Outdoor "expensiveness" conspiracy
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Ahh, the glory of the outdoors. But who may enjoy? To experience the outdoors wearing stylish Patagonia fashion is nearly to not experience the outdoors at all. For a two day trip outside, a Patagonia rep would recommend me purchasing several thousand dollars of things before I am "prepared" for the wilderness. Ask a bum and he'll just say you're already outdoors. The difference is that a bum hangs outside 100% of the time, while a Patogonia branded trip requires me to work for several weeks or months before I can get just 2 days off! |
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Interesting ideas, but a bit reachy. |
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Peteoria wrote:Ahh, the glory of the outdoors. But who may enjoy? To experience the outdoors wearing stylish Patagonia fashion is nearly to not experience the outdoors at all. For a two day trip outside, a Patagonia rep would recommend me purchasing several thousand dollars of things before I am "prepared" for the wilderness. Ask a bum and he'll just say you're already outdoors. The difference is that a bum hangs outside 100% of the time, while a Patogonia branded trip requires me to work for several weeks or months before I can get just 2 days off! Thank goodness we have a Co-op called REI where members like you and me are owners and they are legally not allowed to run as a "for Profit" company, thus granted its cooperative status. In fact, all profits derived from the business legally must be used to benefit the shareholders (that's us!). Now I need only work 4 - 5 weeks to afford a reasonable trip instead of months with Patagonia clothing. OK so this is America, capitalist country, and it's ok to have several levels of quality in outdoor goods. Ever heard of these guys? decathlon.com/ Decathlon is a for profit French REI. Their goods are super cheap, and the quality is comparable to REI. But if REI gives its profits back to its members like you and me, how can these Frenchies be beating us? Well, it looks like they were, and that they even tried to enter the US market. Keep in mind that Decathlon is the World's Largest Reseller of sporting goods. These guys have economies of scale like no other outdoor business & therefore can still reap a profit while undercutting places like REI & Patagonia. So why did they fail in the US? Well, they first opened about 20 stores, and within the first two years, all but 6 got "rebranded?" Why would Decathlon, while trying to build it's market share sell it's pilot stores? hmmm..... Next within 5 years of opening, 100% of Decathlon stores were closed in the US. Today, Decathlon ships its goods to every major country in the WORLD, including Canada & Mexico, but they are banned from online sales in the US market. hmmm.... I thought our current economic theory is based on few barriers to entry & healthy competition. But if they aren't even allowed to ship their good here from the internet, I think we may need to reassess the theories that guide our nation's policy. I believe the answer lies in the fact that our government wants the outdoor industry to be something preserved for the Elite. Inspired by the outdoors? Go to school, get up to your neck in debt, get a job to pay off the debt, and when you're too old to play around outside we'll take you on a driving tour to Mt. Rushmore. Now, Patagonia doesn't compete with REI because they are designed for a more wealthy individual. That's fine. But REI has NO COMPETITORS! The first competition they get, Decathlon (the world's largest outdoor retailer), is outsed within a few years of entering the market. Look at this, Sally Jewel, the ex-CEO of REI, has just been appointed by Obama. The same lady that had a "cooperative" (read: NOT FOR PROFIT) company drive out its competition. I thought the mission statement is something companies are supposed to follow: REI's mission statement: REI is dedicated to inspiring, educating and outfitting for a lifetime of outdoor adventure and stewardship. REI cares about its customers and wants to offer the expert advice they need to enjoy the outdoors. This sequence of events is doing anything but help get people outdoors. You don't need money to go outside. Even a bum will agree that money will only buy you the indoors.Nothing like reading a good conspiracy theory to brighten up a slow Friday afternoon. |
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Peteoria - I've been looking for advice on how to line my helmet with tinfoil. You seem like just the man to help me out. |
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Meh, who really gives a fuck? |
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Patagonia and REI: The axis of corporate evil™. I love it! |
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Dave, |
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Austin Baird wrote:Peteoria - I've been looking for advice on how to line my helmet with tinfoil. You seem like just the man to help me out.Sorry Petey, but Austin's comment is the funniest s*** I've ever read! |
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It is completely obvious to anyone paying attention that our government and its policies are almost entirely controlled by big business. Far from a free market our economy is highly regulated and subsidized to give advantage to certain situations. |
