$$ for string change?

[snarkybull]

how much do y'all normally pay (or charge, as the case may be) to get work done on your bows?

I just got my string replaced (with my own string) and am wondering how much other shops normally charge for this service.

[earlmarne]

25 bucks

[snarkybull]

I paid $25, also.

I dunno...it just seemed like a lot.  I do my own tuning and last time my string was toast I ended up buying a new bow.  So i've never actually paid somebody to do it before and got a bit of sticker shock.  I used to go to the closest Sportsman's warehouse/wholesale sports.  they served some stuff for free and changed my draw length for free, and helped me out a lot, and a freaking week before they closed the guy said he would change a string for $10.  Consequently, i kept going back and buying stuff there.  bought targets, calls, wax, glue, stabilizer, sling, broadheads, cammies, boots, meat grinder, even a freaking gun and cleaning kit and targets and the list goes on and on.  On the flipside...Cabela's was rude and dismissive of me when I tried to get my draw length adjusted.  I don't buy jack squat from them.  ever.

SW/WS is closed now and I don't know if they will reopen, so I went somewhere new hoping to find "my" new archery shop.  Not in a hurry to return for a 2nd time, though.  Dude said they charge $5 just to put a peep in....really?  I feel nickel and dimed.

I do not want to imply that people that provide services should not be allowed to make profit.  I realize fully that is priority #1.  Maybe I'm in the minority here, but I could have told all my archery buddies to go to this shop (now that SW/WS is closed) but now....meh.  I question the long term wisdom.  I doubt I will return.

This is now my entire recommendation (or lack thereof)......meh.





I left the name and location out intentionally.  I'm not into trashing anybody publicly.

[bloodhound]

its pretty much the standard for archery shops 25 for most stuff. 5 for a peep seems reasonable.  thing you have to remember is there is a pretty big dead season and they have to make all their money for the whole year between about July and October. they make a little in the other months but not enough to keep a shop open and running. just like boat repair shops. we charge 102 an hour. because that's the only way you can make enough money to keep the shop open year round. otherwise we would have to close down for 6 months or more out of the year then when your jet sled breaks down in January you'll have to wait for next may to bring it in to a shop to get it fixed. im pretty sure you'd be a little upset if you broke your bow in late October and couldn't get it fixed till next July and more then willing to pay 5 bucks at that point for a peep when you know your whole late season is on the line.

[JLS]

That's what I'm going to pay this week for the same thing.  I have no problem with it.

[jrebel]

Remember.....always buy your gear from the shop that is doing the work on your bow.  It will save you the shop fee in most cases.    

[snarkybull]

thanks, guys.

I feel reassured that I did not spend $25 foolishly.  But it does not inspire me to return.

I still think it would have been in their better interest long term to make a first time customer (and I was OBVIOUSLY a first time customer) feel like they gave a damn about my future business.

I guess i'm just a penny pinching tight-wad.  I find the best deal on the internet and install the stuff myself.  I buy shafts and cut/fletch them myself.  I am freaking cheap, i suppose. I harvest 140 lbs. of elk meat each year and squabble over lost broadheads.

But I haven't bought a bowpress.  I decided long ago that even $25 every few years was way cheaper than buying a bowpress.

[bobcat]

What do you feel the fee should have been? $25 seems reasonable to me, but then I don't know much about working on bows. I could see it taking a while to install a new string. Heck I pay $20 for a haircut and that only takes about 20 minutes.

[Special T]

 

Remember.....always buy your gear from the shop that is doing the work on your bow.  It will save you the shop fee in most cases.   

I buy my arrows from where i bought my bow, an have always been well taken care of.

[RadSav]

Was that your peep or a peep you were thinking of buying there?  Was the $5.00 for peep and install or just install?

Washington State's minimum wage increased this year to $9.19 per hour.  After the business pays it's state and federal penalties for having said employee that minimum wage is closer to $11.00 per hour.  And most archery shops pay employees much more than that if they have skills. 

Nontubing peep installation tends to be one of the more time consuming services an archery shop offers.  Place bow in $600.00 press, split strands, install peep, tie in safety tie (should be done though some do not), remove bow from press, have archer draw the bow, adjust peep height, put bow back in press, serve peep into place with $1.00 worth of serving thread, remove bow from press, have archer shoot a few arrows to check peep alignment, put bow back in press, rotate string, remove bow from press, repeat as often as it takes to get rotation correct...  And then if the archer has had a new set of string and cables installed they likely will have to repeat a few more times over the next 100 shots until string has settled.  Often the archer does not like his original peep location and another $1.00 in material and additional time to rotate is involved.

