Purchase Hockey Skates Online?

[JR Boucicaut 3805]

Now, that's a question that i'm interested in...

Sharpeners - do you go with or against the wheel, or back and forth?

Heel first or toe first?

Just curious.

[Eazy_b97 1]

With the Wheel. Heel first. Our wheel spins counter clockwise (maybe they all do?)

[Chadd 916]

Now, that's a question that i'm interested in...

Sharpeners - do you go with or against the wheel, or back and forth?

Heel first or toe first?

Just curious.

I only go heel first if there is a problem getting the skate to line up properly going toe-first

[PH_Hockey2 4]

You go with the wheel, and the toe of the skate goes frist. Also you should only go on way and not back and forth.

[biff44 0]

I start heel to toe, against the direction of the spinning wheel. Then when the hollow is ground, I do 2 or 3 light pressure passes in the direction of the wheel to get nice even edges. Seems to work for me.

[JR Boucicaut 3805]

Toe first, both ways LOL

[jimmy 194]

JR, Your stories are like deja vue all over again! I could add so many just like that it would make your head spin. When those kind of folks need an emergency repair, or any repair for that matter, I charge them to the max! Especially if they need the skates for a game that night. Broken blade you say, well rush service is $10 extra. Nuts/bolts $5. :-)

As for those guys who sharpen at home. Most can't sharpen to save their life. Honestly, they just don't have enough volume to get good. They eventually come in for me to fix the skates for them. I double the price if they want stones or diamonds. And they ALWAYS F the rocker radius up, so I make my money fixing thast for them too.

I sharpen aginst the wheel direction for X number of passes, and last pass with the wheel, SLOW. I can do the same quality if all passes are with the wheel, but that way doesn't remove as much steel and more passes are required.

P.S. JR, your boss sounds like an idiot. My wife is my boss, she tells those kind of customers where they can pack it! (she's Italian) We really don't need those kind of customers, so we piss them off so they don't return. We can do this because it's our business. I'm amazed at how many customers think we are just here so they can try all the latest gear and then return it if they don't like it. Expecting a full refund. Then we point to the sign that says no refunds on used gear. Grin.

[JR Boucicaut 3805]

He is. They'll pay when I leave. Truuuuuuuuust me. Unfortunately it has gotten so bad that I am just looking for A JOB...probably will be out of the hockey biz soon.

[jimmy 194]

Start your own hockey biz!

[JR Boucicaut 3805]

Not in Orlando. Not enough of a market and I can't compete against my store budget-wise...

[XeF4 0]

When those kind of folks need an emergency repair, or any repair for that matter, I charge them to the max! Especially if they need the skates for a game that night. Broken blade you say, well rush service is $10 extra. Nuts/bolts $5. :-)

I think that it is bad business in the long run to do that. If I owned my own shop, I would try to inform customers of the advantages/disadvantages of buying skates online and hope that they do business with me. I think that honesty goes a long way, and if you charge them $5 for a helmet screw they probably wont think to highly of your tactics.

[JR Boucicaut 3805]

Is it honest to have someone professionally fit you when your sole intent is to buy it online?

I'm not saying all stores are like this, but the ones that have a knowledgeable staff...

[jimmy 194]

When those kind of folks need an emergency repair, or any repair for that matter, I charge them to the max!  Especially if they need the skates for a game that night.  Broken blade you say, well rush service is $10 extra.  Nuts/bolts $5.  :-)

I think that it is bad business in the long run to do that. If I owned my own shop, I would try to inform customers of the advantages/disadvantages of buying skates online and hope that they do business with me. I think that honesty goes a long way, and if you charge them $5 for a helmet screw they probably wont think to highly of your tactics.

The bottom line is that most think we work out of the goodness of our heart, not to make any money. I'm not some internet site operating out of my garage with no expenses.. It cost a lot to run a business. Heck, I have bills to pay. Should I give away all my services to folks who don't spend any money in my store? Do you really think I enjoy spendin 1 hr or more fitting some dishonest bastard who's full intent is to buy something online? If a guy comes in with a blade he bought elsewhere, should I install it on his shaft for free too? I liken it to expecting a doctor to tell you for free what's wrong with you, so you can buy precscriptions online. Ridiculous. Time is money too. That 1 hr I spend fitting, could be used to write orders, or do my bills. So, instead, I have to stay 1 hr late or do that work at home because some dishonest bastard wants to save a few bucks. My time is worth something, and I fully intend to get reimbursed from that bastard when/if he returns to the store.

Having said that, if I don't sell a particular model skate, I never hold that against a good customer. Good customers are always pampered.

BTW, we have signs all over the store highlighting the advantages of buying from us. We even have a internet comparision of end prices, after molding, sharpenening, adjustments, etc. I love all the excuses I get too, like "his grandmother bought him these skates", or you were closed and I needed an emergency pair of VAPXX. Sorry Charlie, only loyal customers get all the freebees.

