Are we still being ripped off?

I have just bought two reels and 12 Hokkais including Postage for £150 sterling today. The reels were an ABU 6500 CS Rocket & a Shimano AERLEX XS7000. These were bought from Torbay Angling in the UK. I called up and I went through my requirements with the assistant who was extremely knowledgeable and HELPFUL. After 10 minutes we had decided on what I wanted and needed - not what he had in stock. Even though some of the models he suggested were cheaper elsewhere (I was looking at them on the internet as he mentioned them so I could see what I was buying) it was the service that clinched the deal.

I've recently bought an IMAX beachcaster here in Ireland but had to buy a cheapie reel (€100) with it. The reel has packed after 3 sessions - the rachet is stuffed. I like to keep local tackle shops going too but there is no way I'm spending that sort of money on a "noname" reel again.

RIP OFF Ireland it may well be but at least we are never far from the coast and Bin Laden's not after my ass - one of the reasons I came home to Ireland - to provide a safe"R" place to live. I knew it was going to cost more but theres my choice.

Balance all the things important to you in your life and purchases and make your decision. Sometimes you call it right the other times it's a learning opportunity!

Mac,

What items do you know of that have a 200% mark-up before Vat ?

What no one here has mentioned is any loyalty discount, does your local shop not give you a better deal than the passer-by gets ?

I have lived in Ireland for almost 6 years, before that the UK and I visit the US quite a lot fishing, believe me in both the UK and the US anglers have the same gripe about prices.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not contradicting your boys, but if any businessman charges more than the market will pay he wont do much business, to quote mail order is a little unfair, the seller may be doing it from his bedroom and not paying any taxes.

I know the items I have any control over are not sold at prices over the top, as stated I am 100% aware of what the market will pay, any more and the sales figures go down and that does nobody any good.

Tom.

The arguement that market conditions will prevail on those charging exhorbitant prices is flawed. Unlike for instance, petrol stations where there is usually another garage within a kilometre tackle shops are usually well spaced out. This makes comparisons difficult and lessens the incentive to price competitively. Given that the vast majority of purchases from shops in any one go come to less than €50 most anglers (certainly me) will shop locally given that there is very little deviation in prices among the relatively few tackle shops within say a 20 mile radius.
Keeping it economical I expect to pay more for a brand name such as Mustad or Shimano than I do for a "no name" brand. This is accepted. However in the 3 shops which I use semi regularly consumables such as beads, swivels, elastic cotton etc which are packed in clear plastic packs and have no discernible brand are as expensive as all the rest. Thats what cheeses me off.

Wanna talk about being ripped off??

There is a very good reason to why swedes buy there stuff on overseas mail..

Take for instance floating beads like the ones Veals sell...
http://www.veals.co.uk/acatalog/Veals_C ... es_76.html

they are the ones on top on that page..

1.50 £ for 10 beads the price in sweden is 1,14 GBP for 4 beads now thats a rippoff...

Hooks, swivels, baitclips and many other things is just like the beads.. marked up.. To buy gear in sweden will cost you an arm and a leg.


Many things have more or less a 100% mark-up in swedish stores and when it comes to surfcasting equipment the stock is nill....!! cant find it here, where i live in swedens third largest city i know of 3 guys using surfcasting gear.

Mac,

What items do you know of that have a 200% mark-up before Vat ?

I have been to several tackle trade shows......... Your jaw would drop if you seen the prices of tackle before vat and mark up. For a mid range fishing rod or reel you looked at the wholesale price multiplied by 1.8 and added vat @ 21%

Thanks how I know.

Kev