Really Backcountry.com??

[GoldMember]

I don't know if this was already posted but there is a GoFundMe set up to fight this BS. Here is the link. I put in a donation.

https://www.gofundme.com/f/legal-def...QcqrO9W6T77OPo

[SchralphMacchio]

Anyone care to further refine a draft statement I wrote up below, of what a reasonable endpoint to the Boycott Backcountry.com movement would look like?

I just submitted the draft to the organizer of the Facebook group.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`

One question I hear from friends is: what is the endpoint? Is there an objective beyond "gathering attention on this issue," or is this just an angry mob of pure outrage?

For many, maybe even myself, what's been done by IPLA on behalf of Backcountry.com and/or TSG is unforgivable, and I may not ever be able to come back as a consumer. But for me to at least feel like Backcountry.com and/or TSG are continuing to exist as a responsible business acting in the interest of outdoor retail consumers, here are my thoughts on this. With more time they can be further researched and refined for public statement.

What would we like to see happen?

1) Cessation of TSG's contract with IPLA. IPLA's overly aggressive trademark enforcement actions to bully anyone with registered / pending registration for trademarks using the word "backcountry" and operating in the same outdoor space - completely regardless of size, revenue, competitive positioning with respect to Backcountry.com's current and planned product and service offering, potential for brand confusion, and potential for harm to Backcountry.com - have been and continue to be greatly harmful to the outdoors industry, affecting livelihoods of a multitude of small business owners and product/service consumers.

2) TSG's commitment to cease enforcement of, and cancel, all registered trademarks for the word "backcountry" which are not further distinguished by additional designs or phrases, such as a goat design and/or a ".com" phrase. The word backcountry is generic in its stylistic description of a multitude of types of outdoor recreation; to give some additional examples it is as generic a descriptor in the outdoor industry as the word "motor" is in the automotive industry and the word "portable" in the electronics industry. Generic usage of the word "backcountry" has been long standing for likely a hundred years and commercial references to the term in reference to both products and services can easily be found dating back to the 1950's and earlier.

3) TSG to issue a public apology highlighting the mistake for engaging in this branding strategy and authorizing its agent IPLA to pursue such aggressive tactics against small businesses nationwide, and express how it plans to commit itself to do right by its consumers and the rest of the industry. The word "fair fight" doesn't even come close to describing the aggressive communications documented between IPLA and organizations that bring in extremely small amounts of annual revenue, possibly less than what Backcountry.com and its associated websites can collect in a single day of order bookings. Small business owners livelihoods are threatened, while those responsible at IPLA, Backcountry.com and TSG likely don't stand to lose much more than a percentage of their annual bonus payouts.

4) Individuals directly responsible for authorizing IPLA to execute this strategy and continuing to fund and retain IPLA should be removed from their positions. It is untenable to think that any executives and/or management team that was convinced upon this strategy direction - that Backcountry.com should attempt to create a monolithic brand trademark from a generic word already used for generations by dozens upon dozens of small businesses nationwide, and then pursue aggressive tactics affecting those businesses abilities to operate, businesses who play a vital role in the flourishing ecosystem of the outdoor recreation industry as both consumers and suppliers - should continue to remain in guidance at one of the larger companies operating in this space. Plainly said, it's really bad for backcountry if these people stay in their current positions: both in the generic term application of the industry overall, and in specific reference to Backcountry.com.

[glademaster]

I think not buying anything from them and a sticker depicting the Backcuntry Goat being hate fucked says everything that needs to be said. Brevity is the soul of wit and whatnot.

[Harry]

In case anyone's wondering and it hasn't been posted (didn't wade through this whole thread), here are the brands owned by TSG. I'm not going to shop any of these companies so long as this ridiculousness continues.

http://www.tsgconsumer.com/portfolio

Fuck. These dickbags own Harry’s.

Looks like these fuckers are going to sue me next.




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[rideit]

Wouldn’t it be something if there were, say, a few thousand DNS attacks on some random websites in the near future?
Asking for a friend

[joetron]

I noticed some recently scraped-off goats on the back window of a car this afternoon. I’d imagine those’ll be the first of many.

Edit: yuck

[dcpnz]

Holy crap ScralphMacchio!
IMHO your suggestions are way over the top and beyond the realm of reality.

What would I like to see happen?

1) Cessation of TSG & IPLA's overly aggressive trademark enforcement actions to bully anyone with respect to using the word "backcountry" regardless of size, revenue and competitive positioning.

Even that probably ain't going to fly because I doubt they'll lay off any other retailer of outdoor gear using the word e.g Cripple Creek Backcountry.

[JerseyDave]

^^ That there is some solid whataboutism.

Hope you never get fucked over by people who try to kill your livelihood just because they have more money.

That happens every day to each and every one of us via fed. gub'ment subsidies of profitable industries and foreign aid to genocidal maniacs. Carry on with your sport boycott. So important.

[BobMc]

A friend invited me to a boycott Backcountry Facebook page. Holy fuck, I had to go turn down the invitation, the amount of social justice warrioring was taking over my feed and I hadn't even joined the page.

