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theabortionator
April, 2025

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Shopping with prodeals

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speednstyle
Posts: 5 - Karma: 94
Many of us. Or most of us, whatever the statistic, have a form of prodeals from working in the industry. When going into shops to try on gear, it creates an awkward scenario when you want to save money but the employees are either people you know or friends. Especially boot work where you are almost expected to buy the boot from them since they are expected to help with that whole complexity and it gives them commissions. Thoughts on kicking tires in shops when you have the discount?
2 years ago
33 1
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speednstyle
Posts: 5 - Karma: 94
Ahh. Gear talk. How do I delete this. I'm dead. I guess it will work in this section

**This post was edited on Nov 17th 2023 at 9:52:18pm
2 years ago
12 0
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switchlip2
Posts: 2142 - Karma: 25,179
Solid first thread
2 years ago
12 0
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snowsharedealer
Posts: 11 - Karma: -49
idk
2 years ago
4 18
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hamsauce
Posts: 302 - Karma: 2,619
I feel much less bad just going in and trying stuff on when its a place like rei or a big online retailer.
2 years ago
17 0
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tdollo
Posts: 3880 - Karma: 19,814
There's no problem going into a shop to try on boots and then buy them elsewhere, as long as you let them know you're not gonna purchase the boots. Nothing like wasting 45 minutes fitting only for the client to fuck off and buy online.
2 years ago
22 0
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animator
Posts: 4576 - Karma: 26,428
I feel like if you have access to deals you should some have some idea of what works for you, and you certainly shouldn't be taking up someone's time asking questions and shit. Also, if you have deals, you probably work for a shop or a mountain, in which case you should usually be able to accomplish what you want to at your place rather than wasting someone else's time
2 years ago
17 2
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McDanielsprite
Posts: 213 - Karma: 1,009
I feel like the workings can respect that if they know or see if they can match their discount. I did that trying on different Arc’teryx products at their Seattle store. And even though I have a pro account, they wouldn’t honor it but 100% understood.
2 years ago
3 1
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maaattt
Posts: 2757 - Karma: 33,589
McDanielspriteI feel like the workings can respect that if they know or see if they can match their discount. I did that trying on different Arc’teryx products at their Seattle store. And even though I have a pro account, they wouldn’t honor it but 100% understood.


Lol do not ask shops if they'll match a pro deal discount
2 years ago
23 0
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lootlake
Posts: 1071 - Karma: 7,012
snowsharedealeridk


Is your air fan still for sale????
2 years ago
1 1
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snowmosexual
Posts: 1941 - Karma: 10,083
The one time I got fitted then bought online with a pro deal, I told the fitter exactly that when we first started talking and paid him directly for his time. I gave him $20 he was stoked.
2 years ago
11 0
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.nasty
Posts: 10598 - Karma: 11,396
I appreciate when people tell me that they have a pro deal before needing something extensive like a boot fit. That doesn’t mean I’m going to give them any less attention when helping them, but there are certain points in the conversation I can leave out which saves time. At the end of the day, I approach any situation in the shop with the same mindset, that if you give someone the help they need they will come back for other things. It’s as much for practicing good business as it is for simply wanting to get a skier in the right gear for them.


If a shop employee doesn’t have the same general attitude I do, well they should probably just find another job. Even though retail is retail, we get to sell gear we’re passionate about and that’s awesome.
2 years ago
24 0
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partyandBS
Posts: 5838 - Karma: 91,086
if you go in and say exactly what your doing and clearly give them an option to decline helping you with no hard feelings, it should be fine

