Welcome to Volume fourteen and an all-new crew of shops for this column. Right about now you're enjoying the waning summer, which is followed by a beautiful season known to retailers and manufacturers as "back-to-school." Perhaps you're considering buying plane tickets for San Diego to attend the Fall ASR Show, because you know that in general after the economy dips, it climbs. And besides the obvious shopping and scoping out of new products at ASR, it's always full of old friends you just don't get to see often enough. Goodbye dog days of summer, hello fall.
Ten Shops, One Question operates under this premise: for one year, we ask the same ten successful shops from the U.S. and elsewhere one question about skateboarding business. Their replies give us a peek into skateboarding in their respective regions, places as diverse as Christchurch, Philadelphia, Calgary, and Mexico City.
Enjoy this vicarious form of travel, and if you have a question you?d like to ask our Ten Shops, send it to: sharon.ed@twsnet.com or FAX: (760) 788-7072.
This issue's question: What age are the youngest skaters who shop in your store unaccompanied by adults?
Tim Quinn at Nocturnal Skate Shop in Philadelphia, Pennsylvanianocturnalskateshop.com
"I'd say around thirteen. The younger kids use mostly cash. We also do the whole credit-card confirm thing, call up Mom or Dad, but not too often.
"If we're having a big weekend and the whole family is in here, and Junior wants an Anti-Hero deck with a half-naked chick, he gets shut down. But I don't see it (shopping without adults) making a difference in what's purchased too often.
"Cash or debit, it doesn't much matter to me. The only two times I had problems with checks, it was from adults! I usually only take checks from people I know. You do see younger and younger kids coming in lately, a big increase."
Pete Kelly at Seraphim Skateboards in Pensacola, Floridaseraphimskateboards.com
"I've seen some young ones! I'd say seven and up. The parents will be in Target or Albertson's (both are next door), and they're in here shopping. Some are buying--maybe one out of ten of the young guys. They come and look, then they grab Mom from Target and say, 'I tried these shoes, and they fit!'
"I'd say most of the kids get Mom and Dad in to pay--some do have cash. Most of the kids who shop here know what they want from the good ol' CCS catalog. A lot of them don't know the skaters' names yet except maybe Tony Hawk! We see a lot of new skaters and new setups."
Buddy Best at Rise Skateboard Shop in Indianapolis, Indiana
"We have quite a few thirteen year olds who are actually purchasing. Most are using cash, but a lot of the skaters who come to the store are regulars, and Amy (Mullins--Rise co-owner and Buddy's business partner) and I try to establish a good relationship with their parents, so we try to work with them. Some have a (parent's) credit card, and we call their folks, but there are a few kids coming in now with the debit cards--just within the last few months.
"I had a boy come in about age twelve with his own credit card--I don't know how he worked that out! The kids who shop by themselves have been spending about the same as when they shop with their parents. I hear tons of the younger kids talking about how they like shopping without their parents--you know how embarrassed kids are by their parents."
Peter Gallagher at Curly's in Scottsdale, Arizona
"About 80 percent of the kids we get in here are between fourteen and ten. There're a ton of schools around. When I was in about seventh grade, I had to make the decision: 'Am I a skateboarder, am I a gangster, am I a jock?' I think that decision comes a lot earlier these days. The older kids are more into the pursuit of girls. Girls, bands, and partying ruin skateboarding.
"Mostly cash here--I've only seen a few kids with debit cards. Some come back with the parents. Some buy a buncof cheap stuff like stickers, then come back with a hundred-dollar bill to buy a complete.
"When I order wheels and boards, I don't even ask about size. If they look cool, like Wet Willy, that's what they (kids) want. When they get older, then they get picky. Some kids have a real good idea of what they want, but a lot sit there for a half hour trying to decide what wheels are best."
Corey Meyer at Mission Snow and Skate in Calgary, Albertamissionsnowandskate.com
"I'd say thirteen or fourteen. We have a high school across the street, and they come in at lunch. Debit cards are way more used here than in the States. Sixty or 70 percent of kids here use the debit card. It's a debit card (attached) to an account--whatever's in there is the amount they can spend, but many have a daily limit. We don't get kids with credit cards, and we try to discourage that so we don't get burned like we have in the past. On an average day, cash is only twenty to 25 percent of our sales.
"I'd say it (shopping without adults) affects what kids buy a little bit, but I'd say that the staff has more influence.
"Seventy percent of the shoppers are two or three kids shopping in a pack. Kids have a lot more knowledge than adults about the products. And there are just more younger kids skating--less 'core kids. Tons of first boards, first setups."
José "Pepe" Rodriguez at Bal Skate in Mexico City, Mexicobalskate.com
"About six years old--the little kids. And the oldest guys are like 25 or 26 years old. Five percent of the kids come with the cash, the others come in later with the parent with the credit cards and the cash. In Mexico, the debit cards only work at the ATM. Most of the people here pay with cash. Some of the shops--clothing, et cetera--charge extra for using the credit card. People here prefer cash because they don't want to pay the fees.
"The parents don't like a lot of the new graphics from Zero, but kids here are crazy for Zero, World, and Baker. It's important for us to get the right product for them, even if we have to get the product from another distributor at a higher price. These kids are gonna be the next pros!
