The Agony of Buying New Skates

[tro 4]

"Greed, for lack of a better word, is good" Your greed is stealing time(=money) from the LHS so you can save on your purchase which you think is good.

I get gear is expensive, especially at the LHS, so by all means buy online, but don't steal from the LHS, you don't think your stealing but you are.

I hope the guys who own/work at your LHS don't use/buy one thing that gives your business money or they should just steal directly from you.

Karma is a bitch.

So ya, you are a scumbag dude.

[legiahockey 3]

what store did you go to?

Sports Plus, the pro shop in Iceland (NHP). Mike is the best!

i here ya man. been through 3 pairs of bauers in a 9. ( i wear an 10.5/11 shoe). i decide to get fitted at the lhs....bauer size 8 he tells me. i go ya right. he brings them out and my foot slips right in toes jst brushing the cap.

im still not 100 % used to the shorter blade but im glad i switched

I was shocked that I liked the shorter, more rockered blade. One time I had my CCM profiled and the guy was supposed to put a 10' and instead did a 9'. I skated on it that game and felt like I was falling backwards all the time. My guess is that he did a crappy job profiling and put the balance point too far front or something. My only problem with the shorter Bauer steel vs the CCM is that I get less glide and I'm a tad slower. Since I wasn't exactly greased lightning before I figure it doesn't matter much.

BTW - moving to Poland???? Military??

glad you got used to the shorter blade. idk but skating on 272 now compared to 280 seems like a world of difference.

and im in warsaw now. im going to be going to school out here and trying to further my hockey career :)

cant hurt to try right? :)

[MLSman 22]

My only problem with the shorter Bauer steel vs the CCM is that I get less glide and I'm a tad slower.

Why don't you go shallower...like 9/16" or 5/8" That might help....did wonders for my game

[eric42434224 1]

Exactly Tro. What he is doing is most certainly stealing, and it seems he does it on a regular basis with his kids equipment. It is basically theft of services.

It is VERY difficult to do the right thing in life, and especially in the world in which we live with all the pressures and obligations. I have found that once you see how it affects others (like the salesperson and business owners), and see that you arent setting a good example for your kid, then the choice becomes easier.

He should stay away from LHS's and do his own homework. He needs to buy blindly from an online dealer, and keep making returns until he gets it right. He still saves his precious money, and the only time he wastes is his own.

[MLSman 22]

Plain and simple answer to this debate:

Always be frank at the LHS. If that is your intention...state it up front. Ask if it is OK to try on a skate that you are looking to buy online because you just can't afford to buy them for their price. It reminds me of some panhandlers with a "why lie...I need a drink!" sign. People respect honesty. I know I do.

If they say no, thank them and go someplace else. You will always know you did the right thing, and the LHS will respect that you asked. I consider it common sense and common courtesy. Wouldn't you?

[thorpedo26 0]

this is why i stick with one skate brand that works for me and get the same size everytime lol , glad you found a skate that works for ya

[JR Boucicaut 3810]

Well first off, I am not bragging about it. Second off, I am not a scumbag, I am poor single working parent who also has to feed my son and over paying for gear would be more unethical to my son than to the overcharging merchants. Don't judge people as some day you may be misjudged also.

What makes you think that merchants are overcharging? When you break it down by profit margin, what's even funnier is that it's EVEN bigger on closeout skates that you're buying on the Internet compared to a current year model. They're making even more money on you.

[thorpedo26 0]

Well first off, I am not bragging about it. Second off, I am not a scumbag, I am poor single working parent who also has to feed my son and over paying for gear would be more unethical to my son than to the overcharging merchants. Don't judge people as some day you may be misjudged also.

What makes you think that merchants are overcharging? When you break it down by profit margin, what's even funnier is that it's EVEN bigger on closeout skates that you're buying on the Internet compared to a current year model. They're making even more money on you.

i did not know that

[tro 4]

What are you talking about JR, aren't all LHS owners flying around in Lambo's, getting rich of the poor working man. No wonder everytime I buy something, they sit there and laugh at me.

[JR Boucicaut 3810]

Well first off, I am not bragging about it. Second off, I am not a scumbag, I am poor single working parent who also has to feed my son and over paying for gear would be more unethical to my son than to the overcharging merchants. Don't judge people as some day you may be misjudged also.

