Page 66 - SOUTHERN OREGON MAGAZINE FALL 2019

neck of the woods | theatrehe good life | great outdoors
t

DID YOU GET HONEST ADVICE

OR DID YOU GET SOLD?

by bryant helgeland

his should be the first question you ask yourself when going to a WHAT’S YOUR IDEA OF FUN?
Tretailer, and in particular after leaving! I get it, as a retailer, we need
to sell stuff in order to stay in business. However, that doesn’t necessar- If sales associates don’t, at a bare minimum, ask this question, how are
ily mean that every retailer carries what best suits your needs. Further, they going to help get you the right piece of gear to fulfill your needs?
just because they seem to carry everything, doesn’t mean they are there They don’t know how you are going to be using the piece of gear.
to help or know what you need. They don’t know what kinds of weather conditions you’re going to be
using the gear in. Performance varies widely between sea-level and at
elevation! Performance also varies widely on the spectrum between 0
HOW MUCH RESEARCH DID YOU DO BEFORE GOING degrees and 100 degrees.
SHOPPING FOR YOUR NEXT WIDGET? HOW DID YOU DO
YOUR RESEARCH?
ARE THEY JUST TRYING TO SELL YOU STUFF?
YouTube can be a great information resource, but it can also be a bot-
tomless rabbit hole. Popular magazines (Backpacker, Outside, etc.) can My experience has been that the larger the retailer, the less each staff
also be great resources, but you need to understand the inherent biases. member knows. The smaller the retailer, the better educated and knowl-
The magazine is generally going to weight reviews more favorably to edgeable each individual staff member is. Yes, they are a co-op, but REI
those companies that also advertise with them. The same goes with the is still a “big box store.” My experience is also that smaller retailers
people doing the review. On top of that, how similar/different are you are more willing to do research with you, provide advice, help repair
from the person writing the review? For example: I’m a 6’ 3” dude in a product, and get you into the right equipment. The larger retailers
my early 40’s. I probably have a radically different take on a product tend to just sell you what you asked for, no questions asked. Maybe your
than my store manager. At 5’ 2”, she’s much smaller in stature than I am. piece of gear could have been repaired. Selling you a new one is the lazy
She’s also a little older, but she hikes way farther and faster than I do! way out. Showing you how to repair it may take a little more time, but
She carries a lighter pack than I, but our packs are actually the same size. it saves you money. Although the retailer may not make any money, they
Sorry guys, neither your height nor your ego should play a factor in your are building a relationship with you. It isn’t about the immediate sale.
pack size. Ego may affect pack volume, but pack size (torso length) has It’s about the long term!
next to nothing to do with how tall you are.

Bryant Helgeland is the owner/operator of Mountain Provisions, on the Plaza in
DID THE SALES ASSOCIATE ASK YOU ANY QUESTIONS? Ashland. Active in several outdoor sports (Telemark skiing, XC Skiing, Road and
Mountain biking, Hiking, Backpacking, Kayaking), he has been a seminar speaker on
Again, let’s look at the differences between my store manager and me. many of those activities. He attended a NOLS (National Outdoor Leadership School)
My idea of fun is a weekend backpacking trip to an alpine lake, a multi- semester trip to Chile shortly after college. During high school he was a counselor
day river trip or a backcountry ski excursion. Her idea of fun is hiking at YMCA outdoor camps. Contact him at bryant@ashlandmountainprovisions.com or
30 miles a day on a mission from Mexico to Canada! We use some of the the store’s Facebook page.
same products, some similar products, and some completely different
products. Each has its merits, its strengths, and its weaknesses. That’s
where the knowledgeable sales associate plays an important role—to
help you decide which product is right for you!

64 www.southernoregonmagazine.com | fall 2019