Results 151 to 172 of 172
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09-15-2018, 04:45 PM #151Registered User
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- Aug 2015
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- Burlington, VT
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- 108
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09-15-2018, 04:47 PM #152Registered User
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- Aug 2015
- Location
- Burlington, VT
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- 108
thanks, will share w Hoji
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09-15-2018, 04:55 PM #153Registered User
- Join Date
- Aug 2015
- Location
- Burlington, VT
- Posts
- 108
Yes selling skis for what they're worth is optimal but the value of a product like you know is based on supply and demand. The REAL PROBLEM in the ski industry is large brands over produce simply to maintain factory minimums required to deal with unions and hit undreasonably large budget goals by public companies. This puts too much product in the market, leading to over supply and under demand = everyone has to sell for less than the product is worth. In the end small brands don't have a chance in hell of beating the big companies low prices to dealers and end up simply not getting their product into shops or doing so by selling too cheap and loosing money. Only solution, sell direct so you can sell less qty, at higher margin and pay your bills... no longer being part of the low price race to the bottom retail store game the big guys can all afford to play.
Prodeal discounts and some flowed free product to influencers is part of normal marketing and is not what is making small brands loose money as long as they keep to a reasonable % of total sales.
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09-15-2018, 04:58 PM #154Registered User
- Join Date
- Aug 2015
- Location
- Burlington, VT
- Posts
- 108
Thanks for the push. My warehouse passes on to me a 20% discount which at end of day still puts it over $200. Shipping a few thousand boxes a year in the real world unfortunately does not impress Fedex or UPS. I have since lowered the shipping to $200 for international orders but keeped FREE shipping to US and Canada for J and 4FRNT.
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09-17-2018, 08:26 AM #155
Thanks JLev - for being on here, saving 4frnt, being an innovator, continuing to disrupt. A few things...
- Love the Hoji Q&A last night! Can't wait for his movie to come thru town
- Another big vote for the EHP limited release (w/ pils graphics!) - while the Ren is more refined, the EHP is still different enough @ 40M
- Just picked up some Ravens a month ago and debating in my head adding the new lighter Ren to the quiver... it's just skiing, and money
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09-17-2018, 09:29 AM #156
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09-17-2018, 10:41 AM #157
Buy my 193 EHPs before they hit GS! Chinese water color graphic too
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09-17-2018, 02:06 PM #158
^they are a good deal
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10-13-2018, 12:12 AM #159Registered User
- Join Date
- Oct 2018
- Posts
- 42
Grew up skiing in the SW, transitioned to snowboarding (who doesn't like powder on a board?), use to be able to ski / ride anything I wanted hard, then all of the sudden... (college + work + lived in all the wrong places = 15 year absence from heavy duty snow life). Decided to change that, back out west, been a long road (~3 years) getting back to form + getting f'n geared up proper (tough, but on the path to righteousness finally, thx 4frnt, screw rosignol souless 7 and the BB old guy salesman who does not know any better).
I run the 4frn rens, ravens, and devs. Looking to add last year hoji on a lightweight tour binding (if I can find a boot that I like).
Thanks for adding the ski specs to the 4frnt website for ease of access and transparency. Can you add the ski edge angles?
Suggestion: Make 4frnt website a one stop shop for all base supplies specific to skis, i.e. sell all the stuff for people to 'mount their own f'n bindings' and tune. Sell demo bindings. I had heck trying to find a shop to mount tyrolia adrenalines on some 4frnt skis. I ended up mounting my own f'n bindings.
The shop I consulted who had a tyrolia adrenaline jig talked down 4frnt after 4frnt started to sell direct. My response, well there are plenty of dentists and rosignol souless 7s...
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12-14-2018, 04:02 AM #160Minion
- Join Date
- Dec 2018
- Posts
- 1
Hope something change so it will be feasible again buy 4frnt ski from outside usa....
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03-03-2019, 01:45 PM #161
Thanks for saving 4frnt JLev!
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04-17-2019, 06:15 AM #162Registered User
- Join Date
- Mar 2014
- Posts
- 15
I understand that that's what it costs you. But at the end of the day it still keeps international buyers like me from buying 4frnt and looking towards Moments free shipping.
Sent from my DRA-LX3 using TGR Forums mobile app
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04-17-2019, 06:48 AM #163
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04-17-2019, 02:10 PM #164
After reading this thread I will consider 4frnt skis for purchase in the near future.
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04-17-2019, 03:13 PM #165Registered User
- Join Date
- Aug 2007
- Location
- United States of Aburdistan
- Posts
- 7,281
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09-09-2020, 03:32 PM #166
JLev gone from 4FRNT.
