F Vail

[Andy_ROC]

I think filling out the forms and paying in advance is a great idea to avoid administrative congestion at the rental shop. But don't think for a moment I'd be comfortable taking whatever they issued for me without first checking out the gear. No way.

 

[Brownski]

They want this to be like using your Starbucks app or WeGrub or whatever those food delivery services are for lazy fat people. This management should be in that type of business, not running ski hills.

I hear your outrage and honor it.
Fuck Vail.
But go back and listen to the storm cast interview with Joe Hessian from Mountain Creek/Big Snow. He’s all about removing the pain points for new skiers- sort of won me over on some of it. I think Vail is going beyond that though- attempting to simultaneously woo concierge/ luxury service type people and the “gee wiz- it’s- mobile” crowd as a way to pull business from the local access road independent shops- like they don’t have a huge advantage over those guys already. That seems delusional and misguided.

 

[Benny Profane]

I skied Mountain Creek once in my life. Once. And I'm about as Jersey Boy as you can be until age 40. I know Stuart likes the place because it's close, but, C'mon, man. Even that artificial thing in the Meadowlands should do the dirty work of making sure beginners are in the right boots, if they want them coming back.

 

[Benny Profane]

Another reason why snowboarding is so popular. Boots. Boots, you have to admit, suck.

 

[Johnny V.]

The MacD-ing and Starbucking of skiing. This is what happens when the CEO comes from Pepsi marketing.

If you read the press release/stockholder meeting report, it's a bunch of corporate speak. I seriously doubt they can deliver anything close to what they promise. Judging from the number of rental skis we saw on our IKON trip (and I'm sure the Epic resorts are no different) just the inventory is a huge expense, much less catering to what people really want. Sounds good on paper though.

 

[Benny Profane]

I'll bet it's not really the equipment, it's the manpower. This is so much easier. I'll bet they said, a robot could do it, especially when the fantasy of self driving delivery arrives. In their heads. Because it never will. But corporate types like that hate workers. They probably really have a hard time with their labor, and can barely house them. They live in a place in their heads where messy minimum wage employees disappear, hopefully. Like Uber wanted robot taxis.

 

[tirolski]

I hear your outrage and honor it.
Fuck Vail.
... the “gee wiz- it’s- mobile” crowd as a way to pull business from the local access road independent shops-

Sounds like the “Skiology” thingy

 

[tirolski]

If ya think Vail's "customer service" is challenging what’s the chances of gettin their new ancillary boots fittin correctly?

https://twitter.com/x/status/1644038281301213184

 

[Milo Maltbie]

…what’s the chances of gettin their new ancillary boots fittin correctly?

Vail owns almost every ski shop in Colorado and has an app based relationship with all the customers. They’re using those advantages to takeover the ski delivery business that already exists. Boots are obviously the hard part but vail is the only renter who can trade out boots to unhappy customers right at the base. Access road shop owners who think Vail is gonna fail are just whistling past the graveyard.
This isn’t disruption as much as the big fish swallowing the little fish.

mm

 

[tirolski]

Vail owns almost every ski shop in Colorado and has an app based relationship with all the customers. They’re using those advantages to takeover the ski delivery business that already exists. Boots are obviously the hard part but vail is the only renter who can trade out boots to unhappy customers right at the base. Access road shop owners who think Vail is gonna fail are just whistling past the graveyard.
This isn’t disruption as much as the big fish swallowing the little fish.

mm

Maybe, but effectively renting boots that fit is most likely beyond any currently available app.
Especially if they run it like their other software.
They can market it, but if momma ain’t happy with her boots ain’t nobody happy.