fly tying materials online

[Carolina Boy]

Hear hear flat and fly!

[mcfly]

Flat Fly n:

Actually no, I buy cars new and drive them until they are beyond repair. I never trade-in a car.

I also just bought materials online (that will be used longer than a year of course) along with a new reel, flyline, and backing from someone other than LRO who offered an online catalogue. I did this at night during hours that LRO was closed and from a location far from Townsend and will continue to do this. It took 30 minutes to locate and less than 1 minute to execute the order.


I am incredibly baffled by the responses on this post. I shouldn't have to keep a list, call, and have another person order something that may or may not be what I am looking for exactly and then wait longer than standard for the shipment from the vendor. For a very small investment in certain technology, good inventory management and outbound/inbound practices along with a couple of weeks of set-up time, this comprehensive catalogue can be easily accomplished by a qualifed person. I know because I've done it before with other products, and would do it with fly-tying materials if I had the vendor relationships and fly-tying industry knowledge that a shop like LRO has.

In the meantime, I'll get used to the anti-capitalistic society that we are apparently living in.

[jeffnles1]

I also just bought materials online (that will be used longer than a year of course) along with a new reel, flyline, and backing from someone other than LRO who offered an online catalogue

Was that really necessary? I mean, you're free to buy stuff anywhere you wish, that is capatilism, but was it really necessary to stand in the middle of LRO's shop and state that?

Byron and Paula run a business and offer this forum for those of us who are crazy enough to go chasing trout in the mountains so that we can have a place to talk.

They offer an outstanding website and online catalog. I know first hand how many hours the shop personnel put into maintaining the website, photographing the items and running the business.

Byron and Paula are two of the nicest people you'd ever want to meet.

Jeff

[tire guy]

"In the meantime, I'll get used to the anti-capitalistic society that we are apparently living in."

This statement is uncalled for. The owners and staff of LRO have made this forum available to you at no cost. They have established their business model and it is their business, but as friends of mine I will defend them. There is nothing anti-capitalistic about loyal customers offering you a compromise to your complaint. An anti-capitalistic society would be based upon welfare and if you are not making at least some of your purchases from LRO then you are expecting benefits without paying for them. Personally I find it encouraging for a business to change and adapt without compromising the needs of their customers. The standards by which LRO operate could not possibly incorporate your ideas in a couple of weeks. Look at the details of their catalog, it is not just a quick link to a manufacture's web site. They take great pride in their business watch how the Message Board is monitored by an owner not just staff and the Fishing Report is written daily with fresh information. LRO is building a community here and it is appreciated by most anyway. I will get off my stump now and go sit down.

Byron, Paula, and Daniel if I am out of line please forgive me.

[David Knapp]

Originally Posted by mcfly

For a very small investment in certain technology, good inventory management and outbound/inbound practices along with a couple of weeks of set-up time, this comprehensive catalogue can be easily accomplished by a qualifed person. I know because I've done it before with other products, and would do it with fly-tying materials if I had the vendor relationships and fly-tying industry knowledge that a shop like LRO has.

Having worked at LRO in the past, I can assure you that it is a bit more complicated and time consuming than that. There is not much money in selling fly tying materials compared to other items. In my opinion, it would be a waste of manpower to devote as much time and energy as would be required to add all the fly tying materials (plus everything they don't carry) to the online catalogue and maintain it. If you want to purchase from other shops fine. I'm sure everyone does it occasionally when travelling, etc., but why brag about it on a forum that they kindly provide for us free of charge? I think that everyone would just like to see a little respect...

[PeteCz]

Not to completely dogpile on this one, but capitalism is:

An economic system in which the means of production and distribution are privately or corporately owned and development is proportionate to the accumulation and reinvestment of profits gained in a free market.
Source: Dictionary.com

The whole point of capitalism I believe lies in the ability to make a profit. Most companies that may offer tying materials in an online catalog usually do so in the hopes to sell more of their profitable merchandise along with spools of thread, hooks and dubbing (which are very marginally profitable).

There is next to zero profit in carrying and selling fly tying materials. I believe that a business decision was made by LRO to not go to the expense of carrying materials online (its not the sheer volume of the materials as you suggested, but the lack of profit in the maintenance of the catalog, etc when compared to the expense needed to keep it running at a quality level commensurate with the rest of the site).

If you have a problem with that, then it is definitely your right to take your money and spend those dollars elsewhere (free market economy). I don't think anyone has a problem with that. But to rail against the sponsors of the forum is overboard and unwarranted and I think most of would prefer you tone it down.

If you can't, don't waste your time posting again.

The world is filled with too many angry, disgruntled folks that have nothing better to do than spend time complaining about how the world should work. If you believe that there is a better way to do something, by all mean go do it. If you think there is such a tremendous opportunity to make a profit - go serve it. That's capitalism...

[kytroutman]

To put it real simple, if it ain't broke, don't try to fix it.

[Stonefly]

Originally Posted by PeteCz

If you can't, don't waste your time posting again.

Well said.

sb

[Carolina Boy]

Most people hit the brakes when they see they might be in error, this guy hits the accelerator? In a game as difficult as flyshop ownership LRO is an example for all other shops and Byron and Paula are 2 of the nicest people in the industry, it is what they offer beyond mere tinsel and lines that creates an environment where we as customers remain loyal and choose sacrifice, if you can really call it that, and order stuff one day earlier to get what we need that they may have to order for us. We do this in order to support such a wonderful business and family. This is what makes capitalism work on the local level, customer care and relationships. And having seen Byron's elaborate photo studio I can tell you it takes far more effort than you may realize to photograph a million materials just so you can see the different colors of dubbing and thread? As far asd being baffled by the response from the board, well it's pretty simple round here, we take care of our own, and I think that all of us would say that we are very protective of the wonderful community and opportunities that Byron & Paula and all the LRO staff work so hard to afford us.

[Paula Begley]

Guys, we really appreciate all of the positive comments and support.

We also appreciate the comments/criticisms we receive. Without such, we would not grow.

That said, we at LRO made the decision to not carry fly tying materials on our online catalog, and the reasons for that have been amply explained by others. We are a small business trying to do the best that we can to meet all of the needs of our customers. There will always be some whose needs cannot be met, despite our best efforts. That's fine. You can't be all things to all people.

Let's just leave it at that.

Paula