WHAT DO YA STICK YA HOOFS INTO????
I do understand the whole fitting fee thing, but what abou those people who just plain and simple cannot afford to spend $300+ on a pair of boots!? My first preference is to buy from the store, but not when they are over charging compared to the American market. The ThirtyTwo boots I just got BRAND NEW cost me $63, yes that’s right, $63!!!!!!! postage to Australia, $13!
The same boot in Aus was $380!!! I’m sorry but in my circumstances, I’m buying overseas every time.
Got my bro a pair of 2011 Burton Motos. $300+ here, $120 from America. We couldn’t even buy his size in Australia anyway, no one had size 14 boots.
I think I need to explain the boot fitting fee a bit better. This was never introduced as a way to get more money from customers. We never want to charge a boot fitting fee. It was introduced as a deterrent to people coming into the store under false pretenses, making out as though they are looking to buy boots, when really they have no intention of buying boots. They want the shop’s staff to fit them properly so they know exactly which size and model to buy on eBay. They say thank you, walk out after wasting an hour of your time, then give the business elsewhere - that being their plan the entire time. Is that fair?
This is how it’s meant to work, or at least how I’ve always done it…
Situation 1. A good customer walks in and says they are interested in buying boots. They are just looking around and seeing what’s available so they can make an informed purchase. We understand if we don’t have a boot that works for them, they might go to another store.
In this situation, I would gladly sit down and chat with the customer. I will measure their feet, pull out a range of boots, educate them on how the process works and what they should be feeling. We will discuss their budget and options. In this situation, I won’t even mention a boot fitting fee. We know the customer, we understand their intentions, and we’re happy to help and we will probably see them back in the store at some point in time.
Situation 2. A customer walks in and says they need to buy a pair of boots. There is an understanding that if they find the right boot, they will make the purchase today.
Again, there would be no mention of a boot fitting fee here. I will happily give them the full service in the hope of finding the right boot for them. At no point in time do I want a customer to make the wrong purchase. If we don’t have something that works for them, I would rather be honest and turn them away and have them look at another store. A happy customer appreciates good service and they will be happy to return to the store and trust your judgement on future purchases.
Situation 3. Someone walks in and says they want to try on boots. Sometimes they’re honest and say they are going to buy the boots online (always surprises me when they say that to our face). Sometimes you can just tell by their line of questioning that they have no intention of buying from the store.
If there is good reason to suspect they just want to waste our time, this is when I make mention of the boot fitting fee. I would say something like, “I’m happy to discuss your options with you, however if you want a full boot fitting process, there is a boot fitting fee. If you make a purchase either now or another day, we fully refund the fee.” At this point in time, they understand what we’re saying and they just have a 5 minute chat to us, as they don’t want to pay the boot fitting fee.
In each of these situations, no boot fitting fee has been charged. The only time it was mentioned was as a deterrent and it worked. It probably saved the store a good hour of someone’s time, which could be spent helping a customer in need. No store wants to charge this fee. It was brought in out of necessity. It’s really hard to explain just how big the problem was before the policy was brought in. Hours would be lost every day. Not only were we losing time, but we were helping the problem by making their online purchases easier. Stores are all about customer service (at least it should be). In my experience at STM we would never do anything to screw a customer. We are there to help, serve, and get them stoked. If we do our job they will always return to the store and purchase more. I’m sorry if any of you have had a bad experience with the boot fitting fee - it’s really not intended that way. I have never actually charged anyone the fee but I have mentioned it a few times. It could just be new staff unaware of how it really works. If ever in doubt, please speak to the floor manager and find out. If you feel you were charged when you shouldn’t have, it’s best to tell the manager so they address the situation.
I hope that explains it a bit better. If you have any questions please feel free to ask me.
Umm…......... don’t know how to say this any other way but,
When Mrs Mizu went to Sydney to buy a pair of new boots, STM in the city was one that that told her of an up front $50 fitting fee!!!!
She then just asked the staff member to bring out a couple of different pairs in her approx size and helped herself!!!!! They didn’t have the boot that she felt most comfortable with, in her size!!!!!
Maybe the crew in the city store need to take your approach, as she walked out due to bein put off by the fee, and lack of willingness to assist her!!!!
Ended up buyin from One Track Mind, and that was on a different day, after drivin up from the Gong to specifically go to Balmoral Boards, when she was told about a specific model that they had, that she had tried on in STM but didn’t have her size in stock, only to find that she was told the wrong info and neither did Balmoral have her size in that boot!!!!!
She ended up with a completely different size and Brand boot from One Track Mind altogether!!!!
The only way that the industry is gonna stop people from doin this is for the retailers to stop stockin the brands that allow OS dealers to distribute to Australia!!!!!
Even if it will be a hard task to do!!!!! It really is that easy!!!!!
Did she end up paying the $50 fee up front? I guess shop staff sometimes forget why we brought in the policy. It wasn’t to make money, it wasn’t to annoy customers. It was to minimise unnecessary time loss and make it more difficult for people to buy from overseas. I can’t say everyone approaches it my way but I think they should! Maybe all the stores should get together and make a policy of refunding any boot fitting fee even if they end up purchasing the boots from another store. As long as they are making their purchase in Australia I think we have achieved our goal. I don’t think the customer should ever have to pay the fee, but it is a necessary deterrent for those only looking to waste our time and expertise, knowing very well right from the start that they are taking their business overseas. It’s a tough one…
No she didn’t pay the upfront fee, and that is why she just asked for the staff member to go and get her a couple of different pairs and that she will help herself from that point!!!!! I myself wouldn’t have even helped myself, I would’ve just walked out and taken my business elsewhere!!!!
