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EBondo

Bauer Experience store in Burlington, MA

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16 hours ago, gosinger said:

The staff there was very knowledgeable and I had the opportunity to demo a lot of stuff when it was clear I wasn't going to be able to buy (intercontinental flight with horrible extra luggage pricing). So if you ask politely I'm sure they will give you the chance to try skates & sticks even if they won't make a sale that day.

 

Thanks gosinger & Buzz. Appreciate it. I was thinking it would be fine but just didn't want to get harassed and pressured into buying there. Rather buy at my LHS for many reasons but nervous to switch between the skate brands.  If I like them I will switch to Bauer so having the demo option is big

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I'm not up to date with the american landscape, but have the OTM stores in the states actually been killing off LHS's? Anyone have a list?

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On 9/9/2015 at 4:23 PM, kovalchuk71 said:

Not to mention Bauer and its Reps are becoming more and more of a PITA to work with. CCM has my business right now because CCM and its reps treat us wonderfully (and actually give us the time of day)

As a rep I have always made time for my customers.  Didn't matter if the phone rang in the middle of dinner or an extra 12 hours driving time... I always took the call or made a point to take care of my customers.

 

I recently had my territory given to someone who my dealers don't care for-- I can assure those of us reps that work really hard for our accounts truly appreciate you guys who stick with their reps.  

 

That said I am sorry this happened to you.  I know the rep in that area and I have always had a great rapport with him.  He was one of the first guys to call me when I got let go.  He has always been a good friend and a solid person to me.  

 

 

 

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I don't think an OTM in Vaughan will necessarily kill any stores off in Toronto. It's a brand specific store that's being put in an area that already has a gigantic megastore that carries multiple brands (Pro Hockey Life in Vaughan Mills). To me, a store that carries multiple brands so you can compare features and fit in one place is more appealing than a store than only carries one brand (even if it is 3 lines).

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1. Be careful what you wish for.

 

2. It's not about Pro Hockey Life. It's about all the other shops farther down the hockey food chain that will be effected by OTM.  One day OTM will blow up, but by then it will be too late.
For that great local guy you  used to have that took  care of you and your kid, he will be long gone. Don't believe me? Think of your local hardware store.......

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I'm just saying if there's already a big behemoth like Pro Hockey Life in Vaughan and it hasn't killed off smaller Toronto stores, why would OTM? It certainly would be interesting to hear how the OTM stores have impacted the smaller shops in areas where they're already open.

 

If they're just big stores that offer all the product lines to demo at full MSRP then I think the impact will be manageable. Now, if they start using those stores to close out products and cheaper prices than anyone else could then that could have a major impact (as far as I know they haven't been doing this at current stores).

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Well that should kill some great shops in Toronto. Brutal.......

 

 

 

 

Toronto Pro right down the street will take a huge hit maybe not Sport Chek across the street or National down the street. But what about major who is not to far away and is Bauer and CCM was Graf but I am sure it will be affected as well. if I was putting one of these stores in I would put it downtown near the HHOF somewhere. Or how about changing up the Real Sports store and going in there. If your trying to showcase the brand why put it in direct compatition of the stores that are within 1 to 2 KM away? There is 6 stores in less than a 5 kKM radius.

 

 

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Something tells me we'll have to merge this topic with the one about Bauer buying Easton one day....

 

I've heard rumblings of some shops here in the Boston area having their new Bauer product 'delayed' but i don't know if that's because of the OTM stores or Bauers business dealings.

 

I would never buy anything from the Bauer stores but it's a great spot to get in a 20 minute skate or to shoot some pucks when I haven't skated in a while.

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On May 14, 2016 at 8:23 PM, Stryker said:

I'm not up to date with the american landscape, but have the OTM stores in the states actually been killing off LHS's? Anyone have a list?

 

The big chains did that years ago here in MA. They still exist but nearly like they used to. 

 

No clue why some are so dead set against purchasing Bauer gear at an OTM store, I mean, Bauer gets your money regardless where you get it. I know the OTM store in MA is easier to deal with than the big chains. I barely step foot in a PureHockey these days and I swore by that place for years. It's essentially my last resort now. Sadly, that is my local hockey shop, even drive right by it on my way home from work.

 

IMO the landscape change was set in motion long before Bauer opened their stores.

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On 5/14/2016 at 11:42 PM, DarkStar50 said:

1. Be careful what you wish for.

 

2. It's not about Pro Hockey Life. It's about all the other shops farther down the hockey food chain that will be effected by OTM.  One day OTM will blow up, but by then it will be too late.
For that great local guy you  used to have that took  care of you and your kid, he will be long gone. Don't believe me? Think of your local hardware store.......

 

Hockey Monkey et al. is a much bigger threat to the local hockey shop than OTM could ever be. Monkey/PH/etc. and their chronic 20% off is what is hurting the little guys. OTM selling the single brand at list prices isn't killing anyone.

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^ Right, when your vendor is now selling his product direct in your territory, it doesn't hurt your business? Every item no matter how big or small sold by OTM is one less item either the LHS or the big box didn't get to ring through their register. The LHS has his strategy in place for quite a while on how he deals with the big box. Now with OTM, the playing field is no longer level. I have no problem with anyone that disagrees with me but I am the dog in the hunt. I've been watching this battlefield change since Cupolo's in Canada advertised in The Hockey New 30 years ago and since Great Skate and Ocean Hockey dropped catalogs in your mailbox. I have my strategy shifting daily but if you think  OTM isn't killing anyone, I'll have to disagree. What other goal would they have. OTM isn't community service. It's competition for anyone and everyone.

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Yes maybe Cupolo's wasn't one of the best stores but there are others that are good stores that will feel the pinch. Just Hockey just closed its north store. Even if it was for other reasons this time.....once the OTM store had opened it would have really had a rough go for the Vaughn parents that used to shop there. And Majer down the street they have some awesome fit people but they do not have Graf anymore and they haven't been huge in CCM so I would say there going to be hit pretty hard. 

 

Maybe the landscape goes back to really good sharpening guys in small shops. However with ProSharp and Blademaster and Blackstone all selling machines cheaper and Sparx coming out with their machine I am betting a really good Pro Shop will be hard to find in the next 10 years. My 2 cents.

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