Good Archery Shops vs Bad Ones: The Difference Matters | FRIDAY KILL NOTES

Buying a bow shouldn’t feel like a gamble. We walk through a practical, no‑nonsense checklist for finding an archery shop that sells confidence first and gear second. It starts with trust: the right tech listens before recommending anything, asks about your goals and budget, measures you correctly, and keeps jargon out of the conversation. From there, we dig into the essentials that separate great shops from the rest—hands‑on testing across multiple bows, transparent tuning, and clear coaching on form, grip, anchor, and release.

You’ll hear why “try before you buy” is non‑negotiable, how proper setup (center shot, cam timing, peep height, arrow spine) accelerates your progress, and where red flags pop up: brand pushing, no testing, rushed service, or one‑size‑fits‑all answers. We also explore the role of inventory variety and price tiers, so you can find the best fit without pressure, and the power of in‑house ranges for sight‑in support, classes, and community. Good shops don’t disappear after the swipe—they welcome follow‑ups, handle small tweaks, and stand behind their work so you stay confident at full draw.

Along the way, we share how to be a strong customer: be honest about budget, stay open to learning, respect busy seasons, and support the shop that invests time in you. Whether you’re just getting started or leveling up for a western hunt, this guide helps you spot the places that build archers, not transactions. If you’re stuck without a solid local option, reach out to our team at Extreme Outfitters—we’re here to help with questions, tuning advice, and thoughtful recommendations. If this conversation helps, subscribe, share it with a friend who’s bow shopping, and leave a review to tell us what great shop practices you’ve seen.

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Chapters

• 0:00 Why Shop Choice Matters
• 2:35 Trust Over Gear
• 5:20 Listening, Questions, And Fit
• 9:40 Budget, Goals, And Testing Bows
• 14:20 Red Flags And Brand Pushing
• 18:40 Clear Teaching Without Jargon
• 23:10 Try Before You Buy
• 27:20 Proper Setup And Tuning
• 32:00 Inventory, Variety, And Price Tiers
• 37:00 Ranges, Sighting In, And Classes

Transcript

Zakk Plocica: 0:00

All right, not all archery shops are created equal, and that can cost you accuracy, confidence, and as we all know, quite a bit of money. So that's what we're talking about today here on the Archery Project, guys. Thanks for joining me. I'm your host, Zach Placeca, and we are looking at what makes a good archery shop and how to potentially spot a bad one. Right? We've seen on I think all experience levels, at some point somebody's dealt with a shop that just isn't quite up to par, I would say, for whatever reason, right? From beginners to experienced archers, we've seen all calibers kind of get burned in some sense. And it seems like good shops are becoming harder and harder to find. At least that's the information that I've got from all the people that I've talked to, right? That's what we are. I have a shop called Extreme Outfitters, and we deal with the public on the daily, right? So we talk to people from all walks of life, all experience levels, and we hear a lot of different stories, a lot of really great stories from a lot of incredible shops. Um, but also, you know, the horror stories that are out there. And there are some out there. Like I said, there's a good shop can be very difficult to find. Uh, and I've personally I know some guys who own some really incredible shops, uh, and I've been able to pick their brain a little bit from Texas all the way here to the East Coast, uh, some pretty high profile shops, but I've also seen and personally experienced mediocre and some bad shops. Um, and this isn't about bashing anybody, right? Bashing any shops because we all know, you know, sometimes you have a bad experience. It's just an off day for the individual in there, um, and mistakes happen. Um, but this is about helping people make better choices, especially our new archers that are looking to get into archery. You know, getting started off on the right foot is critical for having a good archery journey and, you know, minimizing the learning curve. Because there is a big learning curve when it comes to archery. If you have no idea what you're getting into, there's a lot of lingo, technique, form, a lot of things to consider and work on in order to become a proficient archer, bow hunter, whatever it is. Uh, so kind of looking at compiling a checklist for you guys uh that you can use, I would say, universally, anywhere in the country, to help make your decision on what archery shop you go to a little bit easier, right? And to know if a true a shop is, you know, trustworthy or worth investing your time and money into. So kind of the foundation of this, I would say, is trust, right? Trust before equipment or gear. A good shop sells confidence, not just equipment to you.

unknown: 2:45

Right?

