Wakeboard Salesperson - Knowledge Not Required

Okay I thought this would be a funny topic. Everytime I go into a shop I pretend to know nothing about wakeboarding to see what kind of sale I'll get. After working in a pro shop I have always found sales pitches to be hilarious and all over the map. So what is the sillyest/dumbest/most fundamentally retarded line of crap you've ever heard whil shopping for wakeboards? Maybe someone will read this and pay attention to their job better.

Mine: The other day I went into a local shop and was playing dumb. I was asking the difference between rocker types etc. The salesman explained his personal preference, it went like this, "yeah I can't stand 3-stage rockers, just don't like 'em, thats why I ride this Parks board, it's got a two stage rocker and I love it." Hahaha, I almost fell over. Flying V!!!!

my experience wasn't ridiculous like that, but the guy said they don't do demos, but he can pick a perfect board for that he'll guarantee that i'll love, just based on my riding style that i tell him.

I had this guy one time that only recommended the Parks and Premier b/c it's all that he had ever ridden. He couldn't even give me any information on any other boards by the other companies let alone any other Hyperlites.

He also said that his shop doesn't let demo boards, that didn't make much sense to me considering wakeboards are something you should know about in order to sell them.

Oh he also was the shop manager, it was Cope and McPheters in Renton. He said he knew nothing about ski's as well, which also I found very interesting if he is the shop manager.

I had a sales person tell me that molded rail fins were to help you edge away when landing and that if I didn't like them I could grind them down....

How about: You'll look so good on that board, or... Oh yeh, good choice! My favorites.

Man we are taking a beating on wake world today. So there is a difference between kids that wakeboard and kids that know how to sell a wakeboard. But you have to try them out to see how it goes and most of you’re kids that wakeboard do not last to long. It is also annoying to me when customer’s come in and try to play stump the sales guy. It would be a much nice experience if you guys would just come in and talk about riding instead of the Spanish inquisition

Uhh ohh I think hes calling you out Big Heavy

erik- you only hate the "stump the sales guy" game because you always lose!

Erik,
don't take it personally.
I live in a town, where the nearest shop is an hour away. my local shops all push the Parks board because it is the best board, hands down. that is their sales pitch. when I walk into a reputable shop, I know I am usually going to get a knowledgable answer to a legit question.

You wanna go head to head on board know how Scott? Ill throw down with some triaxial glass on you mother f-in ass.

Ok and now to flip the coin. How annoying is it when you spend ages trying to get the perfect board for someone. I've allways tried hard to find out what is best for the person and what they'll be most comfortable on. Then they turn to you and say they dont like the graphics! Sometimes you just want to shoot them or myself.

Or when you spend a ton of time with some one and they demo a few boards find one they really like and then they say "Well my friend said the parks is the best so I want that one."

Oh yeah that one allways comes up. "I really liked the murray and was really comfortable on it.......but my buddy said the parks was the best so I'll take that" Or visa versa, doesn't matter what board it is. its just they choose the opposite of what they said they liked just because a "buddy" said such-and-such a board was the best.

Or, I want it to match my vest or something


(Message edited by kristian on July 27, 2006)

What can I say Eric(k)s, I like a good laugh. Besides I like F-ing with people.

I ask honest questions, but definately dumb down my true wake knowledge. I ask serious board design questions and it just flies over their head. They are the ones getting paid to know their ass from their elbow and I can only explain rocker and bottom characteristics to someone trying to sell me something so many times. If I were to break out the truth the poor kids head would explode like a cantaloupe. I guess the most fair thing to do was to stop them mid-sentence and tell them not to bother, then we can just look at each other and nod as i peruse.

yeah, but do you ask serious board design questions knowing full well what the answera are?

(Message edited by dakid on July 27, 2006)

I don't think I've ever seen one of them before.

I love getting people who don't care what you have to say as long as you show them the "best" board, not the best board for them. Got a good customer of ours ask for the "Batman board" (Byerly) last week... Got a nice chuckle out of that.

I had a kid come in and ask for the 'Park' board. I asked him which park he was going to, and he just looked at me funny, and then he left with a Watson.

A guy also came in and asked for the Liquid Force Bonifay board, and when I showed him the Shane he insisted that that wasn't it. So I picked up a Parks, and he said, "YEAH, THAT'S IT!"

hahahahahahahha

I like the old: well a lot of really good riders come in here and say how much they love this...

The only thing that really bothers me is the condescending attitude of salesmen. My entire life I have noticed that the guys that act like their really good suck, and the guys that rip never mention it. I have had so many people talk down to me when I am looking for a specific product; implying that I either dont know whats good for me or I just plain suck.

