The Things Customers Do

[jimmy 194]

It doesn't matter if they used salesperson help or not. Going into a LHS for sizing or to scout out something when you have intent in advance to purchase the item elsewhere is just wrong. It cost LHS money to have a retail showroom, it's not there for HM customers to check out the items. Let HM spend the money to set up a retail showroom. I'm still amazed people don't get it and try to justify this practice. More and more I tend to support locking everything up and charging sizing fees.

[noodle3872 40]

Why would a customer buy elsewhere if the pricing is the same and the product is on hand?

[chippa13 1844]

I believe in the original story that the LHS was more expensive than the online price and they were only comparable once shipping was included. As for why the consumer still went with online, perhaps, as guessed earlier, the online site offered free shipping for purchases over a certain value. The way the economy has been the last couple of years folks are trying to save every penny they can.

Edited October 11, 2010 by chippa13

[dayroc 0]

Why would a customer buy elsewhere if the pricing is the same and the product is on hand?

This. I dont know if i read wrong.

[noodle3872 40]

I believe in the original story that the LHS was more expensive than the online price and they were only comparable once shipping was included. As for why the consumer still went with online, perhaps, as guessed earlier, the online site offered free shipping for purchases over a certain value. The way the economy has been the last couple of years folks are trying to save every penny they can.

Okay, that makes sense now. Can't blame the consumer for wanting the best price available for a given product. Is it annoying for consumers to "test" gear but buy elsewhere, of course it is but proper pricing will get the sale. I think the LHS need to be more competitive in their pricing so these scenarios don't routinely occur.

[chrisk 1]

I just had a great experience at a LHS. I live in Mass. First, I went to one of the bigger LHS to get my 2.5 year old his first pair of skates. I dealt with a high school kid and they ended up not haveing a pair small enough. So, I took a ride to Cookes in Wilmington. It was great. The salesman went over everything. He fitted my son. Baked the skates. We talked about ways to get my 2.5 interested in hockey. The guy was great. Then we tried to fit him with shin pads, elbow pads, and pants but he was too small. Then we talked about the pros and cons to modifying equipment to fit him. All and all he spent about 1.5 hours with me. The place was busy so he was running around like a nut trying to help everyone. I talked to other fathers with older kids as well. We even watched the Bruins game on a flat screened while the skates were being baked. It was a great experience. Really it was a great afternoon with my son. It is part of the hockey culture. I was proud as hell watching my 2.5 year old trying to walk around the store with the new skates on, while other fathers were patting me on the back. Why would you give that up to save a couple bucks is beyond me. This is a little off topic but what the hell.....

[Vathsdrop 0]

Glad to hear that they are still in business I heard they closed, they moved to another location. Had good experience with this shop as well!

Boy the time where every manager parked their brand-new convertible Porsche in front of their shop seems to be far away.

[DarkStar50 679]

chrisk, thank you for sharing that experience. It is why we do what we do in the shop setting. You are 100% right, how are you going to get that shared experience with your son from online shopping. I used to work in a full line sporting goods store as well. Your story reminds me of the same situation with the dad buying his son his first baseball glove. These are Kodak moments.

Now while everyone always talks about the online price being less money, where is the promise that it will stay that way forever? Oh, there isn't one, is there? Once enough traditional LHS have been crushed and put out of business, the big boys will find it very easy to call the shots on retail online pricing. They will have carpetbombed the landscape and destroyed their traditional competition. Be careful what you wish for. It might come true.

[chippa13 1844]

I think the issue that will probably never get solved is finding a way to protect the little guy and keep them competitive with the box store/online warehouses. Right now, one of the only possibilities I see is for small shops to form buying groups or form partnerships with others outside of their local area in such a way that they can take advantage of the volume pricing/discounts that the bigger players get. Otherwise, unfortunate as this sounds, LHS will become little more than tiny storefronts that do barely anything other than sharpenings and repairs.

[raganblink 82]

if they increased MAP pricing 5% higher from wholesale cost than it is now, I think it would help the small LHS tremendously. Granted the big boys would increase their profits by that much more, but, it would allow LHS to have the same prices as everyone else so the playing field would be more level. Granted this would make hockey even more expensive, which, is definately not something anyone wants to see happen.

