There seems to be something rotten in the retail division of Aspen Skiing Co. That’s the impression the company had when it “split ways” with retail division managing director Derek Johnson earlier this week.
The move was made “in the wake of allegations that he sold company merchandise on the auction website eBay, according to multiple individuals knowledgeable of the matter,” reports the Aspen Times.
Johnson had co-founded D&E ski, which he continued to head as retail managing director once the company was sold to Aspen Ski Co. The current allegations include him failing to refrain from hawking a few demos on the side.
He was one of three Aspen Skiing Co. employees terminated for their roles in the supposed racket, though this was confirmed to the Aspen Times, not by the resort but by legal counsel retained by one of the individuals fired. The company maintains these other two parties were casualties of “restructuring.”
From the Aspen Times:
“Aspen Times research shows that an Aspen-based eBay seller called “sportandski” recorded 7,983 transactions since its inception in May 2001. The account was not active Monday, but it has an online history of selling skis, snowboards and bindings. An example of its transactions includes the sale of a brand-new pair of Rossignol skis, with bindings, for $510 on March 11.”
Not a terrible deal, and “sportandski” is sporting some pretty positive feedback to boot. But this was a sale that just couldn’t last.
An alleged retail racket involving eBay has shaken up things at Aspen Skiing Co. https://t.co/qBPHF4KDMt
— Aspen Times (@TheAspenTimes) December 11, 2018