Did you know that BOOKOFF will buy your ski gear for you?

``If you want to buy or sell books, use BOOKOFF.'' But did you know that you can actually buy and sell skis and snowboards with BOOKOFF?
I would like to get closer to its true meaning.

Did you know that BOOKOFF has ski and snowboard supplies?　

For core users who buy their boards and boots at pro shops, it may be difficult to imagine buying used skis and snowboards at a reuse shop.

However, when you find yourself thinking, "I don't really want to use the expensive gear you spent a lot of money on," and wonder if you can trade it in or sell it, you'll suddenly become interested. It must be. So, what kind of store is BOOKOFF, how does the flow of goods work, and what is the company BOOKOFF thinking and doing? I visited Mr. Sato of BOOKOFF's reused products department and asked him about his story.

Why did BOOKOFF start selling skis and snowboards?

``Actually, this is the 23rd year that BOOKOFF has been handling sporting goods, and we have accumulated a lot of products over our history.We started selling winter goods at the request of an employee who loves snow sports. It seems that it has gradually spread in Kanto, Tohoku, and Hokkaido.Since it is a seasonal product, ski and snowboarding equipment and wear inevitably end up sitting in the closet. ``We persistently communicated this message, and as a result of that message getting across well, we started to see our products in stores,''
says Mr. Sato.

In fact, even though it's called BOOKOFF, there are different types of stores: regular ``BOOKOFF'', ``BOOKOFF PLUS'' which includes apparel, and ``BOOKOFF SUPER BAZAAR'', which is a general store that sells everything in a large sales floor. , there are three.
Currently, of the approximately 700 BOOKOFF stores nationwide, approximately 45 SUPER BAZAAR stores carry a complete selection of skis, snowboards, clothing, and accessories. In addition, Yahoo! They are also up for auction, and in fact, you can purchase snow items at BOOKOFF all seasons. It is said that winter supplies are now a big business, on par with marine and golf businesses.

What are the trends in the buying and selling of snow goods, and when and what kind of items are being sold?

How is the buying and selling of snow goods going?

``Snow gear is handled differently depending on the region, and it is a mix of regional characteristics and customer characteristics.In Gunma, snowboarding is strong, and in Tohoku, skiing is a little stronger.Overall, from the trade name BOOKOFF, Many of our customers are families, and it's easy to sell ski equipment to families.Children grow year by year, and they quickly outgrow their size.Incidentally, in Hokkaido, the market's population is slumbering
. Although most of the people there are snowboarders, ski equipment is selling very well at BOOKOFF, especially in the junior section.December and January are the peak months for sales of winter equipment.On the other hand, purchases are increasing

. The first months are October and November.Autumn is the season for new purchases before the season starts, or the time to replace your closet with winter clothes.Then, it's March and April at the end of the fiscal year, which is also the season for moving and cleaning. .

As of June, when we spoke to him, he had over 4,000 skis in stock. At the peak of inventory in December, there will be more than 6,000 items.

What type of skis will they bring?

``As for skis, the scheme is to sell customers' items that come in from the new market, so there will inevitably be a gap of two or three years.The 2023-24 season model will be released. It will probably be three or four years before they come back.Some customers sell new products right away, but there is always a time lag.Also, there are many free skis, not basic or alpine racing boards. All-round models are popular.The purchase price for racing-oriented boards is also slightly lower.

Mr. Sato, do you have any bargains on powder/freeride skis that STEEP readers might like? When I asked about the actual situation at the site, I was able to confirm this kind of skiing. Isn't this quite a quality item? These are Yahoo! It's also on sale at auction, so anyone can get it without having to go to a store.

・Armada ｜Edollo 2022
・Atomic ｜Bent Chetler
・ARMADA ｜INVICTUS

``Our underlying desire is to increase the number of people who enjoy sports, so we believe that if we don't provide high-quality items to those entering the sport, we must provide them with high-quality items so that they can continue to enjoy the sport throughout the season without getting bored.'' We would like to create a cycle in which we sell high-quality products, such as those that incorporate new technology or ensure safety, and pass them on to entrants, who then enjoy them. , to the core people who own high-quality products, we would like to show them that BOOKOFF also handles high-quality gear like this by supporting and cheering on junior athletes and sponsoring tournaments. You can also be appealing to the outside world by doing things like this.

If the entrants have a fun experience with the gear they bought at BOOKOFF, I think they can go to the pro shop next time.On the other hand, I think it's better to go to Kanda than to shop at BOOKOFF all the time. I also give advice. Once you've bought something good in Kanda and finished using it, you can bring it back to BOOKOFF. I think that's the best way to go, and I'm doing it with the idea that we can grow in terms of the market."

``Purchase mechanism'' to sell your own items on BOOKOFF

If I brought my favorite skis to BOOKOFF, what price would they sell for?

``There is a detailed manual for purchasing appraisals, which is updated every year.Trends are also taken into account.Clothing is interesting, and there is a phenomenon where trends come to an end after a few years.For example, Recently, pullover type wear has been appearing as if it were something new, but it was popular around 20 years ago (lol).You can only understand such trends by looking at new models, so I'm looking forward to seeing the data. We make assessments based on solid trend information.We have area managers for sporting goods all over the country who keep an eye on the region, so we are sensitive to trends in the field.Last year This model is selling well, and now this brand is popular.We gather their information and intelligence and incorporate it into the appraisal manual.Also, since it is a used product, the "model year" is important

. This is an index, but the "condition" is multiplied by that.For boards, check the detailed condition such as scratches and distortions on the sole.For clothing, check for functional details such as tears, dirt, and zippers.

　In addition to the year and condition, the purchase price of boots also varies depending on the size. Sizes between 28.5 and 29 cm are very popular, and for men, items over 26.5 cm will be evaluated for a higher rank. For ladies, 23.5cm tends to be expensive. If the size is smaller than that, it will be treated as a junior. Nowadays, when it comes to clothing, it's mostly bib pants that get evaluated for ranking up. Honestly, I’ve been looking for this quite a bit (lol).”

There are stores that are particularly strong in winter.

BOOKOFF SUPER BAZAAR is the only company that buys ski equipment. Purchases are available year-round, but there are often "purchase enhancement" periods or campaigns before the season, so it's a good idea to aim for that timing. Also, even within the same SUPER BAZZAR store, there are actually stores that are particularly strong in winter depending on the region. After all, it will be a snowy country or an urban area. Let me introduce some of them. (Some stores other than SUPERBAZAAR may also carry it, so please check the website)

If you bring your favorite gear in for purchase, you can expect a good appraisal, so it's a good idea.