Backcountry.com not playing nice

Austin Kaiser wrote: I should take the mountain goat sticker off of my truck. It's been peeling for months now anyhow.

You could always refurbish it with a slash of red tape.

Austin Kaiser wrote: I should take the mountain goat sticker off of my truck. It's been peeling for months now anyhow.

It also tells the tweakers "good resale stuff inside".

All? Just saw a Facebook post from our local store affected by this. Link to the longer version, short version? Backcountry IS stepping up to the plate! This, is how I hope the story ends for all the parties involved. Thanks, Backcountry.com. You're going the right direction.

https://www.boisegearcollective.com/2019/11/25/bgc-backcountry-deal/?fbclid=IwAR1ptHiCSi1s9xzM_ThUva1_1qxM8Hi5N6GaYZh9v-BKYN2tWE_GF1X6TTQ

Best, Helen

Yeah read about this on Alpinist. Not sure about “stepping up to the plate” but they’ve temporarily “reversed their stance” (guess the difference is all PR). What about the small fish impacted previously....? Having to pay to rebrand your business and drop your legacy to become... what was it Backou Bikes??? Still super lame. Was not without intent that Backcountry solicited the nation’s #1 trademark defense lawyers.

Tom Sherman wrote: Yeah read about this on Alpinist. Not sure about “stepping up to the plate” but they’ve temporarily “reversed their stance” (guess the difference is all PR). What about the small fish impacted previously....? Having to pay to rebrand your business and drop your legacy to become... what was it Backou Bikes??? Still super lame. Was not without intent that Backcountry solicited the nation’s #1 trademark defense lawyers.

Yeah, I'm seeing it the same way. And sure, nice comments from Boise Gear CEO, but again, Backcountry did hurt many small companies, and should make them good, if not whole again. The goat is still not back on my window....

Guys? How often does a company CEO do something, anything, in person, face to face, no flunkies along?

This is one of the small businesses they went after. And, this is headed the right direction. If they continue, diligently, that will go a long way toward regaining my good opinion of the company.

If someone messes up? Then admits it, apologizes, takes responsibility and asks face to face how they can make it right? I'm pretty okay with that, and I'm guessing many others in Boise are too. YMMV

Best, Helen

They are only reversing their position because people noticed, loudly, not because they hurt small businesses. If that were the case, none of the suits would have been filed in the first place. There is no possibility that Backcountry was shocked by the fact that suing small businesses hurts them, just that customers cared and they could lose sales by being litigious. 

Alicia Sokolowski wrote: They are only reversing their position because people noticed, loudly, not because they hurt small businesses. If that were the case, none of the suits would have been filed in the first place. There is no possibility that Backcountry was shocked by the fact that suing small businesses hurts them, just that customers cared and they could lose sales by being litigious. 

Hey, I'm not nominating them for pope, just saying they are making what seems to be a fairly hefty response to customers being pissed off. I don't really care why they are reversing, simply that they are. Customer driven ethics actually mattered, for once, no matter if the company shares those ethics or not, it's better than being ignored entirely, which is more the norm. And, from the top, too. Not just a memo. Now, if they look good again on glass ceiling, on the employee end? Then they'll perhaps have my respect back. In the meantime, I still say it's at least going in the right direction to undo this.

Best, Helen

Well, coincidence or holiday season, I'm LOVING the sale on BC right now - brand new shit cheaper than used offers on MP!  Thanks for woke-rage, team!

we should all buy more new shit.   especially from backcountry gearsaler website.  they seem to really care....about selling more new shit.   winz-winz, eh spaghett?!

Arnold Cloony wrote: I'll be interested to hear from my local guys if they come through with anything like an apology, appropriate reparation, and it isn't all under a gag order.

If you didn't cut and paste my comment directly, it's close enough.

They did come through for my local guys, and it's public.

And I placed an order yesterday, as it happens. I didn't seek out Backcountry (ordered directly from links my partner sent me), but if this had not been worked out yet with my local guys, I would have taken the extra step of hunting elsewhere to make the purchase.

Best, Helen

EDIT to add, okay, you did cut and paste my comment as your own, and just joined today to do so?? 

Cool find Helen

Live Perched wrote: 
The idea of backcountry, a free, remote and open place, is not his or his company’s.  The value is our love for that idea.  Nielson trespassed on that.  What actions will he take now?  How will Nielson show us he respect what we love about the backcountry?

How eloquently Live Perched sums it up, beyond monopolizing a generic common word for their sole profit, why this conjures up such disgust. It is more egregious than “apple” or “specialized” because the backcountry is where outdoor enthusiasts go to escape the corporate world, corporate greed and profit culture.

Gibson did this too. The backlash was huge.
Apologizing because you are losing customers is not the same thing as being sorry.
Being sorry does not excuse past behavior that damaged others.

I have spent many thousands of dollars at Bitchcountry.com, never again. There is no apologizing for being a greedy corporate predator.

I enjoyed letting them know, and telling the gearhead to look for a new job because the layoffs would be starting soon.

