ALL BERRICS VAGINA THREADS MERGED HERE

[dirtjers]

It does not seem as if the argument is saying how much the program cost, but more or less that Berra gave the idea that the program is "so you know who the IMPORTANT skateshops are" when in fact it's just "so you know who's PAYING the berrics" to be seen.

Blackbox, Girl/Choc, and now Deluxe are all running awesome shop connect programs for FREE.

It took Jim Theibauld one post to discuss the Deluxe shop connect program "RT @jimt43 t's free. It's simple. It will send kids to skate shops."

It took Berra 15 mins, a bunch of crazy AK47 references,  dramatic lighting, AND NO SOLID FACTS to talk about their program.


You can find the rates right on the berrics site if you want to see them yourself http://www.berricsunified.com/plan-selection.php

Your argument is whack! If you do the math based on that rate sheet. Who even knows if it's real. At the very least it amounts to a whopping $1.64 a day or at the very most $14.47 per day. No need to loose respect!

 

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***this is a message I received from Steve at Exit in Philly***

The "Berrics Unified" is a new Advertising program launched by Steve Berra and The Berrics.

If you watched the video, and some how were lead to believe this program was a way to "Keep shops from closing their doors" or to "Show you who the IMPORTANT skateshops are". That's because this is in fact what Steve Berra told you. He did not inform that this is a program established to MAKE MONEY, that these are shops who have to PAY to be considered important. Unfortunately for many core (and now considered unimportant) shops a new $5280 annual advertising budget is completely unattainable, because most shops are "outspent, and out advertised by large corporations".

Berra speaks of consumer morals and "The principals skateboarding was founded upon" instead of being clear with his audience, and letting you know the truth "he is here to take your money". The only solid truth to be found in this video can be found on your own. We are well aware small skateboarding businesses are closing left and right. The strong few who remain struggle to survive. The important shops are not paying for ad space on this website... If you want to find the important shops in your community you need to get out there and find them yourself. This should not be hard. You can find them building PUBLIC parks and spots, throwing demo and events, and teaching kids the true "principals skateboarding was founded upon".

A scan of the information and rates sent to shops who filled out an inquiry can be found here http://tweetphoto.com/wjtzapjj. Don't believe everything fed to by an actor reading from a teleprompter.

[close]

[mcpeepants]

^what Dirtjers said.

Also, Berra you're a fucking hustler. Don't pretend like you're hurting for money. You're just hungry for it.

[jeremyrandall]

OK...fuck this shit!!!  Like struggling local shops can pay those kind of monthly costs.  Fuck You Berra!!

[Baker4Life]

That video was kinda scary. Like child molester scary.

[zipzinger666]

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if it means all the little grommets that go on the site see that there is a cool shop in their area to go to rather than giving their money to zumies, then there is nothing bad that can be said about it. i look forward to seeing what their other initiatives are. kudos mr berra, you could easily ignore these shops and your site and business would continue to grow, but you're not. we all know it's easier to do nothing

[close]

wait, there are other skateshops, besides zumiez?

[close]

there is a legit skateshop 1 block away from a shopping mall here and i guarantee 99% of the people that go to the zumies have no idea it exists

[close]

same thing back in colorado. we have a zumiez in an outlet mall, right across the street from my favorite skater-owned, hole-in-the-wall shop. The Grind wouldn't be able to stay open anymore if they didnt rent skis and sell lift tickets

[close]

damn you live up in silverthorn? Colorado rulez. p.s. The Denver Shop por vida.

Ive got a special place in my heart for 303boards, but The Denver Shop is just as rad. anyways i dont think this will do much for local shops, especially considering the crazy costs they will have to pay. 350 a month to get 10 year old kids to see your shop on the berrics, which probably happens to be across the state for them. completely ridiculous...

[Bobby Peru]

Oh wow. I just thought this was going to be a free directory thing. This sounds bad. This sounds really bad.

[TapLuxiferfet]

20,000 banner impressions/month (30 days) = 666.666

[zipzinger666]

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***this is a message I received from Steve at Exit in Philly***

The "Berrics Unified" is a new Advertising program launched by Steve Berra and The Berrics.

If you watched the video, and some how were lead to believe this program was a way to "Keep shops from closing their doors" or to "Show you who the IMPORTANT skateshops are". That's because this is in fact what Steve Berra told you. He did not inform that this is a program established to MAKE MONEY, that these are shops who have to PAY to be considered important. Unfortunately for many core (and now considered unimportant) shops a new $5280 annual advertising budget is completely unattainable, because most shops are "outspent, and out advertised by large corporations".

