The Things Customers Do

[mug25 2]

yeah except that here the dent was already there when you bought it ... I'd feel like buying a used stick (mental issues)

The Pro Shop at Saveology Iceplex (formerly Incredible Ice), where the Panthers practice — their pro shop have all of their high end stick racks with locks. You cant remove the stick unless an employee unlocks it for you. I'm sure most higher end stores have rack locks. If I were to buy a new stick, it'd probably be from there.

[raganblink 82]

unless you have a sizable staff who can help EVERY customer in the store asap, shops have to display at minimum one of each curve/flex/grip/etc.

they would loose quite a bit of business if they didn't.

[VakarLajos 5]

Customer: Thank you for always helping with my son. I know he's a handful. They really should pay you more for that!

I resisted the urge to point out that nobody is stopping her from tipping the employees.

[JR Boucicaut 3802]

The Pro Shop at Saveology Iceplex (formerly Incredible Ice), where the Panthers practice — their pro shop have all of their high end stick racks with locks. You cant remove the stick unless an employee unlocks it for you. I'm sure most higher end stores have rack locks. If I were to buy a new stick, it'd probably be from there.

None of the shops I've been in has locked-up sticks.

I never really understood why almost all LHS have a huge rack of sticks, I think one sample of each model is enough to check the stick and keep the rest of them in the back in their plastic bag, no need to show all different patterns, flexes (people know what it looks like). Sometime it is a mission to find the perfectly new stick untouched without any tiny scrach or whatever.

It might sound crazy but when I crack +100USD on a stick I want it absolutely new in its original packaging sealed, don't want to get a piece that 100people have already touched, flexed, waved up, .... although I know it doesn't affect the stick at all.

http://www.modsquadhockey.com/forums/index.php?/topic/54452-bauer-totalone-stick/page__view__findpost__p__824378

Hmm?

[DarkStar50 679]

JR,

Why am I not surprised? Great find.

[VakarLajos 5]

We had a customer come in about a week ago who got really upset because we could not provide him with a Total One in an unopened box.

"You should always have one of every skate that is unopened!"

He then accused us of trying to sell him a used skate saying that the skates we showed him were already sharpened. Factory coating still on it.

Sometimes you can't win.

[chippa13 1844]

I never really understood why almost all LHS have a huge rack of sticks, I think one sample of each model is enough to check the stick and keep the rest of them in the back in their plastic bag, no need to show all different patterns, flexes (people know what it looks like). Sometime it is a mission to find the perfectly new stick untouched without any tiny scrach or whatever.

It might sound crazy but when I crack +100USD on a stick I want it absolutely new in its original packaging sealed, don't want to get a piece that 100people have already touched, flexed, waved up, .... although I know it doesn't affect the stick at all.

How does one sample of each model help a consumer buy a stick? What if the sample isn't the pattern the person is looking for? A different pattern can make a stick feel very different in someone's hands than the pattern they normally use.

[Vathsdrop 0]

By displaying a "smart" selection of every brand.

The current stick lines consisting of so many models, for example only one unit of each one55, 75, 95, x60, x50 .. etc each in a different pattern and different flex.. with 5 sticks you already covered 5 patterns and all the available flexes, even though it's not perfect since sometime some differences remain between them, but still it should give a good picture of it. You can still show a specific pattern or appreciate the flex without opening the plastic packing.

This allows you to filter a bit the customers, someone with no intention to buy won't bother to ask you a stick in the back.

That how they do in some shops in europe.. And the "display store" pieces are always cheaper since they take into account that it's no new anymore..

Not to mention that now a day people care a lot more about their equipment than before, they are a bit more informed with internet etc.. some will come knowing exactly what flex/curve/pattern they want. And for those maniacs like me the real challenge will be to find the one without any cosmetic dents, scratches etc ..

[dsjunior1388 81]

By displaying a "smart" selection of every brand.

The current stick lines consisting of so many models, for example only one unit of each one55, 75, 95, x60, x50 .. etc each in a different pattern and different flex.. with 5 sticks you already covered 5 patterns and all the available flexes, even though it's not perfect since sometime some differences remain between them, but still it should give a good picture of it. You can still show a specific pattern or appreciate the flex without opening the plastic packing.

This allows you to filter a bit the customers, someone with no intention to buy won't bother to ask you a stick in the back.

That how they do in some shops in europe.. And the "display store" pieces are always cheaper since they take into account that it's no new anymore..

Not to mention that now a day people care a lot more about their equipment than before, they are a bit more informed with internet etc.. some will come knowing exactly what flex/curve/pattern they want. And for those maniacs like me the real challenge will be to find the one without any cosmetic dents, scratches etc ..