Zakk Plocica: 2:46

That's critical. If they're if you go to a shop and they're just pushy, pushy, pushy, just trying to sell you a bow, any kind of equipment without asking questions, I think that's kind of a red flag. Um, a good shop is gonna ask questions before ever recommending gear. We have to understand you, what your goals are, what your budget is, what your experience level is, all of these things before we can make any kind of a recommendation first. Right? A good shop is going to listen more than they talk. That's vital for a tech to be able to set you up correctly. There's going to be a series of questions that a shop should ask you. Uh, and they it's it's important that they take the time to spend time with you and learn about you prior to making any recommendations, right? We want to know, like I said, your experience level. How much experience do you have in our in shooting a bow? If you come in, you say, Oh, I shot a bow when I was a kid, it's cool. Now we know you're a blank slate. You don't really have much experience whatsoever. So then we start the process of what's your budget look like? Let's get a measurement on you. What are your goals with the bow? Do you want to just casually shoot in your backyard? Are you somebody like, hey, my goal is in the next one to three years, I'm going on a Western hunt. Uh, and you know, I want top of the line of equipment. Those are two different individuals that are gonna have different requirements, and the budget is gonna v differ dramatically. So it's important that your shop that you go to listens to you and asks you and understands who you are and where you're coming from before they ever try to even put a bow in your hand, right? They're going to listen, they're going to ask you a series of questions that just makes their job easier and set you up for success, right? If you're a guy that's looking for a hunting bow and you end up walking out with a target set up, that's probably not going to do you good. So, whenever you find a shop, you need to make sure that they're asking you questions, they're talking to you, they're engaging with you, and they're taking the time with you one-on-one. And I know shops can become very, very busy. Uh, and it's very easy. A lot of shops, especially smaller shops, it's hard to spend a ton of time with people. But a good shop is going to, whether they tell you, let's make an appointment so we can do this one-on-one, or they're gonna fit you in with a group of people and kind of be able to assess you that way, they're gonna take the time with you and they're going to invest their time with you in order to make sure that you are taken care of and you're not wasting your money on something you don't need, right? If you're somebody that wants to get into compound, a compound bow and you, you know, they're pushing traditional on you, it just doesn't work. A good shop is going to invest their time with you, and it does take a little bit of time. When you go into a shop, I always say it, it's like buying a car, right? When you go into a shop, expect to spend some time in that shop. You need to set aside a couple of hours so you can go in there, you can get educated. That's a big part of it. You need to be open-minded so you can become educated on the equipment, the technique, the form, all those things that come along with it. Um, and then so you have time to test bows. That's a critical part in this because just because I like something or the tech that's behind the counter that you're talking with likes something, a particular bow or model, doesn't mean it's the right bow for you. So you need to be able to the time to go in and test all of these bows because a good shop is going to do that. They're going to ask you all these questions, get a feel for you, get your measurements, and then start setting bows up for you that are within the budget that you've let them know aligns with whatever you want to do. So testing bows is critical because all bows are different, and like I said, everybody has a different idea on what they like and what they're looking for and what feels best. So it's important that you have you are able to take the time to shoot the bows, and it's important that the tech behind the counter gives you the time and makes the time for you to be able to do that because the last thing you want to do is buy blindly, right? That's why shops are so important. It's in the majority of your flagship bows, you can't buy offline. You got to go into a shop and get set up and fitted because there's a whole process that goes into it. And it's critical that you experience that process so you walk away with exactly what you need and what fits what you want to do. You know, big red flags, I would say, with the shop, when you go into one, is if they're immediately pushing a brand on you, right? Like this is what I shoot, this is my favorite bow. It doesn't work that way. It doesn't matter what my favorite bow is, what the tech's favorite bow is, what the sh your best friend's favorite bow is, that's irrelevant. You need to go into there with an open mind and you need to test the different bows, especially if you have no experience, right? Because you have no idea what you're even getting into. So based off what somebody else likes, may not fit you. One draw length, the poundage, whatever it is, the grip, the draw cycle, those are all things that are taken into consideration. And you need to take into consideration and be open-minded with coming in to a shop. And a shop that is a good shop is gonna have options for you, right? They're not just gonna push you on the new 2026, whatever it is, bow. Whenever, you know, your budget one doesn't align for allow