Berra speaks of consumer morals and "The principals skateboarding was founded upon" instead of being clear with his audience, and letting you know the truth "he is here to take your money". The only solid truth to be found in this video can be found on your own. We are well aware small skateboarding businesses are closing left and right. The strong few who remain struggle to survive. The important shops are not paying for ad space on this website... If you want to find the important shops in your community you need to get out there and find them yourself. This should not be hard. You can find them building PUBLIC parks and spots, throwing demo and events, and teaching kids the true "principals skateboarding was founded upon".

A scan of the information and rates sent to shops who filled out an inquiry can be found here http://tweetphoto.com/wjtzapjj. Don't believe everything fed to by an actor reading from a teleprompter.

[close]

Just lost all respect for anything that has to do with Steve Berra and Eric Koston.  Wow.

I wouldnt rope Koston into this crazed idea, he really doesnt seem to do much on the business side of the berrics...

[raul]

i went from stoked on this to super sketched out. i like how his boy vinny ponte's shop isn't hooked up through this program after that nice spotlight a week or so ago.

[spare change]

As A small shop we advertise in assorted newspapers,school calendars,coupon books etc. Our turnaround is minimal.
Last year we spent almost 2,000 without much if any noticeable revenue increase.
At least with the berrics anytime a kid in my state checks it, our banner is up there and they see it listed as a legit shop, meaning they might want to make the trek out.
Every kid at every park has heard of or checks the berrics regularly.
At least my money wont go to waste,I know for a fact it will be seen by skaters.

[dirtjers]

As A small shop we advertise in assorted newspapers,school calendars,coupon books etc. Our turnaround is minimal.
Last year we spent almost 2,000 without much if any noticeable revenue increase.
At least with the berrics anytime a kid in my state checks it, our banner is up there and they see it listed as a legit shop, meaning they might want to make the trek out.
Every kid at every park has heard of or checks the berrics regularly.
At least my money wont go to waste,I know for a fact it will be seen by skaters.

AGAIN. I don't think it's the service, but how he pitched it to the public. Wouldn't a simple "Berrics now selling as space" do the job???

Selling some one a standard business service such as advertising is not a favor and sure as hell not a privileged.

[Jupiter]

but why should a small-time shop have to pay in the first place?

if he's really passionate about what he's preaching, shouldn't these small shops who support the local scene be able to be advertised for free? shouldn't the berrics AT LEAST have the respect to do a service to shops doing a service to the community out of just the kindness of their heart? it WAS admirable when at first people thought it was a skater going out of his way to help small shops for the good of skateboarding alone but now people find out these shops have to PAY, so now it turned into another way for berra to pimp out the berrics.

[spare change]

I get what you're saying.
However it's packaged I am capable of deciphering his dramatic delivery and seeing the potential.
 

[dirtjers]

by the way it's turned into a back and forth between berra and steve from exit on twitter.

[jeremyrandall]

but why should a small-time shop have to pay in the first place?

if he's really passionate about what he's preaching, shouldn't these small shops who support the local scene be able to be advertised for free? shouldn't the berrics AT LEAST have the respect to do a service to shops doing a service to the community out of just the kindness of their heart? it WAS admirable when at first people thought it was a skater going out of his way to help small shops for the good of skateboarding alone but now people find out these shops have to PAY, so now it turned into another way for berra to pimp out the berrics.

Exactly.  I could understand paying for extra advertising.  But the way he pitched it, it seems like shops should be able to get at least a listing for free.  His epic-Bono like-Saviour of skateboarding-speech is what makes this now seem like a big money making scheme.

[jeremyrandall]

by the way it's turned into a back and forth between berra and steve from exit on twitter.

Got a link?

[Commercial D]

I wonder what's going to happen when the managers at PacSun and Zumiez choose their membership plan.

[dirtjers]

i guess follow @steve_berra and @exitskateshop I am not twitter savoy

[spare change]

but why should a small-time shop have to pay in the first place?

if he's really passionate about what he's preaching, shouldn't these small shops who support the local scene be able to be advertised for free? shouldn't the berrics AT LEAST have the respect to do a service to shops doing a service to the community out of just the kindness of their heart? it WAS admirable when at first people thought it was a skater going out of his way to help small shops for the good of skateboarding alone but now people find out these shops have to PAY, so now it turned into another way for berra to pimp out the berrics.

