# Avoid This Online Gear Shop



## 2k7997tt (Mar 4, 2009)

I ordered a set of Volkl 12Ft Tigershark Powerswitch 168cm skis and Tecnica 100 Dragon Boots for 1198.00 on 2/15 from 02 Gear Shop.

At the time, the skis were in stock according to John from Customer Service.  The skis did not ship until 2/25 (10 days after ordering) by UPS.  

I had a trip planned to Deer Valley for 3/4-3/7 and I was assured I would have the skis by 3/4.  

The skis arrived on 3/3 (16 days after the order was placed).  

I opened the box.....and found that O2 Gear Shop had sent the WRONG skis.  I called O2 Gear Shop on 3/3 and asked them to overnight the correct skis to Deer Valley so that my trip could be salvaged.  Customer Service told me that they could do nothing for me.  John from Customer Service further told me that rectifying the mistake by overnighting the skis "was too expensive". (After I had placed a 1200.00 order with them.)

Due to O2 Gear Shop's mistake, I have already missed one day of skiing.  I have purchased a set of skis from a local shop in Park City that will arrive tomorrow. 

 I hope this will serve as a lesson to all readers to weigh the pros and cons of purchasing online.  I went with O2 Gear Shop to save a couple hundred bucks and ultimately this cost me a day of skiing.  I hope this post gives everyone something to think about.   As for me, I will go with local shop next time and forego the headache of saving a couple of bucks.


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## andyzee (Mar 5, 2009)

Question, how many other forums have you gone on to ruin this shop?


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## 2k7997tt (Mar 5, 2009)

Just stating that I made a mistake by not supporting the local ski shop initially.


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## eastcoastpowderhound (Mar 5, 2009)

he's not the first person they've done this to.   They don't have everything listed on their site in stock and ready to ship...so lag time for them to place the order with the vendor, the vendor to ship to them and then they ship to you.  I'm intimately aware of this happening with O2 before.  They play fast and loose...better online dealers to work with out there...ski depot right in Maine or backcountry.com to name a couple.


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## andyzee (Mar 5, 2009)

eastcoastpowderhound said:


> he's not the first person they've done this to.   They don't have everything listed on their site in stock and ready to ship...so lag time for them to place the order with the vendor, the vendor to ship to them and then they ship to you.  I'm intimately aware of this happening with O2 before.  They play fast and loose...better online dealers to work with out there...ski depot right in Maine or backcountry.com to name a couple.




Well good to know. 2k7997tt, I apologize, it's just that this is  your first and only post on this board. Most definitely good to know.


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## ski_resort_observer (Mar 5, 2009)

A good lesson on the pitfalls of ordering online. I would never order boots online as it very important to try them on to make sure they fit. Why didn't you rent skis so as not to miss a day of skiing on your trip?


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## Trekchick (Mar 5, 2009)

HA, he posted this on EpicSki too.

The biggest reality check is, even if O2 Gear did mess up, which they apparently did in this case, you can't blame anyone for missing a day of skiing.  C'mon, you can demo, rent or buy skis.  In fact, I'm guessing that you could easily have demo'd from a shop that would credit your demo fee toward your purchase.

Shame on O2 for not stepping up and making it right when they messed up.
Shame on YOU for not taking charge of your happiness, and seizing your ski day!


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## roark (Mar 5, 2009)

Who the hell pays $1200 for skis? That's more than my entire quiver cost! 

For that price I would expect better service.

ETA: missed the boots. Not as horrendous as I initially thought.


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## snowmonster (Mar 5, 2009)

A friend told me about this shop. He said that another friend got great deals on it. Looked at the prices and told my friend that those weren't good prices at all. Told him that his friend wasn't looking hard enough for gear. In my book, I only scoop up skis if it's below 50% MSRP.


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## ta&idaho (Mar 5, 2009)

Complaining about not having brand new tigersharks with which to slay deer valley?  I appreciate the public service announcement, but that's a post begging to be mocked, even on this friendly forum.


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## RootDKJ (Mar 6, 2009)

looks like 50/50 responses.  To the OP, seems like you should do some more research before you order from a place for the 1st time.  http://www.resellerratings.com/store/o2gearshop

I took a look at their pricing, there's a deal or 2 to be had there


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## billski (Mar 6, 2009)

RootDKJ said:


> looks like 50/50 responses.  To the OP, seems like you should do some more research before you order from a place for the 1st time.  http://www.resellerratings.com/store/o2gearshop
> 
> I took a look at their pricing, there's a deal or 2 to be had there



The risks of online buying are well articulated in this thread.  I buy online if I'm sure I have a means to recourse and most certainly never cut timing close on a purchase.  I've probably purchased hundreds of things from skis to garage door opener gears online.

  I find it's a lot of fun to buy ski equipment in the summer.  It keeps me occupied and I've got plenty of time on my side to bargain, to return, etc.  
Root's comment about checking them out too is spot-on too.  If I'm spending big bucks, they get checked out completely, including all their policies and reviews.  For small stuff ($100 and under) I'm a bit more careless.
I'm always aware that any joe schmo can open a shop in their bedroom, make a pretty good looking web with all the ecommerce suites, etc.  Some of these folks are good, some not.  In most cases, these small shops only seem to last a few years, so I won't buy anything that stands a likelyhood of being returned.  

I've gotten some DOA used computer gear (not dead but definitely intermittent), but the prices was right (about 10% of list) and I had read the as-is notice, so I knew the chance I was taking.

I do bottom-fishing sometimes just for bangers or a few years old stuff still in wrappers, that can be fun.     I bought the mid-fat skis basically as an "extended demo" for $150, came from a NH ski shop.  They turned into keepers, but that was an unintended outcome.

