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flamingfeet17
Nov 19, 2002, 2:15 AM
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I found this website it has very cheap prices on climbing shoes. I was wondering if any of you have got shoes from there and if it was any good. Or what kind of shoes to get off the website. Thanks
FOR THE WEST INDIES
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arrockie
Nov 19, 2002, 2:26 AM
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hey, i ordered some boreal pyros from them 3 weeks ago. they came brand new in the box and best of all it only took 3 days. i have no complaints. but make sure you know the size cause sending them all the way back to spain because you got the wrong size might be a hassle.
- Kyle
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therealdeal
Nov 19, 2002, 3:02 AM
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You people should support your local climbing shops--you know, where you go try the shoes on to make sure that they fit.
If we support these Euro web sites, then pretty soon all our cool shops (and the jobs they afford dirt bag climbers) will be history. Think about it--is saving a couple of bucks worth it in the long run?
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estebandb
Nov 19, 2002, 4:04 AM
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i support the local store...but I'm not going to pay 100 dollars more to "support it" if i get a better deal...i go for it. BUt that's just me
Peace
Esteban
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theokon
Nov 19, 2002, 4:18 AM
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I support the local store, but half off US MRSP for my Boreal Aces including shipping was too good to let pass.
Shipped really fast, just make sure they have it in stock when you order, took only like 3 days to reach here. My credit card company did call me to make sure that a shady toy company from Spain was charging my CC for the stuff though. The Aces didn't come in their box though, they came in a DHL plastic bag, just the shoes...
If it's $10 difference from your local store, go buy from the local store!
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roughster
Nov 19, 2002, 5:02 AM
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How about this:
Buy your shoes online, but take say $10 or $20 of what you saved and either plug it into the Access Fund, Local Climber Coalition, or give it to the local route developers for their time, $, and effort.
That way you still save $$ and you help out the very areas/people who make it possible for you to climb.
[ This Message was edited by: roughster on 2002-11-18 21:02 ]
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arrockie
Nov 19, 2002, 5:27 AM
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excellent idea
the local climbing store for me is an hour away, so saving a few bucks on the shoes and having them delivered to my door is cool with me.
-Kyle
[ This Message was edited by: arrockie on 2002-11-18 21:30 ]
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crimpinfool
Nov 19, 2002, 5:38 AM
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I work at one of those local gear shops and can tell you that the margins on outdoor clothing and equipment are slim, and the margins on climbing gear are pathetic. Example: A $53 Metolius cam wholesales for $38. When you add in what stores have to tack on for payroll, rent, etc., you get a very small profit. The margin on shoes is better, but still nothing compared to what your department store makes on its product. Buying online may save you a few bucks now, but wait until your local shops start disappearing. Then shopping online will be shopping blind. The euro dot coms can sell for less because of lower overhead and differential pricing by some companies. Trust me, you don't want your local shop to "lower overhead". This would mean crappy staff and lousy selection. Differential pricing is always something we are fighting, but this unfair practice is only exacerbated by your buying from Barrabes and their ilk.
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brianthew
Nov 19, 2002, 5:45 AM
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'Tis the way capitalism, though, and we're all about that over here in the western world . In a consumer's market, the worst thing your competetion can do is sell the same product at a lower price. It just means you gotta change your forumla, what that means to local shops could be bad or good.
Personally I buy local.
Just $0.02.
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ajkclay
Nov 19, 2002, 12:33 PM
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I like to look at what I'm buying, then RIP it out of the pack as soon as I'm in the car. I can't do that by ordering through the post.
The suspense would kill me.
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rodeomountain
Nov 19, 2002, 1:53 PM
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I bought a pair of Borreal Aces at the local store and paid $150. They had them on Barrabes for $57. So, 3 weeks later I bought a pair of Borreal Stingers from Barrabes for $67, including S&H. That is almost 1/3 the cost. I don't buy everything online but I damn sure don't mind buying my shoes there and sometimes they have great deals on other climbing items. Maybe the local stores should lower their prices to keep business.
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tradguy
Nov 19, 2002, 2:20 PM
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I pro-dealed a pair of Aces from Boreal USA. They cost me more (before shipping) than they would have on Barrabes - I think I paid $86.
I don't know how they sell stuff so cheap. I suspect they may be the Euro equivalent of Sierra Trading Post. At any rate, I do know that one way they get by so cheap is by evading US import tariffs. When that Euro stuff comes into the US, it is subjected to taxes and such that get built into the price by distributors. When you buy direct as you are from Barrabes, you are responsible for paying the tariffs yourself. If you don't, then you are ripping off the US government, not to mention your own state and municipality from post-pricing sales tax.
Margins on climbing gear are not all that bad - typically 40% on equipment (including shoes) and 50% on clothing. So your local store is paying $60 wholesale for a $100 piece of climbing gear, and $50 for a $100 jacket. A well-run business should have no trouble operating within these margins if they treat their customers well.
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dembrunjs
Nov 19, 2002, 2:26 PM
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Saved myself about $80 on some Boreals I ordered last week from Barrabes. A decent store is a good 4-5 hour drive from here (minimum). And by the time I spent the money on gas to get there, plus what the shoes would cost me there I'm looking at paying about $100+ more than what I did by ordering online.
As for whomever said mark-up isn't that much... I don't know about the brands you referenced, but after looking atthe prices in a Prana Dealer Catalog vs. a Prana Consumer Catalog I was quite sick.
Peace
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climblouisiana
Nov 19, 2002, 2:41 PM
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I noticed that La Sportiva is not available to order in the US market but can be ordered in the European market. Does anyone know why?
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sarhawp
Nov 19, 2002, 2:56 PM
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I bought a pair of Boreal Pyros off Barrabes a few months back. Everything went smoothly and I saved darn near 75 bucks (even with shipping)! I say go for it; just make sure that you know what size you are ahead of time.
