Purchasing trends in 2020
Where you buy your ski and snowboard gear and how you get started can have a big impact on how much you enjoy skiing and snowboarding and how much you get into it. As of 2020, when you think about buying gear, you have two options: find it online or go to a shop
There are three types of shops. First, sports specialty stores with multiple locations nationwide. Second, highly specialized pro shops with owners and staff with deep knowledge and experience. Third, online e-commerce stores. Recently, there has been an increase in stores that have online stores in addition to physical stores
You can buy gear at any of these places, and each has its own benefits
See the benefits of three different shop formats
■Pro Shop
Price △
Product quality ◎
Friends ◎
Support ◎
A distinctive feature of pro shops is that they are often community-based. Their selection of products reflects the owner's preferences and preferences. Because the owners and staff are skiers, it's easy to gather highly specialized, core information and foster deep interactions between users. Once you get into the area, it's easy to make friends. Furthermore, with shop riders and familiar riders, lessons and advice are readily available. Highly recommended for those eager to improve.
Because some items are produced in limited quantities based on the owner's preferences, they don't compete on discount prices. However, many stores offer value beyond price, offering thorough support from purchase to completion, such as ski waxing services, binding installation, and boot setup.
These days, it's not uncommon for pro shops to have branches near ski fields, so frequenting them every time you visit can provide detailed information about snowy mountains and even recommendations on delicious restaurants and hidden gems.
■Sports specialty store
Price ◯
Product quality ◎
Friends △
Support ◯
As they operate nationwide, they have a wide range of products, and a wide range of price ranges and sizes. Even if you don't have a specific product in mind, you can enjoy the fun of choosing by looking at many products and comparing them. Furthermore, recently there has been an increase in staff with specialized knowledge and experience, so it is easy to get advice on selections.
However, there is not as much close interaction between shop staff and other users as there is at professional shops. Active communication is necessary to make friends. Shops sometimes hold tours and lessons, so users can interact with each other at these times.
■EC store
price ◎
Product quality △
Friends
✕Support ✕
Unlike the stores mentioned above, online stores do not allow you to see or touch the actual products.
For example, you cannot try on boots or clothing. As a result, the actual color of the product may differ from the actual product. Also, when it comes to skis, it may not be possible to install bindings (bindings must be adjusted by an SBB-certified technician).
However, the lowest prices are the biggest attraction. This is a great benefit for people who have already decided on the gear they want to buy, such as after a test ride, or for people who do not have a store nearby that sells the product. However, when purchasing online, you will need to understand various conditions such as return and exchange policies and shipping methods.
Furthermore, there is almost no information or post-purchase support that can be obtained from face-to-face sales or interactions with other users.
summary
Looking at it this way, it seems like the environment is now in place to make it easier to buy gear. A generation ago, highly specialized products were sold at pro shops and some chain stores. Even if you tried to gather information, it was difficult to find. But now, with e-commerce stores you can buy from all over the world, and you can get started even if there's no shop nearby.
Pro shops and sports specialty stores are still going strong, and we can see efforts being made to incorporate the know-how of face-to-face sales into e-commerce stores. In the coming era, we will live with the coronavirus. It seems that it will become the norm for each of us to think about smart shopping so that we can continue skiing for a long time.
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