What makes you think that merchants are overcharging? When you break it down by profit margin, what's even funnier is that it's EVEN bigger on closeout skates that you're buying on the Internet compared to a current year model. They're making even more money on you.

i did not know that

Did you honestly think a store picked up a previous year's skate because it SOLD SO WELL the year before? If that were the case, there wouldn't be any available to put on closeout. The mfgrs are able to clear out a skate, and the retailer is getting a very good deal to stock it.

What are you talking about JR, aren't all LHS owners flying around in Lambo's, getting rich of the poor working man. No wonder everytime I buy something, they sit there and laugh at me.

Nah, if it were that way, I wouldn't have eaten so much Cap'n Crunch in my apartment while I was up in MI. At least I wasn't approaching ramen territory.

[sm326 0]

since you said mike. would this happen to be at the rip off of a store in iceland? the only thing they know how to do right in their is sharpen, otherwise you'll be paying extra for no reason at all.

[Griff 2]

I bet all the shop owners in Maine are ballin out of control.

[dmancam72 0]

I can see I need to make some clarifications here. First, I'm not a dude, I am a widowed working mother who does the best for my son that I can. I said single, but in fact I am widowed at 38 years old.

Second, the only LHS is a large chain store called Source for Sports which is in Canada because that is the closest store to where we live. They, in fact, are the ones who put all the "Mom and Pop" hockey shops out of business, not me. They are a large chain store who also sells baseball, lacrosse, and other sporting equipment so they are not in jeopardy of 1 person like myself who grabs a pair of skates off the shelf, puts my son's foot it in and feels for gap and then proceeds to purchase small things like tape, neckguards, or other necessities. When asked if I need help from the staff, I always reply no thank you, I'm just checking for sizes, and they go wait on someone else. They do not buy or sell used gear of any kind so getting used is no option in that way.

My son plays AAA Bantam so yes I make alot of personal sacrifices to ensure my son has good protective gear in a hard hitting division that he plays for. I owe him that much as he works very hard to become a better hockey player.

So there is no way I feel guilty about not purchasing overpriced items from a large chain store who didn't feel guilty about making smaller more personal and helpful shops close down because of more choices.

I'm sorry you all feel you need to insult me for feeling like a poor consumer, but you are all entitled to your opinions. Sounds you all have more options than I do as far LHS are concerned.

[JR Boucicaut 3810]

Okay...NOW that makes sense - you should've given us the WHOLE story and that you were buying IN CANADA as an US consumer. We wouldn't have jumped down your throat (as much) That is a different situation altogether, and once again, they are not necessarily "overcharging" the customer as Canadian retailers are paying more than US retailers pay for the same product. So, when you compare it from shop to shop, any US store (mom and pop as well as internet) is going to be better than the prices that you are seeing across the border. You're better off driving a bit to an US-based retailer, you will see a pretty good discrepancy in price from the SFS you were going to.

Buying in Canada would've been good for an US consumer 10 yrs ago, now it is the opposite. Canadians flock to the US to get equipment.

As far as the rest is concerned, it's still not ethical to "shop" a store for sizes.

[dmancam72 0]

Your right I should have said out front about the cross-border. My son plays in Canada because it is over 4 hours away for the same level of hockey. At 4.25 a gallon for gas, I am still saving money by purchasing online. And I did state from the start that it was "unfortunate" that I try sizes on. This happens once a year. And only skates because he has the biggest feet and it's hard to judge whether or not he needs to go 1 or 2 sizes higher without checking first. But I do make purchases to offset the trial usage. Like going into a store and using the restroom, I ALWAYS purchase something to offset the use of the facility. Unlike most people.

I do, however, use No-Icing Sports faithfully for blade sharpening, and contouring and extra sets of blades because Bob is the best. A small shop that it the most friendly and helpful shop on earth. That is the LHS that needs our business not the chains.

[Aussie Joe 0]

At the end of the day the "time wasters" will always find a way. Im not saying you are a time waster their Frau dmancam, but that these people always find a way to suck the info from a sales person and buy elsewhere. Its the nature of a competitive environment. Im not going to go buy a car, then purchase it on ticket price just because the guy is nice and spent time with me. We has sales people/businesses need to work harder then that to get people over to our side. No matter if its a competitor online or not, a competitor is someone who can take the sale away because they offer a better deal. Thats life and rarely is the playing field level.