for it, and or two, that bow just doesn't feel good to you. You need to be able to test and you know, try out different bows and different options. Excuse me. You know, the other thing too, whenever it comes to which we've seen in some shops, is um pushing a brand like this is what the pros shoot without any kind of context. It doesn't matter what the pros shoot. You're not a pro. You need to be open-minded and try some try different bows. Maybe if you're just getting into this and you go in the with the mindset of, you know, I saw so-and-so shooting, you know, the Hoyt bow online. It looks really cool. It may be a great looking bow in your to, you know, in your opinion, but it may not fit what you want to do, right? After you, you know, you let the text know, like, hey, I'm gonna be out on a western hunt is my goal within the next year. I've got a 30 and a half inch draw length. Maybe that's super short. Axle to axle bow isn't gonna be the best option for you whenever you're gonna be taking those longer shots. Your draw length's a little bit longer. So that's why it's important that you spend enough time in the shop to really get familiarized with the equipment and then test it out to see and then lay out your expectations with the actual tech behind the counter. You know, a shop is going to explain every aspect of what they're doing to you from draw length, form, why your goals matter when deciding what a bow is. If a shop doesn't care, that's a huge red flag. You need to move on and find another shop. And I would say, too, if you have a shop that's close to you and just isn't provide you the experience and the time that they should, it's worth seeking out another shop and traveling. A good shop is going to set you up correctly and change everything and build those confidence right out of the gate. You do not, in my opinion, it's worth traveling to find a good shop. It's just, it's absolutely worth taking the time, spending a Saturday going to a shop that's maybe a little bit farther away, but has better reviews, better text, more experience that is going to take care of you and get you set up correctly. So the other thing you need to look at is behind the counter experience and knowledge, right? You don't need, I would say, elitists. Um you need problem solvers behind the counter, right? Guys who are going to techs that are going to spend the time behind or spend the time with you and solve whatever problems you have, right? Whether it's a tuning issue, it's getting you set up, they're going to take the time to listen to you and they're going to explain why they're doing what they're doing, not just what they're doing, right? They're going to take the time, they're going to get measurements on you. They're going to explain, especially new shooters, right? Things in simple terminology, right? Explain what the spine of an arrow is, why it's important, why draw length matters, you know, how to grip a bow, proper shot execution. And they're going to talk all of these different things, talk tuning without overcomplicating it to you, right? You we need, it needs to be explained to you clearly so you understand, because when you understand how this works, it's much easier for you to um to just understand the entire process. Uh, experience is important behind a counter, I think, for a tech, um, but communication is also critical for the individual behind the counter. They might be the best tech in the world, but if they're not explaining things to you, breaking things down, making it simple for you to understand, it just makes the process and the journey that much more difficult. Then you've got to go out and do research on your own. You should be comfortable with the tech to ask them questions. And I can assure you, there are no dumb questions when it comes to archery, because most people think they know more than what they do. And if you're not somebody that spends a ton of time behind a bow, like if you just work on your equipment, it's one thing. But if you're not somebody that serves the public, that does this on a daily basis, that has experience across all these different brands, all these different products, you're not going to be able to solve the problems like you need to. It's different dealing with the public. It's important that the guys behind the counter do have experience. And there's a lot of shops with new guys coming up and training. We get them all the time. We we whenever we have a new tech, it's hands-on training, but there's somebody that's he is shadowing and is basically holding his pocket the entire time. Because we understand that it's important that you have confidence in the individual behind the counter, right? You need somebody that is going to understand how to solve the problems and do it safely. Because let's be real. I mean, you if you know anything about archery, a bow press, you're pressing a bow, if you do things wrong, there's a cata, it can be a catastrophic failure or explosion or issue, which could, you know, potentially hurt somebody. So it's important that your tech is competent, does have experience. And if there are new techs, you'll see in a shop, there's guys that are shadowing them and walking them through the process and is there the entire time. Um, it's just important that they're able to explain the things that are they're doing and what's happening to you so you just have a better understanding of understanding of the entire process. Because realistically, when you come in and buy a bow and you have no idea what you're getting into and you decide this is the right bow, this is the right tech, this is the right shop. I want to make this, I want to pull the trigger on this, I want to get