Ski Equipment Weekend

Today starts the annual ski-equipment weekend. What does that mean? Every year we get together as a family and see what ski equipment from last year needs to be replaced. When my kids were young, this was critical as they grew every summer. Sometimes kids would need new boots or outfits. Other times they would need everything. Fortunately it is now just my wife and me so it is not nearly as expensive as it used to be.

Skis are only meant to last 100 days and I ski more than that every season. Last year had such bad snow that I never really used my new skis and so I don't think I need new ones this year. I will still look though as I am always looking for a great deal on skis. My boots are pretty good and so I will keep the ones I have.

My wife got new skis last year and so she doesn't need new ones either. She went through her equipment and only needs a new helmet and goggles. I got a new helmet at the end of last year and don't need a new one. I also have several pairs of goggles and am good there. I actually don't need anything. This could be a very inexpensive Labor Day.

So why to we pick this weekend to refresh our ski equipment? It is when the best sales are scheduled. The weather is starting to change and so ski shops put things on sale. A lot of time it is to get rid of any unsold stuff from last season. Interestingly the whole advent of online shopping has really changed the Labor-Day-Ski-Sale dynamics. Long gone are the days when the ski shops would erect a tent in the parking lot with all the extra ski stuff. I miss those days as there is something about being able to handle the equipment before dropping the equivalent of a house down payment. I also don't think the deals are nearly as good. They don't have to be as online shops can drop the price of last year's equipment all summer long and get rid of excess inventory. Furthermore ski equipment manufacturers have better inventory management and don't overproduce like they used to.

One benefit of all the online shopping is I don't have to go anywhere. We used to drive all over the Salt Lake Valley. Now we just sit in front of the computer and look at pictures. Hopefully the wonderful snowfall in the marketing photos match the conditions we will see in a few months. I don't think I can take another poor snow year. 

 

Time For New Skis

Recently I have been in the market for a new pair of skis. Knowing this, I have been keeping my eyes open for a good deal on a new pair. This is the time of the year when you can usually find the best deals and so I expected to find something soon. I am not too picky as I really am focused on getting the best deal possible. That means I want a high-quality ski for a low price. I'm sure ski manufacturers hate me.

Since Labor Day I have been visiting local ski shops and looking at all of my online sources to see what kind of deals I can get. Yesterday I got an e-mail from a company that caters to outdoor enthusiasts and provides severely discounted products should you qualify to receive their rock-bottom deals. This is the same site where I got my Suunto watch back in June.

Now this is an important point that I hope all online marketers understand: When a person is interested in purchasing something, a timely e-mail is appreciated. When a person has already purchased that thing, your e-mail is annoying. The trick is to be able to accurately figure out when your product is wanted and when it is no longer needed.

I logged into the site and could look at new skis from a number of top manufacturers. As I mentioned above, I am not that picky about skis. Then I saw the list of manufacturers and realized I might be a bit more picky than I originally thought. I am not that picky about skis as long as they come from a short list of companies. Fortunately several of those ski brands appeared on the list and so I narrowed the skis down to those that interested me. One pair stood out at a 65% discount, which put it in the sub $300 category. Anything below $300 is a great price for new skis.

Last night I wanted to get the approval from my wife before buying the skis and so I showed them to her. Her response was, "Can I get a pair of new skis?" The agreement with the website indicated I could pick up a pair for friends and family and so we looked. Normally the website restricts buyers to just the person meeting the correct criteria and so it would be a violation of the terms of use without the published exception. We found a pair of skis for her that met her criteria and happened to come in at $10 less than my new skis. They are also a specific women's ski, meaning it is lighter than the men's version. My wife and I ordered both pairs last night and they will arrive on Tuesday next week.

When the skis arrive I will get bindings mounted on them and will almost be ready for the upcoming ski season. I will be honest and confess I am looking for a new ski jacket too. My current one is faded and all of my family keeps telling me I need to replace it. For online marketers that want to sell me something, I am probably a bit picky as the jacket needs to be red, waterproof, breathable, and windproof. Let the e-mails begin.