Red Truck / Leland Tells Sage To Go Pound Sand

There are Costco stores carrying Sage rods? Recall some time ago someone posted about Simms waders at a Costco but then Simms managed to get the inventory back I think. Haven't been to my local Costco for a while but I've never seen any fishing gear on the level of Sage or Simms.
 
i don't buy that excuse.
I believe that SAGE, may be like simms(?), are promoting direct sales or sales through exclusive distributors. I think that Leland is not being completely honest. They might not be getting the same discount they used to so they are not selling SAGE.
Even so, in the past, only a few (out west) costcos had the rods. would this really impact leland???? they sell across the country over the internet to people who can't go to a costco in washington state.

from: http://www.anglingtrade.com/2011/04/05/big-box-wholesaler-costco-plays-dirty-–-aiming-low-prices-on-top-brands-to-lure-fly-fishermen/

"Since March 26, 2011, sixteen Costco locations in the west have been identified as stocking and heavily discounting selected Simms and Sage products. The products appear to be limited to three varying models of popular Sage Z-Axis fly rod and Simms G4 Pro Stockingfoot waders. The knee-jerk reaction Is to wonder if Simms and Sage sold direct to Costco. But, in the words of ESPN College Game Day commentator Lee Corso, “Not so fast, my friends.” It turns out that neither company sold anything to Costco. In fact, they appear to have been victimized. In an exclusive phone interview for this article, Marc Bale, long-time director of sales for Sage/Farbank Enterprises, stated: “We are aware of the products impacted and the Costco stores participating in selling our goods. It is factual to say that we have pinpointed the issue with a freight-forwarder that transferred the goods to Costco. The freight-forwarder has since gone AWOL. We continue to investigate.” According to Mr. Bale, Sage did not sell direct to Costco, nor had any plans to do so. It appears the vigilante freight forwarder double-crossed Sage without their permission."


Anyway, who cares? I love SAGE and will buy the discontinued models where ever I can get them- i wouldn't pay 750.00, but 450.00 that's a different story.
 
interesting. what's the ceiling? I make my IMX and im6 rods so I'm out of touch. everyone's got a rod now pushing $800.00. what's the difference in performance? I guess $800.00 isn't whatI it used to be. anyone remember .26 a gallon gas?
 
JohnPowers wrote:
anyone remember .26 a gallon gas?

not quite but I do remember $.35 a gallon and a free glass with a fill up! That was before self serve and I think they cleaned my windows too!
 
let sage be, i may never own one unless i find an awesome deal used, but the company is for sale as we speak, and probably in financial trouble.

though i have owned a few reddington products and even more rio products, and i can say not a single product would i replace because of poor quality or to the fact that i just didnt like the product.

or if you feel that they should not sell in mega market stores, buy them i believe the number is something like 60 mil.

and the worst part is sage has supported many small shops for alot of years. so that being said, would you rather lose them all together or still buy your gear from your local dealer with his vast knowledge of our addiction and let johnny the yuppie buy his stuff from the mega store, not having any clue what he's doing then sell it on ebay or craigslist for cheap for us non wealthy folk? or if he does catch on to it he will eventually find a guide to really show him. and at that point hopefully the guide and or the locals he bumps into on the water can redirect him to a real fly shop, and then your buddy that sells you all your gear has a chance to give him the service he missed and gain another customer! thus more and better inventory in your local shop.

but no one tell johnny yuppie where to find fish, just how to catch them lol.
 
DJBerg wrote:
and the worst part is sage has supported many small shops for alot of years.

About the fly shops...when they order rods from Sage and can't sell them before the next big thing comes out the shop has to sell them at clearance prices. So they have the shop over the barrel. Keep up and try to make some money or don't carry them at all.
 
DJBerg wrote:
let sage be, i may never own one unless i find an awesome deal used, but the company is for sale as we speak, and probably in financial trouble.

though i have owned a few reddington products and even more rio products, and i can say not a single product would i replace because of poor quality or to the fact that i just didnt like the product.

or if you feel that they should not sell in mega market stores, buy them i believe the number is something like 60 mil.

and the worst part is sage has supported many small shops for alot of years. so that being said, would you rather lose them all together or still buy your gear from your local dealer with his vast knowledge of our addiction and let johnny the yuppie buy his stuff from the mega store, not having any clue what he's doing then sell it on ebay or craigslist for cheap for us non wealthy folk? or if he does catch on to it he will eventually find a guide to really show him. and at that point hopefully the guide and or the locals he bumps into on the water can redirect him to a real fly shop, and then your buddy that sells you all your gear has a chance to give him the service he missed and gain another customer! thus more and better inventory in your local shop.

but no one tell johnny yuppie where to find fish, just how to catch them lol.

ummmm. ok?


Diatribe aside, think about Costcos awesome lifetime no questions asked warranty. Break a rod in Bozo and just swing on in to Costco and walk out with a new one. Plus I promise you dont have to be rich or a yuppie to go into a discount warehouse.
 
I just talked to Mark Bale at Sage. He told me they never sold to Costco. He said somehow Costco aquired their products and started to see them. He did tell me that Sage purchased a lot of the products that Costco had on the shelf. It was nice of Mark to take the time and talk to me. I usually like to pick up a TV, Bicycle, Steak, Case of Water, and a Sage Fly Rod on my shopping trip. LOL. Support your local fly shops is all I have to say.

Thanks,
 
ahh yeah maybe in 2011 they bought back product

but there have been and few more instances this year of Sage/Farbank products showing up

oh wait....
http://www.costco.com/CatalogSearch?storeId=10301&catalogId=10701&langId=-1&keyword=fly+rod
 
For Costco to sell rods, they had to have bought several hundred. So where did they get them? Did another Sage authorized dealer put a large order through for them? Either way something's suspicious about the whole story.
 
mattwolf wrote:
I usually like to pick up a TV, Bicycle, Steak, Case of Water, and a Sage Fly Rod on my shopping trip. LOL. Support your local fly shops is all I have to say.

Thanks,

I know, right. LOL indeed. I hate convenience, high quality goods for great prices, and an awesome warranty. God, costco is the worst!
 
My only problem with the Sage rods at Costco is they come in a bulk 12 pack. Sort of like that 5 gallon jar of mayonnaise I bought. What am I going to do with all of them?!
 
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