At $5.00 for the service the shop will rarely break even on materials plus the employees wage and employers wage penalties.  Let alone actually make a profit.  I'd rather pay $10.00 and have a good archery shop stay in business than get a bargain at a different archery shop every few years.

[snarkybull]

i see your points radsav.  and i agree.  but....

when i walked in and said i wanted a string change, i got a sigh and the *censored* i don't wanna aura.  i used my old peep and got a little bit of help to see if it was in the right place, never shot an arrow. 

the customer service you described would have been worth $25.  and probably more.  even to a tightwad.

[RadSav]

i see your points radsav.  and i agree.  but....

when i walked in and said i wanted a string change, i got a sigh and the *censored* i don't wanna aura.  i used my old peep and got a little bit of help to see if it was in the right place, never shot an arrow. 

the customer service you described would have been worth $25.  and probably more.  even to a tightwad.

So you paid $25.00 for the string put on and then another $5 to install the peep?  Or $25.00 total?  Just trying to clarify so I understand completely.

Unfortunately I meet quite a few business owners and their employees that drive away more business with poor attitudes than they attract.  I like to give second chances to businesses that look to have what I want and need, but there are times when the attitude is so bad I just can not go back regardless of what they have to offer in the way of goods.  Not even a bargain is worth that.  It's sad that it happens so often.  Especially in the archery industry where there are so few choices.

I remember going into a nice archery shop not long ago to make a delivery.  Only one employee there so I had to wait to get paperwork signed since I had followed a potential paying customer into the store.  The customer was one of those rare ones with cash in hand and the decision of what he wanted already made up.  In otherwords a dream customer for a business owner - right?  The customer, who had obviously been in the store before, walked right to the ten Bear bows on the wall and said, "I want to get this Bear Legion and a dozen arrows."  From a distance I'm thinking Man!  This customer is a dream come true   But the employee walked away from him while saying, "You don't want one of those.  They're a piece of sh#t!  You want one of these (as he pulled a $1,200 Hoyt from the rack).  The customer politely said, "No this is the one I can afford.  I've shot it and I like it."  The employee once again voiced his opinion of the bow the customer wanted until this "dream customer" turned away and walked out the door.

As I was getting my paperwork signed I couldn't help but ask why he hadn't just given the customer the bow he wanted.  The response was shocking, "Oh that guy!  I've seen him in here a few times.  He's always looking for the cheap stuff.  He'll be back when he's ready to buy a real bow."  I grabbed my paperwork and walk away shaking my head thinking to myself, "I should raise my prices to this guy and charge him for delivery."

On my way home I stopped by to see if my good friend Battleready at Sportsman's Warehouse wanted to get some lunch.  Now I'm not more than 15 minutes behind this customer that left the proshop.  When I enter the store I see Battleready and this guy from earlier at the customer service desk shaking hands.  Battleready says, "I'll have that ready for you in about an hour." (so much for lunch )   In about 15 minutes the dream customer bought a R2H bow, dozen arrows, nice release, string wax, a RAD peep , a dozen field points, a package of Muzzy broadheads and what I think was a Black Hole target.  I'm just guessing, but I'd say he probably dropped seven bills in 15 minutes.  That's about $45.00 per minute of Battleready's time.  And best of all he walked out with a big smile on his face.  Everything the pro shop could have had if he'd only listened to the customer and not been an a-hole.

Duke Savora said it best on my first day working for him, "You can never guarantee you're going to be the smartest guy in the room.  But, it is within your ability to always be the most helpful and courteous."

[Old Dog]

Spot on!     My daddy always told me " You'll catch more flys with honey than you will with vinegar."  I never did figure out what to do with all the flys I caught though.   

[wildmanoutdoors]

Im in the same boat with service. Its not that my local shop isnt helpful. Its just that I havent had good luck with his setup and tuning.

I need a new string and Peep.
I am thinking about just sending it back to XXX were I bought the bow and all accessories and having Cory make a G string for it.

