04
Sep 10

How Albright is Like the Discount Furniture Store

I got an email recently from Albright, the direct sales rod/reel/fly line/fly company.  The email said “up to 70% off!”

Now, before I go any further, let’s just be clear.  I don’t mean this post as a criticism of Albright as a company… lord knows I’ve learned to tread on that ground fairly lightly.  However… I do have an observation or two to make.

Have you ever shopped one of those discount furniture stores?  I have and I’m always a little amused at the tags “50% off” is something you see often.  Is it really a sale if no one has ever paid 100% of that price?  If the sale price of a couch is $500 and it sells for $500 all over the country, can they really say that the full price is $1,000?  I’m going to say… not so much.

Albright does provide some good value for the dollar, but to say they are having a “sale” would imply that their rods/reels are sold at the non-sale price most of the time.  The definition of the word in this context is “a special disposal of goods, as at reduced prices.”  I have yet to see the Albright site with non-sale prices.  I did notice that the GP 8/9 that I own is now half the price (about $45) that it was when my brother bought it for me as a gift, but it was in the closeout section as they now have a GPX series in the “passably fit for saltwater” slot.

In terms of inexpensive gear, Albright is kind of hard to beat.  However, I like to buy gear from people I know and shops I like.  Albright is a direct-sales outfit, bypassing the whole shop structure.  Basically, Frank or Bob aren’t going to carry this rod and if they aren’t going to carry it, I’m not likely to buy it.

If you are listening Albright, I think you could use a tweak to the “SALE!” strategy.  After announcing a sale every few weeks, the polish is kind of coming off that one.

As a side note, if you want your Gotcha’s or your Shane’s Psycho Puff by the dozen, the prices at Albright are about a buck a  fly.

Here are some thoughts on that GP I have from casting down in Vallarta last winter.