The other thing to note is that sometimes it's not the company, but a single employee screw-up.  It's not however excusable for he owner not to step up and make it right (and then silently fire the screw-up).


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## GrilledSteezeSandwich (Mar 6, 2009)

Who misses a day of skiing because of skis..you can just rent..seems like a troll..lol


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## GrilledSteezeSandwich (Mar 6, 2009)

RootDKJ said:


> looks like 50/50 responses.  To the OP, seems like you should do some more research before you order from a place for the 1st time.  http://www.resellerratings.com/store/o2gearshop
> 
> I took a look at their pricing, there's a deal or 2 to be had there



times 2..I've only had positive experiences with online purchases..


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## andyzee (Mar 6, 2009)

GrilledSteezeSandwich said:


> Who misses a day of skiing because of skis..you can just rent..seems like a troll..lol



Yep, good point.



GrilledSteezeSandwich said:


> times 2..I've only had positive experiences with online purchases..



With regards to ski equipment, times 3


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## elks (Mar 9, 2009)

I'll repeat myself too:  I have to say I hate Deer Valley for always being out of rentals skis!  Shame on you Deer Valley! Shame on you!  :wink:


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## tekweezle (Mar 9, 2009)

buying online is only for those willing to do their due diligence  and research.  for anyone who needs a little hand holding or needs to "kick the tires" before they buy, i suggest you go to a real store.  there is no shame in that.  plenty of people are not comfortable buying stuff on blind faith and need to examine it in their hands.  however, for most of us, we know what we want and are willing to take responsibility for what we buy.  

I am pretty sure the online retailers have good return policies so I am sure the guy was able to return whatever he bought with no questions asked.

I would be extremely careful about buying boots or a helmet or anything that requires a personal fit.    there is still a place in this world for real stores.  these guys have expert advice and probably use the stuff they sell.


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## GrilledSteezeSandwich (Mar 11, 2009)

kelly001 said:


> I'll repeat myself too:  I have to say I hate Deer Valley for always being out of rentals skis!  Shame on you Deer Valley! Shame on you!  :wink:



Can't you rent skis at a ski shop in Park City?


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## tekweezle (Mar 11, 2009)

the original poster hasn;t been back on here or on Epicski.  makes me wonder if it was all made up.  

regardless, it sounds like the op was not very experienced and knowledgeable about what to expect-in ordering expensive equipment online or what to do if something goes wrong while skiing out west-probably not a good candidate to be doing either.


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## Bumpsis (Mar 12, 2009)

I'm glad that 2k799... posted about the bad on-line ski shop and his experience. This and other ski forums are just the place to bring this matter up and expose the bad apples out there. 

If an on-line merchant screws you, there is no real, effective recourse. It's usually your loss, one way or another, be it extra shipping costs, delays, extra costs for rentals and other hassles.
If one buys from a conventional shop, there are plenty of ways to make them see your way. On line, not so.
Letting the ski community know which shop is bad to do business with is the only way to keep it honest.

I am rather surprized that people here called 2k799 anything from being a troll to essentially a looser.
The guy got screwed.


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## mondeo (Mar 12, 2009)

Bumpsis said:


> I am rather surprized that people here called 2k799 anything from being a troll to essentially a looser.
> The guy got screwed.


The guy may have gotten screwed, but I think it's normal for people in a community to be suspicious of a new guy that comes in and cries wolf. There was also something in his original post that I found offputting. Not enough PSA, too much whine.

I tend to ignore threads that are started as someone's first post, unless it's asking for advice. They're usually self-important and the only involvement the person will ever have with the board.


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## bvibert (Mar 12, 2009)

mondeo said:


> The guy may have gotten screwed, but I think it's normal for people in a community to be suspicious of a new guy that comes in and cries wolf. There was also something in his original post that I found offputting. Not enough PSA, too much whine.
> 
> I tend to ignore threads that are started as someone's first post, unless it's asking for advice. They're usually self-important and the only involvement the person will ever have with the board.



x2

I don't think he necessarily got screwed.  They just said that they wouldn't overnight the skis to deer valley, not that they wouldn't replace them with the proper skis.


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## Bumpsis (Mar 12, 2009)

mondeo said:


> The guy may have gotten screwed, but I think it's normal for people in a community to be suspicious of a new guy that comes in and cries wolf. There was also something in his original post that I found offputting. Not enough PSA, too much whine.
> 
> I tend to ignore threads that are started as someone's first post, unless it's asking for advice. They're usually self-important and the only involvement the person will ever have with the board.



Just beacuse somebody did not spend oodles of time discussing on this board what's his favorite chair on a some lift or what color socks he likes to wear when putting on his ski boots doesn't necessarily invalidate the contenet of his post.

I find it less likely that somebody randomly posts a complaint on ski related forums just for some sick kicks. Just the opposite, I belive that he had a bad experience with that perticular shop. I'm sure that his main motivation to post is directed by sense of being wronged and desire to retaliate but the effect is the same - a warning that the shop in  question is likely to screw you too. I see it as a valid bit of info.

If I were to put myself in his shoes, I'd probably do the same, given that this is the only or one of very few courses of action that a wronged consumer can take - blab about it on as many interest specific boards as I could.


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## tekweezle (Mar 12, 2009)

i've got a couple of friends who had positive experience ordering from this merchant.  but bad experiences do happen.

like I said earlier, he was probably able to return or exchange the gear for the right stuff, no questions asked and probably on their dime.  then again, we'll never know because the person hasn;t come back to follow up.


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## campgottagopee (Mar 12, 2009)

ta&idaho said:


> Complaining about not having brand new tigersharks with which to slay deer valley?  I appreciate the public service announcement, but that's a post begging to be mocked, even on this friendly forum.



Now that was funny


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