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Of the how many hundreds of skaters in SE QLD, how many do you think I help?
Probably in the last month, not including all the prizes I GIVE OUT FOR FREE at comps, I think I have helped less than 20 skaters with one thing or another - some for decks bought from Resistance, some for shoes, and a couple for other specialty things they have asked me to find.
And I do have a "business" with ABN and everything legal so I can do whatever within the law I choose.
The whole "setting up a stall/stand/boot selling stuff at a skatepark " is not what I do. When I go out I usually put a few things in the car, or when I run events, I have the car full and actually ask the winners of the comp what they would like / need, rather than just giving them something they would not ride or use.
If I am meeting someone specifically for something, then I would usually meet them at a skatepark, so I can have a roll too.
Maybe you are confusing me with someone else of different identity who does have a "mobile shop" in their van and sells stuff purely for the $$$?
If any businesses do suffer as a direct result of what I do, please let me know as I am curious to hear exactly who if any have issues with me.
last 10 boards, all bought from retail shops and I insisted I don't pay a discount, so thanks for asking, you can stop with laying out all your achievements like your better than anyone else.
"I don't just go to skateparks and set up shop to make $$$ and everything I get from it goes back into getting more stuff to use for the same deal."
whoopee, thats the same as a shop, but you have no overheads etc, and you are competing with the shops, you can not deny this.
show me another industry where an individual buys product from a retailer then sells it below RRP right in the face of said retailer?
How can a distributor possibly be happy with you not sticking to RRP?
and all your customers are needy rippers who are homeless with no parents? yeah right. you spruik here on the for sale threads all the time with no knowledge of who you actually sell to.
When Project and Hardcore and Goliath etc enter this thread and say they have no problem with your stalls and what you do and it doesn't effect skateshops at all then I will eat my words and pipe down.
Hey Mark
Do you still have #7, #56, #92 or #111
from here?
http://www.skateboard.com.au/forum/read.cfm?forum=12&thread=73759
I don't want to get involved here, but it is a "forum", in which opinions should be raised. Mark, I've known you for a long time, so I hope you appreciate me saying this as an opinion and not a stab.
The only problem I have with the "selling outside the skate shop" is that it takes away impulse buying and also people seeing new product/advertising/technologies etc that would be in the shop. By taking kids out of the shops we are limiting their choices and also taking away the general "stoke" that comes with walking into a genuine skate shop - something I can guarantee you won't get from walking in to a scooter selling shop or a surf/skate store. (trust me, I know) Taking the product to the people is just as harmful as having them buy off Ebay. Although you have done the right thing and bought from the shop originally, it's still stopping people from walking through the doors of their local skate store, therefore limiting foot traffic and potential sales.
Re tshirts - wait until I am home in Brisbane and can check.
Re the wonderful enigma that is 4GG:
Details please - what boards and where from exactly?
Achievements - hardly - just trying to explain myself as you seem to have issues with what I do.
When I buy product from the skate shop and support them as well as local distro who supplied the product, I can do whatever I like with it as they already have my money. How is this competion for said shop, unless it is another shop which I don't want to buy from and is having a whinge?
"Sell at skateparks" put that wrong - I don't go to skateparks and set up shop - end of story.
I help a select few, maybe 20 skaters tops in the last month with one thing or another, not counting all the FREE PRODUCT I have given to skaters at comps. So of the hundreds all over Brisbane or in SE QLD, how is this causing the skate shops any harm?
ABN and all other legals - not an issue as I am not retail.
"needy rippers / homeless / no parents" you said, not me, so don't push it to extremes.
You said "When Project and Hardcore and Goliath etc enter this thread and say they have no problem with your stalls and what you do and it doesn't effect skateshops at all then I will eat my words and pipe down."
I don't have stalls but I do help people in the most basic and simple way I can.
According to you, I should just stop doing this completely and let the skaters find their own sources, hopefully they would go to a real skate shop, but more likely the people I know will go on ebay or US skate sites to get their product cheaper and not support the local scene at all?
