Tis the season. Fall is falling and making way for winter. The Boston Ski Show is underway and several “SWAPS” are beginning to advertise. What does it all mean to the skiers and riders out there ? Here’s what I think……

For years, Zimmermanns Skis, Boards & More in Nashua, NH has held, participated in and dominated the travelling roadshow ski and board sale circuit. We did it at a time when manufacturers were way over producing products just to blow them out at ridiculous discounts. These discounts on over supply were passed on at these sales and everyone got a good deal.

This however, was not and is not a sustainable business model and the faucet has been shut off. Companies of all sizes, are building to order with little to no opportunity for retail stores to go back to the well in season, let alone be offered closeouts.

What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. Several nail biter seasons in a row, showed retailers how quickly things can go bad. The smart ones survived the storm and were able to reap the benefits of the past two seasons. There were two great snow years in the Northeast in a row (high concentration of lovers of winter live in this region). These back to back winters have allowed  stores to clean out the back rooms and basements, move along old merchandise and the harsh lessons learned have taught all ski and board shops still standing, some very  new and cautious buying habits.

This new level of enlightenment has gone in circles. Buyers buy less, manufacturers produce less. With this in mind, where does all of this merchandise come from to feed the roadshow ? How can it be that these seemingly expensive skis can be so cheap ? The reality of it all is that deals that seem to be too good to be true….probably are.

Zimmermanns believes that having the right gear, fit properly will ensure you will get the most out of your lift ticket. You can find the same “deals” or better if you think about it this way. Added value is the name of the game. Most brands in ski and board will offer a sort of gift with purchase, mostly in the form of free lift tickets. That is real value when you consider that a ticket today can cost you upwards of $70. Additionally, your local store generally won’t charge for mounting when you purchase a package (some do BTW, we don’t). All this PLUS you have a place to go if, and when you have a problem. Boots not comfortable, skis not quite right and any other issue that might arise can be handled at the source. Your local shop will be there for you, as long as you are there for them.

Please consider all of this when making your ski or board purchase this season. More importantly consider Zimmermanns. You won’t be disappointed.