this, I get set up. You should leave with your equipment. You should be comfortable and confident with it. You're not going to be an expert, but you should understand the fundamentals. You should understand how to shoot that bow, and you should have a basic understanding of the process. And from there, you can build on your skill set and your knowledge of the archery world, right? That's what the tech does. They educate you on the process. It is critical. Red flags in this area, anybody that talks down to customers, right? We it's important that techs never one bash another shop, in my opinion. They don't talk down to a customer like they're less than because they don't understand, which we see a lot in the archery community, which is wild to me, right? We are in the service business. We provide a service to a customer. And is it important that that service, we take it serious and we take that customer serious? Right? There should never be a time when you talk down to a customer who just doesn't know or just doesn't understand. Your job is to educate them, and you should be thankful, and I'm talking from a tech's perspective, that they come into your shop and give you an opportunity because this is a very niche sport, right? Archery is very, very niche. The more people we can get into it, the better. And it's important that your tech is, it should be very friendly with you, very open, and you should be very comfortable and very confident talking to them. And then the other thing too is, you know, the one size fits all answers is not is not real. Everybody is different, everybody has different requirement requirements, um, different struggles, different capabilities. That's why, again, we talk about text. It's they have to understand you and where you're at and what your goals are in order to do this correctly. And if they just don't spend the time with you, I'll say it a million times. Spending time with the individual is more important than anything. So they can learn you and get educated on you and what your goals are. And then you can understand the terminology, the equipment that much better. Um, and then the big thing is that they talk to you without overcomplicating things, right? Because there's so many moving parts in archery and so many products, it's so easy to get overwhelmed. Our goal is to, you know, alleviate those anxieties, simplify the process, um, and just minimize your worry, right? We don't want to overcomplicate and throw too many things at you. That's why we ask all the questions that we do in order to understand where you're coming from. Because if you're a brand new archer or a beginner in this, you don't need to know about every single drop away rest, all the different um site options. Some things we can do without based off your budget and your um capability. If you have questions on it, by all means, the tech should answer them. But their job is to not overwhelm you with information that just is too much in your like, I just, I maybe I'm not the right person for this. Because I can assure you you are if you're interested in archery, but there is a lot, just like anything else. There's learning curves, and there's no reason to overcomplicate things when you're brand new into the sport. And a good tech is going to be able to do that, decipher things for you, answer questions, set you up, and keep your anxieties at a minimum when it comes to the the buying process. So critical uh and very important. The next thing that I would say, which is wild to me, um, that not all shops do this, is the testing side of things. And I covered it a little bit, but you should be able to, in my opinion, shoot any bow on that wall that you're interested in. That's how a shop sells a bow. You need to try it before you buy it. I think it is critical. And if a shop is not willing to take the time to set up a bow for you to test it and they want you to buy it blindly, that's insane. Go somewhere else. There's no way. Like us at Extreme Outfitters, if you come in and you tell me you want to shoot every bow on the wall and they're all within your budget, they're with what you're looking for, we're gonna set every one of those bows up with you. We're gonna take the time with you to do that. It is critical. That is how you know you're making a good decision. If you're gonna spend$2,000 on a bow and you're not allowed to test shoot it, insane to me. Go somewhere else, find another shop that is willing to let you shoot and test the bows. That's important. You should be able to test pretty much any of the equipment within the shop within reason, right? Obviously, we can't test arrows that aren't built. Um, but like releases, you should be able to open packaging. They should be able to explain how things work, why they work. You know, for example, for us, if you have a release you want to test, you can come onto our range and test the release. There's a bow you want to shoot, you can shoot any bow on the wall. And I think any of your good shops are going to allow that in some capacity. They're going to let you test, put your hands on, and then teach you about the product that you're interested in. It is critical if you're gonna spend that kind of money. You're gonna come in and spend$2,500,$3,000 on a four bow, full bow build. Yeah, you deserve to be able to test shoot whatever you want. And then from there is the actual tuning process. I think, and this is within reason, right? If you're a brand new shooter, that bow should be set up correctly. Center shot, timing, peep height, draw length, draw weight, the arrow should be built and spin correctly to the bow you're shooting. All of those things should go without saying. Those bows should be