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Or maybe just send a twat on twitter

 

 

 

I definately think they are on the way out if they are still around at all.

 

Kyle

 

Too bad. This town needs two whitewater shops + NWOC. Oh well, I'm really happy to support Charles to the extent I can. Charles is awesome!

 

Never was a fan of the whole Shoreline Raft and Kayak concept anyway once they moved.

when you pay almost 10% in sales tax and full price for items that can be shipped for free and 'no sales tax' and factor in discounts- sorry but there is no way that I am going to spend more to save someone's local business (as much as I love to see that business going).  

CKS rocks!  They got all the goods- often with sales, no tax, and free shipping available.  Personally, I don't like having to barter at the sales counter for a deal.  Its not in my nature.  So if the business goes down because they just can't compete, or there isn't enough demand, well I guess that's elementary economics. 

 

On-line shops are great if I know exactly what I need, like when I'm replacing a worn-out item I already own; however, they fall short when I'm looking for something new that requires a good fit - like shoes or gloves, or even a drytop.

 

For example, how do I know that the new whiz-bang NRS creek shoes will fit my foot comfortably and then allow me to sit in my boat?  If I shop on-line, I've got to hope for the best using a sizing chart, and then rely on their returns policy if I've got a funny shaped foot, and then do the whole back and forth shipping until I get the item that works.  Not only is it a hassle, it can take forever if you've got to deal with shipping more than once.

 

On the other hand, at the local shop, I can try on shoes in a variety of sizes then sit in a boat and be 100% certain that I'm paying for exactly what I need.  And if there's a problem down the road, I can walk back in and talk to a human being face-to-face as opposed to some hellish automated phone system or a customer support rep named Daisy in Bangladesh.

 

I've had some good experiences on-line, and I've also been completely ripped off.  On the other hand, the local shops (especially Charles) have always provided excellent service and support.  For that, they've more than earned the few extra bucks above the on-line price.

 

It's a free country and everyone should shop where they want, but let's try to make smart choices.  Sometimes on-line makes sense, sometimes local is the way to go.  It's too simplistic to say that on-line is cheaper, so let's always buy on-line.

 

Dan

 

That is an offensive statement, it sounds as if you are railing on people on unemployment.   Which is a tax paid by employers.

 

I'm currently unemployed due to economic circustances beyond my control.  This is the first time I have drawn unemployment in 18 years of being an ironworker.  Thats 18 years of extremely physical labor, 50+ hours a week several hundred feet in the air over your narrow minded head.

 

Now that I'm in full rant mode heres a couple more things to think about.  WA state does not have an income tax, the sales tax is on what you decide to purchase. 

 

And if you are going to consider your financial bottom line in context with a hobby like kayaking, maybe you should just quit paddling altogether.  So buy from your local shop, whenever you can.  Enjoy shopping in a specialty retailer that provides a unique service, even if your cheap ass has to cough up a few extra bucks now and again.

 

Didn't miss it, just don't think there are a "ridiculous" number of people on unemployment abusing the system. 

 

I thought unemployment benefits were only extended to people who have worked and lost their job through no fault of their own.  Traditionally in WA State, citizens have been only offered the benefit for 6 months (with a temporary extension due to the recession).  How do you leach and abuse by receiving a fraction of your normal salary for such a short time period? 

 

Furthermore, WA doesn't have state income tax so were not losing money there.  Their unemployment checks are still paying sales tax, property taxes, etc. so there is still a contribution to society.

 

Ya, there are some perpetually poor and lazy people who milk it for as long as they can get it, but there are always a small amount that abuse any system, no matter how perfect it is.

Yeah, prolly good not to trash on folks-- too much. But this is a valid discussion with lots of facets of opinion, each coming from reasoned angles. Too many comments I'd like to quote, so I'll stress to anyone coming in late like me (I was paddling all weekend )---read this thread in detail if you haven't.

 

Sorry to hear about your situation Travis.  Bummer that your employer jumped ship to save .55 cents an hour on wages. 

 

Minimum wage increases in WA state are tied to the CPI index.  I can see the upsides and downsides to that.

amazon.harms-  funny Jp :)

 

 

Buy local or bye local is as equally a small minded concept as buying online exclusively to save a buck. I'll use Amazon as an example. When was the last time that anything bought on Amazon actually came from Amazon? Small brick and mortar stores all over have partnered with Amazon to increase their potential customer pools. If local businesses do not adapt to changing economic environments and markets they will die. The online world is filled with local shops that brought their business to the web. I get really tired of hearing small business owners and a handfull people who think they are somehow superior because they buy local or do not buy from chains bitch about the rest of us who choose to take our business elsewhere.

 

I buy online, and I buy local. If I can't get what I want locally, I'll buy it online. If I can get  it locally, but if the price is way off the mark or I feel I'll get better service from a online dealer I will still buy online. This weekend I drove an hour and a half to buy a paddle from Charles because 1) he had what I wanted, 2) his customer service cannot be beat, and 3) his price for what I wanted was competitive. I could have bought more locally from Yeagers or Western Canoe and Kayak but the customer service at Yeager's sucks, and the border wait with the Olympics plus the weak USD at the moment gave Aquasports the advantage over WC&K (a store I feel is equal to Aquasports in selection, price, and close with customer service). Online stores had similar prices, but could not meet my customer service needs in this case. When I bought a canoe a couple weeks ago I passed on a new 10 year old boat from WC&K for the same new boat online because it was almost $300 less.

 

I spend my money at the store that best suits my needs, not just the one that offers the best price, or happens to be close to me. If you don't agree with my choice that's fine, but I don't judge you for your spending habits, don't judge me for mine.

 

Kyle

You should of let it go a couple more pages of interesting, off topic, going who-knows-where conversation before actually answering the question.

 

Now I'll have to read Leifs' post for entertainment.

Apples and Oranges, and I want to buy organic. So I'm going to stick with the farmer I know and support him. Paying 10% sales tax on the rare occassion I need something from the paddle shop is no big deal. But to have a large portion of an already small market share siphoned off by someone somewhere else is a big deal to me. So I value having Charles and his shop here. Doesn't help me to have to wait for something to ship if I broke or lost the item and need it replaced ASAP. Butu that's just me. It's a free country (well, kinda. Good enough I guess).

 

On a similar note, I swang by NWOC today because I need a simple tube of aquaseal. They were closed. You can spin that all sorts of ways to support your argument, but so can I. Instead of typing it all out, why don't you run both spin directions through your imaginations. Suffice to say I went to REI and they apparently don't sell it anymore. They suck for paddlesports. Even once ubiquitous items such as Aquaseal. Good thing they sell so much crap to the genral public that doesn't even relate to outdoor activities!