***** RM SMITH JOINTED***** - Striper Talk Striped Bass Fishing, Surfcasting, Boating

mikecc · 10-11-2007, 08:21 PM

VERY LIMITED SUPPLY

WALK IN ORDERS ONLY

zimmy · 10-12-2007, 11:58 AM

ugh

oke: I wish they were in a week ago

leftyfan · 10-12-2007, 05:48 PM

hmmm that is an awful far walk for me-I always order from you guys but can only do the mail order

irlnd32 · 10-13-2007, 01:41 PM

Ya, that's a long walk for me.

Especially after acl surgery.

luds · 10-13-2007, 01:54 PM

Sometimes when you get a limited supply you gotta help out your Local guys.

leftyfan · 10-13-2007, 04:45 PM

agree luds but u also have to help out the guys that buy stuff all year long

cardnial77 · 10-13-2007, 05:15 PM

i can under stand why it is walk in only on theese. the ones posted on the other forums store where gone in what 6 minutes. and many of those will never see the water

mikecc · 10-13-2007, 06:15 PM

The problem a few of the plug makers are not happy with plugs going on ebay and other sites for 2-3 times what they pay for them. They want us to keep our prices down.
Some guy’s claim they are going to fish them and then they are selling for huge profit. Just this week they were selling for
$50-$70 each online & He sells every one he can get.
Then they call me up to see when my next order is coming in.

Would you rather me raise the prices or just limit to 1 per person per order.
I say that because that is all they're purchasing when they order online. You don't have to look far to see who the guys are. I could sell every plug to just 1 guy if he had it his way and I know for a fact he will place them on ebay.

What do you think I should do? Lets hear it

ProfessorM · 10-13-2007, 06:19 PM

I think 1 per person per week is fair, knowing they will be gone in a day or two. That way some get to have at least one if they can't get to the shop.

PrisonFish · 10-13-2007, 06:35 PM

Mike,

I appluad you for this. Many shop owners claim to be afraid of losing business by limiting custom plug purchases. We all know that this is not the case. I know this probably makes things more difficult for you but this is the best way to assure that a greater number of plugs go from your shop to the end of someones line, and not take a detour through some mark-up happy middleman.

Kudos!

BigFish · 10-13-2007, 06:41 PM

Mike.....I also applaud you! You can't please all the people all the time.....do what you think is right!!

Looks like you did......applause!

striperking70 · 10-13-2007, 07:29 PM

But what is stopping someone from walking in and buying all of them? Or is there a limit you can buy when you walk in. I know I would like to buy 2 and fish them but I live way too far away.

leftyfan · 10-13-2007, 07:31 PM

A limit on the hard to get custom plugs is very fair and will enable more people to buy/fish them. I hope you continue to offer the harder to get customs online. I have placed a bunch of orders with your shop as you always have a great selection of products(not just plugs) at very fair prices.

striperondafly · 10-13-2007, 07:39 PM

1 per order is fair - what some are doing on Ebay is BS I'll leave it at that

mikecc · 10-13-2007, 08:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by striperking70

But what is stopping someone from walking in and buying all of them? Or is there a limit you can buy when you walk in. I know I would like to buy 2 and fish them but I live way too far away.

I have a limit of 2 in the shop

FishNH · 10-13-2007, 08:58 PM

If you get limited supply you should do what you feel best for your customers.

saltydog · 10-14-2007, 06:26 AM

Mike. I will have to agree w/ you on whats going on. it's to bad for some of use that have to drive an hour or so. an will never get to have one . let alone hold in hand.well thats life.
see you next saturday need more supplys, maby you might have one I could even see

GOOD LUCK GOOD PLUGGIN

zimmy · 10-14-2007, 02:31 PM

I see no reason why they need to go on the webite. In my opinion, having a website is really a business decision to increase sales for your business. If it is something that is going to sell quickly, why bother going through adding to the website. 2 per person in the shop seems reasonable .

lurch · 10-15-2007, 07:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikecc

The problem a few of the plug makers are not happy with plugs going on ebay and other sites for 2-3 times what they pay for them. They want us to keep our prices down.
Some guy’s claim they are going to fish them and then they are selling for huge profit. Just this week they were selling for
$50-$70 each online & He sells every one he can get.
Then they call me up to see when my next order is coming in.

Would you rather me raise the prices or just limit to 1 per person per order.
I say that because that is all they're purchasing when they order online. You don't have to look far to see who the guys are. I could sell every plug to just 1 guy if he had it his way and I know for a fact he will place them on ebay.

What do you think I should do? Lets hear it

Thanks for thinking of the local fisherman who will use the plugs!

Personally I think that you should not sell them online and keep them for your regulars because we all know that if you sell them on your site they will be on e-bay the day after for twice the price.

FredS · 10-15-2007, 08:20 AM

I'm in NY and buy all sorts of stuff from Mike online AND there isn't a plug I own that I don't intend to fish--a blanket ban on online sales is BULL--computers are great and can tell you if all a customer buys is hot plugs.The Cowboys at the RISSA show are a good example of people buying in person and flipping em on ebay.Before SWE ever put the batch they didn't sell at the show online they were up on ebay from New England sellers.

timf · 10-15-2007, 10:08 AM

Tough decision to make....I live 1hr away and make trips down there once in a while but buy stuff mostly online. I would love to get my hand on a couple of the jointed to fish, especially out of my yak.

