Best Website for Skates

[pezboy007 0]

I know most people really prefer to support their LHS, but mine is really expensive and doesn't bargain at all on their prices. They actually want $50 to bake skates not bought in their store.

I've checked out virtually every site out there and the prices are roughly equivalent on Vector 7.0 or 7.5s that I am planning on buying. Rather than call all of them up, does anyone have any recommendations on which sites are willing to negotiate to make a sale?

Thanks for your input.

[PH_Hockey2 4]

Maybe Hockeymonkey.com

[hockey22 0]

heres some sites: hockeygiant.com, epuck.com, thehockeyshop.com, 1800faceoff.com,

[Chadd 916]

Buy skates that fit correctly and don't need to be baked.

[Hiub 0]

Negotiate? I don't think so, some sites have a policy that if you find the skates cheaper in another website they'll match or beat that price, but as far as wheeling and dealing go most online shops are too big to do that kind of stuff. One sale will not hurt them as much as opposed to a LHS.

[black296tuuk 3]

You need to understand that charging $50.00 to heat fit skates or $15.00 for a first time sharpening is done for a reason. Most LHS work on a completely different discount structure than places like Giant and Monkey. They have no way of competing with the big guys on price unless they want to make close to no profit. So one of the ways they try to compete is to charge for something that the internet cannot offer and is usually included when you purchase a pair of skates from a store. I am not saying that you are wrong for looking for the best price, I am saying that you should look at it from both sides of the fence. The internet will not sharpen your skates for you in between periods or sell you tape 5 minutes before your game and everyone should remember that when they shop the big guys.

[JR Boucicaut 3806]

AMEN, MATT...

[Chadd 916]

As usual, I'll add my caveat about shops raping their customers.

[black296tuuk 3]

As usual, I'll add my caveat about shops raping their customers.

I would like to hear your entire opnion about this. I know this topic will go on forever but I like to hear other peoples point of view.

[mack 44]

In my experience in a land devoid of decent hockey shops, the one that I would call the best by default will price-gouge because where else are you going to go? That and their shitty little grudge with Easton means it's Louisville and CCM sticks for everyone. They know they don't have any competition and as nice as they are to your face the stick it to your wallet because there's nowhere else to go for the average parent that won't buy off the 'Net.

[JR Boucicaut 3806]

See, on the other hand, our shop is the only competition in town and we smoke everyone in the state. We know that the Internet is our competition and we price accordingly. But then our parent company has scammed plenty of people already so it's all gravy.

[mack 44]

I was going to say I didn't think yours was really mom 'n pop backed like these guys. But since they don't know what the Internet is they'll just price accordingly.

[JR Boucicaut 3806]

Agreed.

I've seen some mom n pops in action. Ugh.

[Chadd 916]

My father had his own ad agency when I was growing up so I prefer to give my business to small and/or local shops. I remember how hard he used to work and all of the crap he put up with and I would like to give my money to them.

That said, I expect one of the following; better service, added convenience, lower price or better selection. I don't expect them all, simply one of that group is enough for me.

In Harrisburg there are two rinks owned by the same guy, one shop in Hershey and a PIA near the one rink. PIA is a joke but has a neat pro return from time to time. The rink ordered new gear for the first time in two years but no skates and the shop in Hershey is brutal.

First of all, the owner told me he was only stocking CCM and Easton because that's all anyone wanted and the other stuff was crap. I pointed out Vapors were selling very well and the Supreme line was the best top to bottom of any skate line at the time. He didn't care. He also said that TPS didn't give a shit about hockey and the stuff was crap. Plus they wanted him to carry baseball in order to keep his hockey dealership, something I have never heard from another dealer. Mission was just BS roller hockey crap and would be out of business in a year. He did this for every major player and went on at length. Moral of the story; he isn't in touch with his customers and doesn't care.

