The Things Customers Do

[Gr8erade 1]

Just for the record, many of those comments were made by 16-19 year old "experts" that also worked in shops.

Oh, I most definitely know.

[watchgreat 4]

We need a moronic thread thing

[dsjunior1388 81]

We need a moronic thread thing

There is a "Things LHS do" thread but it lost momentum.

[HockeySavants 5]

I had a guy show me a Franklin Street Hockey stick with plastic blade legit ask me "I'm gonna play defence, would this be suitable for ice, or is there a big difference with this stick (Easton ST)"

He really didn't know what the differences where, I was glad to tell him the many differences but was funny that something like that couldn't be told apart.

[fatwabbit 93]

and you're getting it now and supporting a local business.

I agree with that statement, but I've seen a pair of Mission Boss SE selling for $1199 here, even after its been out in the market for over a year. Also, a totalone selling for close to $400 is just not something I would pay for.

[raganblink 82]

I agree on that, there is certainly a limit I would pay for gear as well. Definitely wouldn't pay that much for a TO. But personally if a LHS is within 10% of MAP, it is worth getting it there now and getting the right size etc rather than going online, saving literally 2-3%, guessing on size and waiting a week. But at that price I would definitely get it somewhere else.

[fatwabbit 93]

I wouldnt mind paying an acceptable premium if I know that I'm going to get good service, friendly banter etc... but when the LHS has preferential treatment of some of their customers, then it just goes out of whack.

[raganblink 82]

Another moment.

Family comes in looking at skates, and the kid wants the vapors. Anywhere from 300-400ish they wanted to spend, the best skate he fits into is a vapor, and i went with the 5.0s. The dad then starts talking about the 6.0 and 7.0, questioning what the differences are between the 5.0 and those models. So i explained the differences. He then started asking me about the x40, x50 and x60 and the differences between those and the new vapors. After explaining the differences between them is a different footbed for all of them, and the x7.0 has new, better ankle pads, aswell as the updated color schemes, the dad looked at me and straight up word for word: "So what you're telling me is, there isn't much of a difference between them, so why should we buy the new ones from you when we can go online and get the old ones a lot cheaper". Quiet frankly I would do the same thing, save the $ and get the old model unless there was a decent change. Anyways i told him, you know what, I probably would, but then again, I personally try to support local business (this family doesn't buy shit from us) and would bite the bullet and spend an extra 100 bucks to get the new version from us. Your son already said he liked the look of the skates more then the old ones, and you can get them now, and -insert our incentives here -.

Then he looked at his wife, who gave him a demon look, and he was like yeah im sorry but im not gonna spend an extra hundred bucks because my kid likes these better. Completely forgetting the other things I mentioned. Whatever. I noticed that he didn't mark down the size his kid needed (VERY common size, just looked on a few retailers and they don't have his skate size) so maybe they'll come in with the wrong size have me bake and sharpen them, then come back in a week or so and bitch that "I" sized him up in the wrong size. What's funny is if he gets x40s he'll literally size like 40 bucks after incentives are given to him, and he pays 30 for bake/sharpening. Not really worth it to me, to go out of way like that to save 40 bucks and to have your LHS think less of you b/c you keep using us as a fitting service to save a buck or two, if that.

[DarkStar50 679]

So now you have spent all that time for nothing. Put up the fitting fee sign and then you can help the customers ready to spend money.

[raganblink 82]

Haha yup I know. Being a skate fitter once a month though, worth the laughs.

[jimmy 194]

Guy comes in with a pair of x40's he bought online, wants sharpening and heat molding. I take my time and hope he sees the sale sign on our x40's that are the EXACT same price as the "monkey" sale price. Then I happily take his $55 for the services hoping he realizes he just spent $55 more than if he simply bought them from us. Sweet. I made $55 bucks and hopefully he's pissed that he didn't save anything by buying online.

[HockeySavants 5]

Here's some questions some customers have asked recently:

I wish I was making these up, but I have such bad vibes about our next generation

Q: "Can you get Shea Weber to sign this?" (Our shop is 4 hours from Nashville)

A: "We have no way of getting ahold of the Nashville Predators"

Q: "Is your ice really frozen?"

