The Things Customers Do

[raganblink 82]

It probably isn't that they don't care, although since it is a chain that might be the case.

We got a shooting area where anyone can take anything stick in and shoot wrist shots, only slaps and snaps with the demo ones. We care what people are doing. But we're small, and not a chain, so that's probably why theres a difference there.

[vek 0]

The employee's didn't even care couple of them just hanging around. What bothers me was even more idiots tried to do the same thing grabbing new stick's off the rack, rushing over and also ripping those shots.. =/

They didn't care because the employees do the same thing with the rapidshot and new sticks. I've witnessed it personally.

[Oykib 0]

I miss playing up in Canada. Even the quality level of stores can't be beat! I went into a local store (Total Hockey) the other day and asked if they knew where I could by some Jenpro or Robocop for my pads. They looked at me and said, "You mean the cop that twirls the gun?" After shaking my head I pointed to the 40 pairs of pads they had and said, "No, that is what your pads are made of". I still got the deer in headlights look and I just walked out. Law pointed me in the right direction but it is so frustrating to not be able to have a good local shop. There are two stores in the area and they only carry Vaughn, RBK and Bauer, with most of those being the cheap overseas pads.

[Law Goalie 147]

I am spoiled rotten living where I do. My LHS has a factory in its basement.

[B19Kress 0]

Thought this whole thread was appropriate :)

http://www.modsquadhockey.com/forums/index...showtopic=51232

Edited February 12, 2010 by B19Kress

[sogaduch 0]

just had an incident here was fairly busy at the store and some hockey dad asked us if we can install his kids laces in the skates, the kid had to be atleast 9 and even at that age im sure most of us could put our own laces in the skates. Probably be my one and only thing I'll put into the thread but has to be embarassing for the hockey dad when other hockey dads are looking at him probably laughing in there mind.

Edited February 18, 2010 by sogaduch

[VakarLajos 5]

just had an incident here was fairly busy at the store and some hockey dad asked us if we can install his kids laces in the skates, the kid had to be atleast 9 and even at that age im sure most of us could put our own laces in the skates. Probably be my one and only thing I'll put into the thread but has to be embarassing for the hockey dad when other hockey dads are looking at him probably laughing in there mind.

nevermind how old the kid is, the dad is an adult! figure it out, buddy!

People ask me to do this and i just explain to them there's no real mystery about it. I might do one skate for them.

teach a man to fish....

[sogaduch 0]

nevermind how old the kid is, the dad is an adult! figure it out, buddy!

People ask me to do this and i just explain to them there's no real mystery about it. I might do one skate for them.

teach a man to fish....

Exactly wanted to do that but he went to the washroom and was already waiting for one of us to do the laces for us

[technophile 0]

I dunno, I think it's a good thing. If the dad doesn't know anything about hockey, better to ask someone who does rather than do something wrong and potentially get his kid hurt. I mean, sure, they're just laces, but one of the most important factors in being able to skate in the first place is good skate fit, and laces are pretty important there.

Beats the heck out of all those idiot customers who don't know anything and assume they do... ;)

Edit: I mean it's a good thing to ask to be shown, not to expect them to do it for you. Asking them to do it for you is just

Edited February 18, 2010 by technophile

[VakarLajos 5]

I dunno, I think it's a good thing. If the dad doesn't know anything about hockey, better to ask someone who does rather than do something wrong and potentially get his kid hurt. I mean, sure, they're just laces, but one of the most important factors in being able to skate in the first place is good skate fit, and laces are pretty important there.

Beats the heck out of all those idiot customers who don't know anything and assume they do... ;)

Edit: I mean it's a good thing to ask to be shown, not to expect them to do it for you. Asking them to do it for you is just

I've had grown men ask me to do it because they're late for their game or just lazy. Sorry buddy, I'm not your equipment manager or your personal assistant (which a lot of my customers have).

[cdoug55 0]

Wow, that's bad. Does he know how to lace his shoes?

I am all for supporting my LHS. Maybe its because when I was younger and playing we didnt have the internet to buy equipment off of. It may also be the shipping costs on some of the sites. I don't know what it is but shipping at some of them are a ripoff.