"Kids shopping by themselves tend to buy a lot--they think it's like a holiday! They don't care about the economy, or what's happening. They want to feel great, that they have the great stuff. When you're a kid, the only thing you need is your food, a bed, and your skateboarding stuff."
Matt Wakefield at Jers Board Shop in West Jordan, Utah
"I get young kids coming in, like eight years old. Average is twelve to fourteen--junior-high age. Most kids are paying cash. I can only think of two kids with debit cards. Ninety percent of the time it's cash. The only time that kids come in not paying with cash is when the parents send them down with a blank check. I know the customers and know when to accept them or not.
"There's a very conservative customer base here, so when the kids are by themselves they may buy different things. Knowing the customer base I even watch what I carry in the shop.
"We have a lot of kids who are skating but aren't really into the industry."
Chris Casey at Hot Rod in Los Angeles, California
"I'm gonna say age ten. We have a lot of kids coming in from schools. A lot of kids buy stickers and look around, but their parents do give them the cash to buy videos and shoes. The lowest age I've seen with debit cards is about fourteen or fifteen. I'm close to Beverly Hills, so you see more kids with cell phones than debit cards! The parents are gonna come in if it's over a hundred bucks, unless it's an older kid who makes his own money.
"Kids buying videos always ask, 'How long is this video?'They're told to look for a good value.
"If the aim of TransWorld is age nine to fifteen, then why aren't there clothes marketed for these kids? Manufacturers are making clothes for their teamriders, but what are the ages of the skaters looking up to the team and who want those clothes? We actually bought kids' sizes Dickies pants and slapped Hot Rod patches on them to at least try to address the need, and we sold every one.
"The kids are more likely to make a free choice by themselves. If they're with their friends or by themselves, they'll make that choice. They'll get something gory."
Larry Davis at The Banana Board in Fairbanks, Alaska
"Wow, I'd say about four years old. Usually someone that young comes back with their parents to buy. The mom will be nearby at another shop. We've gotten in lots of kids with debit cards from junior-high age and up. The cap is usually between 250 and 500 (dollars), with more at the 500 level! Usually more in snowboard season, but I get a lot of it during back-to-school.
"A lot of parents have resolved the age-old problem of buying the 'wrong' thing with the debit card. That's ideal for the kids--pick out your own clothes. I haven't had any little kids come in with the debit cards.
"I do get kids in with credit cards, but if I don't know the kids, I don't take it. I've been burned before. All the card holder has to say is, 'I didn't buy that.' Fairbanks is a small enough town and I've been here all my life, so I know a lot of these kids. If I don't know 'em, sorry."
James Scott at Embassy in Christchurch, New Zealandembassy.co.nz
"Probably eight, nine, or ten--I can't be quite sure, but the under-ten bracket, and not so many of them. Some of them are buying. New Zealand is not made up on a lot of cash--we're into experimentation. Cash take is quite minimal, so we see a lot of kids with debit cards. The limit on the cards is set by what's in the account. Some of them have a daily limit.
"The joy of it is the parents giving them access. They often ring the parents when they're in the shop so the parents can add more money to the account. We get the odd fourteen or fifteen year old using credit cards, but that's mostly adults. Debit is more secure for the shop--we get the amount each day in our accounts, and we don't have a lot of cash in the shop. Tourists tend to use credit cards.
"I notice that a lot of kids buy one thing at a time; the adults buy in multiples. Ninety percent of kids know what they want when they come in--they're very good at research." to the team and who want those clothes? We actually bought kids' sizes Dickies pants and slapped Hot Rod patches on them to at least try to address the need, and we sold every one.
"The kids are more likely to make a free choice by themselves. If they're with their friends or by themselves, they'll make that choice. They'll get something gory."
Larry Davis at The Banana Board in Fairbanks, Alaska
"Wow, I'd say about four years old. Usually someone that young comes back with their parents to buy. The mom will be nearby at another shop. We've gotten in lots of kids with debit cards from junior-high age and up. The cap is usually between 250 and 500 (dollars), with more at the 500 level! Usually more in snowboard season, but I get a lot of it during back-to-school.
"A lot of parents have resolved the age-old problem of buying the 'wrong' thing with the debit card. That's ideal for the kids--pick out your own clothes. I haven't had any little kids come in with the debit cards.
"I do get kids in with credit cards, but if I don't know the kids, I don't take it. I've been burned before. All the card holder has to say is, 'I didn't buy that.' Fairbanks is a small enough town and I've been here all my life, so I know a lot of these kids. If I don't know 'em, sorry."
James Scott at Embassy in Christchurch, New Zealandembassy.co.nz
"Probably eight, nine, or ten--I can't be quite sure, but the under-ten bracket, and not so many of them. Some of them are buying. New Zealand is not made up on a lot of cash--we're into experimentation. Cash take is quite minimal, so we see a lot of kids with debit cards. The limit on the cards is set by what's in the account. Some of them have a daily limit.
"The joy of it is the parents giving them access. They often ring the parents when they're in the shop so the parents can add more money to the account. We get the odd fourteen or fifteen year old using credit cards, but that's mostly adults. Debit is more secure for the shop--we get the amount each day in our accounts, and we don't have a lot of cash in the shop. Tourists tend to use credit cards.
"I notice that a lot of kids buy one thing at a time; the adults buy in multiples. Ninety percent of kids know what they want when they come in--they're very good at research."