The Peep has never been the same as the first year out of Cory's shop. Once it started rotating and pissing me off I tried to have my local shop fix it but it never was the same. They couldent get it right. Granted my string was streched Im sure, but Id think they could still get my peep right.

I finally got fed up and put a peep with a tube on. I hate it cause its loud and just too much going on.

I dont trust my locals shop so much for this kind of stuff. They actually said to go back to the tubing cause its hard to get the peep perfect, and keep it that way.

So now Im not sure if I should try another shop or just send it to XXX. If I send it to XXX Ill have to go to pick it up as we will need to set the peep with me there. Its a 2.5 hour drive for me.

Would love to find someone local who is good at this stuff. Really good!






 

[buckfvr]

You shouldnt need to be present to have the peep done.....he just needs to take a measurement from the nock point on the string to the peep.....

I change my own strings and have all measurements logged so I can set up and never have issues, all by using measurements after initial set up.

[JJD]

i see your points radsav.  and i agree.  but....

when i walked in and said i wanted a string change, i got a sigh and the *censored* i don't wanna aura.  i used my old peep and got a little bit of help to see if it was in the right place, never shot an arrow. 

the customer service you described would have been worth $25.  and probably more.  even to a tightwad.

So you paid $25.00 for the string put on and then another $5 to install the peep?  Or $25.00 total?  Just trying to clarify so I understand completely.

Unfortunately I meet quite a few business owners and their employees that drive away more business with poor attitudes than they attract.  I like to give second chances to businesses that look to have what I want and need, but there are times when the attitude is so bad I just can not go back regardless of what they have to offer in the way of goods.  Not even a bargain is worth that.  It's sad that it happens so often.  Especially in the archery industry where there are so few choices.

I remember going into a nice archery shop not long ago to make a delivery.  Only one employee there so I had to wait to get paperwork signed since I had followed a potential paying customer into the store.  The customer was one of those rare ones with cash in hand and the decision of what he wanted already made up.  In otherwords a dream customer for a business owner - right?  The customer, who had obviously been in the store before, walked right to the ten Bear bows on the wall and said, "I want to get this Bear Legion and a dozen arrows."  From a distance I'm thinking Man!  This customer is a dream come true   But the employee walked away from him while saying, "You don't want one of those.  They're a piece of sh#t!  You want one of these (as he pulled a $1,200 Hoyt from the rack).  The customer politely said, "No this is the one I can afford.  I've shot it and I like it."  The employee once again voiced his opinion of the bow the customer wanted until this "dream customer" turned away and walked out the door.

As I was getting my paperwork signed I couldn't help but ask why he hadn't just given the customer the bow he wanted.  The response was shocking, "Oh that guy!  I've seen him in here a few times.  He's always looking for the cheap stuff.  He'll be back when he's ready to buy a real bow."  I grabbed my paperwork and walk away shaking my head thinking to myself, "I should raise my prices to this guy and charge him for delivery."

On my way home I stopped by to see if my good friend Battleready at Sportsman's Warehouse wanted to get some lunch.  Now I'm not more than 15 minutes behind this customer that left the proshop.  When I enter the store I see Battleready and this guy from earlier at the customer service desk shaking hands.  Battleready says, "I'll have that ready for you in about an hour." (so much for lunch )   In about 15 minutes the dream customer bought a R2H bow, dozen arrows, nice release, string wax, a RAD peep , a dozen field points, a package of Muzzy broadheads and what I think was a Black Hole target.  I'm just guessing, but I'd say he probably dropped seven bills in 15 minutes.  That's about $45.00 per minute of Battleready's time.  And best of all he walked out with a big smile on his face.  Everything the pro shop could have had if he'd only listened to the customer and not been an a-hole.

Duke Savora said it best on my first day working for him, "You can never guarantee you're going to be the smartest guy in the room.  But, it is within your ability to always be the most helpful and courteous."

    Right on the money    

[Johnb317]

As a consumer I'm willing to pay a little more (not a ton) for service; I'm not rich (actually looking for work).  Just had my bow restrung... strings, peep and labor was a little over 100.00  (lost the receipt).  They did a great job,  ran some arrows through it and I was out the door with confidence that if there was something wrong I could walk back in and they'd make it right.
Small business owners have to eat too, and if we just go to the big box stores we'll lose the small guys and the knowledge that old Bill (or whomever) will most likely be there and remember us when we come back in.

  on Radsav's comments

[earlmarne]

heck yeah.i really have no issues paying fees at my shop.truth be told they rarely charge me for stuff i feel i should be paying for.they have spent countless hours helping me.
i actually go out of my way to order anything i can from them.i would be lost without my shop up the road, so i do everything in my power to ensure they stay open.
 

