I have written about this before, but pretty much from the fly shop owner angle. To recap: if you own a shop practice the Golden Rule (do onto others as…in case you forgot), don’t act so nonchalant and cool, and develop customer goodwill and loyalty (the Caddis Fly Shop in Eugene follows this practice for one. I go there 2-3 times a month and they are always spot on perfect). Not everyone that lays out $1,500+ for a two hander outfit is a doctor, businessman or pot dealer. Some peope are anxious over spending that much money…gently help them along. Buyer’s remorse won’t help your shop.
BUT, for the customer a few salient points of conduct: don’t be a dick (no not named after your favorite villain Dick Cheney). Don’t walk into the shop with an arrogant chip on your Ex-Officio shoulder. Don’t brag about where you have been thereby attempting to put the owner in place or gain status. Don’t hang out for an hour telling boring stories to boost your ego in their eyes and purchase nary a fly. Don’t hold a struggling shop hostage with your purchase. Shops don’t have a lot of wiggle room on pricing so if you are really shopping make your purchase on shop loyalty (note shop owners..be nice). So, customer, if you walk into a shop with an attitude and brag and talk in the condescending tones of some elitist…you are a dick; a dick in the shop, a dick at home and a dick on the river. Knock it off.
SwittersB & Exploring 
True true. The annoying part is when you listen and listen but DON’T get paid for it because some people never buy anything but just come in to shoot the shit, and sometimes they don’t even fish. It’s annoying, but yeah, it’s part of the job.
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I love the blog, look at it everyday. I have never worked in a shop, but sounds like you have. I understand that there may be a lot of braggers out there and that must get old, but in my time fishing I find more and more shops that just don’t care about the customer. I live in Utah, but am more loyal to a shop in Colorado because they actually care. It may be where I live, but most of the shops I have been to, even outside Utah don’t seem to care about the customer. You don’t hear bartenders complaining about listening to people cry about there sad terrible lives? That’s there job. If I feel like telling a story to a guy that sells fishing gear for a living, I’d expect him to listen to my story. I am a sales rep and trust me I know about listening to stories, but in a round about way I get paid to listen to those stories. People like people that let them talk about themselves, so if shops want to make sales, let the customer tell stories. Fish on!!!
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Hello Kyle….much truth in what you say…actually my son works in a shop and I have taught for the shop…I have heard his good stories and the bad…Also, I have previously written about shops and the blase attitude toward customers and elitist tones…both sides merit a tweak now and then…thanks for visiting and sharing. I hope sales maintain or rebound soon for all, like you, that must make all the touches for the sale…good luck.
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