European Distribution

[Sprungster 5]

Here's a question for all you ice/roller players in Europe. Who do you think has the best hockey product distribution and service network in your country? This can be ice and/or roller products.

The second part of the question is: Assuming Sprung frames are truly the ice cross-training product that players say they are, do you think they would they sell good out of normally ice oriented LHSs as a cross-training product?

What if they came with a popular wheel along with spacers and good bearings, as a package deal, so you'd only have to deal with mounting them to your favorite ice boot? Or with and without the wheels, etc.?

[arrows91 0]

If you mean Shop Hockey range is one of the better shops in the UK. Where as if you mean suppliers there quite a few depending on the manufacturer.

I think if we could get them in hockey range it would be great. At the moment we can only get in the Rocker chassis. and i think thats the same all over the UK.

To be honest in the UK you wont see that many people skating on the streets. because of the weather and areas are just not suitable for skating.

I think suppling them with a certain variations of wheels say rink rat and Grippers there would be a choice for every player. Becasue i no that heavier players destroy RR and tend to go with grippers.

The main reason why people dont convert ice boots asmuch over here is becasue they think its hassle to get a chassis then wheels then bearing the spaces then get them fitted, so they just take the easy option and get an inline boot.

I took the chance on getting ice skates converted and never looked back. Getting my sprungs on 70s soon! after waiting becasue i cant get the 70s in england.

[nummer55 10]

The problem is there are no true EU distributors. They all take care of 1, 2 or 3 countries. I did an extensive research for Revision on all the distributors and shops in different countries. In Europe ice hockey pro shops are the only pro shops. There are almost no true roller hockey rinks with shops.

I strongly advise you to set up one distribution point, who can take care of the main Euro countries (Euro countries have the same currency and no taxes / import duties). This way you can save on shipping and you can keep the price as low as possible. Through an online store you can serve the areas that don't have pro shops at all (and there a lot of those).

[arrows91 0]

Bisley UK has a rink and hockey range is downstairs.

Keith/sprungster

I can give you an email addy for someone who might be interested. He specilizes in international sporting goods and getting them into europe.

If you can give me you email addy i will forward his email on to you.

[est 0]

Nummer55 has it right, no strong Uk wholesalers & those that there are such as Newenglish , Miras, Wheels ltd would not be intersted in your frames.Only a few shops have access to the correct riviting kit & even then they seem unable to mount frames ..........( just ask ASH96 ! )

The main retailers in UK Rollerhockey maybe intersted but sales would be low , iv sold roller for 12 years & know what im talking about. These are the main dealers ( yes im sure there are a few more ... )

www.justhockey.co.uk

www.hockeyrange.com

www.crazykennys.com

I called in on your stall at Vegas but you were not arround on the tuesday morning ??

The problem is there are no true EU distributors. They all take care of 1, 2 or 3 countries. I did an extensive research for Revision on all the distributors and shops in different countries. In Europe ice hockey pro shops are the only pro shops. There are almost no true roller hockey rinks with shops.

I strongly advise you to set up one distribution point, who can take care of the main Euro countries (Euro countries have the same currency and no taxes / import duties). This way you can save on shipping and you can keep the price as low as possible. Through an online store you can serve the areas that don't have pro shops at all (and there a lot of those).

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Nummer55 we still have British Pounds in the UK ......... non of your Euro trash just yet ! & yes you do have to pay tax on cross country ( ie Finland to UK )hockey sales as each Euro country has a different tax rate.

[Sprungster 5]

This is really helpful.

The ice pro-shop as a cross-training/roller hockey/ice hockey product, would help. I've gotten a lot of store tugs from several countries already. Who's boot is easiest to get, overall? Is it mostly online?

I'm definitely not for skating on the street, but they're fantastic on paths. I usually take mine with me to China and skate out and around, and in and around the factories. Big amusement to locals. The street is even less fun there!!!!

[nummer55 10]

Hey est,

Of course the UK would still need it's own distributor. But hey, you guys always want to care of your own business. For the Euro countries I still feel there should be one distributor that serves all countries. That distributor could pick several pro players in different countries to act as representatives on a commission basis.

