Ellis Brigham Has The Sole Rights…

by Fraser
Updated:

I need some new snowboard boots. The last time I was at the Xscape complex in Castleford I thought I’d spend a bit of time before getting on the slope trying some boots on. Ellis Brigham/TSA was closed, so I strolled across to

Subvert. It seemed kinda weird that this snowboard shop didn’t have any snowboard boots on display, so I asked…

“Oh, we do sell them, just not in this store. You can get them online or in our other shop. It’s just that Ellis Brigham has the sole rights to sell snowboard boots at Xscape.”

Oh, cool. Except it’s not of course. Subvert was open and Ellis Brigham was closed. They’ll be closed next time I’m there too, because the earliest I tend to arrive is 7pm.

So what’s that all about? Who’s it good for? It certainly isn’t good for me; it’s probably not good for other snowboarders either. Surely, as a snowboard store you want to do things that are good for your customers, for snowboarders. Like provide a good service? And to be fair, my experience with Ellis Brigham/TSA has always been good. I’ve bought a bunch of stuff there and the customer service/help/attitude has been good. So what are they afraid of that would make them want to have the sole rights to sell snowboard boots in this complex?

That’s greed, right?

I’m not talking about the people who work there, probably not even the store managers. I guess this is institutional greed. Are the owners so worried that they’ll lose sales (money) if other shops are allowed to sell boots as well? I just don’t see that as a good, long term strategy. It’s the type of thing that will turn people off. They’ve just lost one customer for a start. If I’m ever there early enough that they’re open, I’ll be inclined to try on some boots in their shop, hopefully find some that fit, and them order then online from somewhere else. In that case, I’d love it if that place was

Subvert!

I read a great article recently about the positive, community atmosphere that many snowboarders experience and enjoy. This isn’t a big deal – it’s a small deal actually – but it’s a shame when little things like this creep in…

Ellis Brigham, wtf?

money_from_boots

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