(What, no TGR love for 4frnt these days??)
4FRNT Ski Company Gets New Owners
Company will continue to double down on direct-to-consumer model and athlete-inspired products
4FRNT Ski Company has been acquired by a group of private entrepreneurs from Jason Levinthal. The new owners Charlie Johnson, Will Armenta and Ebi Lange, are longtime friends, entrepreneurs, and passionate skiers. They are motivated by the purity and dedication of the 4FRNT brand to freeride skiing, and are eager to continue to elevate the company’s founding mission of collaborating with pro athletes to develop the industry’s most innovative and award-winning freeride products.
Jason, a 25-year ski industry pioneer, who has founded and led several ski companies, says, “Converting this brand over the past three years from traditional retail distribution to ecommerce while modernizing the product line and digital marketing strategy has enabled 4FRNT to grow and achieve financial stability. It’s only been possible thanks to the hard work and passion of every 4FRNT athlete, supplier, employee, and customer over the past 18 years. I feel fortunate to have been a part of this brand’s rich history and I couldn’t be happier with the new leadership taking the reins from here.”
In addition to the growth of consumer interest in backcountry skiing, the new owners were attracted by 4FRNT’s outsized reputation within the industry, athlete-driven product development process, and lean direct-to-consumer business model. Charlie Johnson who lives in Winter Park, Colorado and has previously competed in big mountain competitions says, “It’s a dream to be so closely involved with a company I’ve admired and been a customer of for years. As we got to know the team and business model, it felt like a perfect fit. We couldn’t be more excited about the current award-winning ski line-up and feel a deep sense of responsibility to continue 4FRNT’s legacy while investing in its future.”
“Today’s environment is accelerating the pace of consumer’s transition to e-commerce and 4FRNT has a proven head start in the ski industry. We’re eager to provide resources and guidance around the customer experience to advance its lead,” says Will Armenta, a product management executive at a leading Silicon Valley technology firm, who invests in- and advises fast-growing digital brands.
Ebi Lange was heavily involved in the 2008 acquisition and turnaround of Rossignol, so he understands first-hand what it takes to run an efficient seasonal manufacturing business. Ebi says, “We have no intention of changing 4FRNT into something it’s not. Our goal is to reinforce and permanently solidify the brand’s values that got it here. We’ll continue working with its current athletes, employees and suppliers, as responsible stewards of the 4FRNT brand, while providing the resources to take it to the next level.”
4FRNT’s marketing manager Sam Kimmerle has been integral in driving the brand in recent years and will assume the role of Brand Manager. He will continue to collaborate with Eric Hjorleifson “HOJI”, Thayne Rich, and other athletes who are involved in content creation and product development.
Legendary big mountain freeride skier and product designer HOJI says, “I’ve been with 4FRNT since its humble beginning and I’m happy to have the opportunity to continue working with the new ownership. I value their commitment to pushing the envelope of product development and look forward to what we can accomplish together.”sproing!
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09-09-2020, 04:26 PM #167
Love 4frnt, and psyched to see what the new owners gonna do. My take is that JLev really stablized 4frnt as a company, but that his heart was/is more in J skis. So good outcome if 4frnt can stay sustainable with some new passionate owners. We'll see. That can be a tough needle to thread. I hope they keep hoji on board (and thayne too). And keep the ski line up pretty tight. Also hope employees are aok through the transition
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09-10-2020, 02:19 PM #168Registered User
- Join Date
- Oct 2017
- Posts
- 28
Nothing brand wise is changing! We are focusing on reaching new customers with our current product line and continuing along with our current trajectory. In terms of athletes Hoji just signed a 3 years contract under the new ownership and Thayne's promodel and involvement in product development will continue. Business as usual over here, just working our asses off to keep the ball rolling in the right direction 👊
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09-10-2020, 03:56 PM #169
Congrats on the sale JLev. Glad you were able to save the brand and deliver it to this point.
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09-11-2020, 05:47 PM #170Registered User
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- Aug 2020
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- 130
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09-11-2020, 08:13 PM #171
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09-12-2020, 07:56 AM #172Registered User
- Join Date
- Aug 2020
- Posts
- 130
Yeah, but that shop experience is not optimal for the large brands either, right? The shop presents other products to customers and create a challenging disconnect between the brand and their customers in a data driven era. If small brands continue to push the price down with direct sales, larger brands will have to match that sooner rather than later. Many large brands have already moved to direct sales: Nike, Bauer, Decathlon, Apple, etc. It might not be totally black or white, but you can already buy ski online directly from G3, DPS, Blizzard, ...
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