For alpine ski outfitters in the Wood River Valley, customer service is vital to a business's survival in a tight market and an economic downturn.
"We try to service the heck out of people," said Baird Gourlay, co-owner of P.K.'s Ski and Sports in Ketchum. "They walk in the door, and we go up to them and do everything we can to help them."
Customer service is becoming more of a factor in ski shopping now that consumers are tighter with their discretionary income. Retailers from P.K.'s, Sturtevants Mountain Outfitters, Formula Sports and Pete Lane's Mountain Sports all say they have seen customers becoming more careful with their purchases. In a valley such as this one, where alpine skiers have a myriad of choices, each retailer concentrates on serving its own customer base.
Bob Gordon, owner of Formula Sports in Ketchum, said that base is key to competing with other similar ski shops in Ketchum and the valley overall.
"We all have been doing this for so long that we just have great customers that come to each store, and that's the way it is," he said.
Gordon said his market is mostly loyal locals, as well as out-of-town families who come in for kids' equipment leases and friendly advice.
"We have a huge kids' department, and we do real well with out-of-town families," he said. "We really pay attention to our customers, we strive to be super-friendly and we don't talk over their heads."
Gourlay said a lot of his business is with the Sun Valley Ski Patrol and the ski teams in the area, but he relies on tourists and seasonal traffic to make his store profitable.
Many shops concentrate on a combination of tourism and catering to locals, as does Pete Lane's, a division of Sun Valley Co. Retail Manager Kelly Mitchell said their locations' proximity to Bald Mountain helps keep rental numbers high even in a tough economy, and they cater to locals by carrying specialty products.
"We hone in more on the niche markets and the convenience factor of having a location at every mountain access point," Mitchell said. "Even in the downward economy, for rentals, we have the location."
Mitchell said that 90 percent of the company's rentals come from the tourist market, while sales rely on locals who are looking for special gear they can only get there.
"We actually buy products for people we know are going to come in and want them," she said. "We definitely are not just filling a store. We are filling the requests of our customers."
But some retailers say experience counts just as much as the gear does, and go out of their way to retain employees who are passionate about skiing. Rob Santa, owner of Sturtevants in Ketchum, Hailey and Warm Springs, said he stays competitive because most of his employees have been with him for more than a decade.
"The average staffer has been with us for 17 years," he said. "For them, it's not just a job."
Gourlay said experience is key to the success of his business as well. He's been skiing for more than 50 years, and said he and most of his employees have seen the history of skiing over the years, as well as where it's headed in the future.
New innovations are also key to surviving in this economy, Santa said. New technology and new features are a draw for new and loyal customers, who may decide to invest in an upgrade. Innovations also make it easier to sell products, he said.
"If our suppliers aren't innovating, there's nothing to talk about," he said.
This year, Santa said his sales staff is talking about a new Fischer ski boot that has a moldable shell that allows the entire boot—not just the liner—to be custom-fitted. Another new piece is a vest by Ansai Sportswear that heats up with a rechargeable battery, which Santa said allows the piece to be light and warm.
Gordon said he is also changing up his lines, cutting some brands in favor of offering a broader price range in the skis and boots he carries. He still carries high-end products and brought back the Phenix line of ski apparel that he had cut back on, but said he now offers more budget-friendly skis.
"We did go further into the medium-priced skis," he said. "We're bringing in some less-expensive K2 skis with bindings," some of which are priced at under $600.
Mitchell and Santa, however, said they think the economy has turned around enough that people want to invest in higher-end products. Santa said he only sells high-end skis, and offers former demo skis to customers who want a bargain, while Mitchell said her customers are willing to spend money if they feel like the product is worth the price.
"People who are spending money are investing in higher-end luxury goods, and they want the services that go with them," she said.
Mitchell said Pete Lane's has seen a rise in custom boot-fitting since the downturn and a decrease in the number of people buying skis for every type of condition.
"In 2007, people wanted a ski for everything," she said. "Now, it's way more important to them to get a great-fitting boot. People who used to come in and buy five of everything and not think twice are much more specific."
The ever-increasing range of skis for every activity—what Santa calls "market segmentation"—can make it difficult to tell which specific products customers might buy this year. As a result, planning inventory for the upcoming year can be a challenge in itself.
"We throw darts," Santa said. "We have more models on the wall than ever before, and that's a challenge to sell through."
Gordon said customers are still being careful not to overspend, which also makes selling harder. He said he believes the economy overall is recovering, and his business is in better shape—sales are up and debt is down, thanks in part to his stepping up the hours he himself works in the store.
Unfortunately, business for ski retailers is dependent on the tourist market and one thing largely out of human control—snow.
"We're like farmers," Gourlay said. "We can't sell skis if there's no snow on the ground."
The valley has been essentially dry since Nov. 17, when a pre-Thanksgiving storm dropped almost 3 inches on the valley floor and more than 8 inches on Baldy. According to the National Weather Service, Ketchum shouldn't be expecting snow until at least next week, maybe later. That's bad news for ski retailers—especially Gourlay, who said he has a plan to bring the powder if it doesn't snow soon.
"If it doesn't snow at least a little right before Christmas, me [and a few guys] shave our heads, go up into the bowls and sacrifice our hair to the snow gods," he said with a laugh.
For the moment, though, ski conditions are good enough for Gordon, who said the snow on Baldy is similar to mid-winter conditions, adding that Sun Valley is very lucky to have such great snowmaking facilities.
And for whatever it's worth, Santa said, people will always come to Sun Valley simply because it's Sun Valley.
"We may have our challenges," he said, "but we're still the last, best mountain town."
Katherine Wutz: kwutz@mtexpress.com
Bob Gordon, owner of Formula Sports in Ketchum, holds one of the shop’s best sellers, K2 Rictor skis with bindings. Gordon said he’s adjusted to the economic downturn by cutting certain lines and expanding his inventory of mid-range skis. Photo by Willy Cook
