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new shop - need your help

4K views 33 replies 18 participants last post by  BurtonAvenger 
#1 ·
hey all

i'm opening a new shop and would really appreciate some feedback (not to mention i need it for the business plan for the bank..)

there's a survey here
surveymonkey.com/s/GYQS5CY

it'll take less than a minute.

thanks so much.
big love.
 
#7 ·
Shall I sum this up ?
We like skate shops.....
We like hyperlinks.....
We like intro videos.....
We are lazy asses......
Fuck off....
Fuck off....
Fuck off....
Fuck off.....

If you do the intro video and hyperlink the addy I would be happy to do the survey.
 
#8 ·
What type of replies would be pertinent to your business plan???
cuz if your asking a bunch of strangers for info to put on your business plan I smell failure.

Your opening a shop so I would figure that you already know many of the ins-outs of the snowboarding scene
 
#10 ·
ha nice to see you guys are willing to help people out in something you "love".
cause yeah, i'm probably a corporate big shot with millions. and i'm deciding to invest in a skate/snow shop that i hope to one day turn into the walmart of the industry. and you guys are all my minions i can't wait to make profit off of and screw over.

thanks. hope i never cross paths with any of you in the future.
but that definitely won't happen, cause i'm doomed to failure.

and next time i post a link i'll make sure you don't have to copy-paste. shoot those two buttons are a real doozy.
 
#15 ·
2 posts in and you obviously already fail at social media at networking. You remind me of every fucking kid that wants to open a shop. Since you probably don't have a pair and will never respond to this I don't know why I'm asking these questions.

Rent/own location
Target demographics
Distance to the slopes
Urban or rural
Ski town or urban
What brands are you carrying
What's your 2, 5, and 10 year plan
How are you going to embrace the ever changing landscape of online retail while being a brick and mortar
Do you have a standing relationship with reps in your territory
Competition
Grass roots
Will you be privately financed through personal loans from friends/family or are you going to have to get a loan from a bank.
Will you have an ever changing line of credit to sustain you if something changes
Exit strategy
Social Media
What makes you different than everyone else.

If you don't have any answer to even one of these questions you're fucked.
 
#11 ·
Learn to internet, it may come in handy if you ever want to do business.

ha nice to see you guys are willing to help people out in something you "love".
cause yeah, i'm probably a corporate big shot with millions. and i'm deciding to invest in a skate/snow shop that i hope to one day turn into the walmart of the industry. and you guys are all my minions i can't wait to make profit off of and screw over.

thanks. hope i never cross paths with any of you in the future.
but that definitely won't happen, cause i'm doomed to failure.

and next time i post a link i'll make sure you don't have to copy-paste. shoot those two buttons are a real doozy.
You may want to add attitude adjustment to internet savvy while your trying to self improve.

Get a clue pal. Not only is this your best internet resource for snowboarding, but your pissing on it 2 posts in. Guess what, we are a bunch of riders, so we like to say fuck, drink, smoke, and generally be dicks to each other on the web. Antagonizing us during the summer is extremely easy. Grow a pair.
 
#14 ·
Learn to internet, it may come in handy if you ever want to do business.



You may want to add attitude adjustment to internet savvy while your trying to self improve.

Get a clue pal. Not only is this your best internet resource for snowboarding, but your pissing on it 2 posts in. Guess what, we are a bunch of riders, so we like to say fuck, drink, smoke, and generally be dicks to each other on the web. Antagonizing us during the summer is extremely easy. Grow a pair.
That sounds about right.
I also did the survey, becuase i felt bad for the dod. Needless to say it was infact pointless. Please do not open up a store because your daddy gave you money, you wont be doing anyone a favour. And FYI if you made a more interactive add and you put in more time, we might just take our time to help you.
 
#12 ·
Get a clue pal. Not only is this your best internet resource for snowboarding, but your pissing on it 2 posts in. Guess what, we are a bunch of riders, so we like to say fuck, drink, smoke, and generally be dicks to each other on the web. Antagonizing us during the summer is extremely easy. Grow a pair.[/QUOTE]

Bingo, we have a winner.:thumbsup:

TT
 
#16 · (Edited)
No introduction of you personally or your company. Saying hello and making a small introduction to a new community would have been a nice gesture.