Either that, or, companies start taking a hit for those LHS who do a small amount with them annually. The big boys who easily do six-figures + with these companies can't get on this lower pricing b/c they can't afford it. Those LHS who consistantly do a small amount (over a long period of time, so this LHS can't screw the company) year to year start getting those lower prices that the guys who consistantly do half a million year to year. Is it fair to the big boys or the guys in the middle? No. But it would definately make it more feasable for your ma and pa shops to stay in business.

[DarkStar50 679]

Customer calls on phone: Do you have Vapor X:40 in size 8?

What width, D or EE?

Customer: what width? Oh, it doesn't matter.

[bostonjuniorblackhawks 1]

I just had a great experience at a LHS. I live in Mass. First, I went to one of the bigger LHS to get my 2.5 year old his first pair of skates. I dealt with a high school kid and they ended up not haveing a pair small enough. So, I took a ride to Cookes in Wilmington. It was great. The salesman went over everything. He fitted my son. Baked the skates. We talked about ways to get my 2.5 interested in hockey. The guy was great. Then we tried to fit him with shin pads, elbow pads, and pants but he was too small. Then we talked about the pros and cons to modifying equipment to fit him. All and all he spent about 1.5 hours with me. The place was busy so he was running around like a nut trying to help everyone. I talked to other fathers with older kids as well. We even watched the Bruins game on a flat screened while the skates were being baked. It was a great experience. Really it was a great afternoon with my son. It is part of the hockey culture. I was proud as hell watching my 2.5 year old trying to walk around the store with the new skates on, while other fathers were patting me on the back. Why would you give that up to save a couple bucks is beyond me. This is a little off topic but what the hell.....

Cookes is great. I've gotten my last 2 pairs there. The only thing I don't like there is the sharpenings.

[Chappie 0]

chrisk, thank you for sharing that experience. It is why we do what we do in the shop setting. You are 100% right, how are you going to get that shared experience with your son from online shopping. I used to work in a full line sporting goods store as well. Your story reminds me of the same situation with the dad buying his son his first baseball glove. These are Kodak moments.

Now while everyone always talks about the online price being less money, where is the promise that it will stay that way forever? Oh, there isn't one, is there? Once enough traditional LHS have been crushed and put out of business, the big boys will find it very easy to call the shots on retail online pricing. They will have carpetbombed the landscape and destroyed their traditional competition. Be careful what you wish for. It might come true.

*Ahem* The Walmart business theory/practice.

[danno25nh 3]

I try very hard to support my LHS. I have fond memories of walking in to Peter Webbers in Waterville Maine as a child and looking through all of the equipment.

Talking to the employees about things like the new blades with plastic holders from a company called Tuuk. Saving my money for the latest Christian Bros. stick etc.

Here's the problem. I searched through Kansas City for a hockey store and was presented with 2 options. One carried no skates higher than a vapor 30. The people were very nice, helpful, and willing to order better equipment if I put the cash up to bring it in.

The other was a proshop at Pepsi Ice Center. There I'd call and ask if they were open and be told, "Sure come on down" I'd get there 15 minutes later only to be told,"He's busy try coming back in 3 hours" After 3 times doing this I finally get into the shop and ask about upper mid-priced skates such as Vapor 40 and up. I was promptly told "We carry top of the line only, perhaps you should drive to St Louis (a 4 hour drive.) "Real hockey players wouldn't skate on anything less than Total Ones or possibly Vapor 60's. Here's the new Easton skate, it's really light but I don't have time to try and fit you."

For some of us the LHS isn't much of an option.

[Chadd 916]

I think the issue that will probably never get solved is finding a way to protect the little guy and keep them competitive with the box store/online warehouses.

MAP pricing works pretty well for that, as long as there is a reasonable margin for the smaller dealers.

[dalebert 8]

This doesn't usually bother me at all but happened so much today it just drove me nuts by the end of the day. Customers who walk up and just hold their skates in front of me. Yes I know they are looking for a sharpening considering the fact that when behind the counter you are next to the register or the service area but still how about a Hey? Or even a Sharpening please? Hell by the end of today a grunt would have been better then just holding the skates out at me. /End todays rant.