I'd boycott them but that would mean I'd have to buy shit to begin with.

[JerseyDave]

A friend invited me to a boycott Backcountry Facebook page. Holy fuck, I had to go turn down the invitation, the amount of social justice warrioring was taking over my feed and I hadn't even joined the page.

Fuckn truth right there. Ridiculous. Imagine if folks mobilized over social media for actual issues that affect our lives outside of shopping. This is really so fucking dumb. Move over #firstworldproblems, here comes #pissedoffsportyshoppers

[XXX-er]

imagine if ... people voted

[reckless toboggan]

Fuck Backcountry.com

I won't spend any money there unless they fully reverse course; reimburse for reputational damage, losses, and expenses those they've sent cease and desist orders to or taken legal action against, and send apology letters to same; publicly apologise in all social media and post an apology on each page of their website for a period of no less than 180 days; start a fund whereby for a minimum of 15 years backcountry.com donates 1% of profits to a trust fund for granting those money's to outdoor focussed startups and entrepreneurs, who may only have or be involved in a single business with value of less than $250,000 USD, and which will be run by a board of directors made up of entrepreneurs who may only be involved in one business with value of less than $500,000 who will choose from applications/applicants to the fund.

Yah.

Fuck Backcountry.com right in the backcountry.

[JerseyDave]

imagine if ... people voted

Right...but THIS. This is really important...because it's shopping.

[abraham]

Right...but THIS. This is really important...because it's shopping.

It might also be important because bc was a company that involved lots of mags in it's infancy. And still provides a job for some members of the community.

Meanwhile you're just coming in to say how much radder you are than everyone else here. Which is cool. Good for you!

[JerseyDave]

It might also be important because bc was a company that involved lots of mags in it's infancy. And still provides a job for some members of the community.

Meanwhile you're just coming in to say how much radder you are than everyone else here. Which is cool. Good for you!

Wow. You made a real jump there to get personal. Your logic is astounding. That guy doesn't agree with our "cause"....get 'em! Predictable.

[1000-oaks]

Pick your battles; isn’t Moosejaw owned by Walmart?

Just sayin’...

Have a family member and know a few folks who work for Walmart, and they really like it. Despite what the media says, many employees seem to be big fans of the company.

Plus, Target is on my boycott list, so that leaves Wallys for must-have toiletries, ammo, and small household items from China.

[idahospud]

Meanwhile you're just coming in to say how much radder you are than everyone else here. Which is cool. Good for you!

GNAR points, baby, GNAR points.

[JerseyDave]

What's awesome is I own and love Marquettes, and ski them all the time. I understand that the real threat to the company's future is that no one bought the skis.

[abraham]

Wow. You made a real jump there to get personal. Your logic is astounding. That guy doesn't agree with our "cause"....get 'em! Predictable.

Eh you mostly are saying we should all care about more important things. Which is fair but the method it isn't helpful.

I suppose I care about this because it seems like a dumb abuse of an existing system. It's not going to change my purchase patterns at Backcountry, I think I bought one thing off SAC in 08 or 09? It's not going to change the amount of time I spend in the Backcountry either. We can all play at the purity test thing if we want to

[XXX-er]

Right...but THIS. This is really important...because it's shopping.

I shop .. there fore I am

[Lone Star]

it takes seconds to post on this forum and seconds to find another retailer. you can bitch and moan about people caring but, really, I don't need to care that much to just decide I won't buy from one of 100 online merchants, especially if that one is a poopy head.

until they offer something i really want for a tenth of the usual price, in which case my hypocrisy knows no bounds.

[cycology1]

wait - did Lou sell wildsnow?

On that note, ackountry.com is available. Im sure that is some type of typo squatting, but what the hell...

finally, the german bier bar in frisco/denver Prost had to rename to Prosit due to something similar - think it was a trademark issue.

[SkiLyft]

wait - did Lou sell wildsnow?

On that note, ackountry.com is available. Im sure that is some type of typo squatting, but what the hell...

finally, the german bier bar in frisco/denver Prost had to rename to Prosit due to something similar - think it was a trademark issue.

Whhhhaaaaatttt iffffff cripple creek bought wild snow to own the rights to the term that Lou coined “backcountry” to counter sue backcountry?!? We can hope.


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[My Pet Powder Goat]

That happens every day to each and every one of us via fed. gub'ment subsidies of profitable industries and foreign aid to genocidal maniacs. Carry on with your sport boycott. So important.

Fuckn truth right there. Ridiculous. Imagine if folks mobilized over social media for actual issues that affect our lives outside of shopping. This is really so fucking dumb. Move over #firstworldproblems, here comes #pissedoffsportyshoppers

Is it hard being so hardcore?

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[My Pet Powder Goat]

wait - did Lou sell wildsnow?

On that note, ackountry.com is available. Im sure that is some type of typo squatting, but what the hell...

Fuck the Goat.

new mascot




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