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Its been a few years since I've had a chance to check out Decathlon's stuff. Their proprietary brand stuff WAS cheap but you got what you paid for. They could have upped their game in the last few years though. It also seems like they sold other brand name stuff for the same MSRPs as everybody else. |
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Holy craptasticness... The government wants only rich people to be in the outdoors.. Really? I think that there are probably about 37 billion conspiracy theories that make more sense than this one. |
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Seth Eidemiller wrote:Nobody has ever said that you must buy Patagonia or TNF to be able to use the outdoors.In fact, I think the consensus is that you probably don't do anything outdoors if you own TNF ;) To the OP - Our economy is as sideways and lobby oriented as possible. The money flows one way -- up. This isn't anything new, and an internet thread won't change a thing. Given the power and relative blending/anonimity effect of our legislative bodies, anyone who gets into a Senate/House/Chair etc seat and doesn't abuse/skew their power (which they can mostly without repercussions) is either a truly good person (we can rule that one out) or an idiot. It's the way it works. Sorry to break your world with my cynicism. |
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some of you seem to be missing the point. REI is organized as a not-for-profit but it still acts in the same ethics as big biz. similar enough for Sally Jewel to become just another "revolving door" where evil regulates the amount of allowable evilness. Second, we can't make the choices we want because the companies that are actually trying to make affordable goods are being ousted by the big bad "not for profit / Co-op" wolf that embodies REI. Neptunes & bent gate don't make their own products. They merely resell other goods manufactured by slaves in Malaysia and attract customers by hiring people who are actually knowledgeable, while REI has its own brand and so does Decatlon. |
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I would bet that both REI and Decathlon use the same Malaysian factories as the companies that you have such a vendetta against. |
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Peteoria, |
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Peteoria wrote: Today, Decathlon ships its goods to every major country in the WORLD, including Canada & Mexico, but they are banned from online sales in the US market.How do you know online sales in US are banned? You believe the government is responsible--is there some law? I couldn't find anything relevant. |
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Mike Oxlong wrote:It is completely obvious to anyone paying attention that our government and its policies are almost entirely controlled by big business. Far from a free market our economy is highly regulated and subsidized to give advantage to certain situations. Why is it absurd to question these happenings? Because we have been trained by mass media to respond that way. Why are theories based on facts labeled conspiracies? Because it's the easiest way to dismiss unwanted discussion. Despite excellent access to independent media the average American is less aware of what our government is doing than people of other countries because our main source of information is controlled by the same multi-national corporations that are writing the laws that regulate them.Bingo. The USA hasn't been free for decades. You are more oppressed than you know (is that a good thing?). Like you said Oxlong, its not the government, its called lobbying / bribery. THE US government is beyond corrupt fed by quasi capitalism. |
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"but they (Decathlon) are banned from online sales in the US market. " |
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I'll bite. Let's take a benchmark product and think this through. You specifically mentioned climbing so lets look at a generic ubiquitous climbing product: a wiregate carabiner. I can score a new *certified* carabiner for $4.93 right now without even trying. I think paying $5 for something that is supposed to save my life is pretty awesome. If you buy used-- and its not ice climbing season in Canada-- those 'biners can he had for about half that. Is $2.50 really an unreasonable price to pay for a *certified* carabiner? Where are you at on this Peteoria? |
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Peteoria wrote:Thank goodness we have a Co-op called REI where members like you and me are owners and they are legally not allowed to run as a "for Profit" company, thus granted its cooperative status. In fact, all profits derived from the business legally must be used to benefit the shareholders (that's us!).That's not true. REI is a private business where you can buy a membership that gives you some benefits...that's it. The "co-op" term is a relic of how things used to be; you do not need to be a member to purchase from REI. REI does not share profits, which they certainly make, with members. It is the exact same as any other private company. Non-profits don't give their CEOs million dollar bonuses for exceeding revenue goals: rei.com/content/dam/documen… Peteoria wrote:But REI has NO COMPETITORS!Huh? How do you explain EVERY OTHER GEAR STORE that exists? |
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Having had the pleasure of buying at both REI and Decathlon in the past I can´t say the fate of either interests me in the least, I can buy better products at better prices elsewhere. |