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xpman

Ordering online

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Okay here it goes with fly shops falling everywhere online has become one of the only sources of materials for tiers.

I know that many order online tying materials sight unseen and without the ability to cherry pick materials how many items have you bought that was wrong or poor quality? That bag of marabou you got for a dollar was below standards or wrong shade and was not worth returning, so has anyone added up the mistakes and still think ordering online is worth it?

xpman

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In that I have no option but ordering online I have to take my chances. If there was a local fly shop I doubt it would close because I'd support it. Have I had some disappointments? Sure, but with the main line dealers they have been few and far between and I've never been good at returning things. Some of the things I've gotten ordering that didn't work for me were because of sizes. When you can pick an item up and look at it you know if it's what you're looking for or not. Example...ordered Sculpin heads in Medium and Large. When they came I turned right around and order small size for a swap I ordered them for. The large head is too big and heavy for even "chuck and duck" fly fishing, the medium is the heaviest I'd want flying by my head at 75mph, and the small makes a perfect size for tying a sculpin imitation IMO. The large I've tied to use on some articulating bass lures for the spinning rod or casting rod.

 

I have a number of very good and reliable sellers I trust and I can log in, pick my items, do one-click paypal and a couple of days later it's in the PO Box.

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I have not been disappointed often with online orders. And I order quite a bit, but I usually order fairly safe items.

One time I did not, I ordered a pheasant tail that came folded in a package with some damage to the tip of the longest feathers. Cosmetically, I was not happy, but it really wasn't a big deal. I will never use all the fibers anyway.

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xp ... I don't know if you're trying to start an argument or not. This topic comes up a few times a year, it seems, and there are always people who religiously support one side or the other.

 

I am one of those that believes it is the shop's responsibility to support ME ... not my responsibility to support the shop. If they want my business, then give me two things.

1. Lower prices when I physically visit the store. If I am going to make the drive, I should pay less than the convenience of delivery.

2. The option to order from them online.

 

If they aren't willing to meet those two provisions, then they aren't after my money.

 

To answer your question ... of the items I've bought from online sources, I have not regretted a single one. So, yes, ordering online is worth it.

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I've always bought 50-75% of my fishing and tying gear and supplies online, and I can't remember ever getting anything that was just wrong or of poor quality. I've frankly had far more disappointments of that nature shopping in some of the fly shops here.

I agree with Mike about supporting fly shops -- they're there to serve me. If they want my money, they need to be well stocked, knowledgeable and friendly. In twenty years living and fishing in Michigan, I've found exactly two shops that meet those criteria, and I will go out of my way to buy from both of them whenever I can. The rest I buy from only if I run out of something crucial that I need to fish that day, and they are my only option.

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I'm not that picky with my material and will use whatever is sent to me. since I'm not a material aficionados I can't really tell what's good, better or best. All I know is it all works. Size is sometimes and issue so some things I won't buy online, like bucktails. I prefer buying bucktails in person.

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when you expect to receive this quality for tying wet style wings

 

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but receive this

 

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well.....all is not lost. there is some other uses for the feather above.

 

so has anyone added up the mistakes and still think ordering online is worth it?

 

absolutely worth it to me!

 

my "local" fly shop (bears den, taunton, mass) is about 75 miles away and i only drive there when its absolutely necessary.

 

there are 2 bass pro shops (70 + or - miles away) and one cabelas (40 miles away) that just have very limited fly tying supplies and not really a "fly shop"

 

if you do get an ugly duckling from an online purchace try to think of another use for it. be creative. experiment.

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you just need to know what you want- and perhaps for an inexperienced tyer that isn't always easy. Any synthetics that you have knowledge of should be just fine. Some natural materials are so variable that there is no way I'd order them online without some sort of guarantee-- such as bucktails and deer body hair. go to any fly shop and look at bucktails- the same color tails on the same peg- and if you know what you are looking at, you will find a few which are total garbage, most which are barely adequate, and one or two which are really good.

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more often than not, the person putting your order together is probably not someone with tying experience. they just pull your items off the pegboard

 

if you really need a specific item, the retailer usually has a comment section on their order page and the also have a "contact us" page

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Every time I have received a material by mistake by an online company, and that is very rare, they have always quickly sent me the correct material and told me to keep the incorrect one at no charge. The same has been true with a product that I thought was of poor quality. I have no problem with ordering sight unseen, as long it is a reputable company that I have dealt with in the past.

 

Joe

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I have a Bass Pro shop about 80 miles away. Been in three times and was ignored each time.

Cabelas is abut 160 miles away with a Bass Pro shop close to it.

I end up ordering online.

If I want something specific I call and talk to some one.

 

Rick

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I think this issue is often framed incorrectly.

 

Rather than local fly shop vs online ordering I see it as local (to me) flyshop vs local (to someone else) flyshop. In other words, a GOOD fly shop, big or small, will rise to the top of the list for folks everywhere.

 

In a sense, every flyshop is local.

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Yes, years ago, I occasionally was quite disappointed by the goods I'd ordered sight unseen (feathers that you'd hesitate to stuff a pillow with, etc. - the worst offender I can ever recall had to be Herters forty years ago....). Over time you learn which suppliers are trustworthy and which are likely to let you down... The ones that provide the right grade and color, with a reasonable price, in good condition will have you coming back to them over and over... Outfits that don't - simply won't be around long....

 

I'm a guy who buys feathers (strung neck and saddles as well as strung maribou blood quill) by the pound, deertails and kiptails in bulk, etc. so you learn over time. For tyers starting out - you're probably much better off making a pilgrimage to a quality shop where you can look and handle the goods. By the way, the only way I ever learned anything about the materials side of tying was to ask the folks that produce, process, package and ship the goods I needed. On the wholesale side of feathers - there are actually a bit different terms and actual names for things that you're familiar with in a shop.... so it's always a learning experience.

 

Hope I never quit learning....

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more often than not, the person putting your order together is probably not someone with tying experience. they just pull your items off the pegboard

 

if you really need a specific item, the retailer usually has a comment section on their order page and the also have a "contact us" page

There ya go....

Never an issue with online orders on my end...Bearsden,J Stockard, Superfly and many many others.

The only worries I'd ever have about ordering online would be with deerhair and high-quality dry fly hackle.

I call on those or put notes in my order.

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