I know for a fact some people I do help will not buy fom local shops.
Would that make you happy 4GG if I didn't do anything for skateboarding?
Shep - I do appreciate comments and info like that, so thanks.
I know most of the people I skate with and know do still go into shops on the regular, and do spend up big on things I will not deal with so I am definitely not stopping them buying anything else from shops.
I never want to be a "one stop for everything" deal and take people away from shops.
When I think about it, meeting with Hibiscus crew for a roll on a fri avo, I see new shoes, new boards / hardware, clothes, etc which don't come from me, but if one guy arranges to get a board, wheels and bearings, I will help him from what I have, or go to the shop and buy it for him and help him with it.
I think what gets to me the most is the lack of understanding people have of me.
In this industry of "distro / warehouse sales", distro owned retail shops, team riders, reps and others selling at parks or whatever, the regular shop is getting less of the pie than in other industries. I am trying to help the small retail shops by buying from them.
retail isn't one off sales, it's about building a relationship with customers, repeat business etc, all of which you are denying the shops.
why should you have the power to choose what products get onsold and which don't?
you have product lined up and ready to purchase at skateparks, how is this not a stall? vans shoes all lined up.
you just said it, just last month there are 20 less skaters for the shops to hope to sell to.
All for what? So you look cool giving kids a sweet deal? What is your hidden agenda behind throwing away money? Do you realy think you're helping develop any scene etc? You are the problem.
" but more likely the people I know will go on ebay or US skate sites to get their product cheaper and not support the local scene at all?"
why would people support the local scene when it's just a dude selling out his car.
After reading Sheps post again, I have to add:
Actually I have a confession to make.
I still want to be the kid who gets stoked on going in to skate shops, which is why I spend so much time in them nowdays. I am always amazed at seeing all the boards on the walls, wheels in the cabinet, shoes on the racks, etc.
I also have a problem with buying too much, so when I see something really good / cool, I usually cannot resist getting it, so spend the money, then have the product, often which is not used, so will pass it on to someone else, sometimes for free, sometimes at a greatly reduced cost.
With not being able to roll as much, this is my way of still "living skateboarding" a little more than maybe I should.
Sorry.
hey old man, time to give it up.
the kids are the ones who deserve the awesome shop experience of which you are a fan, yet you are denying them entry.
let the kids be the ones "living skateboarding" whether it means saving for weeks to get the latest whatever, it's all part of "living skateboarding".
give up reliving your youth and move on.
4GG - now you are making some valid points and more sense.
I would definitely know you then... could be Cam W or someone else from the industry that is now elsewhere?
We should definitely have a chat / laugh about this when you see me next - how you wind me up.
To answer your new post:
choose which products - mostly these are things that people have asked me to get, then either not bought, or something I saw and bought for whatever reason.
I always say to people whom I don't know "if you want a certain product, just go to the shop and get it".
20 skaters I helped with maybe one product or so, when they would still be going to shops to get EVERYTHING ELSE they need, but I do know a lot of people buy direct from ebay or US sites - look at the local coops scene (no names) or older guys who used to be in the industry (Mr N.H.) who get it all direct nowdays.
Vans shoes all lined up - well, I have a box, got to get the box out of the car, to let those I know go through and see which ones they want. Should I have a table I get out and set up too? Maybe a flag or something as well?
All for what? ...look cool... whatever else. = NO I dont do it to look cool or anything like that. Funny you even think that, as I am so completely not driven like that. I like to help people and see people happy / having fun more than anything else.
Throwing away money? Really, I have normal work with income (and tax) which pays my personal bills and I have a business with income, so I spend ALL the income to buy product and cycle the cash back through to buy more, so it is like giving these skaters I know the $$ rather than the tax office.
