Thread: Dynafit group buy 3: Binders and Titans

Please let Salewa know that should they fuck up this deal, there is going to be at least one hundred people who are passionate about the sport, and who have a lot of influence on the back country scene (what are there now 5,000 maggots?) who are not going to think very well of the company. Too bad Dynafit has a near monopoly, but the G3 binder came to my mind at the first mention of this reaching the corporate level.

To all who suggest to let things alone if this deal gets sacked...no fucking way. The responsible party will get Neptuned like never before. But, not before Andy gives the word.

Unless anyone here has seen the actual distribution/dealership agreement, I wouldn't yet call it a bluff. They may be CYA.

Interesting developments.

Please keep posting so we can all follow along.

For what it's worth, a friend of mine had a similar issue with Ernesto Colnago. The US distributor was a total dick, so he was importing large numbers of frames from a European distributor, which was all legal, but the US distributor got pissed and leaned on Ernesto, who leaned on the Euro distributor, and made him shut down shipment. My friend and the Euro guy were doing nothing illegal, and in the end my friend stopped selling Colnago frames, the US distributor went out of business because he was a jerk, and now you see very few new Colnago road bikes on the road.

If I remember these binders were coming directly from Europe, so the US distributor may have little to say directly, but could put pressure on Dynafit in the future.

In today's interweb days things like this can really have bad effects on future business...Just something to think about if Dynafit people are reading this.

I'm a little lost, is Salewa USA the distributor, the parent company or both. The below statement is cut from Dynafits website.

2003 Dynafit goes Salewa! Since February 2003 Dynafit is a member of the Salewa Group.

I like what others have said, there is a ton of gear that is needed to enter the BC safely and comfortably. If this is the parent company that is messing with their customers, I agree with hutash and we should try to work with G3. I would love to get on some dynafits, hell I just purchased some boots that have the toe/heel inserts. If they decide to step in and squash this purchase, I will not look at other dynafit bindings, I will move right to G3 and test those waters, maybe the same evil maybe not.

As for Andy stepping up to the plate, much appreciated. I wish I could do more to help. If this deal does go south, I would still like to leave a couple bucks in your hands for your effort, time and resources. I paypaled you and I would not want all the money back (I would say 10-20 bucks is what you easily deserve), this isn't your fault and you have been blind sided by poor business tactics....

Just for you snipes that are causing these problems, because we know your lurking but don't have the balls to stand up for yourselves, hence your lawyers and unknown emails. Consider yourself added to my do not buy from list. I may be small but my numbers would add up overtime. I spend in the hundreds/thousands yearly on this shit and you will not see a cent from me for the next 30+ years. I'm sure a few others will have the same approach.

Originally Posted by jfost

lone thing mags have in spades is time... we've got a collective of literally millions of hours of currently useless time being wasted every day. If we put it toward something good, like helping you out with the group buy, we could all benefit!

Flood their voice and email inboxes?
j/k

nhtele - that's totally out of line imo. Salewa provide outstanding (not just good - but outstanding) customer service to their customers. We don't know the full story.

Originally Posted by LeeLau

nhtele - that's totally out of line imo. Salewa provide outstanding (not just good - but outstanding) customer service to their customers. We don't know the full story.

Agreed. I dealt with them last year and they where excellent. Although I think its crappy that they are doing this lets see how it pans out. We should let adimmen deal with them(or at least consult with him) before we start flooding there customer service
deeppo

Thanks Lee for providing a hint of reason in this discussion. Manufacturers need to protect the distribution of their products. Dynafit didn't invent that concept. I think it's a good idea to check your sense of entitlement at the door.

Originally Posted by figurado

Thanks Lee for providing a hint of reason in this discussion. Manufacturers need to protect the distribution of their products. Dynafit didn't invent that concept. I think it's a good idea to check your sense of entitlement at the door.

Bullshit. I see them protecting a business model that is made to pay the middle man and keep prices high. They are trying to use the law to protect a screw the consumer business model because they feel threatened by the free market.

They are trying to intimidate the little guy.

Well, what will happen when the competition get's its teeth into Dynafits up-until-now unchallenged market segment?

Or maybe there will collusion...

Originally Posted by Summit

Bullshit. I see them protecting a business model that is made to pay the middle man and keep prices high.

