It is a fact that Penn does not suck.
There are certain people on this board complaining that they can no longer get a deal on Penn products through certain retailers. I am not sure why these people think they deserve a discount, what do they give Penn in return besides a rude gesture?
The manufacturers have been forced to implement Minimum Advertised Pricing becuase certain retailers will discount the products so much that it takes out any profitability in the product. This discounting destroys the market for these items for the manufacturer and for all the rest of the retailers. You wonder why You often hear about the local tackle shop going out of business. It is simple, if you can't make a profit, you can't pay the bills and you go out of business.
Penn's hand was forced by discount retailers who were happy making $10 profit on a $100 reel. At the end, the discounter made little to no profit, violated all sales agreements, hurt all the other retailers, negatively effected the overall market and pricing for these products, and hurt the consumer's ability to find and buy the products. It is understood that everybody wants to get a deal, but I suspect that everybody also wants a high quality, nearby tackle shop available to them, too. The independent tackle dealer simply must make a certain reasonable profit on its sales to keep the doors open. The manufacturer must profit, too.
Penn is a great American Company and it deserves the support and respect of the American fishing community. With the recent acquisition of Penn by a strong publicly traded company called K2, it is my belief that an already great company will see an infusion of investment, new products, and an overall improvement in all areas.
Because one is unable to get a "deal" on a high end Penn Gold Label product, it does not mean the company "sucks". Sometimes you simply have to pay to play. There are countless other competing products available on the marketplace that you are free to choose from where you can get a deal. No one is forcing you to buy Penn, but it seems that many anglers want their products.
Please remember that there are people behind the Penn name. These people are Americans. When someone rudely says Penn sucks, you are saying the American people behind the name suck. I can tell you first hand that they are good people with a good products. From Brent Kane, the National Sales Mgr, to Betty the parts department lady, they are good quality people.
If you want one of the elite fishing reel companies, you have to consider Penn.
Keith Fraser
www.alltackle.com 
Penn Does Not Suck 
That little freak of nature catches bullets in his teeth. 
.I was raised on buy it right the first time and only cry once. 
