really on sale?

[LkptTiger 1]

And Farkas knows it.

Farkas threatens companies who sign with us (oh, I work at Front Row, BTW) that he is going to remove their product from their shop (notice they don't carry TPS anymore...and we ended-up with better TPS numbers than they did - their online sales included). When we put an order in with Mission/Itech, Farkas threatened to the the same to them...which was obviously an empty threat, since taking them out of their shop would be very, very bad for their facial/goal/roller sales.

I still can't believe the larger companies are buying his crap - he's obviously NOT going to drop business with Bauer or Easton or CCM, etc., if we place orders with them. That would just be suicide.

Ultimately, if other manufactures were to do business with our location (our Canadian shop - which is about 6 times the size of Great Skate - has just about all companies accounted for) Great Skate's store sales might suffer a bit...but the company reps won't care about that when they've got another account pulling commission in for them.

[kicksave 1]

soo if im looking for skate i should go to your canadian shop then? seeing how i dont want grafs?

[Cavs019 710]

They ruined my steel last year when I was in Buffalo and said a "banana rocker" is better for agility.

[kicksave 1]

yeah after reading stuff on here..i think im going to stay far away from that place...unlese i need a tape or something asap and front row doesnt have it....hey tiger when are you guys getting the new r10s in?

[LkptTiger 1]

soo if im looking for skate i should go to your canadian shop then? seeing how i dont want grafs?

They've got pretty much everything (skates or otherwise), match American pricing (as long as you make it known you American, that is), have a great staff, and are only about 15 minutes from the Queenston-Lewiston Bridge (I actually just made the trip this afternoon)...maybe 20 or so from the Rainbow Bridge.

As for the R10s - we've had 'em for awhile.

[jimmy 194]

And Farkas knows it.

Farkas threatens companies who sign with us (oh, I work at Front Row, BTW) that he is going to remove their product from their shop (notice they don't carry TPS anymore...and we ended-up with better TPS numbers than they did - their online sales included). When we put an order in with Mission/Itech, Farkas threatened to the the same to them...which was obviously an empty threat, since taking them out of their shop would be very, very bad for their facial/goal/roller sales.

I still can't believe the larger companies are buying his crap - he's obviously NOT going to drop business with Bauer or Easton or CCM, etc., if we place orders with them. That would just be suicide.

Ultimately, if other manufactures were to do business with our location (our Canadian shop - which is about 6 times the size of Great Skate - has just about all companies accounted for) Great Skate's store sales might suffer a bit...but the company reps won't care about that when they've got another account pulling commission in for them.

A lot of companies allow their big accounts to bully them. When I opened my business I had to deal with the same thing. Threatening phone calls from reps, and calls from mystery people, you name it. It was so sweet when one chain store that was a big bully went bankrupt and was forced to sell, hopefully because I eventually stole about 1/2 mil a year from their sales using pure service on the products I did sell. The reps are easily threatened, and they shouldn't be when they realize they can prob make more with a good store that has good service. Besides, we can get their products if we want, many ways to do it by going around them. So, the reps make nothing off those sales.. I do it all the time. Their idiots. I still have one company that won't open an account because a local competitor's dad is the regional sales rep. I've recently filed anti-trust complaints with both the state attorney general and the federal gov't. Many don't know that it's against the law to stifle competition. Up until now, I haven't had the time or resources to fight it.

[JJ Thompson94 0]

Sometimes I wish I had a private jet, so I can fly all around North America and visit all your shops.

Really someone like JR should really do that and rank em all, and then crown the #1 shop of the year.

I only ordered something from Great Skate once and I didn't have any problems, the seem fine, but hey I'm far from Buffalo.

[sm326 0]

mail order isnt a problem but everything else is with that company.

[kicksave 1]

oh yeah one more thing areant the 9ko stick's on sale everywhere else? well at great skate there still full price....and when i was there i asked whe new rbk stick was going to be there and they said they already had it and the guy showed me last years model...i was going to be rude and tell him it wasnt...so i just let it go..i just thought it was funny

[VakarLajos 5]

Sometimes I wish I had a private jet, so I can fly all around North America and visit all your shops.

Really someone like JR should really do that and rank em all, and then crown the #1 shop of the year.

I only ordered something from Great Skate once and I didn't have any problems, the seem fine, but hey I'm far from Buffalo.

i have a friend who is working on a site that should be up in the next month or so that did just that.

