Buyer Beware

Supertrax
Page 61

This article was not about the traction product industry, however it does express points that could be applied.

... it seemed I was expected by the people representing the _______ industry to believe this was a breakthrough of new _______, sure to make serious waves in the sport... soon.

They say everyone in this journalism gig ends up a cynic, sooner or later. To some extent it's true. The endless exposure to overblown hype and disinformation can get to you;... A big part of my problem with this kind of story is the disrespect implied in the boasting of some of these newcomers. If you are coming out of nowhere, that is, from outside the industry, and you claim you will build a better product, don't you imply the guys who have been slaving over the cam-cad and pounding the protos for the past decades are uninspired, ignorant or lazy?

I'm here to tell you they're not.

I think maybe the uninformed looking at snowmobiling from the outside see the _______ as nothing more than a _______ for snow. To believe that is to miss the incredible subtleties that incorporate in this very complex _______ .

Look a bit deeper at any snowmobile part or assembly and you'll find there are endless nuances, trade-offs and details. Is some new designer, no matter how talented, going to surpass these on the first try?

Trail Tamer

At Bergstrom Skegs, before a product is brought onto the market, we feel there should be an added benefit, either in function and or cost, for the consumer. Not someone who just wants a piece of the action.

Separating the consumer from his money faster and or more often only benefits the sellers.

See - site map - The Proof - section to see how the new comer's standards have fallen short and some of the old timers have followed them.

SuperTrax International
Winter 2002
Taillights, Good Old Boys
Page 62

"It is part of the shark tank we call free enterprise capitalism to do whatever possible to suppress your competition.  Promoting legislation and regulation favorable to your company is part of this and we would expect no less from our industry colleagues." (Keep this in mind when you read advertising).