Need some honest answers!

[Wes-N-VA]

My questions:

1. If any of you had a metal detecting store/shop that sold a few of the top brand metal detectors; Minelab, White's, Tesoro, ect.... how many would stop by and visit on a regular basis? The shop would also sell various digging equipment, pinpointers, probes, pouches and displayed relics for buy, trade, or sell.

2. Would you prefer to deal with a local small business owner with actual field use in the brands being sold or deal with the big block stores over the internet?

3. What would you like to see if such a shop existed in your area?

4. How far would you drive to do business?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!

Wes

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

Agony and Death on a Gold Rush Steamer: The Disastrous Sinking of the Side-Wheeler Yankee Blade - Grab it through Amazon!

[thompy]

well Ive never dealt with a local shop, the one we have stocks the bottom end whites, and were not very insight full, but i talked my father into a unit up north and the dealer was pretty helpful there, if you have a good shop and a selection of units to choose from i would deal with them, study on the net the machines that you are intrested in then see your dealer for some in hand tests. iguess if you know what you are looking for, as what type of hunting you want to do it make your search much easyer, i have bought many off the big-e , and some from Dallas in the dealers section, great to work with. but you cannot beat checking out peoples reviews and sorting through the good and BS to get a good idea how a machine should work for you, and take in account different areas have there own soil mineral contents.
well after checking out all the machines you have i guess it comes down to how you feeel about you local dealer and what kind of deal you feel he is offering you

 

[Magic Fingers]

Here in Montana you could end up driving awhile to find a store. There was one in Missoula that I would stop in when I had extra time while in town. He never had any machines in stock the 6 months I kept checking. I think he only wanted to order a detector when you were ready to buy it!! I ended up ordering one on-line. I felt that a store should carry a good assortment. I didn't even see any "supplies".
Good customer service is a MUST.

 

[johnnycat]

I would shop at a local shop if the shop had the selection and more than a basic knowledge of their products. I would then compare prices against the, 'big boys'. If all things are even I would consider customer service as the final, 'kicker'. I guess to sum it all up I would have to feel that I bought the machine I wanted at a fair price and I was treated with courtesy.

 

[Kentucky Kache]

Look into refurbished machines.

 

[Huck Mucus]

If you are working up a Business Plan, keep in mind, brick and mortar has a very hard time keeping competative with the internet these days. People come in, finger your merchandize, milk you for your knowlege for free, get your best price, go home and compare with the on-line prices. IF you can beat those prices, they come back and buy from you. But you have rent, electricity, insurance, sales tax, blah blah blah that on-line outfits don't have to deal with.

IF you have a enlightened customer base that knows the value of a face and hands on, personal communication, then they *may* be willing to pay you more for your product and service. But if you are giving the service away for free, they buy cheap and then come get your help. Oh, but to all their friends, you are their "buddy who is an expert who told them . . ." and they always come in the store and pal up with their buddy to drink coffee and talk shop.

I like to pretend that I am better than that, and that I support my local dealers, but in the end, sometimes money talks. I often end up with a cheap peice of plastic crap from China/Wal-Mart that is replaced for free when it breaks (after all the miles and time and frustration), but which is really not worth it in the end. It's a tough call. Sometimes saving a few hundred on the internet is not worth it. Pay a few hundred more in respect for a businessman/woman who dares to open a real shop and it may pay off. But even if you pay more, you may be the lone ranger, and the shop may still go out of business because not every one is so enlightened.

It's that damn invisible hand.

 

[Montana Jim]

(I posted this right after Huck posted above... I agree with him but wrote a lot less... LOL)


It's hard to keep a specialty shop open now-a-days with the internet.

I might hang out in one for a minute or two - but not like I will hang out in a Harley Davidson dealership... LOL

A fella would hav to keep a HUGE stock on hand, be more knowledgable and dependable than the internet experience, and offer tons of help, information, and equipment.

I think the closest shop to me is in Helena, 1 1/2 hours away. I have NEVER bothered to drive there. And I live in the "Treasure" state!

 

[Eu_citzen]

I'll answer as well as I can.

1. Depends on price, service, advertising, position.. And similar.

2. Here the main question for me is price, if I can get machine "A" for 100$ at one place though the internet offers a price of 50$ guess where I'll buy?? There are forums to help learn the machine, often books and other sources.

3. Equipment obviously.

4. Depends on price of the machine and so.. If the price can make up for the gas in comparison to the competitor I'll gladly drive a bit.

 

[Wes-N-VA]

I'll answer as well as I can.

1. Depends on price, service, advertising, position.. And similar.

2. Here the main question for me is price, if I can get machine "A" for 100$ at one place though the internet offers a price of 50$ guess where I'll buy?? There are forums to help learn the machine, often books and other sources.

3. Equipment obviously.

4. Depends on price of the machine and so.. If the price can make up for the gas in comparison to the competitor

I'll gladly drive a bit.

Thank you all for your opinions and advice. Some very good insight and honesty, which is what i was looking for. I welcome more comments. Also, the area I live in is a huge Civil War area with Petersburg, Richmond, Williamsburg, Yorktown being an hour and a half or less away. So, I would say relic hunters would be the draw. The beach is very close also and that would draw the coin and jewelry guys and gals out there. I agree with the cost factor.

The internet is the kicker with the special deals, but after the sale who do you really call for help? They usually do not have time to talk and show hands on stuff. Oh, I guess the good old days of mom and pop service is truly dieing if not already dead. I think this would be a great 2nd business opportunity for me(I am off 20 days a month from the fire department)....nothing like working in the field you love and helping others find treasure and history and seeing the effects of your service when they bring in their first bullet, button, ring, ect... Thanks guys!

