Synergy Skates Geared toward internet dealers!

[goalie39 0]

Ok, the synergy skates are getting a lot of attention, but one thing i havent noticed mentioned is the fact that they are NOT heat molded. Whats the deal? Is easton looking to screew over everyone but the internet dealers? Isnt this some of our only leverage on internet dealers, the fact that the customer cannot get them baked online? Thats a pretty bad move by easton, and i know my store will not be stocking a skate that people will "Try On" and then buy online. These skates are made to screew over the retail stores. Anyone else feel the same way?

[Cavs019 710]

Or maybe its just that the composite materials can't be heated....

[Eazy_b97 1]

It's actually been mentioned a few times in numerous posts. I don't see it as a big deal. Generally I've found people who are willing to spend the cash on a skate like the Synergy will try it on rather than buy it on-line, but my perception may be a little skewed since I'm in Canada. As well I believe baking only helps speed up the break in process it will not eliminate it and isn't a magical process. It won't take away all the pains a mis-fitted skate will cause.

[goalie39 0]

The fact is, the baking, more than a process, has been leverage on customers to buy it at our store rather than the internet. I know a lot of stores have problems with easton so maybe they may be gettin the message that "we dont want you" Our booking went from $80,000 in easton to only $5,000 this year. Maybe easton is moving towards an internet market.

[Chadd 916]

Baking is highly overrated. Eazy is right on all of his reasoning except a lot of idiots will buy the skate without trying it on. It happens all of the time now for people who have to have the latest and greatest of everything new.

[Sniper407 0]

Synergy skates cannot be heat molded... easton says that have no break in period and from the people i know that have used/uses them i can pretty much confirm it... if you look at the structure and the specs of the skate its obviously not made for heat molding...

oh and can anyone give me information on what eastons policy on custom skates for non-pros is? feel free to just PM me with any info(curse my wide, screwed up feet... curse them)

[#94 3]

Why don't shops adopt a new policy where the customer may only try on the skate if they are going to buy it from that dealer. Sign a contract or something, I don't know...

[joshy207 15]

Why don't shops adopt a new policy where the customer may only try on the skate if they are going to buy it from that dealer. Sign a contract or something, I don't know...

Some stores charge a fee for fitting ($20 or so). If you end up buying skates there, they deduct the fitting fee from the price.

[goalie39 0]

We charge $50 if they ask us to bake internet skates and $10 for unsharpened skates. We had one guy buy skates, order the same ones online, and then bring the skates back to us but targeted a young employee so he did not know enough not to take them back. No matter how hard you try, the assholes will screew you over some percentage of the time

[JR Boucicaut 3804]

Fitting fee...

We adopted that policy but it absolutely bombed - customers got violent.

As far as the Internet is concerned - put your stuff at a price that is competitive against the Internet and you won't have problems. I love Mission's Internet skate policy - the online stores can only put them up at MSRP. I'm $70 cheaper than online.

[mseguin 0]

The store where I work has adopted a fitting fee on high end figure skates. Most customers are quite understanding, since if they buy skates we waive the fee (or deduct it from future purchase if they buy later) and they recognize that its worth it for the hour or 2 or sometimes more we put in. I doubt it would work with hockey skates, but so far with figure skates it hasnt been a problem.

[Aussie Joe 0]

Maybe easton is moving towards an internet market.

Easton is my favourite brand of gear to buy. But unfortunately living in Aus I really cannot afford to buy it from local "dealers/rip off merchants" as Easton bars all net retailers from shipping outside the USA. The day they change that policy I will buy a MASSIVE shipment of Easton gear, Infact apart from my Inlines helmet and girdle my whole kit will be Easton replaced. I may sound like a dumbass, but honestly I have tried all their gear and love the fit and performance.

If they ever did move toward a net maket, it would be a great day in my mind.

[JR Boucicaut 3804]

If they ever did move toward a net maket, it would be a great day in my mind.

It'll never happen. If that were to happen, they would sell direct-to-consumer on eastonhockey.com. They aren't stupid. :)

[Speed Demon 0]

I have been thinking about the Synergy Skate and there has been talk of how the skate's coil technology seems to only work on people that are around 185 lbs. I think it would be interesting to see Synergy skates come in different flexes for the coil technology so people, like my self, that are 145 lbs or so, can get some forward flex in the skates.

[mseguin 0]

I agree to a certain extent, but we don't really charge for the fitting service. We only charge if they don't buy skates, and only on high end figure skates. It's extremely frustrating to spend 2 hours lacing up figure skates and figuring out the right pair onlt to have the customer walk out with no purchase. Frankly, we deserve some kind of compensation. We can't compete with online prices, and people come in, get sized up, and order the skate online. That's not fair to us. But I agree it wouldnt work to well with hockey fitting.