It’s not like they make anything other than profit, we can easily live without them. 

Christian George wrote: Gibson did this too. The backlash was huge.
Apologizing because you are losing customers is not the same thing as being sorry.
Being sorry does not excuse past behavior that damaged others.

I have spent many thousands of dollars at Bitchcountry.com, never again. There is no apologizing for being a greedy corporate predator.

I enjoyed letting them know, and telling the gearhead to look for a new job because the layoffs would be starting soon.

It’s not like they make anything other than profit, we can easily live without them. 

Obviously we disagree. You, base your views on yourself. I, am talking directly to a business affected by this. For myself, Backcountry.com has gone a long way toward undoing what they did. Giving them credit for this is fair, IMO, so long as the other little businesses are also getting the treatment my local guys did, and, Backcountry understands why we are all so pissed off about this. That, ultimately is customer service, after all. They fucked up, they've admitted it, they are going out of their way to actually fix it. The CEO, alone, and in person, came to Boise. My guys got to talk, he actually listened and ponied up. Yes, that impresses me, and I am not going to carry a grudge, but hey, you do so if that's how you like to do business. Not me. 

Best, Helen

Old lady H wrote:

Obviously we disagree. You, base your views on yourself. 

Yeah, we disagree on practically everything. 

But you always make it personal. 

Christian George wrote:I enjoyed letting them know, and telling the gearhead to look for a new job because the layoffs would be starting soon.

No offense........... but I think when you tell a low level employee to look for another job, and you enjoy it, you are making it personal. 

Dave K wrote:
The best long-term outcome in this situation would be for Backcountry to go out of business. 

The best long-term outcome for us, climbers and back-country users (note no capital) is more competition.   In my case I know Rock and Snow, a small shop in New Paltz, will price match and the folks there and Gunks through and through.  I want Rock and Snow in business.  I don't want Moose Jaw or Backcountry to have monopoly pricing power and the ability to extract discounts from BD and other manufacturers that Rock and Snow does not get.

I will buy from Rock and Snow but will not pay much more than sale price for new goods.  So I need Rock and Snow to get as good a deal as the online retailers if I hope to be a customer of a healthy store in the long term or I need Rock and Snow to out compete online retailers in the areas like consignment.  

Since Rock and Snow probably gets a worse whole sale deal than Moose Jaw, my hope really rests in the consignment and other lines of business because Rock and Snow in all likelihood is less profitable selling new gear than Moose Jaw or Backcountry.  Here's  the problem with Backcountry going out of business...Moose Jaws wins not Rock and Snow.  More volumn for means more pricing power and since Rock and Snow's volume is capped at the size of the parking lots at the Gunks (give or take a meaningful %) but Moose Jaws volume is uncapped, Moose Jaw is more likely to win volume Backcountry gives up post bankruptcy.

Its not what I want and its not fair but the deal described by Boise Gear Collective is probably very good for a store in the consignment business.  And I don't think Backcountry's bankruptcy will benefit any group more than Moose Jaw.

Shop local or shop at Rock and Snow.  They ship for free, price match and are truly honest merchants.

Live Perched wrote:

The best long-term outcome for us, climbers and back-country users (note no capital) is more competition.   In my case I know Rock and Snow, a small shop in New Paltz, will price match and the folks there and Gunks through and through.  I want Rock and Snow in business.  I don't want Moose Jaw or Backcountry to have monopoly pricing power and the ability to extract discounts from BD and other manufacturers that Rock and Snow does not get.

I will buy from Rock and Snow but will not pay much more than sale price for new goods.  So I need Rock and Snow to get as good a deal as the online retailers if I hope to be a customer of a healthy store in the long term or I need Rock and Snow to out compete online retailers in the areas like consignment.  

Since Rock and Snow probably gets a worse whole sale deal than Moose Jaw, my hope really rests in the consignment and other lines of business because Rock and Snow in all likelihood is less profitable selling new gear than Moose Jaw or Backcountry.  Here's  the problem with Backcountry going out of business...Moose Jaws wins not Rock and Snow.  More volumn for means more pricing power and since Rock and Snow's volume is capped at the size of the parking lots at the Gunks (give or take a meaningful %) but Moose Jaws volume is uncapped, Moose Jaw is more likely to win volume Backcountry gives up post bankruptcy.

Its not what I want and its not fair but the deal described by Boise Gear Collective is probably very good for a store in the consignment business.  And I don't think Backcountry's bankruptcy will benefit any group more than Moose Jaw.

Shop local or shop at Rock and Snow.  They ship for free, price match and are truly honest merchants.

I have no bone in this fight but can't help pointing out that backcountry, or any other retailer, leaving the market for any other reason besides a shrinking market would do nothing but open up a void which would attract new investment, and thus a replacement business. This business would be wise to learn the lessons of why their predecessor went out of business, and would likely seek to not make the same mistakes. As a result, competition would remain healthy and real change would come about.

This just in, Backcountry initiated a lawsuit to change the name of this thread!

Lighten up everybody