(Editor's Note: For quite some time, I've wanted to review not just skate and snowboard products, but also, the retailers that we buy these products from. Why, you ask?! Well, simply put: There are soooo many choices out there these days... not just traditional shops, but also, the zillion-and-a-half online retailers that exist out there in cyberspace... frankly put, it gets mighty tough to decide where to get your damned stuff. Or even, who you can trust. Why my former editors and publishers would ever nix such an idea, I'll never know. I think it's high time that someone does just this sort of retailer-reviewing. Actually: I think everyone should do it.
Okay! On to the review...)
About The House:
The House has been in business forever. Probably since before a lot of our readers were even born. They're located somewhere in St. Paul, Minnesota. As such, they operate on central time. Important to remember when calling in questions or orders. They just might be the biggest online snowboard retailer around. Certainly, they're in The Top Ten. They might also be among the best online snowboard retailers around. The website is www.the-house.com. Check it out.
Here's how we rate The House in the following categories:
Selection:
They seem to have a ton of everything in stock, at all times. Even oddball sizes and highly specialized products. If they're out of something, there's a damn good chance that everyone else is, too. I ran into this twice this year: The House was the last retailer to have last years' Ride Yukon 172, and this years' Burton Freestyles in stock (In that boss-as-shit, translucent blue and white colorway). Once The House sold out, all hope was lost.
(Note: If you find either of these online anywhere, definitely let me know. I'd still pay top dollar for both...)
Price:
The snowboard industry, as a rule, seems to have some pretty tight price controls in place. A pair of $119.95 Burton Freestyles are pretty much gonna cost you $119.95, wherever you go. The House does have some solid deals on previous years' product, and a slash-price "outlet" section for half-price oddities that will still work great for any boarder on a budget.
They're not the cheapest around. But they're definitely, reasonably good.
Call Center Hold Time:
Usually, just a minute or two. Can be substantially more mid-day, right at the beginning of the season. But mostly, fairly quick service. Not a whole lotta complaints here.
Wait...! Edit! One complaint: I always get the same, lame-ass Red Hot Chili Peppers song, every time I'm put on hold. Hey, guys?! Different Chilis song next time, please...?
Customer Service:
The House excels in this area. I always call in my orders, just because I like dealing with a living, breathing person when dropping ridiculous amounts of cash on shit that I don't really need. The staff is always enthusiastic, friendly, and prompt. They know what the hell I'm talking about, they know what the hell they're talking about, and Lord knows that I quiz them pretty regularly. They're damned efficient, and they don't fuck around. I like that.
Cool Story:
So, I call in a pretty substantial order a few months back. So big, that I qualify for the free-goggles-or-headphones dealy. Well, I don't rock the iPod when I ride, so that's automatically out. And, being a four-eyes glasses geek that I am, I strictly use OTG (Over The Glasses) goggles. "Shit!", I say. "Can I go with neither, dude?!" I was bummed. No freebies for me...!
"Sure! We'll just knock twenty bucks off the price of your deck. Sound good...?"
Cha-ching! If there's anything that I love, it's the sound of twenty bucks staying in my wallet. Moral: Their salespeople are willing to deal a little, to suit your weird-ass needs. That's pretty damn spiffy, in my book.
Shipping:
My stuff always seems to arrive a day or so earlier than I expect it to. So, definitely no complaints there. Oh: Any order over fifty clams gets free shipping, too. I don't think I've ever paid shipping at The House, on any of my orders.
Returns:
Never had to return anything. Lucky me. Maybe one reason is: I always get exactly what I ordered, and it's always packed pretty well. No damages, no screw-ups, no problems.
The Only Bummer I've Ever Experienced:
The first time I ordered from them, they somehow double-billed my debit card. One order, one delivery, but two debits, about two weeks apart (?!). Which over-drew my checking account. Which meant: Nightmare Scenario. I called The House, and my bank... and someone, somewhere, fixed it mighty quick. I complained a bit about that the next time I called The House. Thankfully, it hasn't happened since. Whew...
The Trust Factor:
Having ordered from them about a half-dozen times now, and dropping close to a grand on various products. the elusive Trust Factor is doing pretty damn good. That's the most important gig, when buying online. These guys are rock solid.
The Final Verdict...?
Highly Recommended, and Enthusiastically Endorsed. Even more so than some "core" shops that I've dealt with. Good job, guys. You earned it.
