False advertisement

[Suzzz]

There should be laws preventing businesses from doing false advertisement. I live in a small tri-community of about 100,000 people and there is no real serious outdoors store. The closest MEC (Canadian equivalent to REI) is a three hour drive away so it's not always convenient to go there.

I was very excited this week when I noticed a new store in a stripmall close to my work. The name of the place is EXTREME OUTDOORS OUTFITTERS (or something like that, not exactly sure about the name). The front facade has North Face, Columbia, H/H, Sierra Design and other well known name brand logos. I could'nt wait to check it out. So I went for a look this morning. Boy was I ever disapointed. They had no boots, no tents, no backpacks, no gear to speak of actually, just clothes, clothes, and more clothes.

When I questionned how they dared put all those logos on their store front, the kid with the braces behind the cash replied that they do sell all those brands... They either have their t-shirts, basseball hats, or backpacks. He genuinely did'nt seem to understand what I was talking about when I told him those "things" were'nt backpacks. Oh, and if you're looking for overpriced sunglasses, it's the place to go.

HELLO!!!!

[Roland]

I see this more as a case of false expectations, than false advertising.

The store sold all the brands advertised. But, like so many shops, their focus is on clothing, not gear.

How many long distance hikers in Dieppe? There is a much greater market for clothing, than specialized hiking equipment.

[Egads]

This sounds like a case of the store filling the shelves with high margin apparel instead of low margin gear.:rolleyes:

Egads

[Suzzz]

I agree there's more money to be made from selling clothing than having thousands of dollars in hiking/camping inventory, catering to a very small market. No problem there. My problem is with the store name and store front. It looks like a place you could go to and buy all the stuff you need to go up Mount Everest, when all you can really get is t-shirts and sunglasses. That's why I call it false advertising. If it's a t-shirt store, call it a t-shirt store.

[Skyline]

Outdoor company logo'd clothing seems to be in high demand, at high prices. Maybe because it's functional, maybe because it implies the wearer is an outdoors enthusiast.

In many cases, they're just wannabe hikers or "pack sniffers," as a few here on WB have coined a new term.

The new store apparently realizes this market exists and is catering to it. Having an outfitter-sounding name probably gives them a kind of street cred. Unfortunately it also disappoints real hikers who want to buy real gear.

[mrc237]

Try and buy a medium sized North Face Black down jacket at EMS. Their biggest seller in Sept when school opens.

[the goat]

that's cuz pack sniffers like to wear their north face parkas & mt. hardware jackets to brave the elements on the way to the office.

[Appalachian Tater]

In many cases, they're just wannabe hikers or "pack sniffers," as a few here on WB have coined a new term.


According to Google, the first written use as a backpacking term was in 2005 by SGT Rock on his website:

http://hikinghq.net/forum/showthread.php?t=1170

It was probably in conversational use before then, but the first written instance is what counts.

[Auntie Mame]

I saw a similar storefront in Hanover, and it was representing the "lifestyle" branch of the company's products. ?Northface? The manufacturers acknowledge the very different cohorts among their customer bases. It seems to be an increasing trend, with gear being relegated to the dusty corners. Disappointing when you are thinking "gear".

[hurryinghoosier]

There is an Extreme Outdoor Outfitters in Carmel Indiana and it has lots of hiker equiptment. I just bought a Nimbus Ozone backpack and they knew their stuff on how to fit the pack etc. They have about everything one needs to fill a gear list. I just love this store

[Toolshed]

Well this is how the old EMS operated. They didn't expect to see serious backpackers in malls. The mall stores carried a basic smattering of climbing/paddling and backpacking gear - more lower end or EMS brand hiking and camping gear, less room for it and more room for clothing. Sweaters, t-shirts, pants, more cotton than nylon. Fancier TNF GTX Jackets and the like.

Once you got to a destination (non-mall EMS) store, you find higher end climbing and paddling gear, less focus on cotton clothing and style and more focus on gear and equipment.

Both stores seemed to be successful in their approach. The nice thing was that if you didn't live near a dest store, you could order gear and pick it up at the mall store.

The new owners have gone to a more all around high tech approach.

[Cuffs]

Theres a store in Tuscaloosa "Woods & Water." I was working in the area so I stopped by... The "woods" portion referred to deer hunting and the "water" referred to fishing and duck hunting. At least thats all I could gather. Lots of "fashion" clothes by the big names, but not a darn thing for hiking (that takes place, usually, in the woods.

I feel your pain!!