# Hoyt Pro Comp Elite XL



## johnedward (Apr 9, 2012)

Looking to purchase a higher quality bow such as the pro comp elite xl or the Tribute or maybe the Apex 8 but where in Ontario do you find a shop with one on the rack that you can hold in your hand or even shoot before laying out all that cash.The Tribute was new last year but worth a look as I am a finger shooter


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## bigbadwoolfe (Jan 1, 2013)

Nowhere. In Ontario you pay first, then you wait for about a month, and then you get to hold a bow like that if you ask our bow shops. 

But if you want to see one in action and GTA isn't too far for you, come to Peel some night... There's a few guys shooting PCEXLs (including myself), you can check one out.


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## araz2114 (Jan 13, 2003)

Sorry, bigbadwoolfe... you aren't correct. The Bow Shop in Waterloo definitely has a Pro Comp Elite in stock. I am not sure if it is the XL, but it for sure is a Pro Comp in Orange. I purchased a Pro Comp Elite in Flat Black with GTX cams from The Bow Shop about 3 weeks ago. They also have some used target stuff also. It would be worth investigation this further.. Give them a call 519-746-8139. 

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to send me a PM.

Chris


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## shootthewhatnow (Jan 29, 2008)

They also currently have an Elite Tour, Apex 8 (or did before the holidays), PSE Dominator ect...

Fair warning... lefties need not apply... sorry southpaws...


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## TRDJer (May 14, 2012)

Just left the bow shop, no pro comp XL. They have an orange contender elite with XT3000 limbs and an orange alpha elite. 

For the high end bows you will generally either have to buy them without ever shooting them or try to find someone who will let you try theirs. This is especially the case with spiral cams as it is difficult for stores to stock a bow for each draw length.


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## johnedward (Apr 9, 2012)

Thanks for the info guys . I will make a few calls & take a drive.


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## bigbadwoolfe (Jan 1, 2013)

araz2114 said:


> Sorry, bigbadwoolfe... you aren't correct. The Bow Shop in Waterloo definitely has a Pro Comp Elite in stock. I am not sure if it is the XL, but it for sure is a Pro Comp in Orange. I purchased a Pro Comp Elite in Flat Black with GTX cams from The Bow Shop about 3 weeks ago. They also have some used target stuff also. It would be worth investigation this further.. Give them a call 519-746-8139.
> 
> If you have any questions, don't hesitate to send me a PM.
> 
> Chris


They may have one today and not have it tomorrow. Somebody probably traded it in or a brand new one arrived for a customer who then backed out so now they have it. 

When I was buying my Vantage Elite Plus last year I'd pay extra to be able to shoot it before I can buy it, but I was told by that same bow shop that they don't stock them and only way to try one is to actually order it (25% pay up front, rest on delivery in 4 weeks), and I was talking to one of the girls who work there. 

Point is, Ontario pro shops, including Bow Shop in Waterloo, don't generally stock up high end target equipment, so it's more likely than not that you won't find what you're looking for. 

And as mentioned above, they don't have the XL anyway, so not sure why you get so defensive...


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## cheaplaughs (Mar 27, 2005)

Where do you live and what dl are you


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## ontario3-d'r (Feb 17, 2012)

Having worked archery retail for over 20 years, I can tell you why archery shops rarely carry target bows. The target market is very small compared to the hunting market. I sold over 400 bows a year out of my shop, and less than 10 were target colours. It is unfair to ask a retailer to stock target colours because there are so many variables. Colour options, draw length, RH-LH ect. When someone is looking for a specific target bow, they usually will not compromise. If they want blue, and all you have is green, they won't buy the green. It is unfair to ask a retailer to tie up thousands of dollars for people to look at them. If a store has a hoyt, Mathews, pse, and an elite on the shelf, there is over $5000 just sitting there. The chance that someone comes into your store looking for the exact target bow you have, is very slim. A small "mom and pop" archery store just won't stock stuff with low turnover. A major retailer, like the bowshop or archers nook who have thousands of customers with in driving distance, may stock target stuff, but they have the walk in traffic to support it. Second, target archery equipment. Quality target equipment lasts for years. The sight on my 3-D set-up is over 10 years old and there is still nothing wrong with it. When someone buys a tru-ball target sight, it is unlikely you will sell that person a new one within 5 years. Hunting accessories have a very high turnover. New hunting sights, arrows, rests and broadheads are replaced way more often than target stuff. Therefore, you can not blame a retailer for tying up their money with stuff that will turnover fast. Besides, 95% of the people walking in to a bow shop are looking for hunting equipment. It would be nice to try new stuff, I understand that completely. However, your best bet would be to try some ones at your club. Sad, but true.


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## bigbadwoolfe (Jan 1, 2013)

ontario3-d'r said:


> Having worked archery retail for over 20 years, I can tell you why archery shops rarely carry target bows. The target market is very small compared to the hunting market. I sold over 400 bows a year out of my shop, and less than 10 were target colours. It is unfair to ask a retailer to stock target colours because there are so many variables. Colour options, draw length, RH-LH ect. When someone is looking for a specific target bow, they usually will not compromise. If they want blue, and all you have is green, they won't buy the green. It is unfair to ask a retailer to tie up thousands of dollars for people to look at them. If a store has a hoyt, Mathews, pse, and an elite on the shelf, there is over $5000 just sitting there. The chance that someone comes into your store looking for the exact target bow you have, is very slim. A small "mom and pop" archery store just won't stock stuff with low turnover. A major retailer, like the bowshop or archers nook who have thousands of customers with in driving distance, may stock target stuff, but they have the walk in traffic to support it. Second, target archery equipment. Quality target equipment lasts for years. The sight on my 3-D set-up is over 10 years old and there is still nothing wrong with it. When someone buys a tru-ball target sight, it is unlikely you will sell that person a new one within 5 years. Hunting accessories have a very high turnover. New hunting sights, arrows, rests and broadheads are replaced way more often than target stuff. Therefore, you can not blame a retailer for tying up their money with stuff that will turnover fast. Besides, 95% of the people walking in to a bow shop are looking for hunting equipment. It would be nice to try new stuff, I understand that completely. However, your best bet would be to try some ones at your club. Sad, but true.


