Posted on 03/12/2008 7:16:21 PM PDT by Leisler
A bitter battle has broken out in the French Alps with locals launching commando raids on shops and equipment owned by a new cut-price ski hire company.
Last October, Ski Republic, a new French rental chain, promised a "new dawn for ski lovers" at a glitzy launch in London, in which former Miss England Danielle Lloyd posed in a bikini with the company's skis and boots.
But its aggressive marketing tactics and offer of two pairs of skis for the price of one for online bookings received more than just a frosty reception when it opened 23 shops in the Alps for this ski season.
Within weeks, furious local shopkeepers had tried to set fire to one store in Sainte-Foye-Tarentaise, broken the front windows of three more in Tignes, Val d'Isere (grave e) and Menuires and threatened several managers and the company boss.
In one night, five of Ski Republic's collection vehicles had their tyres slashed and plastic roof covers punctured, while several shop owners could not get through the front door after glue was poured into the locks.
Richard Chin from Blairgowrie, Perthshire in Scotland, is manager of the shop that suffered an arson attack.
Besides the fire, he told the Telegraph that he had also received threats from the neighbouring ski shop: "The guy told me that I should be 'careful' as something would happen to Ski Republic and I shouldn't be around when it does", said Mr Chin, 39, who has been living in France for 15 years and in the ski business for 25 years.
Mr Chin said that the reaction was classic French protectionism and resistance to competition. "It's basically bully tactics. A lot of French don't like competition and their only way round it is by bullying.
"They don't get to the stage of saying 'Ok we need to do something to give our clients more to compete with the new ski shop', he said.
But Sandra Arripe, who runs the Skiset shop next door to Mr Chin's, said the illegal action of rival shops was "normal".
"People are so furious that they are trying to defend themselves in their own way", she said.
Mrs Arripe claimed that Ski Republic could only afford to cut prices by employing less staff, paying them lower wages and delaying millions of pounds of payments to ski suppliers.
She called on the 3,000 other Alpine ski rental shops to join forces.
But Ski Republic's general manager, Didier Schmidt, a former member of the national French ski team, said he would not give in to threats, even though he was personally warned that he might "lose an eye" if he persisted.
"We have ruffled a profession that had got used to its cosy ways. It's got a lot of people's backs up, because we are taking market share away from them", he said.
"Spending power is a real problem in France and winters sports have become very expensive. By lowering the prices more people come, which is better for everyone", he said.
"We will not give ground to intimidation and will continue to bring prices down', he said.
What can you expect from a race of people who fight with their feet and f__k with their faces?
I like the name of the store. It has a nice ring to it! :)
So, What's your point?
Moonlight,
I’ve got a couple pair sitting in the garage you’re welcome to.
The markup on ski equipment is obscene.
Socialist=Commie=Nazi.
What can you expect from a bunch Commie frogs?
More power to these guys who have found an even better way to fleece those stupid enough to:
spend hundreds of dollars per family member every year to keep current equipment that enables you to
stand in line in freezing weather to
sit on chair in freezing weather to
slide down icy dangerous slope in freezing weather to
Stand in line in freezing weather to
sit on chair in freezing weather to
slide down icy dangerous slope in freezing weather to
Stand in line in freezing weather to
sit on chair in freezing weather to
slide down icy dangerous slope in freezing weather...
Ad infinitum
As much as I despise winter, I think skiing is fun for those who enjoy it. Just never ask me to join in your “fun”. I’d rather have a root canal.
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