Looking at the berrics, the people involved and the daily costs and toils of operating such a place I can only imagine how much it might be to run. Lots of websites charge to advertise,realistically small ads on someones homepage probably don't do much.
But the berrics are different,the web traffic they get is insane,either I can keep throwing my money away on a dated mindset of making a crappy ad that fills a 4x4 inch space on some random page in a newspaper no one reads and throw my $300 every month or two away,or i can try to be involved with something that actually gets noticed by potential customers.And I give my money back to skateboarders instead of some shitty publishing company.It's no different than placing an ad in tws or paying one to play on the radio. The difference is that instead of falling on deaf ears, it's making it's way right to the people I want to see it,in my region.
I know what everyone is saying, but running a business you know there are expenses.Marketing is just one of them. If a handful of kids see an ad and decide to check that shop out, isn't that what counts?Getting more people in the door?
Better me to pay for an ad than another ccs/active/footlocker etc on the berrics,Yeah I'd love to get it for free but everyone has gotta make some money.

[Commercial D]

I agree it's a fine business strategy and the pricing is reasonable. But his video introduction of Berrics United was more than a bit disingenuous—he made it seem like a philanthropic, rather than commercial, effort. Or as @ExitSkateshop put it:

@steve_berra the video is misleading and I am curious how many shops inquire with the idea it may be free.

[shredaledge]

berra seems like an idiot, and il be sure to go to exit tomorrow and actually support them by buying a board, was planning on buying an alien but after all this shit im goin with a dlx board

[Jupiter]

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but why should a small-time shop have to pay in the first place?

if he's really passionate about what he's preaching, shouldn't these small shops who support the local scene be able to be advertised for free? shouldn't the berrics AT LEAST have the respect to do a service to shops doing a service to the community out of just the kindness of their heart? it WAS admirable when at first people thought it was a skater going out of his way to help small shops for the good of skateboarding alone but now people find out these shops have to PAY, so now it turned into another way for berra to pimp out the berrics.

[close]

Looking at the berrics, the people involved and the daily costs and toils of operating such a place I can only imagine how much it might be to run. Lots of websites charge to advertise,realistically small ads on someones homepage probably don't do much.
But the berrics are different,the web traffic they get is insane,either I can keep throwing my money away on a dated mindset of making a crappy ad that fills a 4x4 inch space on some random page in a newspaper no one reads and throw my $300 every month or two away,or i can try to be involved with something that actually gets noticed by potential customers.And I give my money back to skateboarders instead of some shitty publishing company.It's no different than placing an ad in tws or paying one to play on the radio. The difference is that instead of falling on deaf ears, it's making it's way right to the people I want to see it,in my region.
I know what everyone is saying, but running a business you know there are expenses.Marketing is just one of them. If a handful of kids see an ad and decide to check that shop out, isn't that what counts?Getting more people in the door?
Better me to pay for an ad than another ccs/active/footlocker etc on the berrics,Yeah I'd love to get it for free but everyone has gotta make some money.

i understand that but you support a man that disguises nothing more than a site to sell ad space and get money due to the popularity of his site as some sympathetic helping hand out to struggling skate shops?

i just can't get behind that. sorry.

AT LEAST have a plan for local skate shops to be able post their shop in the database for free or come out and say "im creating a advertising site through the berrics to post your local shops".  but don't cloud it as some charitable act and seem like a saint to the skateboard community when you're nothing but a douche using the popularity of your site to cash in on the small time guys.

[spare change]

I can see that.
I guess I just ignored the bs and saw an opportunity.

[lilscraze]

Why don't skate shops just give you all the product they carry for free too. It's so lame that they actually charge you money for it, when you're probably entitled to get it free along with everything else in life. SteezusChrist = tiny mind.

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but why should a small-time shop have to pay in the first place?

if he's really passionate about what he's preaching, shouldn't these small shops who support the local scene be able to be advertised for free? shouldn't the berrics AT LEAST have the respect to do a service to shops doing a service to the community out of just the kindness of their heart? it WAS admirable when at first people thought it was a skater going out of his way to help small shops for the good of skateboarding alone but now people find out these shops have to PAY, so now it turned into another way for berra to pimp out the berrics.

[close]

Looking at the berrics, the people involved and the daily costs and toils of operating such a place I can only imagine how much it might be to run. Lots of websites charge to advertise,realistically small ads on someones homepage probably don't do much.
But the berrics are different,the web traffic they get is insane,either I can keep throwing my money away on a dated mindset of making a crappy ad that fills a 4x4 inch space on some random page in a newspaper no one reads and throw my $300 every month or two away,or i can try to be involved with something that actually gets noticed by potential customers.And I give my money back to skateboarders instead of some shitty publishing company.It's no different than placing an ad in tws or paying one to play on the radio. The difference is that instead of falling on deaf ears, it's making it's way right to the people I want to see it,in my region.
I know what everyone is saying, but running a business you know there are expenses.Marketing is just one of them. If a handful of kids see an ad and decide to check that shop out, isn't that what counts?Getting more people in the door?
Better me to pay for an ad than another ccs/active/footlocker etc on the berrics,Yeah I'd love to get it for free but everyone has gotta make some money.