A: "24 to 26 degrees"

Q: "Which of these sticks does Datysuk use?" (looking at Youth Sherwood rack)

A: "Maybe when he was 8" (he said ok wise ass)

(I didn't even feel like correcting him that he uses Reebok, since we don't carry it in stock, he eventually bought a Sherwood T90)

Kid A: "Do you guys sharpen sticks? My blade feels dull" "

Kid B: No dude that's why you have to replace them"

I didn't even respond to this

Guy came in asking if we repaired gloves, the lady who does it was away on vacation and not usually a scenario where we'd leave his gloves with us till she got back but he insisted. He comes back the next day asking someone else if they got done. He again is told that it won't be for another week until she come back. He comes back three days later saying he has to travel out of town for a game and wants to borrow gloves until they are repaired, keep in mind that we haven't even taken down a deposit for his shitty pair of Missions that have clearly seen much better days. He gets angry and says he is now moving out of state and needs them done by next week. He doesn't buy anything and leaves. The gloves sat there for 90 days until we finally sold them for 5 bucks. Shop policy is that anything left after 90 days is considered abandoned property unless an arrangement was made and is subject to be sold or disposed. The guy who bought them did ask if we were willing to repalm them for free.

Seriously?

[DarkStar50 679]

I had a little girl come in the Pro Shop at the rink yesterday and ask, Do you have ice? I suggested she ask the snack bar.

[nalindabenderz917 1]

Hahhhhaaaaa so many funny stories

[VakarLajos 5]

Rink is on the 8th floor on top of a parking garage.

A guy asked, "But what if the place collapses, the ice would melt, everything would flood!"

"If the garage collapsed, the least of our worries would be the ice melting."

[Fisticuffs 0]

Rink is on the 8th floor on top of a parking garage.

A guy asked, "But what if the place collapses, the ice would melt, everything would flood!"

"If the garage collapsed, the least of our worries would be the ice melting."

I think people have this misconception that the ice is like a foot thick.

I had a guy in a beer league game I was reffing there throwing a fit because I sent him off the rink until he put on a helmet intended for hockey (instead of his Gretzky bucket).

[AIREAYE 248]

I think people have this misconception that the ice is like a foot thick.

I had a guy in a beer league game I was reffing there throwing a fit because I sent him off the rink until he put on a helmet intended for hockey (instead of his Gretzky bucket).

Not really relevant but hey, if it can protect the greatest player in the game, why can't it protect me right?

[raganblink 82]

Why would u throw him out? Does ur league require current certified helmets? In black and white terms they are just as 2004 rbk 8ks (no protection) due to decertification from hecc csa.

[Chadd 916]

Why would u throw him out? Does ur league require current certified helmets? In black and white terms they are just as 2004 rbk 8ks (no protection) due to decertification from hecc csa.

USA Hockey doesn't require certified helmets for adults.

[JTully317 11]

These stories are great. It's almost hard to believe some of these questions are coming from people playing hockey.

[Fisticuffs 0]

USA Hockey doesn't require certified helmets for adults.

They do require a "hockey" helmet. We've been told the Gretzky bucket is a Broomball helmet, which shouldn't be worn in our USA Hockey sanctioned adult leagues.

Anyway... back on topic...

[Chadd 916]

They do require a "hockey" helmet. We've been told the Gretzky bucket is a Broomball helmet, which shouldn't be worn in our USA Hockey sanctioned adult leagues.

Someone in your district likes making up his own rules.

[IniNew 51]

Someone in your district likes making up his own rules.

We were told the same thing here in Texas. The old Gretzky style helmets are not considered hockey helmets and not allowed in men's league play.

[Chadd 916]

Interesting, that was never mentioned at our clinic

[kenneth 5]

We were told the same thing here in Texas. The old Gretzky style helmets are not considered hockey helmets and not allowed in men's league play.

i remember seeing in the pens 24/7 staff shinny game one of the players had one and was reading the disclaimer that helmet is not intended for ice hockey but for skateboarding. but i could be wrong.