Im a salesman, I hate it when people waste my time. But at the end of the day, I never pay ticket price for anything because I use my sales skills to work the best deal I can.

PS: Because of the above, the LHS here asks you if you are buying skates online or instore, if you say online they ask you to leave. If only they weren't the only hockey store in the city. That and SE16 will be RRP $1600 here.

[JR Boucicaut 3810]

Your right I should have said out front about the cross-border. My son plays in Canada because it is over 4 hours away for the same level of hockey. At 4.25 a gallon for gas, I am still saving money by purchasing online. And I did state from the start that it was "unfortunate" that I try sizes on. This happens once a year. And only skates because he has the biggest feet and it's hard to judge whether or not he needs to go 1 or 2 sizes higher without checking first. But I do make purchases to offset the trial usage. Like going into a store and using the restroom, I ALWAYS purchase something to offset the use of the facility. Unlike most people.

I do, however, use No-Icing Sports faithfully for blade sharpening, and contouring and extra sets of blades because Bob is the best. A small shop that it the most friendly and helpful shop on earth. That is the LHS that needs our business not the chains.

Then why don't you see Bob to buy skates? He bitches enough on here about people shopping him.

Let me ask you this -

If that store had a fitting fee, would you do it? This has no bearing on you personally, it's just one of those things, you say you're in a rough spot because of the lack of stores, would you pay the store to fit your son properly even if you weren't buying from them?

[Aussie Joe 0]

I know this wasn't directed at me but I would pay a fitting fee. Depending on how reasonable the fee was of course.

[JR Boucicaut 3810]

In Orlando, I charged $10 and people lost their minds. $10 if you walk out of my store knowing the size/fit of the skate, if you buy it obviously no fee is charged. If you walk out then come back the fee goes towards your purchase.

[Griff 2]

$10 is perfectly reasonable. We're going to a fitting fee it's just a matter of getting something for your time and the only people that have any issue with it are people who weren't going to buy anyway.

[Aussie Joe 0]

Ten bucks would be fine and reasonable in my book. You are right, at least the LHS gets something for their efforts. you never know it could be a chance for the sales person to entice the cust whilst fitting (sharpens, better price for eg.) Anything to get your foot in the door.

[DarkStar50 680]

I had a customer call me today about getting a ONE95 in 7.5 E. First I asked him why he wanted a ONE95 7.5 E when he left an order on my desk Monday night for a 7.5 D. He said he was at another shop and they were going to get him a ONE95 7.5 E. I told him those losers were wrong, 7.5 E is not a stock ONE95 width. This is the same customer who last summer ordered custom XXXX from another shop and brought them to me to correct a problem. Let's just say we have a history going. He buys OPS and such in my shop and I sharpen his 3 kids skates all season long. After I explained about no ONE95 7.5 E, I asked him up front why did he have me order the 7.5 D if he didn't want it. He hemmed and hawed as now I had a legitimate question. He said oh I'll buy your 7.5 EE since I know there is no E and the 7.5 D won't fit right . That's great, now I have ordered a skate he doesn't plan on buying anyway. In the end, a ONE95 7.5 D will sell in the shop but if this was ONE95 11.5 D, it would have a different ending. Sometimes it is even the people you know who screw with you. End of rant.................

[rinkrat94 1]

$10 is perfectly reasonable. We're going to a fitting fee it's just a matter of getting something for your time and the only people that have any issue with it are people who weren't going to buy anyway.

The problem with that is there are times when a customer planned on purchasing but you just don't have anything that fits them. You screw honest people when you charge a fitting fee. The customer should not have to pay if you do not have anything that fits them. The LHS employee is still getting paid by the store.

[JR Boucicaut 3810]

If you measure them and don't have their size and they were, as you say, planning on purchasing from you, you can just order the skate for them.

However if I spend 50 minutes trying on 5 different brands/subbrands and determine that the one they need I don't have in stock, is it still wrong to charge them a fitting fee? I think not. You've eliminated all of the other skates and figured out the optimal one, that's still fitting someone.

[Griff 2]

I don't charge them if I don't have the right skate. It's not about the employee getting paid it's about the store recieving compensation for the employee's knowledge, having stock to try on, or frankly just having the store in the first place so you have someplace to try it on.