[RadSav]

heck yeah.i really have no issues paying fees at my shop.truth be told they rarely charge me for stuff i feel i should be paying for.they have spent countless hours helping me.
i actually go out of my way to order anything i can from them.i would be lost without my shop up the road, so i do everything in my power to ensure they stay open.

WT+?

[earlmarne]

yessir

[Smossy]

About time for some new strings myself. Anyone know local shops near or in puyallup that do good work? And $?

[SniperDanWA]

Doug at Great Northwest Archery just over at Shaw Road.  I've not had mine restrung yet, but he has done a lot of work with my son and I.  Good guy and he doesn't shaft people.  Sometimes it can take some time, but he always does right by me.

[snarkybull]

They did a great job,  ran some arrows through it and I was out the door with confidence that if there was something wrong I could walk back in and they'd make it right.

heck yeah.i really have no issues paying fees at my shop.truth be told they rarely charge me for stuff i feel i should be paying for.they have spent countless hours helping me.
i actually go out of my way to order anything i can from them.i would be lost without my shop up the road, so i do everything in my power to ensure they stay open.
 

you guys hit the nail on the head.  i was hoping hoping hoping to find one of these.

but i didn't.   i know they exist, and that is what frustrates the most.

[Old Dog]

I know the big box stores don't usually have a good reputation, but that's not universal.  At the Federal Way Sportsman's Warehouse we sell Winner's Choice strings.  They are special order, so it will take a week or 10 days sometimes to get them in, but there is no installation charge, and darn it!  I do good work! 

[Smossy]

I know the big box stores don't usually have a good reputation, but that's not universal.  At the Federal Way Sportsman's Warehouse we sell Winner's Choice strings.  They are special order, so it will take a week or 10 days sometimes to get them in, but there is no installation charge, and darn it!  I do good work! 

That string is so gosh darn expensive though! I was quoted well over $200 bucks. a fella cant do that on no job.

[RadSav]

I know the big box stores don't usually have a good reputation, but that's not universal.  At the Federal Way Sportsman's Warehouse we sell Winner's Choice strings.  They are special order, so it will take a week or 10 days sometimes to get them in, but there is no installation charge, and darn it!  I do good work!

You've got four other stores in the company selling more RAD peeps though.  You've got to step it up man!

Of the big box stores I think Sportsman's does have one of the better reputations for service.  But like any store big or small it doesn't hurt to ask the employees, "Who does the best work here?"  It often makes a huge difference if you can wait for the better tech.

[RadSav]

I know the big box stores don't usually have a good reputation, but that's not universal.  At the Federal Way Sportsman's Warehouse we sell Winner's Choice strings.  They are special order, so it will take a week or 10 days sometimes to get them in, but there is no installation charge, and darn it!  I do good work! 

That string is so gosh darn expensive though! I was quoted well over $200 bucks. a fella cant do that on no job.

$200.00!  Maybe I need to get back into the string business   220 string/cables and I could go on another sheep hunt!

[Old Dog]

I don't know who quoted you $200 dollars for strings.  $150 to 160 is more like it.  Sales tax will push it to nearly 200.

[JLS]

Had Whitetail Archery in Deer Park install a new string for me, great service.  They put in a new RAD peep for me , installed string/cable and a new D loop for $40 plus tax. 

[Worldhunter]

25$.is very reasonable..

[Smossy]

I don't know who quoted you $200 dollars for strings.  $150 to 160 is more like it.  Sales tax will push it to nearly 200.

Rod at your old Sportsmans Warehouse or whatever his name was, That day you seen me in there, Thats what I was there for, was to buy new string.... I had $200 Cash on me and was ready to fork it over because I figured It would cover it. Said $220-240 for 3 String on my Hoyt Ultrasport Zr100, Custom Color, Winners Choice. I will never forget that. 160 before tax with the pre-made strings made. I want custom colors. If Im going to pay that much Id want it specially made for ME.
Thats when I was just like ok well what else can we do to it instead.