# Snowboard Reps?



## shamsham (Dec 26, 2010)

Hey guys, 

Long time reader, never posted :yahoo:

I've been working in a ski shop for a few years and was thinking about getting into product repping. :dunno:

I'm just curious if anyone on here has ever been/is currently a rep for a ski/snowboard company. What's you're job like on a day-to-day basis? How are you paid (salary? commission only?)? Would you recommend it? etc.

Just want to hear some first hand info about your experience!


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## BurtonAvenger (Aug 14, 2007)

Reps are going the way of the dinosaur and the core shop.


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## shamsham (Dec 26, 2010)

why is that you think? Rise of the machines? shitty pay?


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## BurtonAvenger (Aug 14, 2007)

I don't think, I see it. 

Why pay a rep when you can take the account in house. Why pay a rep/have core accounts when you could just sell direct.

If you've never repped before don't do it.


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## linvillegorge (Jul 6, 2009)

I think it's probably due to the decline in local shops. More and more, the sales are concentrated primarily in big accounts. Those can easily be handled in-house like BA said. Fewer accounts means less need for dedicated sales reps. Simple as that.


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## shamsham (Dec 26, 2010)

they still gotta have someone in store driving sales, that's one thing from my own experience that i've seen.

If a rep is neglecting the account, the owners will take away their product placement, not-re-order as much and possibly drop them. There's no better way to sell then right in person.

While I agree with what you're saying, there's also a flip side to it, reps still serve their purpose of having an in-store presence to drive the sales. Not to mention how are "budding" companies going to get into new stores without some type of representation? 

Anyway's I'm not dead set on this, just wanted some insight to my original questions from someone who is currently/or was a snowboard/ski rep.


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## linvillegorge (Jul 6, 2009)

shamsham said:


> they still gotta have someone in store driving sales, that's one thing from my own experience that i've seen.
> 
> If a rep is neglecting the account, the owners will take away their product placement, not-re-order as much and possibly drop them. There's no better way to sell then right in person.
> 
> ...


The problem is that independent reps usually work on commission only. The vast majority of snowboard sales are concentrated within a few major companies - companies that rely on their national marketing, not individual reps. An independent rep working for a smaller company isn't gonna be making shit. A rep working for one of the major companies is gonna be in-house likely working on a salary + commission structure. Those jobs are probably very few and far between and unless you have some serious inside connections at the company you're probably not even gonna get a glance.

If you wanna try to get an independent rep gig, I'd recommend doing so simply to try to make other connections within the industry because the time vs. money is gonna be very lopsided. Lots of time spent with little money earned.


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## shamsham (Dec 26, 2010)

linvillegorge said:


> The problem is that independent reps usually work on commission only. The vast majority of snowboard sales are concentrated within a few major companies - companies that rely on their national marketing, not individual reps. An independent rep working for a smaller company isn't gonna be making shit. A rep working for one of the major companies is gonna be in-house likely working on a salary + commission structure. Those jobs are probably very few and far between and unless you have some serious inside connections at the company you're probably not even gonna get a glance.
> 
> If you wanna try to get an independent rep gig, I'd recommend doing so simply to try to make other connections within the industry because the time vs. money is gonna be very lopsided. Lots of time spent with little money earned.


that's something along the lines I was looking for! Thanks for that info, makes sense, a lot of the independent reps seem to rep multiple companies, sometimes piggy backing on one big company...I guess if it's based on commission they are independent contractors so they can rep whatever they want?


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## linvillegorge (Jul 6, 2009)

shamsham said:


> that's something along the lines I was looking for! Thanks for that info, makes sense, a lot of the independent reps seem to rep multiple companies, sometimes piggy backing on one big company...I guess if it's based on commission they are independent contractors so they can rep whatever they want?


There's usually going to be non-competes involved. Not certain on the snowboarding industry, but in my industry there certainly are. Companies don't want you repping products that are direct competitors. Like, you'd be able to rep say Never Summer (snowboards only), Flux (bindings only), Spy (goggles only), and 686 (outerwear only) but don't expect to be able to rep say both Burton and K2 that both make virtually everything under the sun. Companies like that virtually have to take sales in-house because non-competes would make it near impossible to rep anything else and being commission only, most independent reps have to rep multiple companies to make it work.


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## shamsham (Dec 26, 2010)

linvillegorge said:


> There's usually going to be non-competes involved. Not certain on the snowboarding industry, but in my industry there certainly are. Companies don't want you repping products that are direct competitors. Like, you'd be able to rep say Never Summer (snowboards only), Flux (bindings only), Spy (goggles only), and 686 (outerwear only) but don't expect to be able to rep say both Burton and K2 that both make virtually everything under the sun. Companies like that virtually have to take sales in-house because non-competes would make it near impossible to rep anything else and being commission only, most independent reps have to rep multiple companies to make it work.


Sounds about right, thanks for that info!

also, do you have any idea of what the % commission would look like?


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## BurtonAvenger (Aug 14, 2007)

Flow canned all their reps for NA except for 2. It's divided by West of the Rockies and East of the Rockies. Arbor snowboards just took all their snowboard sales for Canada in house and got rid of their rep force. Burton took all big accounts in house and canned a bunch of reps. 