Asking the questions rather than a survey. I don't trust links these days. Posting simple 5 -7 questions on the forum would probably gotten you some responses good or bad.

Answering BA's questions may help to re-build and start over if you actually care to or still value the TONS of riders here on the forum, your call.

I'd be glad to tell you what I look for in a snowboarding store being the mid 40's dad that buys most of the gear for my kids and me. I'm not the typical rider, just a dad, but the young and old hard core riders here are a vast resource to tap into. I just feel you went about it the wrong way.
 
#20 ·
you're right, i should have introduced myself.

i'm 25. i'm a girl. i'm canadian.
i've been snowboarding for 14 years and traveled the continent to do it. i hope to expand that to world this year by going to european or south american mountains (anyone who's done both would love to hear your opinion). i've been working in the industry for 4.

burtonavenger/slyder thanks for your real answers. i do have answers to most of those questions.

i'm literally in the primary days of tossing the idea around and building my business plan. i realize that my biggest competitor will be the internet. i wanted to find out for myself, from real riders like yourselves, just how big an impact online retailing has had. not by way of a google search. through 79 completed surveys, i've found that 67% buy at least some of their hardgoods online.

my local shop helped shape my childhood. i wanna be part of saving independent, knowledgeable, brick and mortar shops.

i am doing more detailed research, but solely in my region.

thanks to those who filled out the survey.
 
#25 ·
Haven't seen your survey so I don't know what you are asking in it, but what else have you done to build your business plan? Everyones biggest competitor is the net, even companies like Best Buy that also have their own online site. Those geniuses are starting to see that their online sales are making their in store revenues drop so they are downsizing a lot of stores and more reliant on the net. Point being, if you can get approved for the loan, why don't you look into being able to carry enough overhead to have a walk in store and be able to support online sales as well? Or at least think about growing to that. With a small business and 1 location, you wouldn't be dealing with the same issues as a large corporation. Your online and instore sales go to support all your overhead costs for the 1 location......
 
#30 ·
i'm 25. i'm a girl. i'm canadian.
i've been snowboarding for 14 years and traveled the continent to do it. i hope to expand that to world this year by going to european or south american mountains (anyone who's done both would love to hear your opinion). i've been working in the industry for 4.
Nobody gives a fuck. You can't backtrack after trying to be an internet punk and get all sarcastic on us.
 
#26 ·
From what I've seen in your posts so far, you need to hire someone who knows certain things or educate yourself on these two things yourself:

1) Social media reputation and customer service.

You cannot get angry and start arguments with potential customers, even if they started it first. This is the internet and everything you say can and will be used to judge you and your brand and what you say stays on the internet forever.

If you want to know how to do it right, there's a book I recommend reading called 'The Thank You Economy'.

By the way, if you want people to help, the best idea is to help first and ask for help after building a relationship and contributing to the community. Posting a survey as your first post and not even making it easy to click the link is like being a 16 year old guy trying to close on the first date.

2) It's not 'if' but rather 'how' you'll need to use the internet in your shop's day to day business.

I know you want to save brick and mortar shops and all that, but your brick and mortar shop will fail if you don't get have an excellent online presence.

Everything is shifting to the internet and even if you have a physical shopfront, you better have an excellent online strategy as well if you want to stay in business.
 
#28 ·
When i first started snowboarding, I bought the "important" gear (board, bindings and boots) at a local store because i liked the fact that i could talk to the shop owner and he helped me pick out the appropriate gear. Now that i know a little more, and have a better understanding of what i need/want i buy everything online. I understand the "support your local store" mentality, but i work hard for the little money i get so i want it to go as far as possible when it comes to purchases.

edit: almost all my gear has been purchased through theclymb.com unless i need it RIGHT then (bought a bern helmet at big 5 after a nasty spill lol), that site is the bees knees.
 
#29 ·
Where's your intro vid...we can be quite friendly.

BA has evolved beyond social media...his advice is still valid.

My shopping progression....started out cluelessly buying in shops, then online and off CL with knowledge and now back to shops because of product, repair service and return options...its not all about price. Besides my local gorgeous shop gal calls, emails, a nice warm body, chats, knows the family and can do deals...great customer service.
 
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