for tackle retail.And starting to bring there business model online.
Fair point Paul.. but I think a lot of that was partly there attraction. The un willingness to move with the times. The last of the great hold outs.. no doubt for a lot of them it was there undoing.
As for selling Direct. Korda have started to sell there clothing line online. There reason being that the shops haven't got the space to display their clothing. Which is no doubt growing all the time. But in someway maybe there seeing the writing on the wall for tackle retail.And starting to bring there business model online.
In reply to Post #104
Clothing and retail is an absolute no-no, you only have to watch dragons den to realise the permutations for styles and sizes (especially fishermen) to realise its a total waste of time. An order for a shop for the range of Korda clothing would be thousands and a huge percentage left unsold- so I get why they set up that.
As for tackle I think it will be more of a watershed moment, big shops bully supplier for best price and discount so you sell direct you may be able to sell cheaper but promotion becomes your issue.
The loss of local tackle shops is for me as sad as the ever decreasing local, so much more than the name above the door. Still with AI and the algorithm- choice is not something the new generation I'll need you'll get served what the results say... sad
Clothing and retail is an absolute no-no, you only have to watch dragons den to realise the permutations for styles and sizes (especially fishermen) to realise its a total waste of time. An order for a shop for the range of Korda clothing would be thousands and a huge percentage left unsold- so I get why they set up that.
As for tackle I think it will be more of a watershed moment, big shops bully supplier for best price and discount so you sell direct you may be able to sell cheaper but promotion becomes your issue.
The loss of local tackle shops is for me as sad as the ever decreasing local, so much more than the name above the door. Still with AI and the algorithm- choice is not something the new generation I'll need you'll get served what the results say... sad