How to Buy Fishing Gear Online

If you’ve experienced the increasing prices of fishing gear alongside the rising lack of availability in local fishing shops around you, you wouldn’t be alone. In order to get the most out of their fishing experience, many fishers are moving to online stores and are finding themselves pleasantly surprised at the quality of products and services they see online. However, if you haven’t bought online before, you might be at a loss as to where you can go to buy fishing gear. Thankfully, we’ve created this simple guide to finding the right online store for you.

Step One – Ask Around!
Not everyone online is involved in a hobbyist or trade community, but they’re never more than a click away. Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and many other social media sites all have active and passionate communities of knowledgeable fishermen and women who are more than happy to give you their experiences with various places online from which you can buy fishing gear. Don’t be afraid to step in and say hello! You might be surprised at how much you can learn from them.

Step Two – Reviews Are Like Lighthouses
While not every review on a particular store will be helpful, you can often find detailed reviews that give you unique insight on merchants online. Using tools like Google’s shopping tab within their search engine can make the process incredibly easy since you can first locate a product you’re interested and then sort by rating. Once you’ve reached the review page for various stores, you can browse for longer, more detailed reviews that will give you personal insight into working with each merchant. Look for reviews which focus on the customer’s experience with the merchant instead of reviews of specific products; these reviews will give you much more information to help slim down your list. Reviews can help guide you into a safe harbor where you can stock up with peace of mind.

Step Three – Browse
Once you have a few sites on a short list, go and visit their storefront. You’ll learn a lot from exploring and comparing the inventory, prices, and policies of each site. One site might offer better prices, for example, but might also have a less favorable return policy. Take your time! Even longer online browsing sessions are nothing in comparison to a drive to the store and back to buy fishing gear.

Step Four – Check Shipping Costs
Not all sites charge the same amount for shipping, especially if that shop is getting its products from a distant location. Always be sure to take the time to investigate the shipping costs before you commit to a store. You wouldn’t want to find yourself surprised by a sudden spike in price due to massive shipping costs at the last minute.

If you want an example of a fantastic merchant’s site from a slightly different industry, check out the Pogue Supply website. Not only are their reviews stellar, but their prices are hard to beat. If you need pool supplies, you already know where to go!