I had a pair of pants that needed a small stitch job and it took 2 guys 45 minutes to stitch a belt. It's not like I wanted a fancy design, just a couple lines of stitches to secure the belt. I asked about getting custom sher-wood eclipses (they carry sher-wood wood sticks as he likes the rep) and they told me I couldn't get them. When I mentioned that I could get them from others, I was told that I was "full of shit". I stopped in because I was out of tape and saw they had a sign up stating that they would be charging a $2 premium on any sharpening other than 1/2". That's on top of the $5 they charge for a normal sharpening. A si-core is $199 US, that's the orange one not the grip. Synergys are $159, Grips $169. Vectors are $149 for a 110.

They stock very little and charge a premium price. They don't give me any extra choice and I've never been given a discount despite dropping well over $5k in the time I purchased things there. I get better price, service, selection and more respect online than I do from a local shop.

[JR Boucicaut 3806]

But Bob Hartley's a dick!!!!!!!

I've been in the store Chadd's talking about. They're a joke.

[Chadd 916]

But Bob Hartley's a dick!!!!!!!

I've been in the store Chadd's talking about. They're a joke.

yeah, he asked them to stay open so one of the kids at his camp could buy a new pair of skates and they still resent him for it. And that's the good shop in town.

[JR Boucicaut 3806]

"I just don't like him..."

That was so funny...

I visited the stores Chadd is talking about. I feel his pain.

[black296tuuk 3]

It is funny how everone has been saying that Mission is going out of business for like 5 years.

Do you think that this is a problem all over the nation. Or do you think that it just might be bad luck in your area.

The reason why I ask is that normally if something like that is going on in an area someone like yourself comes in and opens a good store and runs everyone else out of town.

[Chadd 916]

It is funny how everone has been saying that Mission is going out of business for like 5 years.

Do you think that this is a problem all over the nation. Or do you think that it just might be bad luck in your area.

The reason why I ask is that normally if something like that is going on in an area someone like yourself comes in and opens a good store and runs everyone else out of town.

I think it's pretty widespread. In fact one third party rep won't even take my calls because he promised the shop he won't sell to competition. Unfortunately I don't have the cash to set up a full service store with a large sales floor.

[black296tuuk 3]

But you also have the opposite end of the spectrum, where someone walks into a well stocked and well serviced shop with a pair of 2001 Easton Z-Air POS Skates that they bought from Giant for $29.95 and can't understand why we would charge more for a sharpening and heat fitting.

Your points are all correct and you should not support a store that does not support you and the other customers. The sales reps share some of the blame also.

So i guess the answer is -Give your LHS the first shot, and if they screw it up go to the net-

[Chadd 916]

I don't know that I could fault someone for buying old closeout skates online. Some people have a smaller budget and have to go cheap. I do agree that someone who comes in and tries 10 pair of skates, then orders them online to save $20 should be beaten.

I'd like to see the major manufacturers go to a pricing setup like Graf has used for years. Sell as cheaply as you want but don't advertise for less than X amount. I think that's a better solution than what Easton, CCM and Bauer use now. It seems to encourage gouging from those who are so inclined.

[Guest 2048]

Chadd, your shop sounds brutal, but I'm sure that there's a certain shop in Manhattan that's up there with it.

[Chadd 916]

Chadd, your shop sounds brutal, but I'm sure that there's a certain shop in Manhattan that's up there with it.

I'm sure his rent his 10-20 times higher than the shop in Hershey.

[JR Boucicaut 3806]

Yeah, homeboy runs it out of a trailer!!!

[boppersv 0]

I had this same discussion with a customer the other day. He had a 10 year old pair of Grafs that were second or third generation hand-me-downs and wanted them baked. After explaining that baking could cause his skates to fall apart because of their age, I told him that it would be $50 for baking since they weren't bought from our shop. He got all pissed about it and i basically explained that if he had bought the skates from us we whould have done anything to fix them including rivets, stretching, and re-baking for no cost. Some people con't see the struggle that small shops have competing with the internet. In order to expect good customer service, you must first be a customer.