I wish every day was Small Business Saturday
I’m like a guy when it comes to shopping. That is, if you make me go to a mall or a big box retailer, I shudder. I only go when I need something, and I do it as quickly as possible. In and out, with the minimum time necessary to get what I need. Then I bolt.
I can’t stand the crowds, messy displays, chaos, and floor help who are impossible to find. If and when I finally get help, they act like they’re being asked to move mountains when all I’m requesting is something in my size. That’s why customer service is a huge deal to me. I’m not a recreational shopper, so why make the experience worse with bad service?
When I heard about Small Business Saturday (November 26), I was all over it. For one day, people are encouraged to shop at small businesses instead of large retailers.
I love that! Give people a cause to support small business!
Small Business Saturday is a whole day when small businesses get all the attention and everyone’s encouraged to forgo big box retailers for small shops.
Until I started doing PR for Hansen Surfboards, I was under the misconception that their gear would be expensive. As I started writing their news releases, comparing prices and truly noticing the difference, I discovered I was wrong about the prices. In fact, I was wrong about everything because I had assumed what everyone else tends to assume when it comes to shopping at small businesses: I thought that because they’re a small business, they’re more expensive than big box retailers. They’re not!
What’s the difference? It’s huge!
The prices are comparable, but there’s a massive difference when it comes to customer service, especially when you consider many of the Hansen Surfboard employees have been there 30 years or more, including the original Hansen family members who founded the company 50 years ago. They demo the equipment before they recommend it, so they truly know what’s good and what’s not and they’re not about to recommend or carry products they wouldn’t buy for themselves. Gift wrapping is free during the holidays. Customer service is second to none. They personally know their regular customers. And their vendors – big names you find at massive department stores – absolutely love them!
So what can you expect to find at Hansen Surfboards on Small Business Saturday?
An assortment of men’s surf clothing, women’s surf clothing and accessories including beach dresses and handbags, and kids surf clothing backpacks, shoes and other fun stuff, surfboards and surf gear, skis, snowboards and snow gear, an insanely humongous footwear department with more than 6,000 pairs of sandals and more than 68 different styles of UGG Australian Boots, and so much more.
If you’re heading to the snow for a ski or snowboard trip, Hansen Surfboards is one of the only shops in San Diego that has its own tune up department to help you keep your gear in top shape before you hit the slopes. You can also rent demo skis and snowboards to try before you buy.
I can already tell you I’ll be a frequent customer of the demo department between now and February while I figure out which new skis to call my own by Spring.
Now all I have to do is pray for more local snow!