Wes

 

[Tin Nugget]

I can tell you it can work. I travel 85 miles round trip to get to a shop and would travel further if I had to. He started out as a Whites dealer I believe about 30 years ago. He now sells, displays and stocks a complete line of Whites, Fisher, Minelab, Tesoro and Garrett. He also keeps all the coils, extra shafts and parts in stock. Diggers, headphones, books etc. He has no web site but does a Hugh mail order because of all the people that have dealt with him throughout the years. If you call them they will send you a price list and nobody on the internet has better prices. NOBODY! When price is not an issue I will drive the miles so I can browse, try stuff out and then put my money down and walk out with my stuff. I am sure part of his success is from being in business so long and having built a Hugh customer base over the years and it may be harder to do now. You may want to call them. I am sure they would answer your questions and who better to get the answers from then someone that has been doing it so long. Good Luck!
http://www.whitesdealers.com/we/sitebuilder/displaypage.asp?pgid=1156&secid=119&frame=yes

 

[Mona Lisa]

I buy from a local dealer. His shop is in his basement so there's low overhead for him.

He services what he sells, too. He has fixed my machines more than once for next to nothing. He deserves my support.

He has a broad sales area because he's the only White's dealer for 60 plus miles in any direction. I'm in a rural area.

I don't think he's getting rich but I think it's a great enterprise for a retiree or for someone like you who has extra time.

 

[warsawdaddy]

I have never been quoted a higher price than the internet from my dealer(s).I have traded units over the internet.I drive 85mi each way to do business with one person because he's honest and knows his equipment.His shop is also his basement but it is clean,neat and he has a tremendous inventory.Before I became acquainted with him,I dealt with another dealer not much further in distance,just the other direction.I had bought 3 units previously from him,but the last one I had trouble with and found out his distributor and him were handling refurbished as new.I haven't been back.If you have a clean,neat and well stocked shop,you will do ok if you have the traffic for it.That means getting involved locally with clubs/hunts anything to get to know the detectorists in your area.You need to know your distributor and visit the mfg'rs also.Now,having said all this,I have seen higher prices from dealers advertising on the net.You have to know that there is the need for it(dealership).

 

[seger98]

Having units in stock would be the big thing, alot of people buy on impulse, I wanted a X-terra 70, I called Kellyco & they were out, they said they would call me when the shipment came in, guess what? They never called me back, so I looked elsewhere, I got it through a different place "metaldetectors.com" long story short.............. I wanted one, I would have bought from a local business but there was none around Northern Wi. even if it would have cost me $50 more.

My 2 cents


Chris

 

[markmopar]

One of the problems Suffolk has is that everyone seems to think it's "too far away" from the rest of the Hampton Roads area.
My brother works at Southern Gun Works in downtown Suffolk and they deal in all types of military antiques and firearms. A lot of Civil War stuff, too. They constantly hear that when people from the Beach or Yorktown or Norfolk or even Chesapeak call.
"Oh, you guys are in Suffolk? I don't know, that's a long drive..."

 

[arizonaames]

I used to deal with a local shop in Reno. However, with dealers like Kellyco, it is difficult, if not impossible, to compete with selling new equipment. The edge that you would have would be with used equipment. You would have to buy right and to sell at a good markup. Accessories would also give you an edge as well as other mining equipment. I live in MI now but, just the other day, I called Reno prospecting supplies and ordered a super magnet from him. I could have got it cheaper online but I will be out there again and want him to stay in business. He carries all kinds of used mining equipment from pans to backhoes....jim

 

[XL-PRO PRO]

Consider the old-time hardware stores.They once sold single nuts & bolts.You could buy a single part for a faucet or whatever and get free instructions on how to install it.However, these were all low profit items and they had to make their living by selling larger items usually at a reasonable profit.Their merchandise was mostly of the highest quality.Enter China.Two items which look very similar on the outside but completely different in composition and quality.Most people choose the cheaper of the two and only later discovered that they had purchased a peice of junk.Meanwhile,the store owners who held out for quality products were slowly starved out of business.Nowadays if you're a doit your selfer its very hard if not impossible to find knowledgable sales people and quality products or small parts to fix something.I left the autoparts business for this very reason(got tired of opening boxes & seeing made in china)DBULL

 

[Big Jeff]

If you want a new TDI you are going to have to go to a local TDI certified dealer 'cause thats the only way White's is selling them.

 

[mark v]

There is a hobby shop near me that sells White's. They would not budge on the manufacturers suggested retail price.
I bought my White's from a dealer on line and it was about $400.00 cheaper. Same machine but a lot less expensive.

 

[stefen]

Let me answer by telling a true story that happened in my neighborhood...

An Albertson's market was moving into our rural community and the store representatives approached our only pharmacy and offered the pharmacist a job as the manager (5 year contract) of the market now under construction.

In addition, Albertsons stated that as a full-service market and with their popular lower-prices, they would soon (and unintentionally) bankrupt the pharmacy. So they offered to purchase the pharmacy at-market-value.

This was a 'Good Neighbor' policy that was well appreciated by the community.

Usually big-box stores will drive many local competitors out of business...usually intentionally.

So, as already stated by others, a brick & mortor store cannot compete against big-box or On-line businesses regardless of the quality and depth of specialty experience.

 

[gamiller]

Wes I am no expert but I think having a local shop would be good ,but if it were me I'd probably try to maintain a web presence .