[close]

i understand that but you support a man that disguises nothing more than a site to sell ad space and get money due to the popularity of his site as some sympathetic helping hand out to struggling skate shops?

i just can't get behind that. sorry.

AT LEAST have a plan for local skate shops to be able post their shop in the database for free or come out and say "im creating a advertising site through the berrics to post your local shops".  but don't cloud it as some charitable act and seem like a saint to the skateboard community when you're nothing but a douche using the popularity of your site to cash in on the small time guys.

[lilscraze]

Insn't @jimt43 backing this? That's from his tweet below.
 
jimt43 RT @berrics BERRICS UNIFIED http://tinyurl.com/dlyops - very very cool to see sk8ers making good things happen.

It does not seem as if the argument is saying how much the program cost, but more or less that Berra gave the idea that the program is "so you know who the IMPORTANT skateshops are" when in fact it's just "so you know who's PAYING the berrics" to be seen.

Blackbox, Girl/Choc, and now Deluxe are all running awesome shop connect programs for FREE.

It took Jim Theibauld one post to discuss the Deluxe shop connect program "RT @jimt43 t's free. It's simple. It will send kids to skate shops."

It took Berra 15 mins, a bunch of crazy AK47 references,  dramatic lighting, AND NO SOLID FACTS to talk about their program.


You can find the rates right on the berrics site if you want to see them yourself http://www.berricsunified.com/plan-selection.php

Expand Quote

Your argument is whack! If you do the math based on that rate sheet. Who even knows if it's real. At the very least it amounts to a whopping $1.64 a day or at the very most $14.47 per day. No need to loose respect!

 

Expand Quote

***this is a message I received from Steve at Exit in Philly***

The "Berrics Unified" is a new Advertising program launched by Steve Berra and The Berrics.

If you watched the video, and some how were lead to believe this program was a way to "Keep shops from closing their doors" or to "Show you who the IMPORTANT skateshops are". That's because this is in fact what Steve Berra told you. He did not inform that this is a program established to MAKE MONEY, that these are shops who have to PAY to be considered important. Unfortunately for many core (and now considered unimportant) shops a new $5280 annual advertising budget is completely unattainable, because most shops are "outspent, and out advertised by large corporations".

Berra speaks of consumer morals and "The principals skateboarding was founded upon" instead of being clear with his audience, and letting you know the truth "he is here to take your money". The only solid truth to be found in this video can be found on your own. We are well aware small skateboarding businesses are closing left and right. The strong few who remain struggle to survive. The important shops are not paying for ad space on this website... If you want to find the important shops in your community you need to get out there and find them yourself. This should not be hard. You can find them building PUBLIC parks and spots, throwing demo and events, and teaching kids the true "principals skateboarding was founded upon".

A scan of the information and rates sent to shops who filled out an inquiry can be found here http://tweetphoto.com/wjtzapjj. Don't believe everything fed to by an actor reading from a teleprompter.

[close]

[close]

[Jupiter]

Why don't skate shops just give you all the product they carry for free too. It's so lame that they actually charge you money for it, when you're probably entitled to get it free along with everything else in life. SteezusChrist = tiny mind.

you = idiot

if skate shops gave all their product for free then they will go out of business. if the berrics gives free advertisement to small skate shops will the berrics go out of business? no, so the point you were trying to make was dumb.

i dont have a problem with skate shops using the berrics to advertise their shop but don't cloud is as a charity act like you're giving a helping hand to skateboarding.

[Camel Lights]

Stop being so intense, Berra.  Shit.  I'm fantasizing about this happening again:

how come I've never seen this shit before?

[dirtjers]

it looks like berra has deleted his comments directed towards steve at exit.

but they are up on haveboard

http://haveboard.com/the_berrics_unified_pay_to_play/

[whoopthattrick]

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Stop being so intense, Berra.  Shit.  I'm fantasizing about this happening again:

[close]

how come I've never seen this shit before?

because skateboarders dont watch that shit let alone want to star in them, Well i guess some skateboarders wanna be actors. That tag body spray commercial is pretty epic..... SURE GUY.......

[Commercial D]

That performance explains his return to skateboarding.