Can't help you (my Alpine Options store in VT experience)

**007** · 03-10-2009, 08:30 PM

GS, not an attempt to squelch your legit gripe and frustration, but might I suggest stopping by and having a "private" chat with the owner at AO during a slow time, to let him know personally...... He has alway been known as a fair guy and would probably appreciate hearing this from you directly. You just might be suprised at the outcome, and even if you never went back there again at least the air would be clear.....
Just an idea.

PS Not plugging or downgrading AO, and I personally don't go there only because I am taken care of VERY VERY well by another local shop......

**djd66** · 03-11-2009, 07:27 AM

Originally Posted by jwt

a locksmith might have cost $50? or better yet a screwdriver and replacement lock for $35 with bungie cords wrapped for the ride home?'

That was the first thing I thought of - why didn't you just hack the lock open w/ a screw driver? Those locks cost $10 at any home depot

**win** · 03-11-2009, 12:47 PM

I agree with 007. Joe is a really good guy and has run a very good busy here for many years. Good owners like Joe always need and want to hear feedback so that they can fix something if it goes wrong.

**RedneckMutha** · 03-12-2009, 07:58 PM

The skis belong to Alpine Options! They can rent them out under their own terms of business. Lets face up to the truth that most people who rent stuff don't care if they wreck it cause it ain't their own! You got NO BEEF and no business using this forum as your soapbox in this situation. Can't ya pick a lock? ................RedNeck Mutha

**gone.skiing** · 03-13-2009, 08:47 AM

Originally Posted by RedneckMutha

The skis belong to Alpine Options! They can rent them out under their own terms of business. Lets face up to the truth that most people who rent stuff don't care if they wreck it cause it ain't their own! You got NO BEEF and no business using this forum as your soapbox in this situation. Can't ya pick a lock? ................RedNeck Mutha

Looks like we got a barkbiter wanna be. You failed miserably. Work on some new material and try again...

**Lostone** · 03-13-2009, 09:22 AM

You got NO BEEF and no business using this forum as your soapbox in this situation.

I disagree. When people get good or bad customer service, this is a legitimate place to report it. Others can see it and act as they see fit. You'll notice that the opposite opinion of their regular service has also been expressed.

The skis belong to Alpine Options! They can rent them out under their own terms of business.

That was expressed in gone.skiing's first paragraph, but that is no reason for bad customer service. They could have explained their policies. They can leave it as they did, should they wish. They have that right.

He has the right to report his feelings about the same.

My $.02.

And gone.skiing, Redneck is a handle (with same posting style) from back in the RSN days. Doubt that he is Barkbiter.

**Strat** · 03-13-2009, 09:46 AM

Originally Posted by Lostone

You got NO BEEF and no business using this forum as your soapbox in this situation.

I disagree. When people get good or bad customer service, this is a legitimate place to report it. Others can see it and act as they see fit. You'll notice that the opposite opinion of their regular service has also been expressed.

The skis belong to Alpine Options! They can rent them out under their own terms of business.

That was expressed in gone.skiing's first paragraph, but that is no reason for bad customer service. They could have explained their policies. They can leave it as they did, should they wish. They have that right.

He has the right to report his feelings about the same.

My $.02.

And gone.skiing, Redneck is a handle (with same posting style) from back in the RSN days. Doubt that he is Barkbiter.

Oh the RSN days (not to digress too much)...
That was actually quite a while ago. I remember discussing the collapse of the Lodge at Lincoln Peak project, and the Old Man of the Mountain falling...

**Fourwide** · 03-13-2009, 10:36 AM

"Oh the RSN days (not to digress too much)...
That was actually quite a while ago. I remember discussing the collapse of the Lodge at Lincoln Peak project, and the Old Man of the Mountain falling..."

...and the ridiculous (and endless) "Whiteface vs. Sugarbush" debate! (Let's stop talking about this for fear of "Ghost" and others returning to haunt us!)

**MntMan4Bush** · 03-16-2009, 08:41 AM

There is always another side to the story. Let's be realistic here. Did the clerk respond and run away so quickly that you couldn't offer to take a pair of older demos as you mentioned you would be willing to on the thread. I mean he would have had to start sprinting, hop the counter and slam the office door faster then Ricky Henderson stealing 3rd. I think maybe you're remembering the experience a little differently because you were so frustrated to begin with that night.

Part of it may have been that you often need to reserve demos ahead of time to get the ski you want in the size you want especially this time of year. My wife and I demo'd this weekend and even though we reserved two pairs for her, one was purchased and they didn't have it in her size any more. No big deal it happens. If you wanted the Mantras specifically and asked for them they might have been all out.

I go to AO specifically for the customer service and will go no where else. Somewhere between your story and the clerks lies what actually happened which was unfortunate. Definitely not the norm at AO.

Lastly TMI. If you knew the skis you wanted just walk in and say "We want to demo the Mantra JRs". Done. A part of you had to know that renting or demo-ing for the comp would raise an eye brow a bit. If they didn't have the Mantras you could have grabbed another. I've seen your kid out there skiing. He could handle what ever they gave him pretty well. No word of the competition needed to be mentioned at all.

**Jester** · 04-02-2009, 06:57 AM

This thread has nothing to do with sugarbush. Why is it on this post? In fairness to alpine options it should have been dropped or moved immediately. Seems biased??

**freeheel_skier** · 04-02-2009, 08:32 AM

Originally Posted by Jester

This thread has nothing to do with sugarbush. Why is it on this post? In fairness to alpine options it should have been dropped or moved immediately. Seems biased??

You have a point.

But way to go breathing life back into a dead thread.

**Lostone** · 04-02-2009, 10:38 AM

He was talking the about the shop on the access road, which is closest to Sugarbush than anywhere else and was looking for skis for the Castlerock Extreme.

In my judgment, that makes it close enough for government work.

As for bias, I have no bias against Alpine Options. I've bought less there than all the other area shops, but that is simply because they've had nothing to interest me, or were too busy with others to show me anything that might, when I was in there. I bear then no ill will.

**Jester** · 04-02-2009, 01:19 PM

I think Sugarbush has their own shop so if it doesn't involve that shop leave the other shops out of this thread. So it really isn't the closest to the mountain and i believe there's a shop in the village also. Since it didn't involve the Sugarbush shop it should have been dropped. In these tough times we should support our local shops and drop any negative threads about them. Unless what happened at a local shop was completely out of line. This matter seems like a misunderstanding betweeen two people which happens in any shop from time to time.

A thread about helmet safety was dropped or moved and since saftey is important to all ski resorts it should have stay in this section just to keep people informed that the smallest fall should be taken seriously. I believe that was the important message that should have been taken out of that post.

**madhavok** · 04-02-2009, 02:48 PM

If the topic isn't related to Sugarbush resort it should be moved to either the Mad River Valley board or the miscellaneous board. If non Sugarbush related material was posted in the correct boards they'd get read more often. It would be beneficial because this board would be less cluttered with non-Sugarbush material and the other boards would get more action. Clearly the Sugarbush aspect of this thread is just a side note, not the main topic so it would be a great candidate for another board. However I highly doubt this thread was kept in the Sugarbush board because of any kind of bias.