The only think I don't like about some LHS and maybe this is because I havent really been spending a lot of time at the ones by my house now that I live in LI. But occasionally you go to one and if your not a regular or someone they recognize they don't feel the need to really help you out. For example when I was looking for skates last spring, first pair in 10 years, I went to a rather well known shop on LI which many people recommended. I wont say which one though. I walk in and the guy is there talking to someone else he plays on a team with or what not. I asked him if he could help me fit me for some skates, preferrably Supreme line or Vapors. So the first question he asks me is what size I am...which I thought was pretty funny considering I asked if he could help "fit" me. SO I told him "I'm not really sure". I wasn't sure because when I played in high school/college I always wore skates that were too big. He looks at me, laughs to his buddy and says "you call yourself a hockey player and you don't know your skate size" and just keeps laughing with his friend. I freaking stared at him and said "I havent bought skates in 10 years". He takes out the ruler or whatever you call it, measures my feet, brings out 4 boxes and then walks back to talking with his friend. Lets just say I wont be using this guy ever.

[epstud74 24]

He calls himself a hockey player and he does not know the meaning of being fitted properly for skates? I would have canned his ass right there if I were the owner and heard that comment.

[VakarLajos 5]

I'm kind of the opposite. Not to be harsh, but I really don't care what size the person says they are. I'm going to measure them anyway. Unless they say they've been at the store before and were already measured or want the exact skate that they are currently coming from.

"I wear a size 10 shoe...."

"I was a size 7 in Bauer 5000s....."

"I tried on a size 8 at Sports Authority...."

Doesn't really matter. If i'm going to fit you properly I'm going to measure you and go from there.

[JKranz24 1]

That happens all the time at my shop!

"Can I help you guys?"

"Yeah, I'm looking for a size 11 in this skate."

"What size shoe are you?"

"11."

"Yeah, you're definitely not an 11, let's size you up!"

It happens more often with parents who are looking for skates for their kids, but it's surprising that even experienced skaters are sometimes so wrong about what size skate they wear.

[dsjunior1388 81]

I agree, when I bought my skates the guy picked up the measure thing and said "Let's see what size you wear." I kind of laughed and he told me that so he doesn't leave things up to chance, he measures everybody right away. Made a ton of sense to me.

[theWB 2]

just had an incident here was fairly busy at the store and some hockey dad asked us if we can install his kids laces in the skates, the kid had to be atleast 9 and even at that age im sure most of us could put our own laces in the skates. Probably be my one and only thing I'll put into the thread but has to be embarassing for the hockey dad when other hockey dads are looking at him probably laughing in there mind.

I'd have to say the worst are the 13 year old kids who ask to get their stick taped and aren't new to the game. You just spend $239 on an S19 and you don't know how to tape it!?!? Embarrassing. Even as a mite, I usually insisted on taping my own stick. I'd usually mess it up and my dad would have to redo it but that's how you learn.

[VakarLajos 5]

That happens all the time at my shop!

"Can I help you guys?"

"Yeah, I'm looking for a size 11 in this skate."

"What size shoe are you?"

"11."

"Yeah, you're definitely not an 11, let's size you up!"

It happens more often with parents who are looking for skates for their kids, but it's surprising that even experienced skaters are sometimes so wrong about what size skate they wear.

One of my favorites is:

Customer: I need a size 4 for my daughter

Me: Ok, is she here?

Customer: She's on the ice.

Me: The best option is to bring her in when she's done and we can fit her properly.

Customer:.....No, I'll just take a size 4.

Me: Ok, I can leave them unsharpened for you if you like just to make sure the size is right because once they are sharpened the purchase is final.

Customer: No, then we'd have to get here early next week.

Yesterday I also had this:

Customer: Skates are so expensive. (we have them from $60 and up), so I'm not buying her skates this year. Not for once a week she can rent.

All while I'm ringing up 2 skating dresses for her daughter at $55 each.

In summation, $60 SKATES are too expensive for SKATING, but TWO skating DRESSES for $55 EACH are a NECESSITY......

[jimmy 194]

Here's a good one, kudo's to the honest customer.

Guy wants to know how much to fix a broken OPS. I tell him the price and he's happy, tells me his kid only used the stick once. Curious, I then ask him, well isn't it under warranty, why not claim it. He says, well my kid broke it in the zamboni door, and that kind of damage isn't the stick company's fault.

This kind of honesty is just unheard of now-a-days.

[cdoug55 0]

I couldnt believe the attitude that came from the guy. And the whole time Im just trying the skates on thinking if this is how its going to be "I'll try them on to see which I like and go somewhere else". Every couple minutes he would give me "so what do you think." Unfortunately, I think this was the guy who runs the whole shop. Wish you guys were around when I played as a kid. I always went to the shop and never got properly fitted (I was going to Ocean Hockey in Brick, NJ when I was kid, really the only decent shop that was by my house), so this time I figured let me make sure I do this right. Guess I was wrong hahaha.