[Sven 1]

The well known 2 sides of a coin (imo)

[JR Boucicaut 3805]

Jimmy - ever think about a fitting fee? We did it for a while, $10 - goes towards the skates if you buy it from us - but we had customers walk out and whatnot. I make sure all of the skate gauges are behind the counter - I had a guy who went behind my counter to try to take it. I had to stop him.

[XeF4 0]

$10 to try on skates? wow, if i walked in to a shop and they wanted to charge me $10 to try on their skates I'd probably walk out too. If somebody is an internet shopper I'm sure you could ask them and they would tell you the truth, and at that point, just bring boxes out.

[jimmy 194]

Jimmy - ever think about a fitting fee? We did it for a while, $10 - goes towards the skates if you buy it from us - but we had customers walk out and whatnot. I make sure all of the skate gauges are behind the counter - I had a guy who went behind my counter to try to take it. I had to stop him.

JR,

I've often thought about it. I do that with stretching, fee of $15, refunded when you buy skates. I also though of puting up a big sign:

"We will match internet pricing on Skates"

"No Services Included"

Then if they want sharpening, heat molding and the lifetime service pac, that will be an extra $50. Not sold seperately.

[Eazy_b97 1]

I don't think I've ever been to a store, tried on a pair of skates, and not bought a pair within 4 hours from that same place.

[mik3 1]

$10 to try on skates? wow, if i walked in to a shop and they wanted to charge me $10 to try on their skates I'd probably walk out too. If somebody is an internet shopper I'm sure you could ask them and they would tell you the truth, and at that point, just bring boxes out.

It makes sense, if you're trying on skates, you're 95% of the time in the market for new ones. So, the 10 dollars goes towards your skates. It just keeps salespeople from wasting their time fitting you and trying to help you when you're just going to go and buy it from someone else.

[JR Boucicaut 3805]

Jimmy - ever think about a fitting fee?  We did it for a while, $10 - goes towards the skates if you buy it from us - but we had customers walk out and whatnot.  I make sure all of the skate gauges are behind the counter - I had a guy who went behind my counter to try to take it.  I had to stop him.

JR,

I've often thought about it. I do that with stretching, fee of $15, refunded when you buy skates. I also though of puting up a big sign:

"We will match internet pricing on Skates"

"No Services Included"

Then if they want sharpening, heat molding and the lifetime service pac, that will be an extra $50. Not sold seperately.

Don't even measure them. Let them guess what size they are, and they only get one shot at it. It'll be like a crapshoot...just like when they buy online.

[mik3 1]

Not only give them one shot at sizes, but you can't do anything but ring them up.

[JR Boucicaut 3805]

Seriously.

They'll realize how silly it is.

Once again, I know some people are in situations that they need to buy online, or their store just is disgustingly expensive or don't have much of a selection. But working in a full-service pro shop in which I can get anything for the customer, it's downright rude and dishonest to waste my time by using me to save a few bucks.

[jimmy 194]

I'm all for buying online. I do it myself often. However, I NEVER bother a salesperson, have them explain all the pro's/cons, demo, try on etc, then sneak and buy online. I will tell the sales person I'm just looking, thanks I don't need any help. If the retailer is way too expensive and the item is something I won't need the retailer's help for in the future, I will then look online for the product.

Just the other day I was in Sears looking at the Dyson vacuum. I let the salesperson explain and demo the unit. He spent about 15 minutes. When all was said and done, I bought the vacuum. Even though I could have saved $20 at Sam's on the same vacuum, or bought it online for less. But you know, someday that vacuum is going to need something. Sears will be their for me! Just like most LHS's.

[JR Boucicaut 3805]

Perfect follow-up...

That woman who did the shoulder pad switch just came in.

She wanted me to convert her kid's Vapor XXs to inline skates, I would have to unmount both skates then put the frames on the XXs. I told her $45 (I buy my own supplies, rivets and drill bits, and the money goes to me.) She wanted me to come down on the price. Now, if it was someone who was nice to me, then I probably would've. I didn't budge.

[jimmy 194]

Good on you JR!

BTW, $45 is cheap. You should have said $1 per rivet removed, $1 per rivet installed. :-)

Hey, I was just on e-puck. They sell the Vector 6.0 for $179.99 and 7.95 for shipping. $188 total price. I sell it for $199.99, $11 more. So, for that $11 you would get from me, a perfect, correct first sharpening, hot bake, lifetime adjustments and free blade tightening, straightening, and discounts on future repairs. Also,I never charge for an eyelet, rivet, or screwwrepair or replacement if you bought skates here. And if you wanted to convert to in-line, I'd do that for half price.