Versa Capital - new owners of EMS lays off 110, restructure company

[marty]

I haven't had the best of luck with EMS gear myself, but that can be an individual kind of thing, so I'll stop there .

I have to agree on this. While I have bought from EMS over the years, I've had better luck researching products and finding the best deals online. I admittedly do not like to go shopping and do not feel the need to look and touch gear & apparel before buying. Once in a while, I have to do an online return, but usually not.

So, I am not too concerned about this EMs news personally, but certainly can understand why others are.

Marty

 

[Puma concolor]

I have such a long history with EMS ... from thousands of $$$ in purchases to the EMS climbing school ... that I can't really conceive easily switching over to somewhere else as my go-to store. I may not buy 100-percent of my stuff there as I once did (the internet makes it so easy to find the right thing at the right price), but I will be very disappointed if EMS goes down the road to ruin.

 

[Kevin Rooney]

... At some point in the 90s (iirc) the joined up and moved to Shelburne Rd. Not sure Climb High is hanging in there or not. It's been a long time since I drove down there.

Climb High was purchased by Mammut about 10 years ago, and its retail presence changed. Both stores (Shelburne and off Church Street in Burlington) are now closed. I believe they may have an online presence.

 

[Christa]

The thing I'm going to miss is EMS's product design. I think they have always done a better job than REI (or LLBean). It will be interesting to see if the new owners will keep the design group. It's an awfully crowed space though.

Read the press release again (or go to one of the many other copies that are now out there on the internet.....product design isn't going anywhere. It says specifically in the press release that Product Design as well as a few other areas/departments are remaining in Peterborough. The EMS brand will continue.

 

[Stan]

I never met an outdoor store I didn't like and rarely pass one by whenever I'm near one!

It is always fun to visit local or regional stores, especially those associated with a destination or activity, because they seem most likely to introduce innovative products that are the result of a more personal understanding of their customer and the customer's needs and wants ... and sizes.

As for store brands, anyone can do that really. You must have a critical mass of order size to do it effectively and with your own specification, other than labeling. Few stores actually make their own product though a few larger ones have diversified vertically to include the production process for select lines.

Along the line of innovation, I'll bet there are some terrific products lurking in the backs of vftters' minds ... just ask me about my kitchen pulaski for example.

 

[sierra]

I used EMS brands when I started out (early 80's), but then moved on to Patagonia and have never looked back. To each his own, but I never thought thier gear or clothing lasted at all. As far as customer service, I have found thier clerks to be sub-par in knowledge, though there are exceptions. I think alot of loyalty comes from the fact that alot of people have just never used other name brands.

 

[bikehikeskifish]

Will you continue, Christa? I hope so... thought of you when I heard this news.

Tim

 

[bikehikeskifish]

I can't find Patagonia except at Lahouts in Lincoln and I can buy 2 if not 3 EMS brand items for the same price. Patagonia is very, very rarely discounted, and it's always last year's, and an XS size in purple with pink polka dots when it is. I have an EMS Synchro hard shell that has survived 5 winters of pushing through spruce and it is still in fantastic condition. If I am ever not satisfied, they will take care of me, especially with their brands.

I like my Mountain Hardware hat and pants. My Outdoor Research gaiters haven't fared all that well but they take care of replacing them as well. The North Face also seems to have an abnormally high markup for their logo, but I do have a fleece (gift) which is very solidly made.

Tim

 

[Peakbagr]

I certainly hope they survive. Been buying from EMS before they had a retail presence in our area. But wary of the corporate takeover model that often does not work out for anyone but the purchasers.

 

[summitseeker]

Agree about Portsmouth/Newington. Moved out of the mall never to be found (by most) again. The small signage doesn't help. If you weren't going to try to find the Home Depot next door, you might never, ever see it. That EMS and the new Trader Joes should swap shops.

Another issue with the Portsmouth EMS location is that you cannot hit it directly off of Route 16. To get there traveling North you have to go through the traffic circle to get off at the Brady Exit. The other option is to get off at the Newington exit and go through three sets of lights.

It is a terrible location but an absolutely GREAT STORE. Eric, Luke, and the entire staff are extremely knowledgable and helpful. It is worth the extra leg work to get there. There have been times when the EMS staff has talked me out of a purchase if they feel I won't be happy with it. Unlike Dicks Sporting Goods or other mega corporate chains that will sell you anything without the slightest concern if it will meet your needs.

Their service and satisfaction guarantee keeps me a loyal customer but I do agree that they should expand their selection of some brands (Mountain Hardwear especially, in my opinion)

Losing the EMS brand and their excellent standard of customer service to big corporate practices would be a tragedy.

Z

 

[Chugach001]

Losing the EMS brand and their excellent standard of customer service to big corporate practices would be a tragedy.

I'm hopeful that the new owners will be able to make EMS a relevant brand, just like REI has been able to do in the past 20 years, or MEC in Canada. EMS has been a stunning brand, merchandising and marketing failure in that same period of time. Heads should roll. The new owners certainly have every reason to try and do this revitalization right. They can screw it up and go Dicks or Walmart model if they want but I don't think they have to. I'll support them and hope for the best.

