Reputable online skating stores?

[sampaguita]

I think it would be great if we could have a list of reputable skating stores (preferably those from which members have bought from), and ways on how to get discounts from them.

Here are some online stores I've bought from:

1. bestbuyfigureskating.com -- they have coupons on their Facebook and twitter accounts. They also send coupons to members of their mailing list.
2. http://www.icesk8.com/access.htm -- they sell stuff on eBay; I don't think they have any coupons, just discounts for shipping multiple items

[Live2Sk8]

www.skate-mart.com - they usually have a huge selection of dresses in their clearance pages.  They also tend to have sales around holidays, sometimes for extra % off on clearance items.  good customer service although you need to use their inventory check tool to make sure they actually have the size you want in stock (even though the web page might say your size is in stock, it isn't always current - guess how I learned this???)

[nicklaszlo]

In Mid-June Rainbo has discounts on Jackson boots and offers free accessories.  I don't think it gets much more reputable than Rainbo.  Many of their employees are active at chicagoland rinks.

My coach recommends https://www.kinziescloset.com/

[1210]

I have bought quite a bit from tidewaterice.com Always been pleased.

[FigureSpins]

I have bought quite a bit from tidewaterice.com Always been pleased.

I agree - www.tidewaterice.com has good prices if you know what you want to buy.  Skittl says she had a bad experience with them, but I've ordered from them regularly and not had a problem.

www.sharperedgeskates.com is a good source as well, especially for used equipment.

Has anyone purchased/sold through www.myskatingmall.com?  It's such a great idea, but I can never find what I want, except for full-price new stuff.  For selling, it's easier to just put the skates on consignment through our pro shop.

[sarahspins]

I like:
Kinziescloset.com (best prices on boots and blades I've found online)
Jenskates.com (best prices on Bungas and some other accessories)
SkatersLanding.com
SharperEdgeSkates.com

Rainbo Sports is good too but honestly almost everything you can buy from them you can find cheaper elsewhere.

I have ordered from SkateBuys.com but I wasn't particularly impressed with the experience - I ordered an "in stock" item only to find out that it was not actually in stock and they just hadn't updated their website, so I couldn't get what I ordered.  IMO with the shopping cart software available today, this sort of inventory issue should never happen. 

[MimiG]

Has anyone purchased/sold through www.myskatingmall.com?  It's such a great idea, but I can never find what I want, except for full-price new stuff.  For selling, it's easier to just put the skates on consignment through our pro shop.

I have bought a couple of used things through them. It really depends on the seller - one was great and super prompt, the other took a few reminder emails before they put my item in the mail for me. Overall, the service offered by the site was good, though.

[jjane45]

Absolutely positive experiences with myskatingmall.com for both selling and buying used items, kind of works like Ebay.

[sarahspins]

I should have added that I've also purchased from myskatingmall - both times I had great experiences with the sellers. 

Like ebay though, sometimes it's a matter of watching for new listings and pouncing at the right time.

[slcbelle]

www.sharperedgeskates.com is a good source as well, especially for used equipment.

I ordered my Skating Safe Ultra Crash pads from Sharper Edge Skates and had a great experience.  I called the shop to ask about sizing for the hip and knee pads and Sheila was incredibly helpful and patient.  She recommended I order the medium pads, rather than the large, and they fit perfectly.  She also ships via USPS Priority and I had my pads in a flash.  I'd definitely buy from them again.

[Skittl1321]

I like RainboSports.com and have had good experience with JenSkates.com  (including a hassle free return when a product was not what I wanted).  I really like Ny2sportswear.com - but order from them on amazon because the prices are sometimes better.

I had several good experiences with TideWaterIce.com, but one bad experience (with a return- ended up having to issue a charge back, which they fought, and the credit card found in my favor- AFTER they had the merchandise back!) put me off shopping with them again.

[aussieskater]

One of the staff at Cyclone Taylor in Canada - http://www.cyclonetaylorfigskate.com/ - was very helpful via phone and email when my DD needed new skates, and we agreed on the model and size to be put away for my friend to come in and collect for me (on holiday in Canada at the time).  My friend was handed a sealed box with my name on it but the wrong pair inside: correct brand and width, but wrong model and half a size longer than agreed.