Thats just unfortunate matt. Personally wouldn't put up with it and would change shops.......if thats possible.

Dang Steve, why do you gotta stir up so much sh*t?

The best look I ever got was when I told the Salesmen that I wanted to put Shane bindings on a Parks board, and he gave me the infamous "deer in the head lights look" and ask me why I would ever want to do something like that

As a sales guy, I love it when girls insist on buying boards that are 10cm too short for them just because they don't like the graphics of the 2 larger and more appropriately sized boards...

It's their money I guess!

Anodyne: its not that, they just dont want to admit they're heavy. lol.

Ok On the other side of the coin... We were really new to wakeboarding and My daughter was sold a board that she wasn't even close to being ready for and it's too small for her. I didn't know too much but enough to question "You're sure this is the right board?" I was assured it was. She loved the graphics..so we bought it. Last summer she struggled and struggled almost giving up the sport. This summer was worse, (She grew even bigger) and I made her try my new board. (bigger and a beginner board) Popped right up, worked some edging, Best time she ever had on the water. I really didn't think it would make as much difference as it did.

I sell boards on-line. Demos are very difficult and almost never result in a sale. I have, however, had great success matching the right board to the right rider - with only a couple of botches. Most of the time, it is bad information - ability inflation.

I would also point out that many of the rider "experts" really don't know squat about what feature makes what difference on the water. There is no understanding of physics or hydrodynamics. They know some boards and extrapolate to other boards rather than knowing HOW a board actually works. Of course, some designs as a whole work much better or worse than the sum of the parts and features.

It is very difficult to have a 10-14 year old boy call up and want to chew on your ear for a couple of hours and you know he does not have the ability to buy a board or understand the science or physics they the are asking about. You do it because you have to provide great customer service consistently - but it is tough to make a living that way.

It is not easy to provide great information and put people on the right board every time. I have been riding for over 20 years and I still make a mistake or two every season. My criteria for a person to put me into the right equipment in something I am not an expert in is the following questions: Do you teach or coach? How long have you been ...? Do you compete? You will get a real feel for the competance of the person in about one minute.

At the same time, many boarders will not pay for competance - they are strictly price driven. So, why not hire the chump for minimum wage - paying the bucks for knowledge won't pay off. I have my brain picked over all the time and then lose the sale to e-bay or some other discount retailer. So, I sell to about 20% of the calls and 80% go somewhere else - usually a bigger retailer with some big sale.

So, if you value real expertise, you will pay for it either way - like Jessica having to buy a board twice, buying a Parks board when it won't work well for you, or paying what it take to employ real experts.

If you are chasing the low price all the time, don't complain about ignorant salemen. You got what you paid for.

End of rant.

I wish I did get the board on sale! I paid WAAAYY more for my daughters board than if I had bought her the right board. By the way, that was at my local board shop. I have gotten better sales advice from companies over the internet and am always willing to go pay a little more for knowledge,expertise and good customer service. I was trying to support my local shop but after two bad sales I am done with them!

I am sorry Jessica. I support local businesses as much as possible, too. IMO you have to either make money on knowledge and service (most local shops and small internet guys, like me) or discount and volume (Wal-Mart).

When you don't fit into either, you won't last long. I make money on 20%, Wal-Mart makes money on 80%. There really is not a middle.

Goo luck Jessica. I hope you get the right gear - it really helps.

My reference was to boardshops I typically stop at when out of my living area, I.E. vacation or something. There is something that draws me to a new/different boardshop. Which is funny becuase they almost all have the exact same thing, lol.

Typically the local boardshops know me a little and are really cool. I have known a couple of the guys over at santa clara copes for a few years now and they know who I am and that I am very particular about what I want. UNfortunately John is heading to SLO so I will need to make friends with a new sales guy, which is kinda a bummer for me.

Matt, can I suggest a place where they could use some quality help around SLO? This John character would revolutionize the area!

Joe, yes, yes I do. And I feel so superior afterwards. (coming from the king ish talker... your still my homey Joe, this time, hehehe) Honestly, I wanna hear why the flow thru tech. is so bad ass, I am still at a loss on that one.

Thane, that is hilarious.

Man I can relate to so much of this. There's one shop ten minutes from my house that employees the biggest jerks on the planet. I swear there's a section on their application that asks if they will treat people condescendingly. They treat me like an idiot and have a few times recommended the Byerly without even asking me if I know anything about what boards I like. I should not have to prove that I've been boarding since 97 for a salesperson to treat me right. They have literally lost my business because of it.

Exact opposite experience with The Boardshack. (www.theboardshack.com) They are a good hour at least from me but actually have taken me out in their boat to demo their products. That's customer service and that's where I'm glad to spend my money.