Eric's angling

[Justin Cubberley]

So... Eric's has gone the same way as fosters... Climax... And so many others.

I don't have anything against Angling Direct. Though I'm not exactly comfortable with all the independents joining these ranks.

I suppose I should be happy that the business is still going as a viable concern within our sport but feel that sooner or later another business will lose its identity and become engulfed into what is now a substantial company with regard to its locations.

 

[Bob Watson]

Once AD has the monopoly, what do you think will happen with prices?

 

[Gerry Giles]

Apparently Eric`s at Farlows just down the road from me are keeping all of the staff and thats great news because they are all top lads very helpful that know their stuff
and hopefully with their increased bulk buying they will continue to sell at discounted prices
after all they will still !!!!!!!! have to compete with online retailers that have very small profit margins

 

[Dave Preston]

Shelton's in Peterborough is having a closing down sale after many years trading, I've shopped there the last 30 years at least. Internet and Angling Direct to blame I should think, I loved walking the shop there and could easily spend an hour doing so. Always got great advice from the guys there. A big loss to Peterborough and angling in the area.

 

[Nicholas Cole]

Apparently Eric`s at Farlows just down the road from me are keeping all of the staff and thats great news because they are all top lads very helpful that know their stuff
and hopefully with their increased bulk buying they will continue to sell at discounted prices
after all they will still !!!!!!!! have to compete with online retailers that have very small profit margins

Keeping the staff for now. Maybe. At some point soon there will be an 'offer' to transfer to an AD employment contract or take redundancy. Resulted in a big turnover of staff at the former Fosters.

 

[Stephen Goderski]

Please don't think that this post is having a pop at anyone on here, that is definitely not my intention.

It's all very well bemoaning when your local tackle shops closes down / goes bust / becomes an Angling Direct, but it can be difficult supporting such shops if they don't help themselves.

Obviously not all shops are the same, but I can think of three relatively local shops (30 minute drive radius) who in the past twelve months have not fulfilled orders for specific items of tackle for me, in all instances despite assuring me that they have accounts with the respective manufacturers and can obtain the items very quickly.

This is then the last I hear from them. If I chase, I get the same story - I'll order it now and call you when it arrives. Then nothing again.

In the end, I get fed up and order online, inevitably for cheaper then the price I would have paid in the tackle shop. I actually want to support my local shops - I like going in and having a poke around and a natter with the staff - and I don't want to be like so many people I know who will see an item in their local shop and then go online and get it as cheaply as possible, but what can anybody do in this situation?

 

[Justin Cubberley]

Just to make further comment on the above thread. I don't think that your local corner shop style tackle shop is under any threat from a AD take over. In my opinion they have only shown interest in those I'd class as a super store.
I don't think that those involed within the supply chain will be overly pleased with the growth of AD. No company likes to have the bulk of its trade within one distributior. If your Mr Drennan, what do you do when you are TOLD that your trading terms are no longer acceptable and that to maintain relations as a supplier to the AD empire you must do x y z?
Thats another point too...i have 3 AD stores in my say 10 mile radius. Whilst stock levels may vary, I can tell you after visiting one store what the others will stock and perhaps describe to you how each will be displayed.
Don't get me wrong. This is not a bad thing when again you think of what the alternative is... But I just fear that my tackle shop visits are going to be as exciting as looking at a McDonald's menu...
Then of course, you can look at the Thomas Cook business example. Multiple locations doesn't always reflect in the business being a viable one.

 

[Justin Cubberley]

Just as a little experiment with regard to AD...
Heres my brief recap of the stocked items in my local 3 stores
The korda and Nash tackle displays tend to own what I'd class as the specialist section. What should be a dedicated area for ESP and Gardner is mixed and jumbled and clearly a after thought and I'd probably go as far to say that the likes of Fox appear to be in 3rd place with regard to how their items get displayed.
With regard to specialist luggage. It's my opinion that the AD own brand takes president.
Is be interested to hear if your stores are any different?

 

[Chris Jones]

Just to make further comment on the above thread. I don't think that your local corner shop style tackle shop is under any threat from a AD take over. In my opinion they have only shown interest in those I'd class as a super store.

Anything of a decent size with a mail/internet order presence seems fair game. It seems that the mail/internet presence seems to be the more significant bit though.

 

[Bob Watson]

I think I may have said before, I always tried to support my local shop, I'd quite often say to the owner can you get me **** and he'd say yes, I'd go back a week next week,

"did you get it?"

"Er,,,,,the rep says it'll be a couple of weeks" or something along those lines was the usual answer and I wasn't expecting stupid price matches either.

I try to support my local, but give us a chance to support you!!

He closed down a couple of weeks ago!

 

[Dave Quinn]

Just to make further comment on the above thread. I don't think that your local corner shop style tackle shop is under any threat from a AD take over. In my opinion they have only shown interest in those I'd class as a super store.
I don't think that those involed within the supply chain will be overly pleased with the growth of AD. No company likes to have the bulk of its trade within one distributior. If your Mr Drennan, what do you do when you are TOLD that your trading terms are no longer acceptable and that to maintain relations as a supplier to the AD empire you must do x y z?
Thats another point too...i have 3 AD stores in my say 10 mile radius. Whilst stock levels may vary, I can tell you after visiting one store what the others will stock and perhaps describe to you how each will be displayed.
Don't get me wrong. This is not a bad thing when again you think of what the alternative is... But I just fear that my tackle shop visits are going to be as exciting as looking at a McDonald's menu...
Then of course, you can look at the Thomas Cook business example. Multiple locations doesn't always reflect in the business being a viable one.

Not saying it’s going to happen but if they become so dominant in the market there’s nothing to stop AD from driving the profit margins of some of the manufacturers down so low that the business is no longer viable and then buying them out.