St. Paul Ice Show Deals

[gonehunting]

I may be looking at purchasing a new Otter Lodge Pro XT1200. I would like to buy the house, hifax, cover, hitch, and cubby. Would it be worth my time to work some deals at the St. Paul ice show? How much can a person save percentage wise. 10-20%? I am about 4 hours away. Anyone that has been there let me know. I know Sunday is probably the best deal making day. I may have a buddy looking to buy one so maybe we could deal on two. Thanks for any assistance.

[Rod Woten]

I may be looking at purchasing a new Otter Lodge Pro XT1200. I would like to buy the house, hifax, cover, hitch, and cubby. Would it be worth my time to work some deals at the St. Paul ice show? How much can a person save percentage wise. 10-20%? I am about 4 hours away. Anyone that has been there let me know. I know Sunday is probably the best deal making day. I may have a buddy looking to buy one so maybe we could deal on two. Thanks for any assistance.

Sunday may be the best deal making day, ASSUMING there is still a deal to be made. After working in the Clam booth for the past several years, it seems like almost every year, all of our retailers at the show will sell out of one or two of our most popular shelters for the season.

For me, it was worth it to "settle" for a Saturday deal and greatly reduce the risk of them being sold out. In your case where you & your buddy are looking for matching shelters, I'd be especially leery of waiting until Sunday.

The other thing to keep in mind is that most of the retailers don't have to ”load up” the unsold shelters on Sunday. I know that for Clam’s retailers, as well as others, the shelters they sell come directly off the Clam trailers at the loading dock, so anything that is unsold at the end simply stays in the Clam trailer and gets transported back to HQ. Long story short, I’m not so convinced that the great incentive for retailers to sell unsold merchandise at the end of the show is as great as it’s rumored to be. It seems to me that retailers are ALWAYS willing to bargain during the show, especially for multiple purchases or if you bundle items, but I wouldn’t expect much more than 5 or 10%....15% TOPS, and in most cases it will be a free hat, towel or t-shirt type of deal...

-Rod

[Creek Kid]

When is the show this year?

[DRH1175]

I will be buying the same house and extras as you also. Last year when I was there looking at their houses. While at the Otter booth I seen a guy working a deal. It seemed as though they Gave him the center cubby for free if he bought the house. That to me was a pretty good deal.

[Slab_Supper]

So pretty much a lot of hype and so called "deals" to be had.

[Northlander]

You can do well at the show. After working with Otter the past 10 or so years at the show I know you have to shop the vendors against each other and see who gives you the best deal on the house or gives you accessories thrown in.

Otter does not "sell" at the show but will show you the houses and answer all your questions then its up to you to go shop Marine General, Reeds, Thorne Brothers, Bobber Shop etc. to see who will give you the best deals.

I will say that if you wait until Sunday you may not get the house you want. The 1200 Lodge and Cabins will surely move quickly this year. The last few years we ran out of both at the show and the vendors were having people pick them up at their stores or working out some sort of delivery.

Come see me at the Otter booth and I will answer any questions and point you in the right direction. Im easy to find Im the ugly 6'6" guy.

[OnIce]

I don't know it they sell Otter houses or not, but I have always gotten the deepest discounts from Joe's Sporting Goods.

[leech~~]

I don't know it they sell Otter houses or not, but I have always gotten the deepest discounts from Joe's Sporting Goods.

Yes they sell Otter houses and that big ugly 6'6" guy is always there. You can't miss the tallest guy ducking in and out of the houses all day! Reed's seems to have some good deals as well.

Still trying to decide if I am going this year or not? I just picked up a very clean Clam TCX Voyager for another HSO member and I have enough gear to set up my own shop. But, it is a good place to get the juices flowing for the year!

Oh and it is December 6 - 8, 2013

[Queenswake]

If you had planned to go anyway, then give it a shot. But otherwise, by the time you add 4 hours worth of gas, parking, entry, food, if you do end up getting a good deal I think it's going to be a wash and you will have lost a very long day.

[coombia21]

Call the retailers a couple days before the show. They will tell you the prices and then you can determine if it is worth it. You might even be able to have them ship you one. I did that 2 years ago when I bought my non-insulated otter.

[JoeMX1825]

by the time you add 4 hours worth of gas, parking, entry, food, if you do end up getting a good deal I think it's going to be a wash and you will have lost a very long day.

That's a great point! other than talking to Reps, you can pretty much see everything at the show on display at a Cabelas or Gander...I'd also keep an eye out on hsolist, i'm sure plenty of guys will be selling last years models hoping to upgrade to the latest/greatest, this will save you tons on sales tax and the hassle of putting the shelter together...