I'm not blaming them for not stocking bows that are hard to sell. It makes sense to not have them. But fact remains, they don't have them. Equally, no car dealership has every car in every color and all options on the lot. But there is at least one car with some average level of equipment in a color that's likely to go first (so not lime green, but silver, black or white).

So, *IF* the bow shops wanted to sell more target equipment, there's no way to do it without an initial investment in a few high end target bows, sights, etc... whose role would be to sit there on the shelves, so when customers want to see one they can. They could also try them out even tho they're not the perfect draw length/color. So at this point if they like what they saw, it takes a mediocre-at-best salesperson to close that sale. I'd much rather order through Bow Shop or any other "shop" over ordering off a guy in the States. Even if it costs me a bit more... but I know I've seen the bow, I know I like it, I know these guys are going to be here tomorrow and won't rip me off... but with absolutely nothing to show and no return policy, it is very hard to justify the price difference between buying there and buying online. Not to mention, I buy a $1400 bow from you, I'll likely be buying other high end stuff in near future and I'll be servicing that bow there... and I won't be looking for other places as long as I feel I'm getting good value for my money.

Anyway... this is all in theory... problem is that our pro shops do business the "old school way"... Look at their websites (if they have them). Look at their space... it feels like 1994, not 2014. And you'll say "it'll never work"... but there's a company that saw this problem 20 years ago, did something about it and look where they are now (http://www.lancasterarchery.com/).


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## ontario3-d'r (Feb 17, 2012)

All excellent points that I agree with. However, A $1400 sale is not $1400 profit. There is less than $200 profit on ANY bow sold at retail. Now take out the wages of the sales person that helped you set up the bow, and it doesn't leave much left for operating costs. Therefore, you must sell 6 target bow to pay for the one you have in stock. Also, stores will have to sell the one that was stocked at a loss. It will have to be sold as a demo after potentially hundreds of shot were taken out of it during the year. The bowshop in waterloo still has an Alpha-Elite. That is a discontinued model. No-one is going to pay full retail for that bow now. They are stuck with it, and will have to sell it at a loss, if they sell it at all. A coloured discontinued bow is a tough sell. Same thing applies for target accessories. $75 profit on a $400 sight. $50 on a $200 rest. As far as websites go, a $60 sight in Peterborough is $60 in Waterloo. No one is going to buy from a store and pay shipping, when they can get the same sight at their local shop for the same price. Plus, changing the website stock would be a daily job, and would carry a huge expense to pay for the labour involved with it. There are only a few wholesalers, so every shop will buy from the same wholesaler, and pay the same price. Therefore, retail prices should be very similar. When buying from a place like Lancaster, they do not buy from a distributor like we do in Canada. Lancaster buys directly from manufacturers, and there fore there retail is a bit lower. They are cutting out the middle man. Keep in mind the shipping and duty, and you will find purchases are no cheaper from Lancaster when it arrives at your door.


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## bigbadwoolfe (Jan 1, 2013)

No doubt. It's tougher in Canada for both the retailers and the customers. 

Now, $50 profit on a $200 rest is huge margin. Pretty sure the markup on stuff like nocks, fletching, accessories, etc... is in the 100% range. But all these things come after you already bought your bow. The bow is what brings customers in the store, so even if retailers only break even on target bows, the rest of the equipment that goes with that bow is marked up enough to justify them wanting to sell more target bows. You want to teach your customers to come to you when they need anything BEFORE they look online. 

This becomes a "big numbers" game. Small profit on a huge number of transactions is better than big profit on a few. 

And in time, shops get more bargaining power with distributors / manufacturers. I'm sure when LA decided to go in business they had to jump through all the hoops our shops do now. But now manufactures would let them take inventory for free, just so it makes their catalog. 

This stuff doesn't happen over night, but it does happen. Only someone needs to be willing to take some risks. 

I do go on tournaments and the amount of high end equipment imported from the States "under the table" is insane. That all could have been money spent locally. Also, there shouldn't be a need for anyone to drive for 1800 km (from Toronto) to get equipment, and many do once a year. 

I may be wrong, but seems there is market for this in Canada, and the shops are missing the opportunity. May be bold to say, but seems to me a LA "branch" in GTA would shut down all archery shops in Ontario (or at least driving distance to GTA) in 3 months.


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## cheaplaughs (Mar 27, 2005)

I use a store in Ohio. I met these guys shooting the ibo down south. Anything I need or want is a text away. I tried dealing around here but this seems easier and quicker.


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## araz2114 (Jan 13, 2003)

Bigbadwolfe, I don't think I know you... but have you been to The Bow Shop in Waterloo? I am just curious. Ontario 3-d if correct on most of it. But I know the Bow Shop has over 20 new and used target bows in stock. Yes, you can't carry all the bow brands, sizes, colours. But if you want to check one out, and see the colour, or feel, they have quite a few in stock. I know this isn't much of a Olympic archery place, but nowhere does anyone have more of them than the Bow Shop... for sure over 50 in stock. Hunting bows still out number target bows 20 to 1... but they are trying to stock some target stuff.

Chris


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## RoscoeP23 (Feb 27, 2013)

There is a used Apex 8 for sale right now with new limbs. I have bought from the guy before and he is a good guy to deal with. Cheers Roscoe


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