REI, Backcountry.com, EVO…all household names for those of us who are in the habit of buying ski/snowboard gear on and offline, but there’s another retailer that you probably haven’t heard of that has been quietly stacking up sales and positive reviews due to their unique personalized answer to a satisfying customer experience.
Founded in 2017, Curated’s business model centers around something that seems like common sense to any seasoned skier or snowboarder. Before taking the plunge and purchasing a big-ticket item, you should always talk to an expert to get some quality institutional knowledge.
While that may sound like a simple enough proposition for anyone who lives in a mountain town full of folks willing to share some wisdom over a beer or is lucky enough to have a trusted local retailer who really knows their stuff, there’s a massive underserved segment of the ski/snowboard public who solely rely on questionable product reviews, write-ups in magazines, or friends who may be a bit “over their skis” when dishing out advice tailor fit to an individual’s wants and needs.
Curated recognized this gap in the customer experience and, over the years, has slowly assembled a network of over 2,000 industry experts that work with a customer 1-on-1 to pair them with the best possible equipment at the same price as buying something off similar sites.
Here’s how it works. You’re in the market for a new pair of sticks or a board, and you head over to Curated. You will be met with a quick questionnaire that takes about three minutes to get a baseline of what you’re looking for. After that, you are matched with an expert who can answer all those nagging questions you have that make buying online a drag. That’s right, a REAL live skier or snowboarder who has REAL-world experience with the products you have questions about and can walk you through your options: 
Sounds like bullshit, but it’s not. They really do have actual skiers and snowboarders waiting online to help you out…for real, like right now, don’t believe me GO HERE and see what I’m talking about. They have all the brands you’d find elsewhere online at the same prices, but you basically get a personal concierge that will help you through the steps toward acquiring the perfect gear for your specific needs.
Who are these experts, you ask? Picked these examples at random…meet this dude Ed Clem who has been skiing since he was 4 years old and has worked as a ski-tech at a shop in Summit County. This is what I’m talking about.
Or snowboard expert Franco who has 8+ years managing a ski/snowboard shop on the east coast and enjoys splitboarding with his wife in his free time. Yeah, he probably knows a thing or two about which board would be right for someone with big feet or someone who mostly rides the east coast but takes an annual trip to Whistler. 
If you’re interested in experimenting with this personalized, one on one online purchasing experience, you can do so at no risk. Literally, someone is waiting to help you out at this very moment HERE. Or if you’re resume reads a bit like the ones above, maybe consider joining the network or experts yourself. Let us know what you think. 