[arrows91 0]

If you want a UK representative give me a shout. Always up for promoting the sport. All ready and coach player and ref and hockey shop assistant mite aswell be a representative too!!

[haNes 0]

Hey Sprungster,

Maybe you should search an online-store around europe. In Germany aren't as many LHS as in US. A friend is thinking about doing such a online-shop. Maybe you can send some informations like price and quantity. Send me an PM and I'll forwad it to my friend.

[simpucker 0]

There is one shop in Germany that I really trust:

Mr. HP's Sport Shop

It is located in Bavaria where hockey has some tradition. Pretty much every German hockey great has been coming from Bavaria these past 40 years. I live about 600 miles to the north and I always order from Mr. HP.

Mr. HP is observing the latest movements in the industry very closely. He is Germany's official distributer of Rink Rat hockey wheels. I think that speaks volumes. His stock always consists of the newest products. The Oakley visors have been sold by him as soon as they got the European safety approval. Just a few weeks ago, the website posted scans of the NBH catalogs.

He is also offering a modified Vector ZG 130 (essentially a 2005 Vector Pro) with a straight roller chassis:

This just goes to show you that the people at HP's know how to mount a chassis. They take roller hockey serious. Again, the shop is in Bavaria, so it has a sound ice hockey background. It is the supplier of the local hockey team that used to play in the German Elite League (DEL) just a few years ago.

Can't go wrong with HP.

hp_hebbel@hps-sport-shop.de

http://www.hps-sport-shop.de/

[Sprungster 5]

Maybe feature the CCMs with Sprungs! And choice of wheel packages. Is the top ice boot better or the same as the one in the pic?

Whose boot (ice or roller) is easiest to get, LHS and/or online?

[elevation 1]

Also very good for Germany is ''Hockeycorner'' in Deggendorf. They are in Bavaria as well and are the distributers for TPS in Germany and Austria.

They are official outfitter of first division teams (DEL) like Cologne, Ingolstadt and Straubing and below. Take a look at http://www.hockeycorner.de

[BrunoZ 0]

On the French front, you should avoid what is happening to Tour for instance : European importer => French importer => French retailers. Leads to ridiculous overpricing and a very poor support. Your best bet would probably be a strong ice hockey shop (la Maison du Patin, le Vestiaire, OK-Patinage etc. ) or one of the few good roller skates shops (like Hawaii-Surf).

Inline hockey is as strong as ever in France (we won the Euro championship last year, after all), but the sheer cost of the equipment, due to the import line, is imho limiting the development of the sport itself (overall almost twice what you pay in the US !). And so people tend to be more conservative when choosing gear.

For instance, last time I looked for RinkRat wheels down here in France, the only Hornet wheels I could find were sold the equivalent of $25 EACH ! That's about 3.5x the US price. In these conditions, how would you expect RR to gain some market share against Hyper when you can get Hyper wheels for about "only" 30-40% more than what you would pay in the US ?

[Patrick67 1]

It's a shame (in this perspective, but otherwise nice with options) that there are 2 European Inlinehockey sports. Inline- and Skaterhockey(ball-hockey).

Alot of really good players in both sports but they don't face each other. Are a few crossover teams/players like e.g. Hallamshire Hornets.

Would be fun if they pitted the best teams from each sport in a heads-up game. 2 games, first game Inline with a puck and second game Skaterhockey with a ball, and then base an overall winner on the sum of the 2 games.

But I guess Inlinehockey has enough confuseing as it already is, with 2 different World Championships (FIRS) & (IIHF-Inline). They don't even have the best national teams pitted against each other, since some nations send their best team to one event, or only field a team in one of the 2 WC.

E.g. Sweden only fielded a team in the IIHF-inline Championship, which they won, and is that team better than the American(I think) that won the FIRS... or vice-versa?...

[ash_96 0]

They have this in England. Its called the champion of champions tournament. the 2 finalists from GBHI ( inline hockey ), BISHA (skater hockey/ball hockey) And BIPHA (puck hockey, similar to normal inline but with no offsides).

they play a tournament, unfortunately to puck rules so it isnt totally unbiased.

Hallamshire hornets won this year for the bisha association.