This sends window shoppers to different shops, it's only useful for customers who ask for help. It also fills up a back room that is probably a third of the size of the store or less. And quite frankly, walking into a big shop and seeing 30 of the same stick lined up lends a lot of credibility to the shop instinctively.

[chippa13 1844]

By displaying a "smart" selection of every brand.

The current stick lines consisting of so many models, for example only one unit of each one55, 75, 95, x60, x50 .. etc each in a different pattern and different flex.. with 5 sticks you already covered 5 patterns and all the available flexes, even though it's not perfect since sometime some differences remain between them, but still it should give a good picture of it. You can still show a specific pattern or appreciate the flex without opening the plastic packing.

This allows you to filter a bit the customers, someone with no intention to buy won't bother to ask you a stick in the back.

That how they do in some shops in europe.. And the "display store" pieces are always cheaper since they take into account that it's no new anymore..

Not to mention that now a day people care a lot more about their equipment than before, they are a bit more informed with internet etc.. some will come knowing exactly what flex/curve/pattern they want. And for those maniacs like me the real challenge will be to find the one without any cosmetic dents, scratches etc ..

Again, knowing all of the info about a stick means nothing without feeling the stick in your hands. Making customers ask to see a particular stick in a particular curve and flex kills any chance of getting that impulse buy as a customer is waiting for their skates to be done or who is wandering the shop before picking up some tape.

[Chadd 916]

This is getting way off topic

[Chadd 916]

additional off topic posts deleted, warning added. Stick to the topic.

[mug25 2]

None of the shops I've been in has locked-up sticks.

http://www.modsquadhockey.com/forums/index.php?/topic/54452-bauer-totalone-stick/page__view__findpost__p__824378

Hmm?

Odd, it's definitely not the first store I've seen with sticks locked up. I cant recall exactly which stores I saw with locked racks but Saveology definitely wasn't the first. Honestly, I'm not a big fan of them being locked up since I do like to get a feel for new sticks when they come out. The only place that has the highend sticks in stock (TotalOne, S19, EQ50 etc.,) around here is Saveolgoy. :(

Still, if I were working in a LHS I'd prob scold quite a few little rich kids for the dumb shit they do in stores...I'm a little older and crankier than I was in my early 20's.

Edited October 8, 2010 by mug25

[eric42434224 1]

Odd, it's definitely not the first store I've seen with sticks locked up. I cant recall exactly which stores I saw with locked racks but Saveology definitely wasn't the first. Honestly, I'm not a big fan of them being locked up since I do like to get a feel for new sticks when they come out. The only place that has the highend sticks in stock (TotalOne, S19, EQ50 etc.,) around here is Saveolgoy. :(

Still, if I were working in a LHS I'd prob scold quite a few little rich kids for the dumb shit they do in stores...I'm a little older and crankier than I was in my early 20's.

I play at saveology. Do you play on an adult league team?

[raganblink 82]

this story pretty much explains why I don't think I can do hockey shop work forever...

a family comes in.

I ask if I can help them on helmets (since they were looking at helmets and pulling differet ones out).

"no we're good, thanks though"

"okay just let me know if you have any questions"

dad leaves, comes back with skates.

I sharpen.

Dad pays with skate pass, so he's a local, who comes in here often.

Without any help from me they selected the reebok 8k helmet.

I overhear them talking about checking the price, "because oh god, 144.99 is so high!" So after I'm done sharpening I went up to them and explained what we've done this year with pricing, how everything is equal to or below hockeymonkey after ship.

We're $153.69 after tax, HM is 154.97 after ship/handling. I looked up both prices on our computer, showed them and explained their prices and ours.

I then said did they size him in the cage, they said no it wasn't necessary he's always been the same size cage as helmet.

Wife is on phone saying something about checking other sites, Dad says okay thanks that's good information to know.

So... I didn't size this kid up at all in cage or helmet size...

This kinda spit i'm used to, saying we'll be back, or not beliving our price (i was actually happy I could explain this to these people while in store). But when he didn't say we'll be back or something along that lines, it was a little concerning.

This is where my head starts to hurt... I see this family this weekend at the rink, they ended up getting a combo from hockeymonkey... cage totally doesn't fit the kid (the 5k mask) b/c its realllllly huge on him, and the helmet overall didn't have a tight fit, b/c he fell down and i could see the whole helmet shake side to side.

I mean I already expect to see this crap, but, everytime i do it makes me want to palmface. A) why would you not support local business anyways, even if it was 5-10% higher than the net? B) why wouldn't you get your kid properly fitted? C) why would you not get something today instead of waiting a week to get it? Always blows my mind.

/end rant.

[IniNew 53]

So you're upset that these customer walked in, kindly declined your assistance (since they clearly did not intend on purchasing from you), then received an unwarranted sales pitch on prices (an attempt by you to drive the sale home in your store, fair enough) and when the customer left you get upset.