 

[rup]

Back in the 70s, I had purchased a Gerry (remember them) tent from the Boston store. After using it, and therefore having the opportunity to stare at a hole in an upper inner panel, I went back to the store for remedy. The GM of the store told me to FO as I had actually used it. I contacted Gerry in CO, and they sewed-in a new panel for me. I have other stories, but EMS has always been a bunch of pricks to me. So screw EMS.

 

[Quietman]

My experience has been completely different. Because of EMS' excellent return policy most of my gear has been acquired very cheaply in their "bargain corner". I pay half price or less for all of the used stuff that they let customers return. I have also bought many new items and have never had a problem with a return.

I briefly worked at the Peterborough store over one Holiday season a few years ago, and a they really focused on making sure that you asked as many questions as possible regarding what the customer really needed and how they would be using the gear/clothing. The goal was to make sure that the customer was matched with the right product so they would be happy and this would also help to minimize returns.

 

[Mike P.]

Does anyone know if they are keeping the repair service? I have an EMS pack where I need a little bit of sewing down to reattach a strap to the padding.

 

[erugs]

My Customer Service experiences with EMS have always been top notch. I still have and use gear I bought in their Brighten store in the late 60s, and they took a poster off their wall there when I told them in astonishment that the advertising photo was of our family hiking the southern Presidents and gave it to me.

 

[skiguy]

I'm hopeful that the new owners will be able to make EMS a relevant brand, just like REI has been able to do in the past 20 years, or MEC in Canada. EMS has been a stunning brand, merchandising and marketing failure in that same period of time. Heads should roll. The new owners certainly have every reason to try and do this revitalization right. They can screw it up and go Dicks or Walmart model if they want but I don't think they have to. I'll support them and hope for the best.

Well put and I agree. I'm no expert but marketing going forward is the key to being successful. EMS was the place to buy specialty gear for a long time but then more and more retailers crept into the scene. That's when EMS decided to sell less of everyone else's gear and go with more of their own brand; mainly clothing.First bad move. When their stuff first hit the market their clothes were sub par in relation to their competitors. Even though the design seems to have improved the intial onset of their brand didnot set the hook with long time users. It also seems that they went after the middle of the road user with their line in addition to bringing in a load of hard goods from other manufacturers.Secound bad move. Much of the hard goods (Bikes and boats) was not the kind of product that the longtime shopper of EMS identified with. Third bad move. They also went deep with their clothing line in the kind of clothes you wear when you are actually not doing a given activity but says that you do. Fourth bad move. I wish EMS the best going forward as I have been a customer since the 70's. Although like many I donot shop their store exclusively like I did. There are many more players on the street. EMS tried to create a model where they were going to have something for everyone. Fifth bad move. Going forward they really need to create an identity paradigm that says we are EMS and we have something that the rest don't have. I believe that their return policy and customer service has been the stab at that in the past and believe they should continue with that but it is obviously not enough given the present situation. Funneling their product line IMO would be a start in the right direction. Again I'm no expert but just my perceptions of being a customer of 35 years.

 

[dave.m]

Christina, I did see they were goi g to keep product design in house and hope that can be sustained, especially with respect to clothing. I continue to think that there is a need/niche for a decent clothing line geared toward New England weather. I also sense a growing trend towards regional identity and hopefully EMS can leverage that. Not like llBean is rocking the scene currently.

For those who doubt the wisdom of EMS being in the clothing biz, my recollection from retail was that soft goods had a much higher profit margin.

Also, they had clothing from the get go.

The one thing I wish EMS would do with their clothing is to create a core set of mountain basics and work to evolve it to become a recognized icon. I don't see the need for yearly thrash.

 

[sun=electric]

Sierra Trading Post was bought out by TJMaxx. Now charging sales tax in NY! We'll see if they change. The previous owners used to back up their warranty with Jesus working in the wharehouse and I came to beleive it! They always were good with returns and solved any problem I ever had. I was a customer from their beginning.

 

[sierra]

Sierra Trading Post was bought out by TJMaxx. Now charging sales tax in NY! We'll see if they change. The previous owners used to back up their warranty with Jesus working in the wharehouse and I came to beleive it! They always were good with returns and solved any problem I ever had. I was a customer from their beginning.

Thier catalogs are jam packed as well, go good in the bathroom basket.

 

[hikerbrian]

I hope the EMS brand sticks around, as I think it fills an important niche: pretty good stuff, and not that expensive. I fully agree that you can get higher quality stuff from Patagonia, Arc'Teryx, Mountain Hardware, and a few other manufacturers, but you're going to pay roughly 2-3x as much. If it lasted 2-3x longer, that would be one thing, but that hasn't been my experience (OBVIOUSLY, YMMV). I've had an EMS brand single wall tent, a Goretex shell jacket, and a belay jacket each for >12 years. The sum total paid was $500. I could not replace those items with "high end" stuff for less than $1200. And $1500 is probably more realistic. I take advantage of ALL that New England has to offer in all 4 seasons, but I'm not putting up FA's in the Karakoram. EMS is a good value for the hiking and climbing that I do.