There is a reason you let your stylist cut your hair and not your butcher. It is both their job to make cuts, but not all chops are created equal.

You buy your meat from someone who knows meats. You get your hair cut by someone with years of experience cutting other people’s hair. When it comes to your snow gear, you want to buy from someone who knows the products they sell.

Only someone who has been in your situation, who has lived the experience and dedicated a significant amount of time to their trade can give you good direction.

That experience is exactly what this company has to offer.

Today we are looking at Skis.com. We’ll cover everything from the company’s history, greatest features, biggest, downsides, prices, and customer service.

About Skis.com

Skis.com is an outdoor retailer that specializes in gear and clothing for skiing and snowboarding.

Skis.com was launched in 2005 by their parent company, Summit Sports, Inc., which has been in the skiing industry since 1990. Steve Kopitz, the founder of Skis.com, has been skiing since 1960.

Skis.com inventory consists of both high-end and closeout merchandise. The company was recognized as a “Hot 100” site by Internetretailer.com in 2009. In 2010, Summit Sports, Inc. was featured in the Internet Retailer Top 500.

Skis.com provides additional information for customers via their Ski-O-Pedia section. This is where you’ll find “how-to-buy” tutorials and product review videos, articles, and buying and sizing charts for selecting your skis.

Skisperience is the annual contest hosted by Skis.com. Winners receive a ski package and vacation prize package. Past rewards have also included a round-trip flight to Canyons Resort in Utah, meet and greet with the Rossignol ski company staff, and ski apparel and accessories.

Top Features of Skis.com

With its user-friendly website, 100% satisfaction guarantee, and a plethora of helpful resources, and an attractive reward and referral program, it’s easy to see what makes Skis.com a success.

Shopping at Skis.com is an easy and pleasant experience. The interface is clean, smooth, and easy for new users to navigate. The top menu bar is laid out in an order that makes sense but doesn’t overwhelm shoppers with too many options.

Scroll over the top menu bar to quickly shop any one of their nine categories:

 
 
 
 
 
 
For shoppers who already know what they are looking for or who pledge their loyalty to a particular company, the website also includes an option to shop by brand.

Skis.com offers a wide selection of brand name gear and apparel. Some of the bigger names available include Fox, The North Face, Under Armour, Salomon, and Spyder.

This website isn’t just a place to shop. It’s also a great resource for free education.

The Ski-O-Pedia page (accessed via the “Learn” link in the top left corner) has information for both new and experienced skiers and snowboarders. Resources on Ski-O-Pedia include how-to-buy videos, product reviews, sizing guides, educational videos, podcasts, and more.

It’s a one-stop shop for “everything you ever wanted to know about skiing and snowboarding.”

If skiing or snowboarding is your sport of choice, you could get free or heavily discounted gear through the Skis.com Adventure Points Reward Program.

Unlike most retail point programs that only reward you for buying, you’ll receive points for buying items and completing a variety of actions. A few ways to earn points are:

• Create an account.
• Sign up for an email subscription.
• Refer a friend (unlimited).
• Review a product (unlimited.
• Follow Skis.com on social media.

There are four levels of members: Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Diamond. Each tier member receives a different set of perks. Diamond members (5,000+ points) benefit from free return shipping on all orders and $250 in annual Ski Bucks (aka gift cards).

One of the best perks of shopping at Skis.com is their 100% satisfaction guarantee. This allows customers to exchange or return unused items for up to one year after your purchase. The product must be in the condition it was received.

Buyers have 90 days to return used items after the original date of the purchase. Returns on used items receive store credit. This excludes products with “excess wear and tear or damage from improper use.”

Last but not least is the lowest price guarantee. If you find an exact item sold at a lower price by a competitor, Skis.com will match the price.

You’ve already made your purchase? No sweat!

If it’s within 30 days, Skis.com will credit the difference to your order.

Conditions to this policy apply. For example, it does include special order or dropship items, call for price items or non-U.S. based websites. The item in question must also be an exact match to the product you purchased at a “substantially lower price.”

Skis.com Prices

The Skis.com 30-Day Price Guarantee ensures that you’re always getting the best deal on your favorite skiing and snowboarding equipment.

Skis.com also offers regular discounts and sales on items throughout the year, as well as occasional free shipping on orders of a minimum dollar amount.

It’s also worth noting that members who sign up for a free account can receive up to $250 in annual gift cards and a 10% additional sales discount. This means members can purchase items from Skis.com at a significantly lower cost than nonmembers.

Downsides of Skis.com

Skis.com has guaranteed low prices, a 100% satisfaction guarantee, and one of the best rewards programs we have seen. However, there are also several drawbacks to consider.

One of our least favorite things about Skis.com is that they do not cover the cost of return shipping. If you choose to return or exchange your purchase for any reason, you will be the one paying for shipping.

Orders come with a prepaid return label, but if you use it you will have $10 take from your return credit.

Even though the website is overall clean and user-friendly, the FAQ section is not as easily navigable. Rather than an expandable or drop-down menu, all the text is shown at once with clickable links that scroll to your answers.

The text here is also very small and somewhat difficult to read.

The FAQs do not mention the rewards program, and the only link to the FAQ section is in the footer of the website. Since it is not displayed in the top menu bar or somewhere more obvious, it’s both a frustration and a hassle for shoppers.

Skis.com Customer Support

Skis.com has all three of the main customer service options we usually look for: live chat, phone service, and FAQs.

As we mentioned, the FAQs section could use some work concerning visual appeal. Regarding content, however, it covers all of the basic questions involving placing or checking an order and contacting customer service.

The customer service number is prominently displayed in the top banner of the website, making it noticeable and easy for customers to find. Phone support is available from 8 am to 6 pm Monday through Friday, 10 am to 5 pm Saturday, and noon to 5 pm Sunday (all times EST).

Our experiences with Skis.com customer service have been positive. Wait time was less than one minute, and the representatives were friendly, helpful, and competent. They answered our questions quickly and didn’t throw us back and forth between different departments.

Live chat support can be reached any day of the week from 9 am to 6 pm EST. To live chat with a representative, all you have to do is enter your name, email address, and order ID (optional).

Apart from our personal experience, thousands of others report a positive experience shopping at Skis.com.

The website has a 4.5/5 star rating on Google Reviews. Of the 2,672 reviews listed, 89% of them are positive. Ninety-eight percent of customers reported on-time delivery and 95% stated their orders were accurate and on time.

Average delivery time is 3-5 days, with a phone support response time of 1.5 to 2 minutes. Returns processing averages less than ten days.

Final Thoughts

The name “Skis.com” says it all. With close to 60 years of executive experience in the snow sports industry, Skis.com is positioned as a knowledgeable and trustworthy source for all things skiing and snowboarding.

The low price guarantee, 100% satisfaction guarantee, and rewards programs are some of the greatest benefits of shopping at Skis.com. Not only do they offer the lowest prices for top-quality products, but the website is also a great resource for expanding your knowledge on snow sports in general.

The how-to-buy tutorials decrease the likelihood of customers having to make and pay for returned items. Avid shoppers will also benefit from joining the free Adventure Points Reward Program where you can receive up to $250 in annual gift cards and free shipping on all orders, including returns.

Customer service from Skis.com is excellent. The company boasts 4.5/5 stars on Google reviews with an 89% positive rating.

Though we believe the website could use a little work, overall we recommend Skis.com for all your snow sports needs.