[DarkStar50 679]

Oh boy, "mystery shopper", can't wait! :lol:

[VakarLajos 5]

Oh boy, "mystery shopper", can't wait! :lol:

lol, yeah. I think they're going to be a bit more diplomatic in their "official" reviews, but the gloves will be off in the "customer review" section.

[jimmy 194]

Oh boy, "mystery shopper", can't wait! :lol:

lol, yeah. I think they're going to be a bit more diplomatic in their "official" reviews, but the gloves will be off in the "customer review" section.

Yea, but everything has to be taken with a grain of salt, I actually had people mad at me when I took time off to attend my mother's funeral.

[chippa13 1844]

And Farkas knows it.

Farkas threatens companies who sign with us (oh, I work at Front Row, BTW) that he is going to remove their product from their shop (notice they don't carry TPS anymore...and we ended-up with better TPS numbers than they did - their online sales included). When we put an order in with Mission/Itech, Farkas threatened to the the same to them...which was obviously an empty threat, since taking them out of their shop would be very, very bad for their facial/goal/roller sales.

I still can't believe the larger companies are buying his crap - he's obviously NOT going to drop business with Bauer or Easton or CCM, etc., if we place orders with them. That would just be suicide.

Ultimately, if other manufactures were to do business with our location (our Canadian shop - which is about 6 times the size of Great Skate - has just about all companies accounted for) Great Skate's store sales might suffer a bit...but the company reps won't care about that when they've got another account pulling commission in for them.

A lot of companies allow their big accounts to bully them. When I opened my business I had to deal with the same thing. Threatening phone calls from reps, and calls from mystery people, you name it. It was so sweet when one chain store that was a big bully went bankrupt and was forced to sell, hopefully because I eventually stole about 1/2 mil a year from their sales using pure service on the products I did sell. The reps are easily threatened, and they shouldn't be when they realize they can prob make more with a good store that has good service. Besides, we can get their products if we want, many ways to do it by going around them. So, the reps make nothing off those sales.. I do it all the time. Their idiots. I still have one company that won't open an account because a local competitor's dad is the regional sales rep. I've recently filed anti-trust complaints with both the state attorney general and the federal gov't. Many don't know that it's against the law to stifle competition. Up until now, I haven't had the time or resources to fight it.

That's weird since the other regional competitor is only another 5 minutes further away and they've carried said company's gear for years.

[jimmy 194]

That's weird since the other regional competitor is only another 5 minutes further away and they've carried said company's gear for years.

Not exactly. When I opened, I only had one nearby competitor and they were about a 15 min drive from us. About 1 yr after I opened another store that had a tiny shop in a rink relocated to NH. From what I've discovered, both those stores squeezed manufacturers in some fashion. This happens in many industries. It 's sad they can't compete on their merits. Still, in the long I think it's the company that gets hurt, not the retailer. I completely cut out selling certain brands (that I was getting thru wholesalers) and it hasn't hurt my growth or profits. When a customer comes in looking for a product I don't sell, they usually will ask, well what do you have that is similar. There are many good substitutes. Plus, they may not want to go anywhere else to shop.

[JR Boucicaut 3805]

Sometimes I wish I had a private jet, so I can fly all around North America and visit all your shops.

Really someone like JR should really do that and rank em all, and then crown the #1 shop of the year.

I only ordered something from Great Skate once and I didn't have any problems, the seem fine, but hey I'm far from Buffalo.

I'm not doing that.

I never pimped my wares when I worked for stores, not going to do that for someone else.

Wow, talk about throwing people under the bus...but hey, not my deal.

[chippa13 1844]

That's weird since the other regional competitor is only another 5 minutes further away and they've carried said company's gear for years.

Not exactly. When I opened, I only had one nearby competitor and they were about a 15 min drive from us. About 1 yr after I opened another store that had a tiny shop in a rink relocated to NH. From what I've discovered, both those stores squeezed manufacturers in some fashion. This happens in many industries. It 's sad they can't compete on their merits. Still, in the long I think it's the company that gets hurt, not the retailer. I completely cut out selling certain brands (that I was getting thru wholesalers) and it hasn't hurt my growth or profits. When a customer comes in looking for a product I don't sell, they usually will ask, well what do you have that is similar. There are many good substitutes. Plus, they may not want to go anywhere else to shop.

It just stinks to think that those folks who don't want a substitute will probably end up at the bought out shop, that I personally can't stand and which basically only gets me for tape when I'm in a pinch.