tuned as well. And when especially when we're talking about, if you're a new shooter and you don't have all the form and technique, the shop should teach you how to shoot the bow first. They should make sure the bow is shooting as it should, put you on the range, walk you through the simple fundamentals of shooting a bow, right? Pretty much all of your bows as they walk out of the shop should be, in my opinion, paper tuned to some capacity, right? Put it through paper, test it, make sure it's shooting correctly, and verify the tune to make sure that that bow is performing as it should. Right? If they're not willing to take the time, they're willing to sell you a bow, but not take the time to set it up correctly, you need to move on. You need to ask those questions prior. Uh, I think it's important that you ask, hey, will you set this bow up for me without any additional costs? Or are there additional costs if for setting up the bow? Some shops might have that. Um, and will you tune the bow for me to make sure it's shooting correctly? And the shop should absolutely do that. Uh run it through paper, make sure it's set up correctly, make sure you are comfortable with it, make sure you're not overbowed, right? You come in, you're like, I want to shoot an 80 pound bow, and you can't shoot an 80 pound bow. There's no reason to buy an 80 pound bow. You should probably drop it down. Get something a little bit lighter that you can manage. The shop should go through all those checks just to make sure that you're leaving with something that is performing as it should. Because when a bow is set up correctly, you can be lethal, you can be incredibly accurate out the distance. Wants you to understand the fundamentals on how to shoot the bow. But when a bow is set up poorly, you are going to have a hard time. It's going to be incredibly frustrating for you to shoot that bow when you're not accurate, you're not consistent, and arrows are flying all over the place. So a good shop is going to one, let you test the equipment, and two, make sure that equipment is set up and tuned properly for you. There's no reason that they shouldn't. They're going to go through your peep height, they're going to go through your center shot. They're going to make sure your cams are timed correctly. They're going to make sure the draw weight, the draw length, point weight, arrows, everything is matched and set up as it should be. And then they're going to teach you how to shoot the bow and help you shoot the bow correctly so that you're not torquing this thing like crazy, doing all kinds of crazy stuff, coming to the back wall, hammering your trigger, making sure your release is set to the correct length, making sure your anchor point is set correctly on your face, so that your peep aligns correctly and your peep height is correct. There's all these things that a good shop is going to take their time and spend the time with you to make sure it is done correctly. So they shouldn't skip any of the tuning or the setting setup process unless you specifically request it, right? You're like, I'm gonna do it myself. Then that makes sense. You're probably not listening to this podcast, anyways, uh, because you're not a new shooter, but um, they're going to not skimp on any of the after the purchase process, right? And that's the tuning and the setup side of things. So if they don't allow the bow to be shot after setup, that's a problem. If they don't allow the bow to put, you know, to be tuned correctly, they're not willing to take the time and tune it with you, it's a problem. Go to another shop. You're wasting your time. Your archery, your entry into archery is gonna be just a nightmare. Um, so seek out a good shop. Uh, I would say the other thing too is inventory, right? Selection is important and good shops are going to have selection. And by no means do they need to carry everything. And inventory isn't everything, but it does matter, right? You need, I think, some depth in inventory. So you have options, especially with bows, right? I think we carry seven or nine different brands at Extreme Outfitters because we know that we're not a one-brand shop. You know, no matter how much I like a brand, our shop will always be have variety for shooters to come in or archers to come in and test because we need all the different price points. We want, you know, there's people that love Matthews, Hoyt, Prime, PSE, Botech. We want to be able to offer all of those so that you can come in and test anything that you see and then make a decision. Um, and by no means can every shop do that. I don't, I know they can't. It's a big investment. It's a lot of overhead, it's a lot of inventory, but there should be some depth and some variety within the shop. So they're not just pushing one brand on you. If they're if they're only like Matthews and they only sell Matthews Bows or they only sell, you know, Botec Bows or whatever brand they choose, insert into there, that's not good. They need, I think, variety and I think a little bit of depth. Excuse me, Jesus. Um in order to really give you the full experience, right? And then when they have, when you'll notice a shop has more variety, more depth and inventory, they're more well-versed. They have more capability and skill sets when it comes to tuning other bows. So they can work on more bows than just the bows, you know, just one brand. So I do think having some kind of inventory, especially in arrows, so you have different arrow options, different release options, sites options, you really have more options to look at. Um, and that's gonna draw more people in. That shop is gonna be more well known. Uh, and I I just think it's it's a part of it. A good