What about setting up a list of those allowed to buy online. Those customers that are regulars either in-shop or online could buy 2. If you find someone selling on ebay then they are off the list.

A someone who is just getting fully into the salt it is tough enough to afford the $20 plugs forget about $50+.

t

Flaptail · 10-15-2007, 10:49 AM

Mike, wise decision. I use that plug often and highly recommend the pearl white and bunker colors.

riverrat2 · 10-15-2007, 11:44 AM

I have no want whatsoever for these plugs but totally agree with Mikes decision. They are his product(once they are bought from the builder) and his dicision. No one is forced to sell things online and in fact the online market is putting a hurting on a lot of other small tackle shops along the coast. If you really need the plugs that bad make the trip.

NIGHT STRIKES · 10-15-2007, 01:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lurch

Thanks for thinking of the local fisherman who will use the plugs!

Personally I think that you should not sell them online and keep them for your regulars because we all know that if you sell them on your site they will be on e-bay the day after for twice the price.

Well not everyone buys online to sell for profit...

Some of us Jersey Guys that like to Fish with High Quailty Custom Plugs Built From Some Of The Finest Fishermen/Craftsmen In New England / NEW YORK Would like to Get Some From Time To Time...

I purchased from all the Big Websites and Even made a trip up to RI back in the spring to stock up and never ever sold a plug in my life....

MAC · 10-15-2007, 01:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FredS

I'm in NY and buy all sorts of stuff from Mike online AND there isn't a plug I own that I don't intend to fish--a blanket ban on online sales is BULL--computers are great and can tell you if all a customer buys is hot plugs.The Cowboys at the RISSA show are a good example of people buying in person and flipping em on ebay.Before SWE ever put the batch they didn't sell at the show online they were up on ebay from New England sellers.

It's not like Mike got a hundred of these. 25 or 30 is more like it. If you begrudge him for not selling these online then so be it. The cowboys aren't even a close analogy either.
How many did the S/E have? Couple of hundred? And as far as the rest of the BMs being available up here; next to never. The guys in NY buy them all. Sometimes we see them at CMS. But not very often.......

Mike Y · 10-15-2007, 03:55 PM

Hey Mike,

No, I was not dissappointed that I could not get some from you even though I've been a customer for a little while. That's the nature of the business. I think you did fine. Sometimes there's enough to go around and sometimes there's not enough. So do what works for you.

I often hear the refrain that plugs are made to be fished. That's fine. I just think differently at times. I think there can be some exceptions or that they can, at least, be enjoyed beyond that single goal. Face it, Ryan Smith is not an average builder -- he is an exception. He is an artist. His paintings just happen to be on some very good fishing lures. If people haven't realized that by now perhaps they should also notice that when artists create art, people will collect it. Me -- I collect some and I fish some. I try to buy two of the ones I would like to collect -- one to fish and one to keep. Sometimes I get three and trade one with other collectors.

Right now I'd say I have about three dozen Smiths that will probably never see the water. Sorry, but I've removed those from the collective pool of the hundreds of lures that Ryan releases every month. Those are mostly unusual scale patterns, mackerals, trout, weakfish, etc. Even my wife, who facetiously complains that I'm "married to fishing and not her," enjoys Ryan's work so much that she wants me to put a display box on the living room wall. If she'll let me hang lures on an upstairs wall I'll do that. The remainder of those that I have in the cave are at risk -- even at risk of bluefish attack.

Thanks again Mike for the times you do have enough to sell a few to me.

Mike

irlnd32 · 10-17-2007, 09:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikecc

The problem a few of the plug makers are not happy with plugs going on ebay and other sites for 2-3 times what they pay for them. They want us to keep our prices down.
Some guy’s claim they are going to fish them and then they are selling for huge profit. Just this week they were selling for
$50-$70 each online & He sells every one he can get.
Then they call me up to see when my next order is coming in.

Would you rather me raise the prices or just limit to 1 per person per order.
I say that because that is all they're purchasing when they order online. You don't have to look far to see who the guys are. I could sell every plug to just 1 guy if he had it his way and I know for a fact he will place them on ebay.

What do you think I should do? Lets hear it

Yes, that would be nice. Once in a blue moon I have been able to order , I have bought from e-pay but only because I cant get some any other way. I would only trade and I have with a few from these parts but I figure how much am I going to make selling a plug on ebay? I definitely rather fish them...

redfin · 10-19-2007, 08:25 PM

Mike can do whatever he wants, he owns the stock. Some may feel using an internet website to advertise product he isn't selling online to be a contradiction of terms but it's a free country. I personally abhor those who A) scarf up plugs with resale their only intent and B) those who buy said plugs with no intent to fish them.

Plugs are meant to be fished, cars driven, good scotch imbibed, etc.

Just my .02 cents

Rob Rockcrawler · 10-19-2007, 11:18 PM

I agree with whatever Mike does. he owns the shop. I live bout 2 hours away and will head there to get just about anything i need. When are you closing the doors and hitting the woods mike? Hoping it is after this weekend.

westhavendave · 10-20-2007, 09:13 AM

Actually guys,for his purposes, he just sold them online by posting this notice. At least if you are in the vicinity you have a chance at a plug, they could have all been bought off the rack by one guy in one day if he did it regular retail.