This is from another message board thats debating the Tod Swank comments as well ... I haven't heard it so perfectly stated ... I like how he said that you also need to carry the full line of the products. I think Black Box (Zero, Fallen etc) also put out a similar call to arms.
So, if I understand it correctly, they will give you a deal if you agree to not sell shop/blank decks, but you also need to spend more by carrying their full line (or close I suppose).
So if you only carry Toy Machine and maybe pig wheels now, you will also need to carry every other brand they make, so this means sending them more of your money to get a discount and possibly sitting on product that may not move in your area.
Doesnt quite seem like they are really giving us much incentive. Thats a pretty normal price incentives for most companies it seems.
They can keep up all the jabber jawing about blanks and shop decks until the cows come home, but until I actually see the IASC throw their weight around with their members and quit selling to large sporting goods and large corporate stores drawing customers away from my shop and until I get a phone call from them asking when they can setup a demo for my shop, have the tour swing by our park and do some promos with my shop, its pretty much just talk.
I have said it many times before, I understand their whole movement and that they are getting worried, and I agree with part of what they are saying, but a lot of these guys are hypocrites by selling to large chain stores, sporting goods stores, etc and then whining to us how us shops dont support pro skateboarding.
Quit whining about us not supprting you when you turn around and not support us by selling to anyone with a check book. If you truly supported the core skateshops your product wouldnt be in Kohls or Dicks Sporting goods.
The moment I see Todd Swank call anyone that sells their boards at large chain retailers and sporting goods stores a bunch of money grubbing greedy bitches for selling their products at those stores thats the moment I call him up personally and buy two of every product he carries.
Until you truly support the core skateshop shut the fuck up. I am tired of it already. I would be selling more gear in my shop if I didnt have to compete with Dicks, Toys R Us, Kohls, Sears, etc.
http://www.toysrus.com/search/index.j...tId=&view=all http://www.dickssportinggoods.com/fam...d=779667&pg=1 http://www.dickssportinggoods.com/fam...613&cp=701963 http://www.kohls.com/main/subcategory...UID=1173214934419 http://www.sportsauthority.com/catego...origkw=skateboard Two things I am really getting tired of hearing about from these guys:
1) We dont need price point products. People will pay a premium price for premium products.
Really? Tell that to Hawk who pimps his products at Kohls for the exact very same reason you say we shouldnt sell our price point products for.
2) We want to support core skateshops but you core skateshops need to support us by buying more products from us and not sell blanks or shop decks.
Really? If you really support us, quit selling to non core skateshop like huge sporting goods chains and large chain retail stores.