On a side note I went to Iceworks in Syosset and although I dont think the guy working there that day knew a ton (because he was trying to get me to buy skates basically the same size as my shoe) he did take the time to have me try on a bunch of skates and talked to me about each one. Granted they didnt have a ton in stock at the time, I thought at least this guy gives a crap.

[cdoug55 0]

Yesterday I also had this:

Customer: Skates are so expensive. (we have them from $60 and up), so I'm not buying her skates this year. Not for once a week she can rent.

All while I'm ringing up 2 skating dresses for her daughter at $55 each.

In summation, $60 SKATES are too expensive for SKATING, but TWO skating DRESSES for $55 EACH are a NECESSITY......

Don't you know that its more important to look good than to actually perform well in the sport you have chosen hahaha. No seriously this is a problem with kids today and parents. All they care about is the materialistic aspects of pretty much everything. And hope Im not being sexist, but lets face the facts its the mother who was buying them. She probably has no concept of why skates are that important and only cares that her daughter looks good in the pictures she shows to her friends.

[dsjunior1388 81]

Don't you know that its more important to look good than to actually perform well in the sport you have chosen hahaha. No seriously this is a problem with kids today and parents. All they care about is the materialistic aspects of pretty much everything. And hope Im not being sexist, but lets face the facts its the mother who was buying them. She probably has no concept of why skates are that important and only cares that her daughter looks good in the pictures she shows to her friends.

Or she lets her 8 year old son tell her why having Ovie clone skates is important.

[furlanitalia 1]

Parents love their kids to a fault sometimes. It's amazing how their vision can be completely blinded by their un-intelligible child.

[Canadiangoalie72 0]

Heh, all these story's are why I respect LHS owners more.

I just started a part time at my LHS cause my friend's dad owns it, It's amazing how dumb people can be.

There's a little box with synthetic ice which you can test out some sticks we set up with balls, pucks, etc and you can see how hard your shot is. The rules are simple and main ones are bolded such as DO NOT TEST STICKS THAT COME OFF STORE SHELVES. Had a person yesterday that brought a X60 in the thing and I just caught him in time, he stayed there so I had to go in and take the stick and tell him the rules. His mother came over 5 minutes later and freaked out at me because I was being "impolite" yet I told him several times to not use that stick. I said if you wanna pay the price for the stick you can but if you have not bought it you are not allowed, well after that she made a fit going out of the store and we have our friend as a security person who finds if your shoplifting, He asked her to pick up her mess and she just went berserk after that, kinda felt sorry for the kid cause he was so red. She didn't clean up her mess but we did get a great laugh.

Also there's a select team and we have custom gear for them cause the parents and the kids care about appearance in my area. Well he comes in asks for a custom S19 ( in the select teams colours) I said we have S19's but not in custom colours. So he started asking me and I said not enough interest in that item. Well I guess he took that wrong and yelled at me for bashing their team and said he would go to another store, funny thing is were the only LHS that has that gear.

The 2 things that bother me the most are.

1: When yuppie parents come in and just buy whatever his kids want, Your kid is a first year, house league player you do not need to spend 1000+ in gear.

2. When rep players intentionally wear all their team apparel in the store, (hat, coat,shirt,sweater,pants) and either try to get a discount, show off in the box thing or laugh at people getting "bad gear" sorry that some people get XXVI, R3's don't make a scene because of that and go on your facebook and making a group about it.

[adam14 182]

Watched a parent buy his son a pair of Graf skates today, i think size 3 or 4, kid played Bantam, anyways, before he pays he goes "My son won't like the cobra holders, I want tuuks put on."

Needless to say, I was standing there, thinking, um, dude your kid is 12, playing single A bantam, I dont think he'll notice.

I told him how I didnt think it would be very beneficial, but he insisted.

[Chadd 916]

Watched a parent buy his son a pair of Graf skates today, i think size 3 or 4, kid played Bantam, anyways, before he pays he goes "My son won't like the cobra holders, I want tuuks put on."

Needless to say, I was standing there, thinking, um, dude your kid is 12, playing single A bantam, I dont think he'll notice.

I told him how I didnt think it would be very beneficial, but he insisted.

When I was coaching I could often predict the problems/complaints my kids were going to have with new skates. That said, any pitch issues could be corrected with a different profile instead of $100 or more for new tuuks.