Price Matching

Do any of the gear stores in the Front Range area do price matching (other stores/internet)?

Best Buy

They are my favorite climbing store

^^^haha, without best buy, My virtual climbing career would be seriously limited.

One a serious note, I doubt any climbing store would price match. Climbing retail is very cutthroat these days. But if you do buy local: you may pay a small amount more, but you can feel good that you are supporting a local climbing shop and doing your part to delay the amazon take over of the world.

Bent Gate price matches.

I got my Katana Laces (on sale gearx.com for ~$125) with their price match dealie, plus my Arc'teryx AR-395 for about $120 via an eBay price match. Although they were slightly apprehensive to give me the price match deal with eBay once the manager overheard...

Awesome. I've always liked to guys at Bent Gate too. Thanks!

trailridge wrote:^^^haha, without best buy, My virtual climbing career would be seriously limited. One a serious note, I doubt any climbing store would price match. Climbing retail is very cutthroat these days. But if you do buy local: you may pay a small amount more, but you can feel good that you are supporting a local climbing shop and doing your part to delay the amazon take over of the world.

Seems pretty short sighted to me. Climbing retail is cutthroat because the local shops are losing business to the online retailers. They are losing business to the online retailers because the retailers are so much cheaper. Instead of trying to compete on price, the local shops (understandably) try to keep prices high to squeeze everything they can from their customers, but they lose a lot of customers in the process.

I personally tend to think that the best approach is to offer a limited price match, but don't advertise it in big bold letters. You still get the orthodontists who are paying retail to pay retail, but those who are more price sensitive are going to be able to buy locally instead of online. Shops may make less per item sold, but volume (and consumer loyalty) increases. Much better long term outcome.

^ Brick and mortar retailers don't hike up prices to squeeze every cent from the customer. There are rules for retailers, margins that must be held, MAP, etc. Being a buyer for a shop, I deal with this everyday. Online retailers are able to offer cheaper prices because they buy in bulk. My shop can't compete with the volume that backcountry.com can, and are unable to price match versus a large company like that.

Sorry for the thread drift.

Earth Treks price matches with internet stores, provided that all details match up.

There is a lot more to why I buy something from a particular store than price. I like to keep my money in town as much as I can. Equally, I like to avoid giving money to multinational, holding companies (like Bain capital), Walmart, etc. all who out compete the smaller business do to buying power.

Also, I like to support people that I know, who have a personal interest in the local climbing community and economy. It is an investment in our local economy.

You know....the whole.....think globally, act locally....thing.