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tomPietrowskiI think a big issue is the shops who think fitting a boot is just trying it on. If most shops instead did full fighting consumers would begin to realize what is possible from a boot and that skiing in discomfort or less then ideal boots is not how it should be. Resort shops do so well fixing up boots purchased elsewhere. If there could be more uniform type of fitting then all shops could move forward but unfortunatly shops get the idea that to make money they have to match online when instead they should be adding value to the products they sell
RevelinyourstokeI agree with this to a point. For example the three boot fitters here are all either master fit or have been fitting for over 30 years. The issue is.. you have to get them in the shop to begin with. If they never walk in your door than there is no way to convince them and conduct an actual fit. I believe it is different working at a resort versus a box store out in town.
I think what Doug is getting at, and correct me here if I am wrong, is that the real issue is getting people into the shop. To do that there has to be a common understanding for even those who are skiing 5-10 days a year and know nothing about the industry, that boots need work and adjustments to fit properly. The question is, how do you do that? He used the Milk campaign which is solid because it led to a common consensus that milk is good for you and a necessity to even those who go don't drink it. How do we convert that same approach to skiers who know absolutely nothing?
Yeah resorts may be killing it, at least Whistler, but the mom and pop ski shops on access roads and in town are slowly dying. If they die, it only opens up more market space for large online retailers to grab the industry. It's going to slice the number of boot fitters in the industry and stagnate productivity and innovation. With increasing drive towards the web, even Whistler would start noticing people coming in for adjustments and not to purchase boots which would drive their revenues down. ill make the assumption that a vast amount of skiers at Whistler don't live near the mountain let alone in the area at all. So where are they purchasing their boots if the mom and pop box stores have shuttered windows?
tomPietrowskiLupo sp is $730 so with footbeds you are looking $905 before tax. The lupo ti and MTN lab have been super popular this season and both those are over $850 so boots over $1000 are pretty common this season
RevelinyourstokeCAD?
Mr.BishopYeah the beacon type stuff is really interesting too. I have a buddy that is messing around with that in other industries, and I feel like some sort of implementation in the shop space in snowsports could be a game changer. There's loads of consumers out there who are using shops to check stuff out and buying online. You can make decent money as an affiliate marketer - and I wonder if there could be a whole model out there that could be applied to the physical world.
RevelinyourstokeI think what Doug is getting at, and correct me here if I am wrong, is that the real issue is getting people into the shop. To do that there has to be a common understanding for even those who are skiing 5-10 days a year and know nothing about the industry, that boots need work and adjustments to fit properly. The question is, how do you do that? He used the Milk campaign which is solid because it led to a common consensus that milk is good for you and a necessity to even those who go don't drink it. How do we convert that same approach to skiers who know absolutely nothing?
ChucktheweaselGetting people into the store is a challenge, but marketing truly does go a long way. The biggest thing is that you really do have to have an offer to get people to come in. At the same time, being known as a great boot fitter/ tuner/ service shop is a must as well. You can no longer rely on just ONE of those things. You now need them all. You MUST match prices on the internet, have GOOD inventory of what people want, and be able to service the hell out of the customer. You NEED it all.
The biggest thing that I see as a threat, especially on the east coast (other than the fact that winter hasn't been here since the 14/15 season really) is that resorts need to step up their game and bring an offer to the table. Here's the thing... in 2005 I could sell an entry level set up to a customer at $299 for a system ski, and $169 for a basic boot. Guess what... 12 years later, I can still put someone in an entry level system ski for $299 and a basic boot for $169. On the high end, think Volkl 5 Star/All Stars, $899-$999 and Tecnica Flames/Magma's $399/499. Today, Volkl RTM 81/84 $899/$999, Dalbello Panterra 120 $499. Same thing. Hell, the AR5 was what...$499? ARV 86 is now $399 and ARV96 $499.
The actual cost to go ski at a resort has almost tripled!
For a family of four, Mom, Dad, 10 year old and a 13 year old to go skiing on a Saturday, with no seasons pass/10 pack/etc it will cost that family $250 just for lift tickets for the day. Forget about rentals/fuel/lunch etc.
I get it, we all want cash flow early on. Preseason arena sales, preseason season pass sales give you a good idea of how to budget and where to spend your dollars and have bills paid by the due date. But the customer is changing. Customers are less and less reluctant to drop the coin early on. The season is getting pushed back and we have to adapt. We're all in it together. Local ski areas have to work with local shops and vice versa. More people on snow, more people in the stores. Getting local areas to offer discount passes is a challenge, but more are hoping on board. Shops have to work with them and market it.
And the shit talk about how poor this place is, how lousy that place is has to stop. For fucks sake we all decided this is the industry where we wanted to make our bed in, now we have to promote one another to remind the customers how great skiing truly is.