I have a lot of people ask about good shops and I always tell them, get it from local shops and where the shops are, etc to help the shops with their trade. I even have "thanks from shop people" for telling customers where the shops are, as I always say to tell the shop person I have recommended them to the shop.
Understand a bit better now?
Hey Mark
I know for a fact that some shop/dist people in QLD did/do think you were hurting their business.
We have a major problem in this country that I think will cause skateboarding to greatly diminish. Any kid can get product from a whole range of means well well below rrp. So much stuff is coming in from internet stores overseas, locals black importing, dists doing warehouse sales, every second kid being sponsored and slingin stuff. There has been a very low price expectation set. Nobody expects to pay near full price for anything. This makes it incredibly hard for shops to survive and therefore dists to survive. Both of those are the ones who to a degree keep alot of people skateboarding via paying for mags, tours, comps and sponsorhip pathways.
Via slinging volumes of stuff to kids at low low prices you help keep that price expectation very low.
That being said I do have to give you props for helping skateboarding in other ways up there via running the clinics and comps and the rest of the stuff you do there. That does help shops.
PS - yes I know i have an internet store and can be seen as being a bad skateboarding person too. I won't deny that.
think I understand now, the comps and clinics are done as a tax write off, more to help out yourself than the kids, so as you can then write off equipment purchases, to appear cool in front of kids and continue "living skateboarding"
Thanks Drew for comments / honesty as well.
Sometimes makes you think "Doing it for the right reasons" doesn't mean a thing when "right" may not be so right after all from another point of view.
I definitely have been reducing things from what they were, and making better decisions than have been in the past, so can understand how some people have that view of me.
Working more, a lot away too, means I have less time to skate, to run events and less happening with skateboarding for me, but when it is in the blood, there is no giving up.
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Resistance 40% OFF SALE
Mark Brimson 00:06 12/May/10
Of the how many hundreds of skaters in SE QLD, how many do you think I help?
Probably in the last month, not including all the prizes I GIVE OUT FOR FREE at comps, I think I have helped less than 20 skaters with one thing or another - some for decks bought from Resistance, some for shoes, and a couple for other specialty things they have asked me to find.
And I do have a "business" with ABN and everything legal so I can do whatever within the law I choose.
The whole "setting up a stall/stand/boot selling stuff at a skatepark " is not what I do. When I go out I usually put a few things in the car, or when I run events, I have the car full and actually ask the winners of the comp what they would like / need, rather than just giving them something they would not ride or use.
If I am meeting someone specifically for something, then I would usually meet them at a skatepark, so I can have a roll too.
Maybe you are confusing me with someone else of different identity who does have a "mobile shop" in their van and sells stuff purely for the $$$?
If any businesses do suffer as a direct result of what I do, please let me know as I am curious to hear exactly who if any have issues with me.
4GG 00:16 12/May/10
last 10 boards, all bought from retail shops and I insisted I don't pay a discount, so thanks for asking, you can stop with laying out all your achievements like your better than anyone else.
"I don't just go to skateparks and set up shop to make $$$ and everything I get from it goes back into getting more stuff to use for the same deal."
whoopee, thats the same as a shop, but you have no overheads etc, and you are competing with the shops, you can not deny this.
show me another industry where an individual buys product from a retailer then sells it below RRP right in the face of said retailer?
How can a distributor possibly be happy with you not sticking to RRP?
and all your customers are needy rippers who are homeless with no parents? yeah right. you spruik here on the for sale threads all the time with no knowledge of who you actually sell to.
When Project and Hardcore and Goliath etc enter this thread and say they have no problem with your stalls and what you do and it doesn't effect skateshops at all then I will eat my words and pipe down.
Some Poor Kid 00:29 12/May/10
Hey Mark
Do you still have #7, #56, #92 or #111
from here?
http://www.skateboard.com.au/forum/read.cfm?forum=12&thread=73759
Shep 01:03 12/May/10
I don't want to get involved here, but it is a "forum", in which opinions should be raised. Mark, I've known you for a long time, so I hope you appreciate me saying this as an opinion and not a stab.
