# Are Proshops a thing of the past ?



## TnRidge (Aug 29, 2004)

There seem to be more and more proshops closing where I live here in Tn. ,and in Michigan from what I have read on this forum .
With ebay ,and internet stores , it seems to be cheaper and more convenient for archers to shop online .
Most of the main bow companies sell through dealers only . I tend to buy more stuff online now , even bows . I do my own bow setup . Nothing against proshops ,I think they are a vital part of the archery industry .
Do you guys shop at proshops for your bow and accessories or buy them online ?


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## anonymous7242016 (Aug 16, 2008)

I haven't bought a bow in 5 years but the last one I bought was at a pro shop. Anything I can't do to my bow myself gets done at a pro shop. I don't trust places like Cabelas or Gander Mt. I like to really test things out before I purchase them. At a pro shop IMO you get more personal attention.


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## Falk (Jan 18, 2005)

Pro shop only.


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## SPITFIRE (Feb 10, 2005)

pro shop for me also.


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## Fur and Feathers (Apr 11, 2007)

We've got a couple in the Flint area, luckily, and that is the only way to go. I have found you do get more personal attention along with the ability to test and try stuff out before you buy it. The only way to go IMO.


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## TnRidge (Aug 29, 2004)

The problem we have in this area are the lack of good proshops within a reasonable distance . There used to be a good proshop only 15 miles away , but they closed last year . Now the better proshops are an hour drive .
I'll still buy a new bow from a proshop , but when I need accessories , I'm shopping online .


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## sullyxlh (Oct 28, 2004)

I would think any serious shooter has there own proshop at home...


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## Michihunter (Jan 8, 2003)

sullyxlh said:


> I would think any serious shooter has there own proshop at home...


Bingo!! With the advent of the internet, more and more people are becoming proficient at doing their own work. Not to mention that you can now shop around the world for just about anything you could ever need. Hard to blame anyone for taking that route.


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## TnRidge (Aug 29, 2004)

Michihunter said:


> Bingo!! With the advent of the internet, more and more people are becoming proficient at doing their own work. Not to mention that you can now shop around the world for just about anything you could ever need. Hard to blame anyone for taking that route.


 That's me ! And the reason why I posted this thread . I wanted to know how many folks shop online for accessories now and do their own setup and tuning ? I realize that most guys buy their new bows at proshops , because most high end bows are sold exclusively through dealers .
But lately there seems to be more and more guys buying used bows online and doing their own setup . My last 3 bows have been purchased used , online .


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## lcounty (Feb 14, 2006)

Don't complain when your proshops close. They can't stay open without customers. Keep ordering on line.


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## TnRidge (Aug 29, 2004)

lcounty said:


> Don't complain when your proshops close. They can't stay open without customers. Keep ordering on line.


 True , they are the lifeblood of the archery industry . I wouldn't order online if I had a proshop nearby . In fact I never shopped online until the local proshop closed . It works both ways .


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## john warren (Jan 25, 2005)

sort of a microcosm for the auto industry and manufacturing in general isn;t it?


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## bigcountrysg (Oct 9, 2006)

With more and more Bass Proshops, and Cabelas, and other places like them opening up. It is making the local proshops strain to keep bussiness. Now yes you get better service at the local proshop. Heck I have 3 good ones with in 15 minutes of my house. 

But people are liking the fact they can buy pretty much all there hunting supplies at one place like cabelas or bass proshop. 

I too do most of my own work to my bow. But when it comes to needing a new string, and tune up. I still like it when the people that do it daily tunemy bow up for me. Two of the shops near me have been in bussiness for a long time. I don't see them closing shop up any time soo. Unless they just retire and decide enough is enough.


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## GuT_PiLe (Aug 2, 2006)

I try to do as much as i can myself....lets face it, its really not a rocket science once you start getting into it and understanding it.

My biggest thing is that you can't take your proshop guy with you up north.

So if something happens at the start of your hunting trip, and you don't know the slightest thing about your equipment...your in a world of trouble.

So for me its not that its cheaper, or too far...its that i'm the type of person that wants to do and understand as much as possible about my equipment in case of any issues that can happen in the field. To me its a must.

Not to mention the "i'm all knowing and better than you, and all the stuff on your rig is JUNK" attitude that unfortunately alot of pro-shop employee's oooze with.

I would love for once to just bring my bow in to get what i want done, without having to hear anything but "no problem" and "appreciate your buisness"


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## Hoyt_em (Aug 2, 2008)

Its kinda hard to want to do business with a Pro shop, when, like mentioned they are shoveling manure at you. For example...I enter a proshop to shoot at the indoor range, and to inquire about a paper league. Proshop...what are you shooting, Me...5 spot preferably. Proshop...no, what kind of bow? some more conversation ensued to which I was told, by the *OWNER* of this shop...you and that Hoyt don't stand a chance on the league with my Mathews boys...


Now tell me why I want to go back again...????


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## eboll (May 6, 2008)

Pro shop only. I go to Bowmans in Brown City and they offer friendly service. They are inexpensive and dependable. I dont trust retail stores


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## bassdisaster (Jun 21, 2007)

sullyxlh said:


> I would think any serious shooter has there own proshop at home...


I have to agree, back in the 3D hay day's(1993-1999) we were all shooting 2 cam compound bows, with Fastflight strings and cables, if you have been around you know what i mean, they were solid sure but the creaping-ist damn thing's ever created!
Constant tuening and retuening for the almost constant creep was a MUST! 
Now most shooters are shooting 1 cam or 1 1/2 cam's and with 452X cables and 8125 strings with almost ZERO creep! so retuening over and over is not an issue!
This basically means the HOME pro shop is DEAD!
I used to make a lot of strings, and was a neet deal, I always had someone wanting a new set, nowa days I get 3-4 sets a year and mostly from my buddies who know I make the best strings and cables ever built! (my opinion)
Its a new world and every day new designs come along, with new tuening problems, But what changes stays the same, proshops are still needed, and those who run them, but not as much as in the past!!

Redline Custom Strings, 

BD


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## fulldraw (Nov 20, 2002)

I recently purchased all the stuff that I need to work on my own bows. But if there is something that I don't know how to do I take it to a pro-shop. Not Cabela's or Gander Mountain. I am not knocking these stores I buy a lot of accessories from these places, but when I comes down to bow repair I won't trust them.


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