It's 100% commission based especially when starting out. For a first year rep who more than likely will not get a good brand you're looking at maybe 10% but probably more in the 6 to 8% range. Now if you pick up a good brand and you're established you might get 15 to 18%. You might get specific marketing budgets for the region like some big brands do as well as a promo budget. Gas may even get included, but that's after you've established yourself. 

Now here's the big fight you would be doing. You have to fight our own brand to make sure they don't take any of your big money accounts in house, you have to fight the shops to pay on time and order, and you have to fight the Internet as well. 

Also if you love snowboarding, do not become a rep. You will say goodbye to what you love real quick.


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## shamsham (Dec 26, 2010)

BurtonAvenger said:


> Flow canned all their reps for NA except for 2. It's divided by West of the Rockies and East of the Rockies. Arbor snowboards just took all their snowboard sales for Canada in house and got rid of their rep force. Burton took all big accounts in house and canned a bunch of reps.
> 
> It's 100% commission based especially when starting out. For a first year rep who more than likely will not get a good brand you're looking at maybe 10% but probably more in the 6 to 8% range. Now if you pick up a good brand and you're established you might get 15 to 18%. You might get specific marketing budgets for the region like some big brands do as well as a promo budget. Gas may even get included, but that's after you've established yourself.
> 
> ...


Yea it's definitely a hit or miss gig, thanks for all the info!


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## linvillegorge (Jul 6, 2009)

BA is 100% right about working in an industry that involves something you love. Your busy tines of the year tend to coincide with the times of the year when you'd be out participating.


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## shamsham (Dec 26, 2010)

linvillegorge said:


> BA is 100% right about working in an industry that involves something you love. Your busy tines of the year tend to coincide with the times of the year when you'd be out participating.


Yea, just from working in my shop full time I garner a little hate, so I definitely hear that :laugh:


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## Alkasquawlik (Jul 13, 2010)

BurtonAvenger said:


> Also if you love snowboarding, do not become a rep. You will say goodbye to what you love real quick.


THIS.

Learned this real fucking quick.


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## oldmate (Oct 24, 2011)

BurtonAvenger said:


> Flow canned all their reps for NA except for 2. It's divided by West of the Rockies and East of the Rockies. Arbor snowboards just took all their snowboard sales for Canada in house and got rid of their rep force. Burton took all big accounts in house and canned a bunch of reps.
> 
> It's 100% commission based especially when starting out. For a first year rep who more than likely will not get a good brand you're looking at maybe 10% but probably more in the 6 to 8% range. Now if you pick up a good brand and you're established you might get 15 to 18%. You might get specific marketing budgets for the region like some big brands do as well as a promo budget. Gas may even get included, but that's after you've established yourself.
> 
> ...


Good advice here. I was looking at this sort of work a while ago, but shit canned it for exactly these reasons.


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## wrathfuldeity (Oct 5, 2007)

idk...but it seems like reps I've met on the hill...is like being a carney...draggin ass to the next county fair.


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## Snow Hound (Jul 21, 2012)

I know a dude that does this. We've never really talked about work much but I assume he does alright financially. Off the top of my head he had Spy, Nixon and O'neal - last time I saw him he was riding a TRS but don't know if he reps Lib. He was pro so obviously had a ton of good contacts before he started. He's started a new snowboard brand so maybe repping wasn't cutting it anymore. 
As for a snowboarding friendly job the construction industry is a good choice. I install high end AV gear. January - March are my quietest months. I just live too fucking far away from the mountains to make good use.


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## Alkasquawlik (Jul 13, 2010)

davidapro said:


> the job pay is crappy tho. *most reppin is done by the riders via social media and contests.* my job there consists of a very small amount of repping but my official job there is graphic designer (for boards and clothes), video producer, and music producer and that is where the meat of the money is. like others have been saying.* official reps are not as popular and usually the only reps are former pro riders who attract big names by going to big events and the companies they rep for usually arent looking for anymore just because you only need one or two to cover a whole country of events.*


Ya, you're full of shit.


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## linvillegorge (Jul 6, 2009)

Alkasquawlik said:


> Ya, you're full of shit.


He's just not letting the fake world hold him down 

LOL! Just what the world needs, another "lifestyle" company trying to squeeze a buck out of a logo and a shitty motto.


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## linvillegorge (Jul 6, 2009)

davidapro said:


> the troll is strong with this one


Just calling it like I see it man. Companies like yours are a dime a dozen and come and go before anyone even realize they existed. They show up here all the time. Like I said, just trying to squeeze a buck out of a logo and a motto.


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## BurtonAvenger (Aug 14, 2007)

davidapro said:


> the job pay is crappy tho. most reppin is done by the riders via social media and contests. my job there consists of a very small amount of repping but my official job there is graphic designer (for boards and clothes), video producer, and music producer and that is where the meat of the money is. like others have been saying. official reps are not as popular and usually the only reps are former pro riders who attract big names by going to big events and the companies they rep for usually arent looking for anymore just because you only need one or two to cover a whole country of events.


You obviously don't know your ass from a hole in the ground. 

Also if you are the graphic designer you should fire yourself. Those are horrible.


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## Mizu Kuma (Apr 13, 2014)

Most Reps end up back workin in a store like they did at the start!!!!!

Just like you are now!!!!! 

Reppin can get very political too, and this can unfortunately leave a somewhat bitter taste in your mouth about the very thing you love at the moment!!!!!


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