The only problem I have with the "selling outside the skate shop" is that it takes away impulse buying and also people seeing new product/advertising/technologies etc that would be in the shop. By taking kids out of the shops we are limiting their choices and also taking away the general "stoke" that comes with walking into a genuine skate shop - something I can guarantee you won't get from walking in to a scooter selling shop or a surf/skate store. (trust me, I know) Taking the product to the people is just as harmful as having them buy off Ebay. Although you have done the right thing and bought from the shop originally, it's still stopping people from walking through the doors of their local skate store, therefore limiting foot traffic and potential sales.
Mark Brimson 01:06 12/May/10
Re tshirts - wait until I am home in Brisbane and can check.
Re the wonderful enigma that is 4GG:
Details please - what boards and where from exactly?
Achievements - hardly - just trying to explain myself as you seem to have issues with what I do.
When I buy product from the skate shop and support them as well as local distro who supplied the product, I can do whatever I like with it as they already have my money. How is this competion for said shop, unless it is another shop which I don't want to buy from and is having a whinge?
"Sell at skateparks" put that wrong - I don't go to skateparks and set up shop - end of story.
I help a select few, maybe 20 skaters tops in the last month with one thing or another, not counting all the FREE PRODUCT I have given to skaters at comps. So of the hundreds all over Brisbane or in SE QLD, how is this causing the skate shops any harm?
ABN and all other legals - not an issue as I am not retail.
"needy rippers / homeless / no parents" you said, not me, so don't push it to extremes.
You said "When Project and Hardcore and Goliath etc enter this thread and say they have no problem with your stalls and what you do and it doesn't effect skateshops at all then I will eat my words and pipe down."
I don't have stalls but I do help people in the most basic and simple way I can.
According to you, I should just stop doing this completely and let the skaters find their own sources, hopefully they would go to a real skate shop, but more likely the people I know will go on ebay or US skate sites to get their product cheaper and not support the local scene at all?
I know for a fact some people I do help will not buy fom local shops.
Would that make you happy 4GG if I didn't do anything for skateboarding?
Mark Brimson 01:14 12/May/10
Shep - I do appreciate comments and info like that, so thanks.
I know most of the people I skate with and know do still go into shops on the regular, and do spend up big on things I will not deal with so I am definitely not stopping them buying anything else from shops.
I never want to be a "one stop for everything" deal and take people away from shops.
When I think about it, meeting with Hibiscus crew for a roll on a fri avo, I see new shoes, new boards / hardware, clothes, etc which don't come from me, but if one guy arranges to get a board, wheels and bearings, I will help him from what I have, or go to the shop and buy it for him and help him with it.
I think what gets to me the most is the lack of understanding people have of me.
In this industry of "distro / warehouse sales", distro owned retail shops, team riders, reps and others selling at parks or whatever, the regular shop is getting less of the pie than in other industries. I am trying to help the small retail shops by buying from them.
4GG 01:20 12/May/10
retail isn't one off sales, it's about building a relationship with customers, repeat business etc, all of which you are denying the shops.
why should you have the power to choose what products get onsold and which don't?
you have product lined up and ready to purchase at skateparks, how is this not a stall? vans shoes all lined up.
you just said it, just last month there are 20 less skaters for the shops to hope to sell to.
All for what? So you look cool giving kids a sweet deal? What is your hidden agenda behind throwing away money? Do you realy think you're helping develop any scene etc? You are the problem.
" but more likely the people I know will go on ebay or US skate sites to get their product cheaper and not support the local scene at all?"
why would people support the local scene when it's just a dude selling out his car.
Mark Brimson 01:21 12/May/10
After reading Sheps post again, I have to add:
Actually I have a confession to make.
I still want to be the kid who gets stoked on going in to skate shops, which is why I spend so much time in them nowdays. I am always amazed at seeing all the boards on the walls, wheels in the cabinet, shoes on the racks, etc.