shop is going to invest in product and in in in the brands that they choose to carry. And there should be some competition within that shop for different brands. If it's if they only sell brands that are super easy to sell, I think um that shop is doing a disservice to the people within the area. And uh they should consider bringing in more more brands. It's important to support the archery industry, and you know, a good shop is gonna have inventory in order to I think cater to pretty much anyone from kids to women, bow hunters, um, western hunters, whitetail hunters. There should be a little bit of there should be option for for majority of your um archers out there. I think that is uh an important part of a shop. Um the other thing with that is the ultimate the the multiple price tiers without pressure, right? Like not everyone wants to come in and buy a$600 site. Like, as much as we don't all all shops would love to just sell those high-end sites, it's not a reality of it. You need entry-level stuff, you need budget-friendly, you need me to mid price point, in my opinion, and then you need your upper top tier stuff. And that just gives selection and that allows people to grow too in their archery journey, right? As a shop, if someone comes in and they want to, you know, they're like, uh, my my budget's$600. Cool, we've got something for you. And then, you know, they come in a year later and they're like, hey, I want to upgrade, I want to invest a little bit more money. Oh, cool. We've got those options too. So you can grow your customer base as well with that, which I think is is critical. You know, you want to keep people in the archery game. And no, it's not all about selling products, right? But that is a major part of it for a shop. You've got to sell products and then provide the service. Uh, and so inventory and variety, I think, is important. Uh, and it allows customization, it allows you, you know, that shop is not too pushy because there's options, you have the ability to make decisions. I I and it doesn't have to, like I said, a wide range of inventory, but there needs to be some variety within the shop, in my opinion, for to be a good shop. Uh, and this goes back to you know, I understand not all shops have access to a range. We have an indoor 30-yard range, which allows you to test the bows. Come in and shoot whenever you want. Um, but this goes back to a shop that lets you shoot and test. I think it just it one, it builds the community. If they have a lot, they have a range. A good shop typically that we've seen does have a range or somewhere where you can shoot and test bows. And it just one, it helps build confidence in you. You know what you're getting into, you're able to test the bows, shoot it. Um, and then if the perks of them having a range is you've got indoor access to a range, so you can shoot pretty much whenever you want. It encourages you to test bows, right? It's a a willingness to make adjustments for you. And it allows for them, like in the buying process. One thing with us afterwards is we always help you get the bow sided in. Sighting in a bow is probably one of the more difficult things for a lot of people. And when you have a range, you that shop can help you set up and get the bow sided in. So whenever you go home, you're not losing arrows right away if you have the ability to shoot somewhere. Uh, and then they can spend a little bit of time watching you shoot, especially as a new shooter, walking you through the fundamentals. Um, and then it, you know, it even allows, you know, some shops are able to host class for you. So if you want to do a private one-on-one session with the tech to help uh develop better form and technique, they have access to that. It's not a requirement for a shop to have a range, but it I think it is a nice perk and it just enhances the your experience and then it builds the community because you'll see other archers in there hanging out, shooting. You can pick their brains, it just furthers the community. So it's another nice touch. Um, I think personally, uh, for a good shop. You'll see them, they have some some kind of range somewhere to help you out and just further the your experience when it comes to buying and shooting a bow. And then the other big thing is the after sale support, right? Once they send you a bow, if they wipe their hands of you and on to the next, that's probably not a good look. Um typically, services do cost money for your shops, but uh most shops there is good follow-up after sale support, right? If you have questions, you can come back in. They're gonna answer any questions um without any kind of attitude because you're not buying again, right? There should never you should never feel pressured in a shop to have to spend money. A lot of a shops, a good shop is just gonna be a place where people come and hang out at the counter. You will see that at a good shop. Uh, and they're gonna answer any of your questions. Um, and they're gonna offer those minor adjust adjustments without nickel and diming you, right? So let's say something came loose, or you know, maybe because you started shooting a little bit more, your anchor has shifted. You're a little bit better shooter now, so now your peep pipe needs to be adjusted. They're gonna help you out with those things post-sale. Um, and they're gonna stand behind their work. Let's be real, we all make mistakes. And, you know, maybe um there was a slight issue with when the bow was set up. I don't know, maybe the the center shot wasn't perfect, or maybe a screw came loose. They're gonna stand behind their work, they're gonna correct any issues that they made, and they're gonna continue to support you in your