Thanks haveboard for having the balls to open the site up to comments on this issue and then this follow up. It’s great that skaters can have an impact by speaking up. Thanks Berrics for trying to set the record straight. Too bad our one time skate heros are turning out to be such insensitive jerks. It’s offical, skateboarding as we once have known it, is dead.

...on 11/27/09 at 8:58 pm

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OK let me try and explain a couple important issues.

I originally made public statements regarding the first “unified” video, because I felt the message was misleading and lacking certain key facts. As a member of the group in which this program was initially created to help (small struggling skate shops) I felt my concerns were relevant. As a small business owner our day to day battles are hard enough, but to feel “unimportant” based on our inability or refusal to advertise on a certain website is ridiculous. After several back and forth both publicly and privately Steve Berra provided the necessary information to the public (and I applaud him for that)

My problem was not with the program itself, but the way it was feed to the public. I never wanted to launch a “hate campaign” directed towards Berra. Everyone is entitled to their options, but personal attacks have absolutely no grounds in this argument. Religion, race, sexual preference, or ones amazing mustache and fondness of a cold beer had nothing to do with the video or peoples reactions to it.

I will say I know for an absolute fact the person posting as “Celebrity Centre” on the slap boards is NOT Steve Berra. Internet drama can get gnar, and sometimes be taken overboard, but to post claiming to be someone that you are not in hopes to destroy their career and (already questionable) public image is fucked beyond all belief.

In the end i guess the truth is you can find real skateboarders riding skateboards. You can find “important” shops in the streets, educating kids, and keeping the scene alive, and you can find people who have something to say… Saying it straight up. No fake names or anonymous bs. Now go skate

...on 11/27/09 at 10:36 pm

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Terrance O’Brian & Lucas’s comments on the previous “Berrics” post have merit. Thanks for posting. I appreciate.

It seems like Steve Exit put the last nail in the coffin on this subject, but i’d just like to offer these two thoughts:

First, re: “geotargeted advertising” — anybody can add their businesses information to google maps for free, and this information would show up in “google local” searches. http://maps.google.com/support/bin/static.py?page=guide.cs&guide=21029&topic=21032 it could be safe to say that google maps gets more traffic than the berrics does. that’s an assumption, of course.

Second, if the berrics dropped a google ad unit on their site it could (potentially) pay for the server(s) — and services — that they need to improve the site’s performance, and they wouldn’t need to charge for this ’service’.

IMO – The ‘low end’ for Berrics Unified should cost zero. nothing. nada.

</2cents>

...on 11/28/09 at 8:12 am

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I said this before, and I gladly say it again. SLAP MESSAGE BOARD IS THE WORST SITE EVER IN SKATEBOARDING. A breeding ground for hatred, and a haven for pussies. True dat, thought u knew dat….

...on 11/28/09 at 12:46 pm

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why doesn’t everybody stop crying about berra everything has a cost so get over it. He’s offering something to skate shops he’s not making anybody sign up just putting his idea out there. Instead of bitching about the berrics go skate isn’t that what skaters do?

...on 11/28/09 at 2:55 pm

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Hoodat, that’s not productive. Props to Miller, Berra, Koston, Haveboard, Nugget, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Seattle, Aberdeen, New York, soccer moms, that poodle at my work, things, and kombucha tea. Let’s go skate.

...on 11/28/09 at 6:07 pm

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Does Berrics Unified really save skateshops from being “outspent and out-advertised by mall stores with deep pockets and empty history”?

Let’s examine the membership chart. The Basic plan consists only of a shop profile page at $50/month. At $600 per year, this is purely a listing with no banner ads. Your shop will also have less visibility as more shops sign up.

The next plan is “City”, which, in a addition to geo-targeted banner impressions, you’ll get a Field Ops profile for only $1440 up front. There’s one for The Armory in Costa Mesa in my region. Seems like a good deal for a new shop. However, the pricing is graduated–this tends to favor shops in large cities.

The other wider-ranging plans, from State to Region, seem antithetical to the goal of addressing the “war” against small shops. I suppose if I visit an aunt in Lunn Haven, FL, I might drop money on “Xtremely Board” from seeing a Berrics ad, but what sort of criteria determines the honor of being considered? It seems that a chain store like Utility in Southern California could certainly outspend and out-advertise local shops through this very program. None of the pricing here is tiered either. California shops pay the same as Wyoming despite housing 69 times the population.

The most expensive and expansive 2-Region $5280/year plan seems like the most economical deal–a little more than double the State price will give you a 36 state (Midwest/East) advertising base. Why would a local shop want to advertise in 85% of the United States? This clearly favors retailers with a significant web presence like Active, CCS and Utility (they’re already signed up). While some of these web-based shops might be legit, I still do not see the promised benefit to the little guy.

Another benefit to Berrics Unified shops is the ability to sell Berrics-exclusive product. Many companies already sell exclusive product to shops without membership fees. If Unified shops, in turn, sell Berrics gear on the web, how does that affect exclusivity? I’m not saying this isn’t a good deal for some shops, I just do not see how this deviates from the status quo.

...on 11/29/09 at 12:37 am

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Damage control video was commendable. I still wouldn’t trust anything that these people have to say. If you put out a video meant to mislead people, get called out, then make a follow up video to make good, your still the same pile that made the first video. nuf said, now ill go fuck my face cause i dont like that shit.

...on 11/29/09 at 11:19 am

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The first video was not for shop guys, it was for KIDS/CONSUMERS that DONT NEED to know the price to advertise somewhere. Any educated person should realize that advertisements cost money. The initial video however had certain statements in it that were said wrong, and could be interpreted very differently then they were possible intended.

The second video clarified alot of things that people had problems with, both big and small retailers. The Koston remark is funny, and true. If your not into dont watch it. Noone is forcing you to look at the berrics.

And Honestly go ride a skateboard, internet banter is wack. If this whole thing didnt concern my business, I would be skateboarding.

...on 11/29/09 at 2:05 pm

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skateboarding is gay

...on 11/29/09 at 9:25 pm

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people who get feelins are gay

...on 11/30/09 at 5:27 am

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Support your local skate scene. Everybody is selling something but if you Have to buy, buy it local. You know where the shops are and who runs them and what they carry. If you Need to find your local skate shop, google it. Not rocket science. Hating is much harder to do in person.

...on 11/30/09 at 10:09 am

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actually berra was posting as celebrity_centre. the call out that the account was fake, was a bait and switch. a move to divert attention away from the facts at hand and a means to have the slap kids follow the piper and argue about more silly shit.

zach, yeah, people make fun of your business, get over it. if the berrics really is so successful, why dwell on a few people who ask questions.

haveboard, i really like the site. i really do. good job and keep up the good work with this place.

...on 12/02/09 at 11:05 am

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Wow I thought most of us lived in the real world and knew that money didn’t grow on trees. I applaud Steve for what he is doing. He is providing a service and expecting to be paid for it just like any other company out there. Everyone hates on Berra, Koston, Sheckler and Dyrdek becasue they sold out. If Nike came to you and said we will give you x dollars to rep our product don’t tell me you wouldn’t. Money Talks Bullshit Walks. You need to eat and support your family the best way you can and that is what they are doing. Besides it cost money to keep the berrics open and the site up. It’s not all free you jackasses.

...on 12/23/09 at 12:53 pm

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