If you were to go to a car dealer and they were to charge you a fee to test drive a vehicle, would you be happy to pay the fee???? Would you also shop around on price for that vehicle even if you weren’t charged a fee???? We could go to Japan and buy the same vehicle for 1/2 the price but as the industry and the government has made it costly and difficult to bring the vehicle back into Australia, we choose not to purchase directly from Japan!!!!!
The Australian Store Proof Of Purchase would be a good thing to do, but if the Brands did the right thing by the distributors and their retailers, they would stop allowing their product to be sold over the net from OS in the first place!!!!!
There were brands that were doing it!!!!! So I see no reason as to why they all can’t???? Well, actually I can see why they don’t want to, and that’s because the Whole Australian market can buy less than that of some Individual Customers from OS, so we tend to be a forgotten entity!!!!!
I think this is just touching on the bigger problem of globalization. Anybody can see US prices on the internet, so why shouldn’t australians feel like they are getting ripped off with aussie markups?
Sure, most people want to support their local shops but paying an extra $200 is asking too much imo.
The bootfitting fee is an interesting idea and while it is fine for someone who is set on buying a boot at that shop, it turns away any potential spontaneous purchases. Like if someone has a pair of boots that they plan on making last, but just try on a new boot for the hell of it and like it so much they buy it.
and then, where does it stop? I’m sure people come in and handflex boards and talk to shop staff - why not slap a $50 consulting fee on everybody that walks in?
I think the board companies have to do something about it. One example is limited edition aussie shop-only runs which make people buy at full price.
One example is limited edition aussie shop-only runs which make people buy at full price.
That is another good idea!!!! If ya can’t buy the same thing on the net then ya have to buy it in store!!!!
The Australian Industry should be the one’s that make the push on the Brands to help somehow!!!!
Not blame the consumer!!!!! And until they do, you will ALWAYS get people such as blizzard buyin off the net!!!!!
Even with the $50 fee, at $60 for the boots it only totals $110 as compared to $300+!!!!! This is an attractive saving in anyone’s language yeah???? And ya cannot blame people for makin the purchase!!!!! The ability to do it is there, and it is the industry that allows it to happen!!!!!
And by the same token blizz, ya can’t be disappointed when a snow shop closes in Canberra, because inadvertently you may have just had a little part in their demise by buyin off the net!!!!!
I have bought my previous boots from the store that is closing. This is the first time I have bought off the net.
Bindings came from here, board from Cherri pow, jackets, pants and gloves all here!
I am in no way sayin what ya did was WRONG, blizz!!!!! But that is the reason for a lot of ratailers shuttin up shop!!!!! The Cold Hard Reality of it!!!!!!
I too have been guilty of doin it also!!!!!
I purchased my GoPro on the net, when I should have backed guys like Sprts Camera and spaz!!!!! 
this is turning into a confessional thread!
(Note: I reserve the rights to start a confessional thread if it might help in some future contest)
this is turning into a confessional thread!
(Note: I reserve the rights to start a confessional thread if it might help in some future contest)
Too late, I already started this one!!!!! I have a Copyright on it already!!!!! 
Now what do you wish to confess Gamblor????
instead of going downstairs and making lunch, I’ve been munching on chocolate and caramel
Now go and tell the rest of the family!!!!! 
Mizu…the self serve thing doesn’t work either. Store staff still have to decicate as much time to each customer, get all the sizes for the customer, have to clean up all the mess left by the customer, lace up boots etc. Then the customer will generally ask vague questions that the bootfitter will not be able to accurately answer without having gone through the correct bootfitting process. Questions like “are these boots good for me”, “are these boots as good as Burton”, “will my feet cramp up when I’m riding”, “should me toes be touching the end”, and end up buying the wrong boot/size. Then that same customer comes back after riding and says “you sold me these boots that don’t fit, I want a refund”.
OTM is still doing free fitting. A couple of people I know have gone there, got fitted up, and bought online. Looks like OTM got lucky when your Mrs decided to buy…could be that she’s one of the few that ever does.
They must be selling some product, otherwise they wouldn’t bother stockin it just for people to try and then buy online!!!!!
We felt that OTM gave good service and spent the time to do it, without askin for a fee upfront, and if someone does this for me then I feel obliged to buy from them!!!! It is the RIGHT thing to do!!!!!
Maybe I felt ok when buyin the GoPro cause I did the research myself and I felt no obligation somewhat!!!!! I still felt as though I should have bought from spaz, even when he didn’t stock the product that I was after!!!!!
I can’t see myself as a one off freak, and I’d like to pretend that most people think along the same lines as me!!!!!
If we haven’t got the avenue of buyin from an OS dealer then there would be no need for shops to charge the fee!!!! It really is that easy!!!!!
Even though Canada is right next door to the US with it’s cheap prices, it’s really hard to buy from the states for canadians. The customs fees are really high and, for me, discourage buying abroad.
It is ridiculous though when you think of it, if even with $100 in postage, buying abroad is cheaper.