journey without any question or without pressuring you or you know, without any kind of attitude. Um, if you ever feel like you're a burden after you've paid, um, every tiny adjustment costs money. There's a no accountability if something isn't right, uh, that's our all red flags. And, you know, either cut ties, find a new shop, or, you know, maybe talk to uh shop management because it's not a good look for the archery industry or the archery community, and it's definitely not a good look for that shop. Like I said, customers are critical to a good or to an archery shop, and without you guys, we do not exist. And I think archery shops are the backbone of archery, and they are a must. And without them, there is no archery industry. So it all works hand in hand. And I think the guys behind the counter should understand that, and I think most do. There are some shops that don't, but they should spend the time with you, and you know, they should be accountable for any mistakes that they make because we all make mistakes, and it should be a very friendly and welcoming atmosphere. It just the the the relationship shouldn't end after you swipe the credit card, right? Our our goal is to be with you your entire journey, help you out, continue to support you, and keep you in the game so that you are bringing more people into the sport. And, you know, every shop loves it when a you know a customer has such a good experience and they bring friends. You know, it's it's important. And you know, you're definitely not going to do that if you have a poor experience at a shop. So I would encourage you to, you know, make sure you're taken care of after the sale and develop a relationship with your shop, with your tech, and the same thing with the shop. They should be doing the same, they should put in equal effort, understanding you, becoming friendly with you, and willing to go above and beyond and help you out. So sometimes it gets busy, things do get overlooked, especially during the season. Understand that. Um, but I don't think a lot of times that's malicious. It just happens. And I think a good shop is going to remedy that and be accountable for that and say, Yeah, we were busy. I apologize. Let's get you taken care of. And the other thing too is the culture, the community, and basically what we just talked about, that long-term value, right? The best shops build archers, it's not about just a transaction. So there's those post follow-up, making sure that you are comfortable with your equipment, continuing to ask questions, and then answering and helping you out to their best of their ability. You know, look for a shop that has a very welcoming environment. Um, a lot of your shops are gonna have some kind of leagues. There's shoots, tack events, youth archery. We do uh 3D stuff, we do indoor stuff. A lot of your shops are gonna offer that um just to keep you in and building that community and that camaraderie amongst the archery community. And then obviously, an important one whenever it talks to culture is the staff actually shoot bows, right? They've got to be current, they've got to be up to speed with what's going on. And you'll notice when you come to a shop, the staff, their bows are typically in the shop. And if they're not working on somebody else's bows, they're tinkering with their stuff. Uh, I think that's important. That's how they stay relevant, that's how they stay current, that's how they stay up to speed on the latest technology. They have to tinker, and a lot of times that's on their own equipment. And then the other thing, too, is a vibe that's just welcoming and makes you want to come back. I mean, when you have a uh, you know, walk into a shop and it's just a cheery, uppity atmosphere. They greet you when they come in, when you come in, um, and they're, you know, they engage, they're asking you questions, we want to help you. That's what you're looking for. Obviously, not an overly pushy, salesy type shop, but a shop that is just welcoming and wants to genuinely help you and answer your questions. Um, but there's also some things that you can do as a customer to be a good uh customer. And it's, you know, I would say it's a uh a reality check for some. You need to be open and honest with what you're after, especially with your budget, right? Be honest about your budget. If even if you think your budget is too low, it's probably not. You know, there's no reason to be embarrassed about it. Come in, you know, hey, this is my budget. This is the hard line. And then the other thing is being open to learning. I understand a lot of people watch YouTube or read articles that have been put out by people like us or other shops, but until you have hands-on experience, you need to be very, very open-minded and willing to learn. Um, not just go off what you heard on YouTube without any, you know, information to actually back that. Uh, it's very easy to feel like you know more than you do whenever you watch some videos and read some stuff. So I would encourage you to come in open-minded. Um, just because your favorite influencer or content creator or professional bow hunter says something, it doesn't necessarily, it might not be wrong, but it might not be right for you. So you need to come in um open-minded and a willingness to learn and listen because the guys behind the shop have experience. I mean, they deal with the public on the daily. So they do see more than most of your content creators or influencers or professional bow hunters. They deal with the public. So they have a better understanding of equipment and all of the different things that go on, especially to a new archer. So be open-minded. Um, but you can also show that you do have