My mate phoned round last week. Called Fosters, Davies, Colemans fishery, F republic, Poingdeses and a few others. The going rate was about 2300 for the 18m Pro and 1850 for the std package. Colemans was a bit cheaper but said they dont do mail order. I paid 2250 for my Pro a year ago from the local shop so looks like theyve gone up cos of vat.

Like other guys on here Ive had a lot of poles. Last 3 were Tourney Pro. Sensas 7 and a Maver. I was a Daiwa addict and been through the tourny S, X, 410, Spectron, pro route. Decided to have a change as I got the feeling I was just buying the same pole with diferent graphics. The Sensas was okay but the Maver hopeless.
I know the Z9 comments are getting boring but gotta say like others here that the 9 is best pole ive had by miles. I cant break it, it doesnt fall apart or stick to my hands, cheap kits and 4ths, trod on it and spares came in a week. Ive had it over a year and theres nil wear on the joints. If it was nicked tommorow id go straight out and buy another one. I wont be selling it till a Z11 comes out.

And the luggage that come with it looks like it is going to outlast the pole!

2250 would be around 1000 more than trade allegedly~shh

@Cutnut wrote:

2250 would be around 1000 more than trade allegedly~shh

?????

I have a trade catalogue in front of me and can state that the above comment is incorrect (you did say allagedly though).

If you can pick up a Pro packgae for £2250 or even £2300 the shop is only making a small percentage profit on the sale.

@Mick Fordham wrote:

@Cutnut wrote:

2250 would be around 1000 more than trade allegedly~shh

?????

I have a trade catalogue in front of me and can state that the above comment is incorrect (you did say allagedly though).

If you can pick up a Pro packgae for £2250 or even £2300 the shop is only making a small percentage profit on the sale.

Think you will find who the shop is in all honstey as to who gets what for what from the maker , major sellers like Fosters probably get a £2200-£2300 pole ( Bulk order ) for around £1600 ish but your local shop will be more around £1800 ish. The big shops cant discount as the likes of Daiwa just won’t let them .

Keep shopping around and play each other off , you should get one chaeper than you have been quoted.

Heaven help us if everyone buys direct from Maver and cuts out the middle man , that would be a tradegy for all shops.

Your trade catalogue may well be accurate in print, but everything is negotiable allegedly~clap

Massive markups is what the Tackle trade is all about, nothing wrong with free-enterprise, if you have something perceived as worth something and enough people willing to believe in buying at the price then you’ve got a market. How many Furbies gathering dust were bought far above their true worth because the press and suppliers created a fever pitch craving. The same goes for rave reviews in any commodity, how much you believe them depends on your willingness to accept things at face value. It’s called targetted Marketing focussed on what presses your buttons.

I’m sure the Z9 is a good pole but is it worth £2000+? Are the top end Garbo’s, Mavers, Daiwas, Prestons, And Sensas poles priced similarly worth it? Only the end consumer who believes so says so..there is a difference between poles at the £1000 mark to a pole at the £2000+ but is that difference really a grands worth? Again only to those willing to pay for the difference.

The raw material costs I would speculate are relatively low and it’s the R&D, labour and associated distribution costs that are really being recouped in any of the poles from a grand upwards.

I suppose that with any addiction the addict will pay up and the dealers will always be laughing all the way back to the bank.

Best advice for any pole purchaser is to haggle haggle haggle after you’ve had a proper waggle out on the bank. The pole alleys in the shops are fine but how many have the room to ship the pole back behind you, have the top kits elasticated, fitted with pole pots so that you get a true feel of the balance? I’d hazard, none.

The Z9 and all the other gotta have poles will be tomorrows beansticks when the next revolutionary step into the future is released to rave reviews and endorsements. Meanwhile, buy one you like, pay what you are prepared to and resign yourself to the fact that some snotty kid with grandads handmedown will sometimes give you a pasting.

Very good post Cutnut,with some good points raised

At the Big 1 show browning had some z9 kits that were elastcated so you could try them on the poles so you knew exactly what youre getting. It showed how good the topkits are and just how confident they are in the poles. I thought it was honest of them aswell. A few other companies could learn from on good service and honesty with the customers.
If were honest a 1k pole would do most of us but so would 10 rigs and a 50 quid reel so its our own fault.

Prestons latest pole is over £3k but for £5k ive just bought a new Yamaha XJ6. A bit of italian tubing vs an incredible bit of japanese precision engineering.

Profit is usually expressed as a percentage of the selling price.

%profit =(((selling price)-(cost))/(selling price)) x 100
_____

On the other hand, markup is usually figured as a percentage of the cost.
%markup = (((selling price)-(cost))/cost)x 100

So based on your average selling price without negotiation of £2250 inc 20% VAT

Your indicated Trade Price of £1250 Exc 20%VAT gives Cost Price of £1500 inc VAT at 20%.

Then %Profit = (((2250)-(1500))/2250) x 100 = 33.3%

%Markup = (((2250)-1500))/1500) x 100 = 50%

The shop would be registered for Vat and so assuming it’s sales reach the threshold for the year it could claim some or all of the Vat.

Still you get what you want, you pay what you want, and if you’re not a haggling type you pay full asking price.

I know what you mean PaulD re our toys. I also have a variety of Big Boys toys and have customised one Rifle to within £1500 more than it’s original cost, was it worth it? To me yes. Will I ever recoup that when I sell it? I doubt it. Can I shoot any better with it? Marginally, but the experience is far more pleasing. The same I fear goes for Flagship poles.