To answer your question:

A) You said yourself they support you. They have a skate sharpening card. Maybe they ordered other things with the Helmet/Cage and shipping actually came out to a better price in the long run, or you simply did not stock the product they were looking for. Or quite possibly they never ordered off Hockey Monkey and found it cheaper on ebay, or another online retailer (you mentioned they said something about checking other sites).

B) To their knowledge, they may have fitted they child properly, and clearly believe so as no sane parents willing put their children in danger.

C) Again, price could be the driving force behind this; it could have very easily come out cheaper if they ordered over 100 of stuff on several websites that offer free shipping. Instant gratification is not always the answer.

Just showing the flip side of the coin.

[mug25 2]

I play at saveology. Do you play on an adult league team?

No, I play in the Tuesday league @ Glacier. I'll eventually join one of the leagues @ Saveology but my main focus is getting into shape so I'm doing open hockey a lot, a few difference clinics + the league at Glacier.

Which league do you play in there?

(Sorry for being off-topic)

[raganblink 82]

fair enough. glad the other side is properly explained, definately could see some other guys explain what you said a different way, in a worser explanation.

I was upset that they used this shop as a fitting service, bought from HM[we had the same colors in stock] (saw the box they through in trash), and the helmet was not properly fitted, as he clearly needed a different brand/narrower fitting helmet based on what I saw happen to him when he fell. Irregardless or not if they come in here for sharpenings, we make our livelihood on selling product rather than sharpenings, so while appreciative that they continue to sharpen here & to get accessories, it still hurts when we lose sales like them. We're definately not big enough to be shurg off a $150 sale. The profit gained in that helmet sale would be greater than sharpening their skates for a season, and that's even if they sharpen everytime here, and do it when necessary instead of waiting like most people do. I'm over it now, we'll sell the helmet within a month anyways, its just annoying when we have the product they wanted and ended up getting, yet choose to get it at HM.

So you're upset that these customer walked in, kindly declined your assistance (since they clearly did not intend on purchasing from you), then received an unwarranted sales pitch on prices (an attempt by you to drive the sale home in your store, fair enough) and when the customer left you get upset.

To answer your question:

A) You said yourself they support you. They have a skate sharpening card. Maybe they ordered other things with the Helmet/Cage and shipping actually came out to a better price in the long run, or you simply did not stock the product they were looking for. Or quite possibly they never ordered off Hockey Monkey and found it cheaper on ebay, or another online retailer (you mentioned they said something about checking other sites).

B) To their knowledge, they may have fitted they child properly, and clearly believe so as no sane parents willing put their children in danger.

C) Again, price could be the driving force behind this; it could have very easily come out cheaper if they ordered over 100 of stuff on several websites that offer free shipping. Instant gratification is not always the answer.

Just showing the flip side of the coin.

[BenderHockey 127]

a family comes in.

I ask if I can help them on helmets (since they were looking at helmets and pulling differet ones out).

"no we're good, thanks though""okay just let me know if you have any questions"

dad leaves

so in the above post, you said they DECLINED to have you fit the kid with a helmet....

I was upset that they used this shop as a fitting service, bought from HM

But then complain that they used the shop as a fitting service....

Which one is it??

[AIREAYE 248]

he means that the family fit their son themselves, without his help

[BenderHockey 127]

he means that the family fit their son themselves, without his help

While they got their skates sharpened. Who here HASN'T fooled around with equipment while waiting for skates or something.

[DarkStar50 679]

, and Bender, you have worked in a shop or two........

The bottom line is the family did use his shop to SIZE their kid for a helmet. What happens when Little Johnny loses the screw that keeps his mask on his helmet? Is his dad going on line then? No, the dad will come marching in to the shop during pre-game warm-ups demanding instant service to fix the helmet, not offer to pay a dime for the service, and is to cheap, counting his nickels since we all know that his MO, to think to leave a tip.

[chippa13 1844]

What exactly is the harm of the family doing it all by themselves? It isn't like they took the kid away from someone else who was buying and wasted his time for no sale.

[VakarLajos 5]

DS50 is right. Being able to use merchandise, see it, touch it, examine it, is a service in itself. Doing that when you have no intention of buying it in the store isn't the worst thing in the world IMO, but I'd rather pay the extra bit of money and have things done correctly than save and get something wrong.

[DarkStar50 679]

I guess the harm would be when a shop like ragan's where the profit from selling helmets and all equipment adds up on a day-to-day, week-in, week-out basis to the overall success of the shop does matter. Joe Helmet Buyer tells one family to do what he did, and then another, and then ........... I know it's unstoppable and well within anyone's right to do. There are just a few different angles to the situation.

Do you make a sandwich at home and then go down to the deli to ask if you could borrow the mustard?