They are protecting the value of their product and yes it does keep prices high. It's a very successful business model used by virtually every manufacturer in sports and many other high price/low volume areas. The answer isn't to blame manfacturers and their retailers. The answer is to make your own product and compete. BTW, Salewa is the little guy. The big guys in skiing use the same business model. The list of manufacturers that sell direct to the public at steeply discounted prices is short.

Originally Posted by figurado

Thanks Lee for providing a hint of reason in this discussion. Manufacturers need to protect the distribution of their products. Dynafit didn't invent that concept. I think it's a good idea to check your sense of entitlement at the door.

There is protecting the distribution of your product and ignoring reality. Why pay US prices $470 when off the shelf Yurp prices are so much lower $370.

It is a ridiculous price differential that should be eliminated, particularly if you care about you local small shop. How can they compete with the Yurp price?

A group buy makes complete sense given the financial structure of the items.


Note: I have 4 pair of dynafits and have generally paid ~$250-300 for them new, why should the price now be almost $500?

wendigo - I think you better check your math above (add $60 U.S. for shipping minimum.) I agree that the price is higher than I can afford. I own 3 pairs of STs and I paid about the same that you mention. I think the group buy is a great idea if it works; if it doesn't go find the lowest price you can. I just don't think it makes sense for people to vent their hostilities toward Dynafit if this deal falls through. I certainly hope it works.

Figurado, this isn't a direct from producer to consumer thing. This group buy is about using consumer leverage and having only one middleman (some Euro shop) instead of two (Salewa and a US Shop).

Originally Posted by wendigo

There is protecting the distribution of your product and ignoring reality. Why pay US prices $470 when off the shelf Yurp prices are so much lower $370.

It is a ridiculous price differential that should be eliminated, particularly if you care about you local small shop. How can they compete with the Yurp price?

A group buy makes complete sense given the financial structure of the items.


Note: I have 4 pair of dynafits and have generally paid ~$250-300 for them new, why should the price now be almost $500?

Because Salewa is going to abuse the law to prevent the free market and free trade from using supply and demand to lower prices to the true market level as capitalism is supposed to.

Summit, I'm all for the Dynafit group buy if it works. I don't understand the desire to blame someone when it doesn't. The Intuition Liners group buy got fouled up because of the same problem. Local/U.S. retailers get bent out of shape when they think that their agreements with manufacturers aren't being honored.

Figurado, your problem is that you are OK with the continuance of unfair and anti-consumer business practices that are propped up by frivolous lawsuits meant to defeat the markets attempt to correct the issue.

hey guys. I'm not debating distribution models here. I don't know enough about models to say anything intelligent so not going there. I'm just saying that it's a bit much to talk about email and voicemail bombing Salewa and just pointing out that they've been awesome to deal with as a customer

Originally Posted by Summit

Figurado, your problem is that you are OK with the continuance of unfair and anti-consumer business practices that are propped up by frivolous lawsuits meant to defeat the markets attempt to correct the issue.

I'm just pointing out the reality of the world we live in and that it's unfair to focus your rage on Dynafit if this group buy evaporates. That hasn't happened yet so I'll wait to see how this pans out.

I agree with Lee that venting on Dynafit would be unfair and counterproductive.

I agree with Lee at this point. We need to let Andy work his deal, and see where we end up. Hopefully everybody will be happy in the end, and we can all have an interweb group hug. If not, then we can Neptunize all who deserve it. I don't have the whole story yet, and I am sure there are a lot of twists and turns in it, but let's wait until Andy gives the word.

How does it feel to be Caesar? A thumbs up or down can decide their fate

Originally Posted by LeeLau

nhtele - that's totally out of line imo. Salewa provide outstanding (not just good - but outstanding) customer service to their customers. We don't know the full story.

I think your sarcasm meter might be broken?

Though I can see where my post may been in the gray zone between humor and seriousness.

Edited above to reflect that sentiment.

Originally Posted by nhtele

I think your sarcasm meter might be broken?

Though I can see where my post may been in the gray zone between humor and seriousness.

Edited above to reflect that sentiment.

yeah it was definitely broken. SOrry. but you know the lynch mob mentality sometimes

If you lynch enough people, some of them are bound to be guilty

We definitely need more info. before lighting the torches, but my pitch fork has been sharpened just in case.

I will update as I know more.

maybe sending the bindings to canada and sending them out individually from here could avoid this? not sure if the increase in shipping and another set of duties would make it worth while for you guys in the states, also not sure if it would avoid this legal dillema, might be worth investigating though. im no expert but just putting it out there.

How about Mexico?