However, there is a rumor going around that Boreal won't be supplying to Barrabes much longer to try to help out the US market sales. Just an FYI!
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bsperes
Nov 19, 2002, 3:10 PM
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Certain shoe companies are not selling to some of the euro.coms because they are undercutting the us market. Some will not ship to you if you are outside the EU, kinda like buying from a Canadian company in the US.
Shoes are cheaper in general in the EU, not just online. Climbing is not an "extreme sport" there like it is in the states. However the shoe companies are screwing US customers. Hell I get prodeals and sometimes the euro.coms are still cheaper.
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crazywacky
Nov 19, 2002, 3:12 PM
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Tradguy -
I bought a pair of Boreal Quantums from Barrabes.com about seven months ago for my brother.
I was concerned about the whole Tarrifs and import fee thing...but all of that was figured into the total price I was charged.
I got away with spending about $60 for the shoes, including the fees..about 10 or 12 bucks extra?
Either way, when I emailed them askign about the higher price they said it was due to the import fees..
So I don't actually think we are cheating anyone.
Of course, I could be talking out of my a@@ as well...
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texastechclimber
Nov 19, 2002, 3:13 PM
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Update: Barrabes is being required to stop selling La Sportiva to the USA. Boreal is another company that they will have to stop selling to the US as soon as their current supply is gone. Less than two months ago I emailed Barrabes asking why I could not order a pair of La Sportiva Cobras. The answer was that La Sportiva was losing alot of money in the states because of the extremely competitive prices over seas. La Sportiva told them that they had to stop selling to Americans or else they would stop supplying them with shoes. Then I wanted to know when they were going to get my size in a pair of Boreal Matrix so I emailed them again. Their answer was that they wouldnt get them in for the same reason they couldnt sell me the Cobras. Boreal USA couldnt make the money that they use to with Americans buying from Europe. This makes me wonder. Are we getting ripped off here in the States? It seems to me that we are. If the reason that Barrabes can sell climbing shoes for so cheap was only because they can bypass the import tariffs then why would Boreal or La Sportiva have a problem with them selling to us. I think its because they know they can get alot more money from us, what do you think? How much do you think it really costs to make a pair of climbing shoes? This is only my opinion and I could be wrong about all of this. I urge everyone to write to these companies and find out for themselves as to why prices are so high here in the US.
[ This Message was edited by: texastechclimber on 2002-11-19 07:26 ]
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phitty
Nov 19, 2002, 3:18 PM
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Anyone from Canada ordered from Barrabes?
Just wondering how the conversions, tax and customs duty works out for us?
the exchange already defeats most of the savings anyway.
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hangdoggypound
Nov 19, 2002, 4:09 PM
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txclimber - Thanks for that input about the availability. Part of me said, "whew, that's good in grand scheme..." the other part of me wanted to type an email to barrabes asking for anything in a size 8.5 US...
But the phrase, "we're getting ripped off in the US by the mfg and retailer" [that's my own embellishment and paraphrase] is fuzzy or misguided. US biz is capitalist - trying to turn a profit. I think we're really getting ripped off by our Gov't. All of these corporations have to pay excrutiating amounts of money in taxes and fair wages; I'm really refering to our local shops, here. I don't know crap about manufacturers. I work for the ol' family biz and we are small. My dad is in the next room. I think that it is VERY difficult for small businesses to actually be profitable after they (WE) pay dues to employees, benefits, 401k plans, insurance, workmans comp, ex-employee lawsuits, property taxes, ads in the Yellow pages...the list goes on.
I don't know if I'm really saying, "Support the local shops!" I really think it's important to understand what is really going on. I don't think we are getting ripped off at retail prices - I don't think that is really a correct assesment. We aren't paying the lowest price at retail, but I don't think we're being scammed, either.
[ This Message was edited by: hangdoggypound on 2002-11-19 08:14 ]
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climblouisiana
Nov 19, 2002, 4:09 PM
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Sounds like La Sportiva is price fixing.
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texastechclimber
Nov 19, 2002, 4:22 PM
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Hangdogg, I agree. I guess I wasnt totally clear when I said I think we are getting ripped off. Your probably right, it is a big part our governments fault. I dont at all blame local retail shops. Both of my parents own their own companies so I know exactly how it is to run a retail shop. What I am saying is I think that its Boreal and La Sportivas fault for our high prices. The only way Barrabes can sell those shoes for that cheap is by getting them at a extremely cheap wholesale price. I think those two companies are ripping Americans off by selling shoes to retailers here for high wholesale prices. I would really like to know why. There maybe a reason that they have to do this.
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hangdoggypound
Nov 19, 2002, 5:16 PM
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Yes - could very be true, txtech. As you said, La Sportiva and Boreal aren't going to supply these incredibledealdotcoms anymore because they are able to undercut the market - AKA offer great prices for the consumer. If I were boreal or sportiva, I'd probably do the same thing to maximize profit. It appears to me that so many of us N. Am. climbers and posers alike are willing to buy up hordes of gear: $100 camalots, $150 shoes, fancy $450 north face shells, and the like to look cool.
That's not really a rail on us (climbers and posers alike), as much as it is an observation on marketing. They are selling an image and great gear. Double whammy double price, huh? Maybe we should be pissed at the zines and SUV commercials for hyping our beloved sport/hobby and creating that demand.
In the mean time, I wouldn't mind getting my hands on some cheap Boreal Stingers, while they're still available in the Free World.
[ This Message was edited by: hangdoggypound on 2002-11-19 09:17 ]
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texastechclimber
Nov 19, 2002, 5:31 PM
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I think you hit that right on the money!!!
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