some knowledge so that you're not getting pushed around and sold stuff you don't need. That's important as well. Um, the other thing is respecting their time, right? An archery shop, especially during the season, is busy. You need to respect the time of the techs. And you have to understand, too, whenever you come in, if you come in during the busy season that there might be a wait. You product might take longer to get. The bow you thought was going to be here in three weeks because the manufacturer told that shop they were gonna be here in three weeks, it might not be. It might be five to six weeks. So you've got to understand that as well. During the peak season, during the busy season, things get backed up. Shops are at the mercy of the manufacturer. So you cannot be mad at the the shop. You have to understand the time frame in which you come in and where we are within the season. So you have to be understanding. So that's why I would encourage you, if you are interested in getting into archery, do it earlier. Do it the sooner you can do it, the better. Peak season is very, very difficult to get full attention from most shops whenever everybody's wide open, cutting, building arrows, tuning bows, putting on strings, all of those things. So be respectful of the time. Um, there's always going to be time. You just have to figure out whenever that shop is a little bit slower. Maybe, like I said, you make an appointment, uh, or you know, get in earlier. If you're looking at getting into archery this year, now's the time to do it. Most people are done hunting, strings are no longer the priority, things are slowing down. Now is a great time to get into archery. We're right in the beginning of February. Now's the time to do it. Um, the other thing, too, that can be kind of frustrating for shops is you know, you go in that shop, you get all the advice in the world, and then you go buy elsewhere. Go buy on Amazon, something like that. That's frustrating for a shop when they spend the time with you and you don't support the shop. Um like I said, uh, an archery shop is critical. It's the backbone of the archery industry, and you have got to support local shops. It's it's it's important. I mean, especially when it comes to the service side of things. Uh, if you can go in, support your support your shop. And I understand now, I do completely understand if you have a terrible shop. Like, I get it, but typically you're not in there getting advice from them and then going shopping elsewhere. So be mindful of that. Um yeah, support your local shop, man. Go if you're interested in archery, there's no better time to do it than now. But I hopeful, I hope this is kind of helpful with what you should look for and what you should consider. You know, make sure they're asking you questions, understanding your goals, letting you test equipment. There's they're tuning the bow that they sell you. There's uh post-sale follow-up, there's community, there's camaraderie. It's a welcoming environment. Those are all key things to look for in a good shop, and they're going to take the time with you. It is not going to be a burden. It should never be a burden. This is what we do. We love it when people come in and ask questions and who are open to and willing to learn. So, rapid fire recap. Do they ask questions? Do they explain things clearly? Do they tune properly? Do they let you test, shoot the equipment, and do they support you after the sale? Everything I just covered, those are all critical aspects in finding a good shop. So I'm hopeful that you do have a good shop where you where you're located. If you're not, do some research, get online, look up reviews, call shops, find a good one, go visit them. We're here, Extreme Outfitters, Jacksonville, North Carolina. We're always available. If you do have questions, you can always call us. We've got texts that are always available to help you out and answer any questions that you might have, whether it's product-wise, tuning-wise. Um you know, we're here to be an asset for you guys who don't have a local shop. Uh, it's important to us, and that's why we've kind of built the community that we have and why we release the content we do. It's all about education uh and providing value and hopefully helping people out who don't have that local shop. So I would say an archer shop is more than just a logo on the wall. It's about the people behind the counter and the people coming into the shop. It all works together. The people behind the counter take the time, invest in you, invest in your questions, set you up for success, make you cool and confident with your equipment when you leave. So that's it, guys. I appreciate everybody listening to my little rant on my Friday Killnote episode by myself. So if you have questions, again, on anything archery related, reach out to the guys at Extreme Outfitters. Our shop is very welcoming and willing to answer any questions. You can always send emails, sales at extremeoutfitters.com, call the shop. Social media is tough. I try to answer as many questions as I can, but I do get backlogged with there. Um and then you can always hit the website, extremeoutfitters.com, for all of your archery needs if you don't have anything local. So as always, we appreciate you guys following along and listening to the episodes. Drop some comments, give us some feedback. You know, what's a good, you know, promote your local shop. What's your what's your your favorite shop that you visited? Um, drop some comments, give us some feedback, let us know what your thoughts are, what make a good shop as well. And as always, appreciate you guys listening. We'll see you guys in the next episode of the Archer Project.