AF recreation outlet

[glockman]

Is it me or do they really suck? I have been looking at making a few gear purchases this spring so I stopped in today to check a few things out. I didn't see anything that isn't cheaper elsewhere locally. They were literally the most expensive on every item I looked at.

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[mesha]

Things have changed a lot around there in the last few years. Somethings are better and some are worse.

As far as prices, they beat any price, so it doesn't really matter if they are more expensive. Just let them know what it costs at "XYZ" store and they will beat it.

 

[Chevycrew]

The problem with beat any price is people like me wont shop there. If I want to haggle ill go to ksl or ebay. Give me a reason to walk into the store. I will leave a place to go buy elsewhere if I know its advertised cheaper. I wont ask if they can do better.

 

[sixstringsteve]

I like them for the most part. Rei and Backcountry are great, but they're a long drive for me. I didn't know they match prices. If j time it right, their dale prices are awesome, and if I buy a ton of crap at once it keeps getting cheaper and cheaper.

It really helps if you can find an employee who knows their stuff and wants to help you.

I agree that most of their listed prices on name brand gear aren't the cheapest around.

 

[mesha]

I didn't know they match prices.

They will even match internet prices.

For me it is worth asking them to match the price of another store, rather than leaving and driving to the other store. Not for everyone I guess.

 

[TurboMinivan]

Rei

(gasp)

 

[sixstringsteve]

Oh please, not this again. Gasp and judge me all you want.

 

[glockman]

If they match Internet pricing that makes a huge difference. I always do my research online and then try to buy local if possible or even slightly competitive. Now you're making me go back and spend money Davey!
I was looking at a jet boil and a thermarest. The thermarest was MSRP the jet boil was higher than listed on the jet boil website that was when I walked.

I think I'm going to buy an REI tent and then use it on my motorcycle just to piss them off and even out my moto karma. Is that acceptable turbo minivan?

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[JL Rockies]

Whenever peeps ask me to match internet pricing I say "sure, and I'll match the service level too." "Go home and email me your credit card number and I'll email you back a confirmation of shipping."


Kooler than Mudd.

 

[glockman]

Whenever peeps ask me to match internet pricing I say "sure, and I'll match the service level too." "Go home and email me your credit card number and I'll email you back a confirmation of shipping."


Kooler than Mudd.

Ya, I understand your point. That's why I try to buy local. But when they price items higher than the manufacturer list price they have played their haggle card. I'm willing to pay for service but I assume the manufacturer will give good service too.

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[ricsrx]

What is AF recreation outlet,....I don't get out much

 

[sixstringsteve]

It's a place for people who get out much. Haha, just kidding. They only have 3 locations so most people don't know about them.

It's a backpacking/camping gear store. They only have 3 locations so most people don't know about them. Davy can give us more backstory since he used to work there. It appears to me to be a local ma and pa shop with 3 locations: AF, Salt Lake, and Ogden. They have some incredibly inexpensive gear (made in china stuff), some medium of the road gear, and some great gear. Some of it's garbage and some of it's really quality gear for the price. The AF store also has some high-end items (backpacks, sleeping pads, sleeping bags, stoves, climbing gear, boots, etc). When they have sales, you can really score. I bought a $45 down beanie for $12 last time I was there. I think the only thing I would stay away from there are the tents, but I expect a lot from my tent.

They're not all hoity toity like REI. REI is like the Banana Republic of camping shops. Rec Outlet is like Old Navy. They're the perfect place to shop if you want to get your 12 year old gear stuff for a 50 miler and you don't want to spend much because you know he's not going to be doing a ton of hiking in the future. The AF store is a great place to shop for gloves, beanies, coats, pants, long underwear, backpacks, sleeping pads, MSR products, snowshoes, and stoves.

 

[mesha]

The problem with beat any price is people like me wont shop there. If I want to haggle ill go to ksl or ebay. Give me a reason to walk into the store. I will leave a place to go buy elsewhere if I know its advertised cheaper. I wont ask if they can do better.

The hard part about this is suppliers are tight on what they will let you sell things at. It is impossible to always advertise the cheapest price. You will lose your vendor status. Take for instance MSR(tents, stoves, snowshoes, etc.) products. A vendor is allowed to do 2 sales per YEAR on MSR products. You can sell it for whatever price you want even below wholesale if you would like, but you can only do it 2 times. For the rest of the year anytime another vendor has a sale they will of course be cheaper than you. You can match or beat their price if you would like you just can't advertise the price or it counts as one of your sales for the year.

Actual example: MSR pocket rocket is on sale at big Al's sporting goods in Logan Utah for less than cost to get people in the door. They only have 10 available at that price and Logan is a long drive for me. It would be absolutely ridiculous for me to drive to Logan hoping I get one of those 10 stoves when I could just drive to recreation(less than 1 mile from my house) outlet and show them the ad and have them match the price. No haggling. Simple easy transaction.

Retailers are not always advertising the lowest not because they want to force you to haggle, but because they are not allowed to.

I run into this very problem with alljeep. I will beat any price, but can't advertise the prices I can sell at all the time. It is against MAP pricing policy.

 

[sixstringsteve]

That's good insight, I hadn't ever seen that side of it.

 

[JL Rockies]

The old trick to getting around MAP is you accidentally advertise a old model number and you have to make good for the customers who come in on the ad with the current model. We do this with slow moving units that are current but we decided to cut down on our determined year supply.


Kooler than Mudd.