[cobrAA 0]

well....it complety stupid to put a fitting fee......what happens if i try pro tack 1152 vapor XX nike v12 and some graf???and finally i choose to buy 1152...i would have to pay 20$ for each skate i tried??(and what happens if i'm not complety sure of which skate to choose and i come back later??i pay 100$ just because i try skate???)

lollll come on....if you'r working in a LHS then that your JOB to try skate!!! lol where i go(my lhs)i think we pass 30 min figuring which the best skate(i choose my 1152(02)) and he did not get made or charge me!!!! lol that HE JOB

if a store make me pay to try skate lollll go !*&"(*?" your self i'm going to another place!!!!so simple

[bulletproof_funk 0]

well....it complety stupid to put a fitting fee......what happens if i try pro tack 1152 vapor XX nike v12 and some graf???and finally i choose to buy 1152...i would have to pay 20$ for each skate i tried??(and what happens if i'm not complety sure of which skate to choose and i come back later??i pay 100$ just because i try skate???)

Some stores charge a fee for fitting ($20 or so). If you end up buying skates there, they deduct the fitting fee from the price.

No shop in their right mind would charge you the same fitting fee multiple times for each pair of skates you tried on.

[LetsGoWings13 0]

i think it would be a good ideal to do that where you charge somthing like 15 or 20 dollars and than if they buy the skates they do not get charged for it .

[bulletproof_funk 0]

i think it would be a good ideal to do that where you charge somthing like 15 or 20 dollars and than if they buy the skates they do not get charged for it .

I thought my bold highlighting of joshy's quote made it perfectly clear... I guess people just don't read my posts.

[Jim A 4]

Charging $50 to bake skates bought elsewhere is outrageous and shows no customer service...and essentially tells people who aren't customers to avoid your store..

we used to hear stories in California of small stores charging $20 for first sharpenings...

Easton chose to use materials that aren't heat moldable in their SyNergy skate, their choice..it doesn't mean other skates like that aren't heat moldable..its not the end of the world...baking is just an addition to the fitting process not the solution..

i had a poor relationship with the owner of a LHS...they opened a 2nd store literally 2 miles from my house...and i got to know the guy running that one over time...we got past all the previous BS and ways I had been screwed over some beer..and now I go out of my way to give him what biz I can when I'm in town..they are a multi sport shop..and when I had a bike sent in from WA for them to build..they didn't even charge me (~125 saved and a case of beer in its place)

I've worked in many different sized stores, from the 800 lb gorilla to specks on a map....all but one have had strong customer service and ways to engage/keep locals ...and that is what keeps the $ rolling in..there are many more ways to lose than to gain customers

I find it funny though that this post started about Easton being pro internet dealers....which from my own experiences is far from my own realities..

[MDE3 0]

From what I have heard, Easton is not alone in making "non heat moldable" skates, as supposedly many of the new ultralite skates were not really intended for heat molding. The reason being is that in order to save weight the "moldable" materials have been left out, or at least replaced with something else to save weight. However having asked pro shops to invest in their ovens, the manufacturers have been loathe to announce this....This information is rumour only....but from someone in "the business".

[Jim A 4]

true..Nike doesn't use heat molding all with its GameReadyFit.

the XX has 2 min in a preheated oven..15 min on the foot and then repeat if needed....

a lot of CCM's go in the oven instead of the FIT system...who knows what that does...

i wonder sometimes about the feature/benefit ratio of baking skates..nevermind the people who want them baked multiple times...

[LetsGoWings13 0]

the fit system has air bladders in it and they inflate when you put your skate in and push the skate up against your foot and this is not gimmick it really did work very well.

[JR Boucicaut 3804]

well....it complety stupid to put a fitting fee......what happens if i try pro tack 1152 vapor XX nike v12 and some graf???and finally i choose to buy 1152...i would have to pay 20$ for each skate i tried??(and what happens if i'm not complety sure of which skate to choose and i come back later??i pay 100$ just because i try skate???)

lollll come on....if you'r working in a LHS then that your JOB to try skate!!! lol where i go(my lhs)i think we pass 30 min figuring which the best skate(i choose my 1152(02)) and he did not get made or charge me!!!! lol that HE JOB

if a store make me pay to try skate lollll go !*&"(*?" your self i'm going to another place!!!!so simple

CobrAA - you do not know the feeling when you spend a hour and a half fitting a customer for skates and then they just take all the info you gave them and goes "Okay, I'm going to order these from Hockey Monkey tomorrow. Thanks."

And my skates are equal or +/- $10 from internet prices...

[Thockey17 1]

we used to hear stories in California of small stores charging $20 for first sharpenings...

My mom got charged $35 for a first time sharpening of my little brothers Graf's. He needed them sharpened so she paid, and never went back to that rink again.