”hey i work at XX and i get prodeals through XX but i havent been able to try on the fit. would you mind if i just tried them on now or some other time that works for? i totally get if that’s not worth your time but figured it couldnt hurt to ask”

if your cool they’ll probably be cool. thank them a lot and refer people to them. if you ho mid day on a weekday day when they dont have rentals coming in or out would probably be a better time and mentioning that you intentionally picked that time to be the least disruptive will probably be favorable. they probs like talkin with industry peeps anyway
2 years ago
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icy_park_jump
Posts: 249 - Karma: 1,893
I felt bad about it until the guy told me that the 700 dollar boots are selling like crazy
2 years ago
1 0
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CantThinkOfaName
Posts: 415 - Karma: -964
At my shop we don’t make commission, either way I’m clocking out at 6 so don’t really gaf. Not sure how many shops are like this though
2 years ago
7 0
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TBONE902
Posts: 266 - Karma: 711
partyandBSif you go in and say exactly what your doing and clearly give them an option to decline helping you with no hard feelings, it should be fine

”hey i work at XX and i get prodeals through XX but i havent been able to try on the fit. would you mind if i just tried them on now or some other time that works for? i totally get if that’s not worth your time but figured it couldnt hurt to ask”

if your cool they’ll probably be cool. thank them a lot and refer people to them. if you ho mid day on a weekday day when they dont have rentals coming in or out would probably be a better time and mentioning that you intentionally picked that time to be the least disruptive will probably be favorable. they probs like talkin with industry peeps anyway


Definitely the way to go if you really need to try on some boots - I wouldn’t go in expecting much service beyond them getting the boots out and you make your own judgement on fit especially if there’s paying customers there, but if it’s quiet I think any cool shop would be more than happy to chat and give some recommendations. If they help you out, pick up a bar of wax, ski socks, or some other 20-30$ item you need anyways and everyone will be stoked.
2 years ago
7 0
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BallClapper
Posts: 3704 - Karma: 16,803
maaatttLol do not ask shops if they'll match a pro deal discount


It sometimes pisses me off that a brand specific shop won't do that. Some are super chill and will but its hard to find.
2 years ago
1 4
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tdollo
Posts: 3880 - Karma: 19,814
BallClapperIt sometimes pisses me off that a brand specific shop won't do that. Some are super chill and will but its hard to find.


Bro how?? For instance, Salomon store in Whistler is owned by Vail Resorts; therefore they make their own orders and can't just match the pro deal price. That's not how this works. For someone in the industry this really should be common knowledge.
2 years ago
10 0
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BallClapper
Posts: 3704 - Karma: 16,803
tdolloBro how?? For instance, Salomon store in Whistler is owned by Vail Resorts; therefore they make their own orders and can't just match the pro deal price. That's not how this works. For someone in the industry this really should be common knowledge.

Through my industry affiliation I can get deals direct from some shops. Not going to name names.
2 years ago
0 2
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Juviticus
Posts: 444 - Karma: 2,215
tdolloThere's no problem going into a shop to try on boots and then buy them elsewhere, as long as you let them know you're not gonna purchase the boots. Nothing like wasting 45 minutes fitting only for the client to fuck off and buy online.

Ay say it louder for the people in the back. I would've put it a bit more diplomatically but yeah this is it. Like tell the guy you get deals, he'll get the product you need, but then don't expect the same level of attention. They'll happily help you if you ask, and chat industry with you if they have the time

**This post was edited on Nov 19th 2023 at 2:10:57am
2 years ago
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kalle.
Posts: 771 - Karma: 4,931
my favorite thing in the shop i work at is when people just come and hang out and shoot the shit about gear. we don’t have that big of a selection of boots for example and i always tell customers that i’m not trying to sell you a boot just cause it’s my job but i want you to buy a boot that 100% works for you, and refer them to a bigger shop that has more selection if we don’t have something for them.
2 years ago
2 0
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iDontHitRails
Posts: 291 - Karma: 2,819
What you should be doing is buying stuff from homies on snowshare and reselling it there to make a profit! Just like @snowsharedealer a real entrepreneur
2 years ago
7 0
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Phatboy64
Posts: 118 - Karma: 456
When it comes to boots I am buying them from a shop with a good boot fitter and not online or pro deal.
2 years ago
1 0
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Chucktheweasel
Posts: 553 - Karma: 156
First rule of pro deals is you don't talk about pro deals...
2 years ago
5 0
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