My friend checked my name was on the sealed box, paid the amount asked - which was the correct amount for what was in the box, so more than I was expecting her to pay, but she didn't know that - and brought it home.  When she got home, we discovered the error, but it was a bit late to do anything about it.  I repaid my friend and figured that because the skates were fortunately larger than I'd ordered, I could buy my DD a pair in the meantime to keep her going, and wait for her to grow into them.

My friend told me that the store she'd collected the skates from was somewhat disorganised and confused, which would account for the problem.  I'd ordered the skates before Christmas on the understanding they'd be collected in January, but the staff member I'd been dealing with was on holiday by the time my friend attended to collect the box, so that would have been part of it as well.

All was good at the end, however; DD's feet had grown more than I thought and she needed the larger size anyway!  And she loves her pretty new skates  

Moral of the story - they're very helpful and prices are reasonable, but confused, so make sure you deal with the same person all the way through the transaction.

[Doll]

Thanks for this thread!  I just ordered some stuff from Jenskates.com - shipping was a little pricey but their prices were low enough to make up for it, and their selection is superb!!

[kiwiskater]

I recently bought from Jenskates as well - they were very helpful.

I couldn't get my paypal transaction to work through the shopping cart - so they invoiced me instead

I was waiting for some pants that were out of stock, and I gave instructions to hold the order so that I only paid a single shipping fee, they decided that waiting for the pants could take a little while (we'd already waited a month) so they split my order & just about to ship it (at no extra cost) when the pants arrived. They also added insurance at no extra charge.

It costs a fortune in shipping fees to get anything out to this corner of the globe so I can't say much on that...

[VAsk8r]

I agree - www.tidewaterice.com has good prices if you know what you want to buy.

I will third the tidewaterice recommendations. Even their own site admits they aren't really the place to go if you need customer service and advice, but I've emailed them a few times and gotten prompt responses. I also accidentally used the wrong credit card when buying something, and they were pretty prompt in emailing me and getting my new card info so my order still came quickly, even though the problem was my fault.

Plus, they're here in Virginia and come to some skating comps here, so you are helping to support our local skating economy. And we need all the help we can get 

I've generally had good experiences ordering from Rainbo, but I tweeted them with some questions about coupons that weren't working and they never responded. Why have a Twitter account if you're going to ignore it?

[Skittl1321]

Even their own site admits they aren't really the place to go if you need customer service

I would expect a company that authorizes a return, admits they have the product back should then REFUND the money for the product.  I had to issue a chargeback for it, which they tried to fight.

They shipped me the wrong thing (Bunga pads when I ordered Silipos pads by name), insisted it was an "upgrade" (it isn't- Bunga pads are too thick and caused me tendonitis problems. If you sell something by a brand name, that brand is expected, otherwise just sell "gel sleeves") and gave me trouble with even authorizing the return.

If you own a business, that kind of customer service is required. Even if they went with "all sales final", to get out of any sort of customer service- they didn't send me what they sold me.

[chowskates]

It costs a fortune in shipping fees to get anything out to this corner of the globe so I can't say much on that...

I can totally understand that. I have an online store based in Singapore, and though shipping from here to the southern hemisphere may not be as much as from the US, it can still come up to quite a hefty sum!

(moderators, can I actually list my store here too? does it violate the no-advertising policy?)

[Isk8NYC]

(moderators, can I actually list my store here too? does it violate the no-advertising policy?)

Yes - a topic in the "For Sale/Wanted" forum is fine.  Example:
http://skatingforums.com/index.php/topic,2141.0.html

[Bunny Hop]

Admittedly I've not dealt with them online, only in person at the store, but for UK skaters I would recommend http://www.everglides.co.uk/. I've heard other people say they're just as helpful online as in person.

[taka]

Admittedly I've not dealt with them online, only in person at the store, but for UK skaters I would recommend http://www.everglides.co.uk/. I've heard other people say they're just as helpful online as in person.

I second Everglides... Never been to the store (100s of miles away from me!) but bought both my pairs of skates from them. Their prices include UK delivery. John was very, very helpful over the phone with my 101 questions when I bought my 1st pair! (Couldn't find anywhere in Scotland that had anything that fitted my feet!) Very good at sticking to the delivery dates too.

My newest boots were in stock but not on their website so it is worth a call to check their stocks if you want something not listed.