You would think selling direct they could offer more curves because they don't have to produce massive amounts of rach curve. Maybe a consideration for future generations.
As much as a lot of what STX is doing feels weird, it could turn out pretty sweet too. We all love going to the LHS and I hate when they struggle, but at the same time more direct sales could totally change how gear is bought. Maybe when you go to buy a stick you could have a ton of patterns and lie's to choose from. Or custom fitting more gear than just skates. Or even just simply lower cost.