I already posted this in another thread but didn't feel like re-typing it:
Since you obviously don't understand how running a business works, let me lay a few things out for you.
When you bring in your skis, boots, and bindings you purchased
somewhere else and pay your $40 to get "ass raped" on a mount, the shop
is charging enough to cover their own costs and hopefully making a
little money since it is their ass when something gets messed up. All
the tools, jigs, glue, binding release testing equipment, etc. cost
MONEY. That shop form you filled out...that costs money too. And
they aren't cheap.
Something else that any REAL shop carries is insurance. You'd probably shit yourself if you saw what insurance costs for a shop that is setting up bindings all day and just waiting for someone to come back in the door claiming it's our fault their leg broke.
What about having a tech who has had enough training to know how to
mount a ski? It's pretty damn easy to drill through the bottom of a
ski. If your screws are too long, your base gets dimpled. If your
holes aren't drilled deep enough, your base gets dimpled.
It's a higher risk mounting something that you didn't sell because you
need to make sure everything the customer brings in will work
together. And the fact that all you've sold someone is the $40 mount
and not a $1000+ ski setup. If you or your employee screws up and
something has to be replaced...you're out a LOT of money. Shit
happens.
If you buy a ski and binding at my shop you'll probably get a free
mount. Or you can pay for a mount and get $280 in tunes instead. You
decide. If you bring in all your equipment that you decided to buy
online or at Sniagrab, you'll get charged $40 for a mount and prep no
questions asked.
If everyone doesn't learn that they need to support their local shops,
they'll all be gone someday and I hope everyone gets good at mounting
and tuning skis by hand. The internet is really hurting the ski
business. Please don't kid yourself and think that you're a pro and know how to fit ski boots because you read the 2 page HOW TO on evogear.com. Evo Gear wants you to go to your local shop and waste hours of a boot fitters time so you can "think about it" and go home and order for a few bucks cheaper. Then they show up and don't fit quite right or maybe you need them molded...can't do that over the internet!!!
Not all ski shops have ridiculous mark up. Lots of ski companies are having strict minimum advertised prices to help protect the actual shops that pay to display a store front. Sure things are cheaper when your store front is a warehouse.
key points:
SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL SHOPS!