I also have a problem with buying too much, so when I see something really good / cool, I usually cannot resist getting it, so spend the money, then have the product, often which is not used, so will pass it on to someone else, sometimes for free, sometimes at a greatly reduced cost.
With not being able to roll as much, this is my way of still "living skateboarding" a little more than maybe I should.
Sorry.
4GG 01:28 12/May/10
hey old man, time to give it up.
the kids are the ones who deserve the awesome shop experience of which you are a fan, yet you are denying them entry.
let the kids be the ones "living skateboarding" whether it means saving for weeks to get the latest whatever, it's all part of "living skateboarding".
give up reliving your youth and move on.
Mark Brimson 01:39 12/May/10
4GG - now you are making some valid points and more sense.
I would definitely know you then... could be Cam W or someone else from the industry that is now elsewhere?
We should definitely have a chat / laugh about this when you see me next - how you wind me up.
To answer your new post:
choose which products - mostly these are things that people have asked me to get, then either not bought, or something I saw and bought for whatever reason.
I always say to people whom I don't know "if you want a certain product, just go to the shop and get it".
20 skaters I helped with maybe one product or so, when they would still be going to shops to get EVERYTHING ELSE they need, but I do know a lot of people buy direct from ebay or US sites - look at the local coops scene (no names) or older guys who used to be in the industry (Mr N.H.) who get it all direct nowdays.
Vans shoes all lined up - well, I have a box, got to get the box out of the car, to let those I know go through and see which ones they want. Should I have a table I get out and set up too? Maybe a flag or something as well?
All for what? ...look cool... whatever else. = NO I dont do it to look cool or anything like that. Funny you even think that, as I am so completely not driven like that. I like to help people and see people happy / having fun more than anything else.
Throwing away money? Really, I have normal work with income (and tax) which pays my personal bills and I have a business with income, so I spend ALL the income to buy product and cycle the cash back through to buy more, so it is like giving these skaters I know the $$ rather than the tax office.
I have a lot of people ask about good shops and I always tell them, get it from local shops and where the shops are, etc to help the shops with their trade. I even have "thanks from shop people" for telling customers where the shops are, as I always say to tell the shop person I have recommended them to the shop.
Understand a bit better now?
drew 01:43 12/May/10
Hey Mark
I know for a fact that some shop/dist people in QLD did/do think you were hurting their business.
We have a major problem in this country that I think will cause skateboarding to greatly diminish. Any kid can get product from a whole range of means well well below rrp. So much stuff is coming in from internet stores overseas, locals black importing, dists doing warehouse sales, every second kid being sponsored and slingin stuff. There has been a very low price expectation set. Nobody expects to pay near full price for anything. This makes it incredibly hard for shops to survive and therefore dists to survive. Both of those are the ones who to a degree keep alot of people skateboarding via paying for mags, tours, comps and sponsorhip pathways.
Via slinging volumes of stuff to kids at low low prices you help keep that price expectation very low.
That being said I do have to give you props for helping skateboarding in other ways up there via running the clinics and comps and the rest of the stuff you do there. That does help shops.
PS - yes I know i have an internet store and can be seen as being a bad skateboarding person too. I won't deny that.
4GG 01:51 12/May/10
think I understand now, the comps and clinics are done as a tax write off, more to help out yourself than the kids, so as you can then write off equipment purchases, to appear cool in front of kids and continue "living skateboarding"
Mark Brimson 01:54 12/May/10
Thanks Drew for comments / honesty as well.
Sometimes makes you think "Doing it for the right reasons" doesn't mean a thing when "right" may not be so right after all from another point of view.
I definitely have been reducing things from what they were, and making better decisions than have been in the past, so can understand how some people have that view of me.
Working more, a lot away too, means I have less time to skate, to run events and less happening with skateboarding for me, but when it is in the blood, there is no giving up.
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