[dsjunior1388 81]

This doesn't usually bother me at all but happened so much today it just drove me nuts by the end of the day. Customers who walk up and just hold their skates in front of me. Yes I know they are looking for a sharpening considering the fact that when behind the counter you are next to the register or the service area but still how about a Hey? Or even a Sharpening please? Hell by the end of today a grunt would have been better then just holding the skates out at me. /End todays rant.

I realized pretty quickly working at walmart that a large majority of customers won't initiate conversation. As a cashier I was told the reason we greet customers is to instantly break the ice so if they have a problem, question or comment they will ask it. I guarantee you if you just said "hello" or "how are you" the vast majority of customers would respond. Not saying you didn't, just that it was probably more out of awkwardness than rudeness.

[EvilPepe 24]

I realized pretty quickly working at walmart that a large majority of customers won't initiate conversation. As a cashier I was told the reason we greet customers is to instantly break the ice so if they have a problem, question or comment they will ask it. I guarantee you if you just said "hello" or "how are you" the vast majority of customers would respond. Not saying you didn't, just that it was probably more out of awkwardness than rudeness.

Even with the greeting I still get QUITE a few customers who will just stare at me, or maybe grunt as they drop wet skates on the counter. The wet skates thing drives me nuts because I have tons of counter space, but rather than put it down on an open space or actually hand them to me, they will drop them on the one place that has a stack of catalogs or some other sort of paper.

[Chadd 916]

Even with the greeting I still get QUITE a few customers who will just stare at me, or maybe grunt as they drop wet skates on the counter. The wet skates thing drives me nuts because I have tons of counter space, but rather than put it down on an open space or actually hand them to me, they will drop them on the one place that has a stack of catalogs or some other sort of paper.

We put a rubber mat at one end of the counter and a sign that said "skates" solved the problem fairly quickly.

[raganblink 82]

Chad,

You'd be amazed at how many people are oblivious to those. We had one for about a month, removed it b/c it wasn't being used enough.

[Krev 86]

Chad,

You'd be amazed at how many people are oblivious to those. We had one for about a month, removed it b/c it wasn't being used enough.

We had that problem too. Put up a 'No skates here, no service' sign right next to the mat. Solved that issue super quick.

[fatwabbit 93]

I guess it depends on your experience with the store. I remember buying my first pair of actual hockey skates from a LHS back in 1999 in my old home country. I paid close to double the price for a pair of mid-range missions. This was when I was still a struggling student. The store guy acted all nice, helping me size up skates etc (he wasnt very good, as he sized me 1 size too big). I waited about 4 weeks before the skates eventually arrived, and they werent even customs... Played with them for about a month and a half, before taking a shot to the chassis that dented it really badly. Got really upset as I worked my ass off just to save enough to buy the skates.

Called the store, and they told me quote 'if we cant fix it, we'll replace it'. Brought it back, the same guy told me to leave it with him and he'll let me know in 2-3days. Every few days I would call back, he kept giving me the 'dont worry we'll take care of you, call back a few days from now'. After two weeks, I just sent a note to Mission directly. The very next day, I got a call from this guy who was all nasty on the phone. 'you shouldnt have sent anything to mission, i told you we would take care of you etc, what the f*ck is your problem...' I told him that he said 2-3 days, and I had patiently waited over 2 weeks. He told me to get to the store and sort it out.

Went to the store, and saw that nothing had been done to the skates. When I walked in, he took one look at me, went over to the counter to see whether he had any available chassis to swap out, decided it wasnt worth his time. Went into the back room, came out with a new pair of skates and told me (and I remember this to this day) 'take these skates and f*ck off, we dont need your business'.

And thats why I choose to buy from the internet or from MSH... the only good experience I have now is personally knowing the guy who runs the LHS now in Oz. Great guy, talks to you about gear all the time, supports the local hockey scene with incentives, and stands behind his products. If its broke, he'll take care of you for sure... If only it wasnt so darn expensive.

[lampliter87 8]

Got a question for you LHS guys... What do you charge to install holders and how labor intensive is it?

[hehatemefrisbee 0]

depends on the situation for how labor intensive. If its a straight swap (like for like) its pretty easy. If i have to install a new holder then it can be a pain in the ass, as it involves drilling, etc.

Typically, i'd charge $75-$100 including the holders.

[VakarLajos 5]

$35 per item, labor included.